• Look Back In History
• Pmessages
• Quiz
• Stump The Staff
• Top Fifty
• Close

Bios

Nikolai Volkoff

Height: 6' 4"

Weight: 315 lbs

From: Moscow, Russia

Birthday: Oct 14th

Pro Debut: 1968

Aliases: Bepo Mongol, Big O, Boris Breznikoff, Executioner #3, Joe Croatian, Joe Peruzovic, Super Destroyer

Feds Worked For: MSW, TSW, AWA, NWA, WWE, WWF, WWWF, All Japan Pro Wrestling (Japan), Allied Powers Wrestling Federation (PA), Atomic Championship Wrestling (PA), Ballpark Brawl (NY), Big Bear Promotions (Canada), Big Time Wrestling (MI), Billtown Championship Wrestling (PA), Bloody Rage American Wrestling League (NY), Brew City Wrestling (WI), Central Canadian Championship Wrestling (Canada), Championship International Wrestling (MI), Championship Pro Wrestling (WV), Championship Wrestling from Florida (FL), Classic Championship Wrestling (OH/PA), Combat Zone Wrestling (NJ), Destination One Wrestling (IN), Devastation Wrestling Federation (NJ), East Coast Pro Wrestling (NJ/NY/PA), East Coast Wrestling Association (DE/NJ/PA), Eastern Championship Wrestling (PA), EWA, Forgotten Championship Wrestling (NY), Georgia Championship Wrestling (GA), Great North Wrestling (Canada), Gulf Athletic Club (TX), Hardcore Hustle Organization (NJ), Heroes and Legends Wrestling (IN), Heroes of Wrestling (MS), House of Pain Wrestling Federation (MD/PA/WV), Impact Zone Wrestling (AZ/NM), Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance (VA), International Championship Wrestling (ME/NJ/NY/VT), International Wrestling (Canada), International Wrestling Cartel (PA), Japan Wrestling Association (Japan), Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (PA), Lucky Pro Wrestling (MA), Maple Leaf Wrestling (Canada), Mid Eastern Wrestling Federation (MD), Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (NC/SC), National Wrestling Federation (NJ/NY/OH/PA/DC), National Wrestling League (MD/PA/VA/WV), National Wrestling Superstars (NJ), New Breed Wrestling (NY), New Japan Pro Wrestling (Japan), Northern Championship Wrestling (Canada), NWA Championship Wrestling America (NJ/PA), NWA Big Time Wrestling (TX), NWA Hollywood (CA), NWA Jersey (NJ), NWA New Jersey/New York (NJ/NY), NWA Over the Top (NJ/PA), NWA Shockwave (NJ), Pacific Northwest Wrestling (OR/WA),Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling (PA), Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling Alliance (PA), Pennsylvania Premiere Wrestling (PA), Pioneer Wrestling Alliance (PA), Powerhouse Wrestling (MA), Pro Wrestling Entertainment (PA), Rice Pro Wrestling, Southern Championship Wrestling Florida (FL), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), Stampede Wrestling (Canada), Super Pro Wrestling (PA), Susquehanna Wrestling Organization (PA), Trans World Wrestling Federation (CT/MD/NJ/PA), Ultimate Wrestling (NY), United Pro Wrestling Association (NC/NJ), United States Wrestling Federation (MA), Universal Wrestling Federation (CA/FL/ND/NV/NY/SC), World Wide Wrestling Alliance (PA), World Wrestling Council (Puerto Rico), World Xtreme Wrestling (FL/PA), Wrestling Fan Xperience (Canada), WWSA

Finisher: Russian Bear Hug

Signature Moves: Body Slam, Backbreaker

Career Highlights: -APWF 2000 Champion
-HoPWF Tag Team Champion (w/ Morgus the Maniac)
-MSW North American Champion
-NWA (Chicago/Indianapolis) World Tag Team Champion (4x; all w/ Boris Volkoff)
-NWA (Detroit) World Tag Team Champion (w/ Geeto Mongol)
-NWA Florida Tag Team Champion (w/ Ivan Koloff)
-NWA Georgia Champion
-NWA Macon Tag Team Champion (w/ Brute Bernard)
-NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion (w/ Chris Markoff)
-NWA Pacific Northwest Champion
-NWF Tag Team Champion (w/ Geeto Mongol)
-WWA Champion
-WWF World Tag Team Champion (w/ The Iron Sheik)
-WWWA Champion
-WWWF International Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Geeto Mongol)

