Wikipedia

Ivan Koloff

Oreal Donald Perras(August 25, 1942 – February 18, 2017) was a Canadianprofessional wrestler,better known by thering name"the Russian Bear"Ivan Koloff,where he was billed from Russia and, following thedissolution of the Soviet Union,Ukraine.He was the third wrestler to hold theWWWF Championship.[1][8][2]

Ivan Koloff
Koloff,c. 1982
Birth nameOreal Donald Perras[1]
Born(1942-08-25)August 25, 1942[2][1]
Montreal, Quebec,Canada
DiedFebruary 18, 2017(2017-02-18)(aged 74)
Winterville, North Carolina,U.S.[1]
Cause of deathLiver cancer
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Ivan Koloff[2][1]
Jim Parris[3]
Orwell Paris
Red McNulty[2]
Billed height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)[4][5]
Billed weight298 lb (135 kg)[6]
Billed fromMoscow,Russia[6]
Ukraine
Trained byJack Wentworth
Dan Koloff
DebutFebruary 15, 1963[7]
RetiredNovember 16, 2013[3]

Early life

edit

Perras was born inMontreal, Quebec,Canada and raised on adairy farmin rural Ontario along with his six brothers and three sisters.[9]

Since first watchingprofessional wrestlingon TV at the age of eight, he wanted to become a wrestler, and would often wrestle with his brothers growing up. At age 18, he left high school and joined Jack Wentworth's wrestling school inHamilton, Ontario,where he would lift weights and learn wrestling holds.[10]

Professional wrestling career

edit

Early career (1963–1967)

edit

Perras debuted as an Irish roguevillaincharacternamed Red McNulty, billed fromDublin, Irelandand wrestling with aneyepatch.[2]For the next three years, he wrestled around theTorontoarea, eventually quitting his regular job to wrestle in the north-western area of Canada. There, Perras acquired much wrestling experience, and from there he made his first trip toJapan.

The Russian Bear (1967–1994)

edit

In 1967, Perras became "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, a bearded villainous character billed fromUkraine,and debuted with the International Wrestling Association inMontreal, Québec.He defeatedJohnny Rougeaufor the IWA International Heavyweight Championship the following year. Koloff debuted in theWorld Wide Wrestling Federationin late 1969, managed by"Captain" Lou Albano.[11]He soon started arivalrywith then-WWWF World Heavyweight ChampionBruno Sammartino.On January 18, 1971, Koloff defeated Sammartino in Madison Square Garden for the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship bypinfallafter aknee drop from the top rope,ending Sammartino's seven and two-thirds years reign.[12][13][14]Koloff lost thechampionship21 days later toPedro Morales,[15]essentially being used as a "transitional champion"to move the title from Sammartino to Morales without the two fan favorites working against each other, much likeStan StasiakandThe Iron Sheikwould be in later years. After the loss, Koloff remained a contender for the title but never reclaimed it, leaving the WWWF in 1971.[16]During his time in the WWWF, Koloff weighing in at 310 pounds (140 kg) wrestled WWWF World Heavyweight Championship title matches against Sammartino, Morales,Superstar Billy GrahamandBob Backlund,holding the distinction, with fellow villain Stan Stasiak, as one of only two men to challenge all four of these champions.[17]Koloff would also be the first opponent to ever challenge for the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship in asteel cage matchin a rematch loss against Sammartino. He fought in the WWWF from 1975 to 1976, 1978–1979 and 1983.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Koloff found success in theNational Wrestling Alliance,winning many regionaltag teamand singles titles in the Georgia, Florida, and Mid-Atlantic territories. In February 1981, heteamedwithRay Stevensto defeatPaul JonesandMasked Superstarto capture theNWA World Tag Team Championship.This would be the first of his four reigns as NWA World Tag Team Champion, later winning the belts withDon Kernodleand twice with his "nephew" (kayfabe),Nikita KoloffasThe Russian Team.

