Nikolai Volkoff

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Nikolai Volkoff
An image of Nikolai Volkoff.
Statistics
Ring name(s) Nikolai Volkoff
Bepo Mongol
Boris Breznikoff
Billed height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Billed weight 143 kg (315 lb)
Born October 14, 1947 (1947-10-14) (age 60)
Croatia, (then Yugoslavia)
Resides Glen Arm, Maryland
Billed from Moscow, USSR
Debut 1967

Josip Peruzović (born October 14, 1947) better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation. Although the Volkoff character is portrayed as Russian, Peruzović actually originated from Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia) and had a mixed background that was not entirely Russian.

Contents

[edit] Career

Peruzović grew up in Croatia, which was then part of the former Yugoslavia, a Communist country. His mother is Russian and his father was Croatian and Italian. He was on the Yugoslavian weightlifting team until 1967, when he defected to Canada while at a weightlifting tournament in Vienna, Austria. He received training in Calgary from the legendary Stu Hart, followed by his arrival in the United States in 1970.

As soon as he arrived, he began wrestling in the WWWF. Wrestling as Bepo Mongol, managed by Captain Lou Albano and partnered with Geto Mongol, he captured the WWWF International Tag Team Titles from Tony Marino and Victor Rivera on June 15, 1970. After losing the titles to Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler in a match that unified the WWWF International and WWWF World Tag Team Titles, Peruzovic went on to singles competition under the name Nikolai Volkoff.

In 1974, he had what he considers to be the most memorable match of his life when he sold out Madison Square Garden wrestling against Bruno Sammartino. Volkoff chased the WWWF title for the majority of his early career and was always given a considerable amount of title shots from whoever was the current WWWF Champion.

Late in 1974, Volkoff moved to the AWA where he wrestled under the name of Boris Breznikoff; managed by Bobby Heenan, he used the same gimmick with a different ring name. He reverted back to the Volkoff name in his WWWF return in 1976. During this time in the WWWF, Volkoff was announced as being from Mongolia. He enjoyed a very successful feud with Bruno Sammartino. The feud started when Volkoff attacked Bruno during an interview segment. They sold out areneas all throughout the Northeast.

In the early 1980s, Volkoff wrestled for Cowboy Bill Watts in the Mid South region.

In 1984, Volkoff returned to the now WWF and teamed with the Iron Sheik. It was at this point that Volkoff really pushed the envelope and began to sing The Russian National Anthem before every match, in order to become the even more hated Russian than he already was.

The new team of Volkoff and The Iron Sheik captured the coveted WWF Tag Team Championship from The US Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) at WrestleMania I, on March 31, 1985. After losing the titles back to Rotundo and Windham three months later, Volkoff began to wrestle more in singles competition, picking up a notable feud with Corporal Kirschner.

According to the Sheik around this time, their friendship behind the scenes ended over $2. Allegedly, Sheik wanted to tip a wheelchair man who helped transport the Sheik and their luggage, but only had $100 bills. He asked Nikolai for $2.00, and Nikolai refused, saying the wheelchair man "didn't need the money." [1]

In the fall of 1986, Volkoff's manager Classy Freddy Blassie sold half interest in his stable of Superstars to the “Doctor of Style,” Slick. Giving Slick co-managerial rights to Nikolai Volkoff, Classy Freddy Blassie also shares the contracts of The Iron Sheik and Hercules.

In late 1987, Volkoff was teamed with Boris Zukhov, another alleged Russian (actually an American), to form The Bolsheviks. For a short period of time, The Bolsheviks were managed by both Blassie and Slick. However, this tag team combination for Volkoff did not gain the success as did his partnership with The Iron Sheik. As they lost the public eye due to many losses, they lost Blassie to retirement and eventually lost their manager Slick. The Bolsheviks never held any titles together, and are perhaps best remembered for being defeated in 19 seconds by The Hart Foundation at WrestleMania VI. Eventually, by 1990, The Bolsheviks split up.

