Nikolai Volkoff
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Nikolai Volkoff (born Josip Peruzovic around October 1947.) Although he portrayed a Russian as a wrestler, he defected from the former Yugoslavia.
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Career
Peruzovic grew up in the former Yugoslavia, which was under Communist control. His mother is Russian and he is Croatian by birth. He was on the Yugoslavian weightlifting team until 1968, when, at age 18, he defected to Canada while at a weightlifting tournament in Vienna, Austria. He came to the United States in 1970. Peruzovic is 6 foot 5 inches and gives the "bear hold" manuever real meaning.
As soon as he arrived, he began wrestling in the WWWF and wrestled with WWE until the mid-1990s. Managed by Captain Lou Albano and partnered with Gito Mongol, he captured the WWWF Tag Team Titles from Victor Rivera and Tony Marino. They lost the titles and Volkoff went on to singles competition.
In 1974, he had what he considers to be the most memorable match of his life when he sold out Madison Square Garden wrestling Bruno Sammartino. Volkoff was always given a considerable amount of title shots from whoever was the current WWWF Champion. He continued this for some time before leaving, then entering a few years later once again in the new WWF, where he teamed up with the Iron Sheik.
They captured the WWF Tag-Team Championship from Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham at Wrestlemania I, the same title he held 15 years before. He came and went and finally quit shortly after 1995.
On February 3, 2005, Volkoff was announced as one of the inductees for the Class of 2005 into the WWE Hall of Fame along with Paul Orndorff, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Jimmy Hart, The Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan, and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. The induction ceremony took place on April 2, 2005 in the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California.
During the Cold War, Peruzovic played a communist villain, Nikolai Volkoff, who was one of the most hated men in professional wrestling. His act included angering fans by insulting America and singing a mock "Russian National Anthem" before each match. Peruzovic, who had originally sought to be the "good guy," finally got his wish as the Cold War was ending. Stated Peruzovic to his managers, "I told them, communism is over. I did my job. No more bad guy."
Currently, Peruzovic is working as a code enforcement officer in Baltimore County, Maryland.
Peruzovic has been married for 35 years and is the father of two grown daughters - a teacher and a nurse.
Political Involvement
Peruzovic was considering running as a Republican for the Maryland House of Delegates in 2006. With the Republican incumbents staying put, however, he has apparently decided to not run at this time.
Finishing and signature maneuvers
- Bearhug
- Russian Backbreaker
Previous Managers
- Slick
- Bobby Heenan
- Ted DiBiase
- Tony Angelo
- Lou Albano
- Freddie Blassie
Championships/Accomplishments
- 1-Time WWF World Tag Team Champion (with Iron Sheik)
- 2-Time WWWF World Tag Team Champion (with Gito Mongol)
- 1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Detroit version) (with Boris Volkoff)
- 1-Time NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion (with Chris Markoff)
- 1-Time NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time NWA Florida Tag Team Champion (with Ivan Koloff)
- 1-Time WWA Heavyweight Champion
- 2-Time WWA Tag Team Champion (with Angelo Poffo and Boris Volkoff)
- 1-Time NWF Tag Team Champion (with Gito Mongol)
- 1-Time Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champion
- 2-Time WWWA Heavyweight Champion
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 136 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003. PWI also ranked him # 96 of the best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Iron Sheik.
External links
- Hero's welcome for a wrestling villain (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.wrestler29mar29,1,7311472.story?coll=bal-local-headlines), Baltimore Sun, 3/29/2005
- Ex-wrestler finds code of conduct (http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpid=659&show=archivedetails&ArchiveID=1098203&om=1), Towson Times, 3/30/2005