In April and May 1973, Koloff wrestled in Japan for theInternational Wrestling Enterprisepromotion as part of its Dynamite Series. In his debut match, he teamed withMad Dog Vachonto defeat Great Kusatsu andStrong Kobayashifor theIWA World Tag Team Championshipin atwo-out-of-three falls match.They lost the titles to Great Kusatsu andRusher Kimuraseveral weeks later.[18]

The Russians (which also includedKrusher Kruschev) were a top villainousgroupfrom 1984 to 1986, and Nikita, under Perras' training and mentoring, and by association, became a hated villain in his own right, and would go on to have a successful singles career of his own. After Nikitaturnedon Ivan to join their enemyDusty Rhodesin 1986, the latter teamed withVladimir PetrovandDick Murdochto get revenge. Koloff's biggest NWA feuds were against Rhodes,The Road Warriors,The Rock 'n' Roll Express(Ricky MortonandRobert Gibson) andMagnum T. A.In 1988, Koloff spent time inPaul Jones' faction, The Paul Jones Army, where he was a "coach" of sorts forThe Powers of Pain,The BarbarianandThe Warlord.He later split with Jones, reunited with Nikita, and feuded with Jones' team, The Russian Assassins, before leavingJim Crockett Promotionsin January 1989. In 1992, Koloff also wrestled in the first television main event ofJim Cornette'sSmoky Mountain Wrestling,beatingBobby Fulton.He lost toRon Garvinat Tim Horner's National Championship Wrestling on July 22, 1994. He retired afterwards.

Eastern Championship Wrestling (1992–1993)

edit

He also spent time inEastern Championship Wrestling,[11]appearing on the very first ECW card in 1992. In 1993 he began teaming with his storyline nephewVladimir Koloff.The team won their debut match on the June 29 edition ofECW Hardcore TV.Koloff defeatedThe Sandmanon the July 6, 1993, episode ofECW Hardcore TVin a number one contenders match for theECW Heavyweight Championship.[19]

Return to wrestling (2004–2013)

edit
Koloff in 2011

In 2004, Koloff returned to the ring for the first time in 10 years. He wrestled in theindependent circuit.On August 27, 2005, Koloff defeatedDominic DeNucciin a Russian chain match atWrestleReunion.Koloff would win his final wrestling title defeatingThe Barbarianin a Russian chain match for the Legends title at NWA Charlotte. On July 19, 2013, Koloff lost toShane Douglasin an Extreme Rules match at Mega Pro. His final match was againstBob Armstrongin which Armstrong won on November 16, 2013, at Superstars of Wrestling 1 inRome, Georgia.Koloff stood around 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall, and weighed approximately 300 pounds (140 kg) when he was at the peak of his career as a wrestler but Towards the end of his career, he dropped a considerable amount of weight and was tipping the scale at 205 pounds (93 kg).[5]

Personal life

edit

Perras wrote a book titledIs That Wrestling Fake? The Bear Factsthat was released on January 1, 2007. He became aborn again Christianin 1995[20]and traveled to churches to share his testimony as an ordained minister.[2]Koloff spoke openly and candidly of his conversion to Christianity and struggles withalcoholanddrugsand the crazy days of wrestling in his 2014 book,Life in the Trenches.[21]Perras was named as a defendant in a 2015lawsuitfiled by WWE after they received a letter from him indicating that he intended to sue them for concussion-based injuries sustained during his tenure with them. He was represented by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who is involved in several other lawsuits involving former WWE wrestlers. The lawsuit was dismissed in September 2018.[22]

Death

edit

Perras died at his home inWinterville, North Carolina,on February 18, 2017, fromliver cancer.[23]

Other media

edit

Koloff is featured as a playable character in the video gamesLegends of Wrestling,Legends of Wrestling IIandShowdown: Legends of Wrestling.

