Ivan Koloff R.I.P.

For the 2nd day in a row the wrestling world has lost another legend.

Ivan Koloff born Oreal Perras in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1942.

"The Russian Bear", age 74, announced 2 weeks ago he was battling liver cancer and the wrestling world rallied to his side but as I personally know, liver cancer is a rapid and always deadly form of the disease.   He died early this morning, February 18th 2017 just a day after the passing of another WWF/WWE legend George "The Animal" Steele.   Rest in Peace to these legends, we will never see the likes of them again.

The man known as “The Russian Bear” actually got his start in his homeland of Canada, where he began his career in the early 1960s as Red McNulty, an Irish hooligan character. After gaining some experience, Koloff traveled to Japan where he honed his craft before returning to Canada as Ivan Koloff, a Russian villain from the Ukraine. In 1969, Koloff debuted in the World Wide Wrestling Federation, managed by Captain Lou Albano and becoming one of the biggest stars in the company. Koloff’s target was the WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino, who was the biggest hero the company heralded. After feuding with Sammartino for some time, on January 18th, 1971, Koloff defeated Sammartino in Madison Square Garden for the WWWF Championship with a knee drop from the top rope, ending Sammartino’s 2,803 reign as champion!

Match of the Night (Koloff vs Magnum T.A.)

Tonight's match is from the greatest feud of the 1980s, maybe even of all time.   The series of matches between Nikita Koloff (The Russian Nightmare) and Magnum T.A.  for the NWA US Heavyweight Title.

The matches spanned 1985-86 until the tragic accident that left Magnum nearly paralyzed and unable to wrestle again.

Sadly this affected the careers of both men as Magnum and Nikita were on a trajectory to be NWA World Champion and then feud over the title and be the next generation of superstars for the NWA/WCW.  Nikita would veer his character away from the hated to beloved Russian as he sided with Dusty Rhodes in his on going feud with the Four Horseman.

From NWA World Wide Wrestling, September 1986...less than a month from Magnum's accident, he battles US Champion Nikita Koloff.

Match of the Day (NWA World Tag Team Titles)

NWA World Tag Team Title Match

July 9th 1985

Shelby,  NC  

Click here to read Mike Moonyham's column celebrating 30 years of the Rock and Roll Express

The Russians

(Ivan Koloff and Krusher Kruschev)

The NWA World Tag Team Champions

vs

The Rock and Roll Express

(Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson)

This was the first World Tag Title victory for the Rock and Roll Express

Your Tag Team Match of The Night

Rock & Roll Express vs Midnight Express w/Jim Cornette 

The Russians Attack!