Affiliates: Boris Volkoff, The Iron Sheik, Boris Zhukov, Geeto Mongol, Chris Markoff, Ivan Koloff, Krusher Darsow, Super Destroyer, Korstia Korchenko, Bobby Heenan, Lou Albano, Freddie Blassie, Slick, Ted DiBiase, Irwin R. Schyster, Bam Bam Bigelow, The Undertaker, Kama, King Kong Bundy, Psycho Sid, Tatanka, The 1-2-3 Kid, The Ringmaster, Xanta Klaus, Bushwacker Butch, Bushwacker Luke, Tito Santana, Jim Duggan, Executioner #1/Killer Kowalski, Executioner #2/John Studd, Alfred Hays, Tony Angelo

Notable Feuds: Barry Windham, Mike Rotundo, Bugsy McGraw, Cpl. Kirschner, Davey Boy Smith, Dynamite Kid, Jim Brunzell, Jay Strongbow, Junkyard Dog, S. D. Jones, Gorilla Monsoon, B. Brian Blair, Sgt. Slaughter, Dusty Rhodes, Bruno Sammartino, Johnny Weaver, Bushwacker Luke, Bushwacker Butch, Ivan Putski, Jerry Brisco, King Konga/The Barbarian, The Warlord, Jim Nelson/Boris Zhukov, Victor Rivera, Tony Garea, Dominic DeNucci, Giant Baba, Jim Powers, Paul Roma, Blackjack Mulligan, Manny Fernández, Bobo Brazil, Lanny Poffo, George Steele, Scott McGhee, Dick Murdoch, Mike Graham, Tito Santana, Seiji Sakaguchi, Paul Jones, Jumbo Tsuruta, Prince Tonga/King Tonga/Haku, Jim Duggan, Jacques Rougeau, Raymond Rougeau, André the Giant, Terry Taylor/Dr. Feel Good, Jack Brisco, Dan Spivey, Manuel Soto, Masked Superstar/Super Machine/Ax, Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, Jay Youngblood, Antonio Inoki, The Tonga Kid/Tama, Mikel Scicluna, Dewey Robertson/The Missing Link, Pete Sánchez, José Gonzales, José Luis Rivera/Conquistador #1, Hillbilly Jim, Steve Keirn/Skinner, Koko B. Ware, Hulk Hogan, Kenny Casanova

Other Facts: -Real name was Josip Nikolai Peruzovic. Volkoff was his mother's maiden name.
-Sometimes billed from Siberia
-Was actually born in Croatia to a Russian mother and a Croatian/Italian father.
-Achieved fame as an amateur wrestler and body builder in his native Yugoslavia
-Became an official United States citizen in 1970. He fled his native country at 19 and chose his wrestling character to educate Americans about the evils of communism, which he calls "the worst shape of capitalism."
-Boasted a 64 inch chest and 23 inch biceps. He could crush an apple in one hand and used that gimmick while feuding with Bruno Sammartino.
-Sang Russian National Anthem before his matches. This was a gimmick given to him by Bill Watts while he was in MSW and he carried it into the WWF.
-Was Al Farat's 1st professional opponent
-Former member of The Million Dollar Corporation
-Opened a wrestling training center in Baltimore, MD in 2004
-Appeared in the movie "Terror in the Pharaoh's Tomb" in 2007
-Served as a Baltimore County Code inspector
-Became a vegetarian late in his life
-Ranked #260 in the 1991 PWI 500
-Ranked #224 in the 1992 PWI 500
-Ranked #312 in the 1993 PWI 500
-Ranked #134 in the 1994 PWI 500
-Ranked #226 in the 1995 PWI 500
-Ranked #330 in the 1996 PWI 500
-Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005
-Passed away July 29, 2018 at the age of 70. He had recently spent time in the hospital for extreme dehydration among other things and it is unclear exactly what led to his death.