Championships and accomplishments

edit

References

edit
  1. ^abcdefghijklmnChad Bonham (2001).Wrestling with God.David C Cook. p. 197.ISBN978-1-58919-935-4.
  2. ^abcdefSolomon, Brian (2006).WWE Legends.Pocket Books.pp.155–158.ISBN978-0-7434-9033-7.
  3. ^ab"Ivan Koloff's profile".Online World of Wrestling.RetrievedMay 1,2011.
  4. ^https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=1205[bare URL]
  5. ^ab"The Mid-Atlantic Gateway | the Ivan Koloff Interview".
  6. ^ab"Ivan Koloff bio".WWE.RetrievedAugust 26,2016.
  7. ^"Ivan Koloff: Secret Untold Tale of a Beloved Wrestling Heel".December 12, 2023.
  8. ^Mooneyham, Mike (June 10, 2007)."'Evil Russian' softens, looks back on career ".The Post and Courier.Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2016.RetrievedJuly 15,2013.
  9. ^Tornoe, Rob (February 18, 2017)."Legendary wrestler Ivan 'The Russian Bear' Koloff has died".Inquirer.
  10. ^"Jack Wentworth - OWW".Online World of Wrestling.RetrievedJune 28,2021.
  11. ^abShields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009).WWE Encyclopedia.DK.p.144.ISBN978-0-7566-4190-0.
  12. ^"Daily Pro Wrestling History (01/18): Ivan Koloff defeats Bruno Sammartino to win WWWF title".WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results.January 18, 2019.RetrievedJune 28,2021.
  13. ^"Remembering the night Bruno Sammartino lost the WWE Title".WWE.RetrievedJune 28,2021.
  14. ^Johnson, Steven; Oliver, Greg (November 16, 2010).The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels.ECW Press.ISBN978-1-55490-284-2.
  15. ^Hornbaker, Tim (July 2012).Legends of Pro Wrestling: 150 Years of Headlocks, Body Slams, and Piledrivers.Skyhorse Publishing Inc.ISBN978-1-61321-075-8.
  16. ^Greer, Jamie (February 18, 2017)."Former WWE World Champion Ivan Koloff Passes Away".Last Word on Pro Wrestling.RetrievedJune 28,2021.
  17. ^Freedman, Lew (September 7, 2018).Pro Wrestling: A Comprehensive Reference Guide.ABC-CLIO.ISBN978-1-4408-5351-7.
  18. ^Kreikenbohm, Philip."Ivan Koloff - matches - International Wrestling Enterprise".Cagematch.net.RetrievedJuly 26,2023.
  19. ^"ECW Hardcore TV #14".Cage Match.RetrievedSeptember 10,2020.
  20. ^Courier.com, Mike Mooneyham Special to The Post and (February 25, 2017)."WWE, Ivan Koloff and an opportunity missed".Post and Courier.RetrievedJune 28,2021.
  21. ^D'Ambrosio, Brian (August 21, 2014).Life in the Trenches.Anthony Zuccarini. Firefly Books.
  22. ^"WWE seeking to block concussion-related lawsuits".FoxSports.com.Fox Entertainment Group(21st Century Fox). July 1, 2015.RetrievedNovember 27,2015.
  23. ^Shanley, Patrick (February 18, 2017)."Ivan" The Russian Bear "Koloff, Professional Wrestler, Dies at 74".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedFebruary 18,2017.
  24. ^abcdefgRoyal Duncan & Gary Will (2000).Wrestling Title Histories(4th ed.). Archeus Communications.ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
  25. ^Oliver, Greg (April 18, 2013)."Jake The Snake turns CAC banquet into a sobering experience".Slam Wrestling.RetrievedSeptember 27,2020.
  26. ^Johnson, Mike (June 30, 2009)."Ricky Steamboat, Nick Bockinkel Among 2009 Class Honored By Wrestling Museum & Institute".PWInsider.RetrievedNovember 30,2018.
  27. ^Hoops, Brian (January 19, 2019)."Pro wrestling history (01/19): Ric Flair wins WWF title in 1992 Royal Rumble".Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online.RetrievedJanuary 18,2019.
  28. ^"HighVolumeProWrestling".Facebook.
  29. ^"Welcome".Prowrestlinghistory.com.RetrievedJuly 19,2019.
  30. ^"Lawler, McMahon, Road Warriors among PWHF Class of 2011".Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.November 26, 2010.RetrievedNovember 28,2010.
  31. ^Southern Championship Wrestling(2002)."SCW Hall of Fame".SCW Superstars.SCWprowrestling.com. Archived fromthe originalon October 5, 2002.RetrievedApril 15,2012.
  32. ^Meltzer, Dave(November 9, 2015). "November 9, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: 2015 Hall of Fame Issue".Wrestling Observer Newsletter.Campbell, California:1.ISSN1083-9593.

Further reading

edit
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related toIvan Koloff.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ivan_Koloff&oldid=1257121619"