35 Facts About Nikolai Volkoff

Josip Hrvoje Peruzovic, better known by his ring name Nikolai Volkoff, was a Croatian-American professional wrestler from Yugoslavia, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation where he usually played a Russian heel.

In 1990, Nikolai Volkoff turned face and defected to America, briefly feuding with Zhukov and newly-heel Iraqi sympathizer Sgt.

Nikolai Volkoff continued to wrestle in various promotions until his death in 2018.

Nikolai Volkoff received training in Calgary from Stu Hart, followed by his arrival in the United States in 1970.

In 1974, Nikolai Volkoff returned to the company and appeared in a memorable match at a sold out Madison Square Garden and wrestled one of the sport's most famous champions, Bruno Sammartino.

Nikolai Volkoff had a very successful feud with Bruno Sammartino, which started when Volkoff attacked him during an interview segment.

Nikolai Volkoff later had a feud with Bob Backlund during Backlund's tenure as champion.

Late in 1974, Nikolai Volkoff moved to the AWA where he wrestled under the name Boris Breznikoff, managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, he used the same gimmick with a different ring name.

In 1983, Nikolai Volkoff wrestled for "Cowboy" Bill Watts in the Mid-South region.

In July 1984, Volkoff returned to the renamed WWF defeating S D Jones on Georgia Championship Wrestling and teamed with the Iron Sheik with the pair being managed by the "Hollywood fashion plate" "Classy" Freddie Blassie.

Nikolai Volkoff faced Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship on several occasions in 1985 and 1986.

Nikolai Volkoff feuded with former 82nd Airborne paratrooper Corporal Kirchner throughout 1985 and 1986, defeating him in a "peace match" on Saturday Night's Main Event IV.

Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff feuded with WWF newcomer Jim Duggan for the majority of 1987, including Duggan running to the ring and stopping the Russian's singing before their match against the Killer Bees at WrestleMania III.

In late 1987, Nikolai Volkoff was teamed with Boris Zhukov, another purported Russian, to form the Bolsheviks.

Nikolai Volkoff publicly ended the partnership prior to a match where he confronted Zhukhov and then started singing "The Star-Spangled Banner", drawing loud cheers from the audience and turning babyface in the process.

Nikolai Volkoff's gimmick was now that of a recent defector, he became very pro-west which led to a feud with Sgt.

Nikolai Volkoff made a brief return to compete in the 1992 Royal Rumble match, as well as to face Hercules in a house show match on January 29 in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Nikolai Volkoff then returned to ECW on October 16,1993 as he lost to Jimmy Snuka.

On February 1,1994, Nikolai Volkoff began a full-time return to the WWF, making a ringside appearance at a Superstars taping in White Plains, New York during a match between Diesel and Mike Moraldo.

Nikolai Volkoff had kayfabe fallen on hard times and was forced to take a job working for DiBiase and his new Corporation.

The final WWF match for Nikolai Volkoff was on December 30,1994 when he defeated jobber Bob Starr in a house show.

Nikolai Volkoff made a brief cameo on an episode of Shotgun Saturday Night in 1997 where Todd Pettengill discovered him homeless sleeping in a box on the streets of New York City.

Nikolai Volkoff appeared at WrestleMania X-Seven at the Astrodome in Houston in the gimmick battle royal which was won by the Iron Sheik.

On February 3,2005, Nikolai Volkoff was announced as one of the WWE Hall of Fame inductees for the class of 2005.

Nikolai Volkoff was inducted on April 2,2005 by Jim Ross at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.

In 2006, Nikolai Volkoff took part in the World Wrestling Legends pay-per-view 6:05 The Reunion.

Nikolai Volkoff made his first appearance on WWE television in over two years on the August 13,2007 episode of Raw as a contestant on WWE Idol, a parody of American Idol.

Nikolai Volkoff appeared alongside the Iron Sheik and Howard Finkel, although Nikolai Volkoff was the only one who sang.

Nikolai Volkoff sang the Soviet Union national anthem, receiving boos from the crowd and was insulted by judge William Regal, although judges Mick Foley and Maria both praised the performance.

Nikolai Volkoff lent his name to a forward for a fiction novel called Only the Beginning which is set in the 1980s and is about a girl's life during high school.

On March 21,2015, Nikolai Volkoff participated at a SICW event taking place on East Carondelet.

Nikolai Volkoff managed and mentored the team of younger wrestlers Ricky Cruz and Red River Jack, while managing veteran wrestler "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr.

On March 5,2016, Volkoff showed up at Night of Legends at Billtown Wrestling in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, sang the American national anthem and teamed with Cash Money, who turned on him to give the win to Koko B Ware and Jim Neidhart.

On May 5,2018, at the age of 70, Nikolai Volkoff wrestled his final match, teaming with Jim Duggan to defeated the team of Mecha Mercenary and Nicky Benz for Battleground Championship Wrestling in Feasterville, Pennsylvania.

Nikolai Volkoff previously worked as a code enforcement officer in Baltimore County.