During the Cold War period, Volkoff played a communist villain who was one of the most hated men in professional wrestling. His act included angering fans by insulting America and singing the "Russian National Anthem" before each match, joined in tag team matches by the Iron Sheik (whose home nation of Iran was also seen as an American enemy). Although Peruzovic had originally sought to be a "good guy," he had a stellar career as one of the top "bad guys" in the business. With the Cold War ending, Peruzovic finally got his wish and was allowed to transform himself into the "good guy" he always wanted to be. Stated Peruzovic to his managers, "I told them, communism is over. I did my job. No more bad guy."

A short time after The Bolsheviks split, Volkoff became a fan favorite for the first time in his career. His gimmick was now that of a proud naturalized American citizen; this led to a feud with Sgt. Slaughter, who had recently began an Iraqi sympathizer gimmick. After this feud was over, Volkoff's popularity declined and he left WWF in 1992.

In 1994, Volkoff again returned to the WWF and became a sympathetic heel by playing the whipping-boy of Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation. Volkoff had (kayfabe) fallen on hard times and was forced to take a job working for Ted DiBiase and his new Corporation. As low man in the group he was forced to wrestle matches no one else wanted to or sent out to "soften up" opponents for other members of the stable as the sacrificial lamb of the group. The disrespect even extended to renaming him "Nickel & Dime" Volkoff and DiBiase forcing him to place a ¢ on his trunks where the Russian Sickle once was along with a sign on his ring attire that read "Property Of The Million Dollar Man". Following this last run in the WWF, Volkoff entered a semi-retirement. Volkoff also made a brief cameo on an episode of Shotgun Saturday Night where Todd Pettengill discovered him homeless sleeping in a box on the streets of New York

On February 3, 2005, Volkoff was announced as one of the inductees for the Class of 2005 into the WWE Hall of Fame. He was inducted on April 2, 2005 by Jim Ross in the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California.

In 2006, Volkoff took part in the World Wrestling Legends pay-per-view 6:05 The Reunion. Managed by The Iron Sheik, he wrestled a match against "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. Before the match, he once again sang the national anthem of the Soviet Union and riled up the crowd.

Volkoff made his first appearance on WWE television in over 2 years on the August 13, 2007 edition of RAW as a contestant on WWE Idol, a parody of American Idol. Volkoff appeared alongside The Iron Sheik and Howard Finkel, although Volkoff was the only one who sang. Volkoff sang the Soviet Union national anthem, receiving boos from the crowd (despite being face) and was insulted by judge William Regal, although judges Mick Foley and Maria both praised the performance. In response, Sheik, who was also insulted, went on a tirade until both he and Volkoff were escorted out of the building by security.

Volkoff and The Iron Sheik returned to WWE Television on March 10, 2008 carrying the Soviet and Iranian flags, respectively. Volkoff repeated his traditional rendition of the Soviet anthem, The Sheik began a tirade at the audience, and their opponents from WrestleMania 1, the US Express, entered in an homage to their history.

[edit] Personal life

Peruzovic has been married for 35 years and has two daughters.[1] In his book "Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks", Fred Blassie describes Peruzovic as a good family man who helped Blassie reconnect with a daughter with whom he had been estranged for many years.

Peruzovic is working as a code enforcement officer in Baltimore County, Maryland. He still wrestles independent shows occasionally.[2]

[edit] Political Involvement

He ran unsuccessfully in the 2006 Maryland Republican Primary for State Delegate in District 7 (representing parts of Baltimore & Harford County) in Maryland.[2]

[edit] In wrestling

[edit] Finishing and signature maneuvers

[edit] Managers

[edit] Championships and accomplishments

  • PWI ranked him # 136 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
  • PWI ranked him # 96 of the 100 best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with the Iron Sheik in 2003.

Other Titles

  • NWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Gito Mongol
  • World Wide Wrestling Alliance Intercontinental Championship (1 time)

[edit] References

  1. ^ He has been married for 35 years and is the father of two grown daughters - a teacher and a nurse.
  2. ^ The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Volkoff, now a Baltimore County code inspector, is a veteran of the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) from the 1980s, when the likes of Hulk Hogan, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, and Rowdy Roddy Piper crossed paths.

[edit] External links

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