07-29-2018, 09:05 PM
Nikolai Volkoff, professional wrestler. You might remember his shtick in the ring even if you don't care for 'professional' wrestling..
Josip Nikolai Peruzović (October 14, 1947 – July 29, 2018),[3][4] better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, was a Croatian-American professional wrestler who was best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Although the Volkoff on-screen character was often portrayed as a villainous Russian, Peruzović actually originated from Croatia and had a mixed background. He was known for teaming with The Iron Sheik, with whom he won the WWF Tag Team Championship at the inaugural WrestleMania event, and also with Boris Zhukov as The Bolsheviks.
....
In 1984, Volkoff returned to the now WWF and teamed with the Iron Sheik with the pair being managed by the "Hollywood fashion plate" "Classy" Freddie Blassie.[1] It was at this point that Volkoff pushed the envelope and began to sing the national anthem of the Soviet Union before every match after which the Sheik would grab the microphone and proclaim "Iran number one, Russia number one" before exaggerated spitting after saying "USA", in order to gain even more heat for being foreign heels.[1]
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The new team of Volkoff and the Iron Sheik captured the coveted [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tag_Team_Championship_(WWE)]WWF Tag Team Championship from The U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) at the first ever WrestleMania, on March 31, 1985 after the Sheik had knocked out Windham with Fred Blassie's cane.[1] After losing the titles back to Rotundo and Windham three months later, Volkoff began to wrestle more in singles competition, including wrestling Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship on several occasions in 1985 and 1986 (including a flag match at the second ever episode of Saturday Night's Main Event at the Meadowlands Arena), but never defeated Hogan for the title.
Volkoff also feuded with former 82nd Airborne paratrooper Corporal Kirchner throughout 1985 and 1986, defeating him in a "peace match" on Saturday Night's Main Event. Their feud ended when Kirchner used Blassie's cane to defeat Volkoff at WrestleMania 2 in another flag match during the Chicago portion of the event.
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 (kayfabe).[1] Giving Slick co-managerial rights to Nikolai Volkoff, Classy Freddy Blassie also shared the contracts of the Iron Sheik and Hercules. This was a storyline aimed at reducing the aging Blassie's active role and the "Hollywood fashion plate" eventually retired in the fall of 1986 at the age of 68. Sheik and Volkoff feuded with WWF newcomer Jim Duggan for the majority of 1987, including Hacksaw running to the ring and stopping the Big Russian's singing before their match against The Killer Bees at WrestleMania III (Sheik and Volkoff won by disqualification when Duggan entered the ring while chasing Volkoff and then hit the Sheik with his 2x4 while he had the Camel clutch on "Jumping" Jim Brunzell).
In late 1987, Volkoff was teamed with Boris Zukhov, another alleged Russian (actually an American wrestler whose real name was James Harrell), to form The Bolsheviks.[1] The Russians feuded with WWF newcomers The Powers of Pain, losing to them at the inaugural SummerSlam PPV in 1988, however The Bolsheviks did not gain the success as did his partnership with The Iron Sheik. As they lost the public eye due to many losses, they eventually lost their manager Slick and were eventually used as a comic relief team losing many matches to The Bushwhackers. 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.[1] Eventually, by 1990, The Bolsheviks split up. Volkoff publicly ended the partnership prior to a match where he confronted Zukhov and then started singing "The Star-Spangled Banner", drawing loud cheers from the audience and turning babyface in the process. ....
More here.
Josip Nikolai Peruzović (October 14, 1947 – July 29, 2018),[3][4] better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, was a Croatian-American professional wrestler who was best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Although the Volkoff on-screen character was often portrayed as a villainous Russian, Peruzović actually originated from Croatia and had a mixed background. He was known for teaming with The Iron Sheik, with whom he won the WWF Tag Team Championship at the inaugural WrestleMania event, and also with Boris Zhukov as The Bolsheviks.
....
In 1984, Volkoff returned to the now WWF and teamed with the Iron Sheik with the pair being managed by the "Hollywood fashion plate" "Classy" Freddie Blassie.[1] It was at this point that Volkoff pushed the envelope and began to sing the national anthem of the Soviet Union before every match after which the Sheik would grab the microphone and proclaim "Iran number one, Russia number one" before exaggerated spitting after saying "USA", in order to gain even more heat for being foreign heels.[1]
[/url]
The new team of Volkoff and the Iron Sheik captured the coveted [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tag_Team_Championship_(WWE)]WWF Tag Team Championship from The U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) at the first ever WrestleMania, on March 31, 1985 after the Sheik had knocked out Windham with Fred Blassie's cane.[1] After losing the titles back to Rotundo and Windham three months later, Volkoff began to wrestle more in singles competition, including wrestling Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship on several occasions in 1985 and 1986 (including a flag match at the second ever episode of Saturday Night's Main Event at the Meadowlands Arena), but never defeated Hogan for the title.
Volkoff also feuded with former 82nd Airborne paratrooper Corporal Kirchner throughout 1985 and 1986, defeating him in a "peace match" on Saturday Night's Main Event. Their feud ended when Kirchner used Blassie's cane to defeat Volkoff at WrestleMania 2 in another flag match during the Chicago portion of the event.
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 (kayfabe).[1] Giving Slick co-managerial rights to Nikolai Volkoff, Classy Freddy Blassie also shared the contracts of the Iron Sheik and Hercules. This was a storyline aimed at reducing the aging Blassie's active role and the "Hollywood fashion plate" eventually retired in the fall of 1986 at the age of 68. Sheik and Volkoff feuded with WWF newcomer Jim Duggan for the majority of 1987, including Hacksaw running to the ring and stopping the Big Russian's singing before their match against The Killer Bees at WrestleMania III (Sheik and Volkoff won by disqualification when Duggan entered the ring while chasing Volkoff and then hit the Sheik with his 2x4 while he had the Camel clutch on "Jumping" Jim Brunzell).
In late 1987, Volkoff was teamed with Boris Zukhov, another alleged Russian (actually an American wrestler whose real name was James Harrell), to form The Bolsheviks.[1] The Russians feuded with WWF newcomers The Powers of Pain, losing to them at the inaugural SummerSlam PPV in 1988, however The Bolsheviks did not gain the success as did his partnership with The Iron Sheik. As they lost the public eye due to many losses, they eventually lost their manager Slick and were eventually used as a comic relief team losing many matches to The Bushwhackers. 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.[1] Eventually, by 1990, The Bolsheviks split up. Volkoff publicly ended the partnership prior to a match where he confronted Zukhov and then started singing "The Star-Spangled Banner", drawing loud cheers from the audience and turning babyface in the process. ....
More here.
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.