And it was at that time, at that moment, that I told WCW that I was going to step away, take a sabbatical if you will. The right side of his body was paralyzed for months, ending his in-ring career. He attacked Lex Luger, claiming he had "stolen" the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship from him in 1987 and that he wanted it back. What you expect to happen, happens. Her mom, a Christian preacher who gives abstinence talks to teens, won't let her date till she comes to one of her seminars. During one bout, Koloff sustained a cut to the arm when an audience member threw a spark plug at him.[8]. And regardless of your beliefs, that's a lesson we should all live by. Koloff has written two books: Breaking the Chains (ISBN 1-57090-107-4) in 2000, which is a Christian Living guide and Wrestling with Success (ISBN -471-48732-5) in 2004 along with Jeffrey Gitomer, which is a guide to positive thinking in life situations. Rhodes decided to strike while the iron was hot, booking Koloff to become a face and his greatest ally against The Four Horsemen. One of their encounters was voted Match of the Year runner-up by the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated. You might say [like] a Wayne Gretzky, theres only a few guys who walked away at the top of their career, and retired. Now a babyface and comrade of Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff found himself feuding with the top heel group and Dustys greatest enemies, the Four Horsemen. As you browse, we hope you'll learn more about the man, his mission and his ministry. On that night, the Super Powers were born, and it was the perfect pairing: The American Dream and The Russian Nightmare. Today, Nikita speaks with Kevin Sorbo about his new book. But the following year, while feuding with Big Van Vader, a stiff clothesline ended up giving Nikita Koloff a neck injury that forced him to put his in-ring career to an end. Nikita Koloff A Real & True Hero It's Time to Man Up! [1] However, the Assassins and Jones turned on Koloff after he lost a Russian Chain match to Ricky Morton at Clash of the Champions III: Fall Brawl. Danny Djeljosevic is a writer based in San Diego, CA. Not that Im at their level, but at the same time, some have thrown me in the same category with guys like that. Changing his name to Nikita Koloff and acting as the nephew of Ivan Koloff, Scott took on on a whole new persona. In the fall of 1987, Jim Crockett Promotions acquired Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF). "I'm a goal setter. Also during The War Games, Flair and Blanchard reaggravated Koloff's neck injury by delivering two spike piledrivers. November 22, 1984 - NWA Starrcade: The Russians (Ivan and Nikita Koloff) defeated Ole Anderson and Keith Larson. Nikita Koloff Overcoming Adversity It's Time to Man Up! Koloff and Taylor were booked to face each other atStarrcade '87, but Koloff vowed to get his television belt back before the match. Today, Nikita speaks with Bill Janosik for another great episode of questions and answers. Without it, you life will echo emptiness. Unable to fulfill that dream, he turned again to weights and became an obsessive trainer, putting in extremely long hours at the gym. On a recent episode of "Busted Open Radio," Koloff addressed the possibility of wrestling one last match in the same way Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat both did. He then lost to Barry Windham in the finals of the tournament for the vacant NWA United States Championship, before beginning a feud with Al Perez and teaming with Sting to feud with the Four Horsemen. He might have retired from the ring in 1992 . Today, Koloff travels all over, making personal appearances, preaching his message and meeting wrestling fans who fondly remember him. Several months ago, Koloff was a call-in guest. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. He suffered an injury playing football but rehabbed to play for Minnesota State University Moorhead where he suffered another injury. Frederick Kenneth Blassman (February 8, 1918 - June 2, 2003) was an American professional wrestler and manager, known by the ring name "Classy" Freddie Blassie.Renowned as "The Hollywood Fashion Plate", he was a one-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, and was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994. After graduating high school, Koloff -- continued his football career in college, playing for Golden Valley Lutheran College in St. Paul, Minnesota. The two fought to a double disqualification at StarrCade '86 on November 26. The historic moment took place on October 24 inCharlotte, North Carolina. 8 Dusty Rhodes & Ole Anderson Vs The Assassins (GCW 1980) While it wasn't one of his finest matches from a wrestling perspective, it was one of the biggest moments in Georgia Championship Wrestling, and is still considered one of the greatest heel turns of all time. When my minds made up, that's what I'm going to do. Admins: Koloff said, "I probably could. Koloff would battle Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and was seriously considered to be the man to take the title. Do his choices match yours? They are of course led by Nikita Koloff, a man who has held many titles including the NWA National Heavyweight, United States and Tag Team Championships. WF Once the WWE's Russian Nightmare, now the DEVIL'S worst nightmare - Nikita Koloff! Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place. to win the title. The war between the two sides was getting white hot until TA tragically lost his career and nearly his life in a horrific automobile accident. Nikita Koloff's dedication to his gimmick! Email: dgmstaff@nwhof.org. Real Name Nikita Koloff (born Nelson Scott Simpson) Ring Names Nikita Koloff ( June 24, 1984 - Present) Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) Weight 275 lbs (125 kg) Born March 9, 1959 (age 63) Birth Place Minneapolis, Minnesota Billed From Lithuania ( December 27, 1991 - October 25, 1992) Soviet Union ( June 24, 1984 - December 26, 1991) He played college football and was dreaming of an NFL career when injuries sidelined him. National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. After jumping around among various promotions like the American Wrestling Association and Herb Abrams Universal Wrestling Federation, Nikita Koloff returned to Jim Crockett Promotions which had become WCW in 1991. "My wife had been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 24. The tour began and ended with two revolutionary matches created by Rhodes, known as WarGames: The Match Beyond. Huffman is an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment under his first name. We would be pleased if you would write one. He returned to WCW/NWA as a special guest referee at WrestleWar '89 in match for the NWA World Tag Team Championship between The Road Warriors and Mike Rotunda and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams. to defeat Ric Flair for the NWA World Championship at StarrCade 86; after a short program of rematches with Flair, T. A. would begin a long program with Koloff that ran through The Great American Bash Tour of 1987. "I was committed to my goals," Koloff answered adamantly. Mike Schmitz), The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Im very humbled by that.. During the bout, Koloff sustained a herniated disc in his neck after receiving a stiff clothesline to the head from Vader, leading him to retire from professional wrestling. In the fall of 1988, Koloff was quickly losing interest in professional wrestling due to personal reasons. Nikita Koloff A Man of Faith in the Marketplace It's Time to Man Up! Koloff said, I probably could. Part two will air on this Friday's The Wrestling Inc. Daily. One of his teammates at Golden Valley Lutheran was Joe Laurinaitis, whod later be known as Animal of the legendary tag team The Road Warriors. In spring of 1986, Koloff started one of the biggest, most anticipated feuds in the history ofWCWwhen he attackedWCW United States Heavyweight ChampionMagnum T.A.. Booker T just voted in the Sportskeeda Wrestling Awards. He won many titles along the way. Nikita Koloff (born Nelson Scott Simpson in Minneapolis, March 9, 1959) is a retired American professional wrestler who was a top Foreign Wrestling Heel in the mid-1980s. Dusty Rhodes needed a partner to take onOle AndersonandJames J. Dillonin a cage match. Koloff and Sting went on to face on another in a Russian Chain match at The Great American Bash on July 14 which was won by Koloff. Today Nikita speaks with gospel group Sunday Drive for another great episode of questions and answers. In 1988, Ivan Koloff and his manager Paul Jones recruited two masked Russian Assassins to feud with Nikita. While he learned more about the sport on the road with Ivan and Kernodle, Koloff was booked in very short matches until his skills developed. He was billed as the nephew of fellow faux-Russian Ivan Koloff, from whom he took his ring name. I'm in the main event. Read millions of eBooks and audiobooks on the web, iPad, iPhone and Android. Nikita Koloff discusses his career as a professional wrestler and what has been going on with him since he left the business. Theworkedinjury set up the pretext for dropping the U.S. Nikita Koloff (born Nelson Scott Simpson on March 9, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler. The Andersons, NWA Television Title (First Blood Match): Dusty Rhodes vs. Tully Blanchard, United States Tag Team Title Match (No DQ Match): Krusher Khruschev and Ivan Koloff vs. He made a few appearances for NWA:TNA in 2003 as a masked man called "Mr. Wrestling IV" who attacked Dusty Rhodes. Jim Crockett, Jr., the promoter of the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions, renamed him "Nikita Koloff", the Russian Nightmare, and teamed him with "uncle" Ivan Koloff and Don Kernodle, a turncoat American. Prior to committing themselves to WCW, The Koloffs feuded with then-AWA World Tag Team Championsthe Road Warriors in both the AWA and WCW in a brutal series during 1985. Lots of guests who tell their personal stories of faith. Legendary announcer Tony Schiavone described it as the loudest pop he had ever heard during his career. In late 1989, Koloff joinedVerne Gagne's AWA. At SuperBrawl I on May 19, 1991, Koloff accidentally hit Sting with a chain while interfering in a tag team match between Sting and Lex Luger and The Steiner Brothers. Imposing, immovable, and unbeatable, Nikita left a trail of fallen opponents as he brought the Cold War that loomed over the globe into the ring. "Well, the time off, to clarify, wasn't business related as much as it was personal related," revealed Koloff. Koloff continued wrestling in the AWA for the remainder of the year and the first half of 1990, headlining numerous television broadcasts and Twin Wars '90, the last major event with the AWA under Gagne. He went from a hated heel to a beloved babyface. He returned with Ivan Koloff in 1986 and faced Invader I and Invader III at a big house show at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon. Nikita Koloff (born Nelson Scott Simpson on March 9, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler. 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