"  T  H  E      R  U  S  S  I  A  N     B  E  A  R "
NIKOLAI VOLKOFF
HEIGHT:  6' 3"  DOB: October 14th
WEIGHT:: 320 pounds
FROM:  Moscow, Russia & Lithuania
FINISHER:  The Russian Bear Hug

Nikolai Volkoff began wrestling professionally in 1968, wrestling his first match ever against “The Living Legend” Bruno Samartino, in front of a sold out crowd at Madison Square Garden.. Nikolai entered the WWWF in the 1970's and won the WWWF International Tag Team Title along with Geto the Mongol. Volkoff was part of the Executioners along with Big John Studd and Killer Kowalski. He did well as singles and in tag team bouts, but is mostly remembered for his partnership with The Iron Sheik. MOST MEMEORABLE MATCHES After fifteen solid years of singles competition, “The Fashion Plate” Classy Freddy Blassie finally teamed a Russian with an Iranian, to psychologically play with the heads of their competitors. The team of Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik were immediately hated. Then, on March 31, 1985, at the first ever Wrestlemania, the team beat The USA Express, Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo, thus rising to the top of The WWF… On April 7th, 1986, Nikolai Volkoff was cheated of his rightful victory in two minutes and five seconds when Corporal Kirshner hit the big Russian, with Freddie Blassie’s cane. Kirshner was then announced the winner of the first ever “Wrestlemania Flag Match” and thus waved his stars and stripes… March of 1987 marked the beginning of a memorable feud in Volkoff’s career, when Hacksaw Jim Duggan declared war on Nikolai Volkoff for singing The Russian National Anthem before his matches. Around this point “The Doctor of Style” Slick, purchased Nikolai Volkoff’s contract and problems began. At Wrestlemania 3, Volkoff and The Sheik beat The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair & Jumping Jim Brunzel) by disqualification when Hacksaw Jim Duggan made it to the ring with his trust 2 x 4 and cleaned house, in a record breaking indoor attendance of 93,173 at The Pontiac Silver Dome. A month later Slick decided to re-align his talent roster and teamed Nikolai Volkoff with Boris Zukhov. The Bolsheviks were born. This was a bad thing for The Big Russian Bear. On November 27, 1987, at the first ever Survivor Series, Nikolai Volkoff’s success began to turn for the worse. As The Bolsheviks teamed with Demolition, The Hart Foundation, The Islanders and the team of Greg Valentine & Dino Bravo, they lost a grueling 37 minute match up against The Killer Bees, The Young Stallions, The Rougeo Brothers, Strike Force and The British Bulldogs. Wrestlemania 4, March 27th, 1988, Volkoff had an impressive stay in a Battle Royal, where Bad News Brown was the victor… In the first Summer Slam, The Bolsheviks were defeated by The Powers of Pain (Warlord & Barbarian) managed by Baron Von Rashke, when the Barbarian pinned Zukhov… Survivor Series, November 24th, 1988, Powers Of Pain, The Rockers, The Young Stallions, The Hart Foundation and The British Bulldogs beat The Bolsheviks again along with Demolition, The Rougeo Brothers, The Brainbusters and The Conquistidors, at 42:12… Wrestlemania 6th, 1990 The Hart Foundation beat The Bolsheviks in 19 seconds when Bret Hart pinned Boris Zukhov after a clothesline. This was a slap in Volkoff’s face and one that possibly woke the sleeping dragon… VOLKOFF SEES THE LIGHT… After seeing that his manager, Slick, had made a clear mistake in dropping The Iron Sheik and teaming him with Boris Zukhov, Nikolai Volkoff saw the light. After almost 20 years of jeering from the fans, Nikolai Volkoff began to wrestle as a fan favorite. In light of what was happening in his home province of Lithuania, Volkoff teamed up with his former arch-enemy Hacksaw Jim Duggan and at Summerslam 1990 and went on to defeat The Orient Express (Pat Tanaka & Kato) in 3:22. Then at Survivor Series, on November 22nd, 1990, Volkoff headed his own team into victory when “The Alliance” (Volkoff, Tito Santana & The Bushwackers) beat “The Mercenaries” (Sgt. Slaughter with General Adnan, Boris Zukhov and The Orient Express). Fans finally grew to love The Russian Bear and he decided to retire as a hero. Nikolai Volkoff, having made a bad investment in the stock market nearly lost everything that he had had and returned to his love of life, wrestling, in order to pay his bills. After his 3 year leave, Volkoff returned to The WWF looking for a job, but due to a full roster Nikolai Volkoff was forced to sit at ringside as a spectator in order to be in contact with the sport that he loved. In order to help pay for his children who were now in college, Nikolai Volkoff allowed “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase to purchase his contract. Little did Volkoff know, he was about to become Dibiase’s servant. For months, Dibiase humiliated Nikolai Volkoff by making him wear a cheap T-shirt reading “Property of The Million Dollar Man” across the back, that also sported a cent symbol on the front. Eventually, Volkoff had enough of Dibiase’s oppression and turned against him, retiring from full time competition a year later. VOLKOFF AND CASANOVA In June of 1997, Nikolai Volkoff signed a contract with Kenny Casanova for a New Breed Wrestling event, in Schenectady, NY. The contract was negotiated live on Sienna College Radio about a month before the show. On the air, fans listened as a drunken Volkoff actually taught Casanova how to sing the Russian National Anthem. On July 11th, 1997, As Kenny Casanova finally led his new find to the ring. It was then that Nikolai Volkoff decided to change his mind and pull a fast one on his new manager. Kenny requested that Volkoff sing the Russian National Anthem, but he would not. So thinking that he must have a frog in his throat, Kenny sang it for him. A very displeased Volkoff then grabbed the mic from Casanova and sang THE AMERICAN NATIONAL ANTHEM! Kenny took this as an insult (and rightfully so), ran back to the locker room and found “Canada’s Greatest Athlete” Iron Mike Sharpe. Iron Mike Sharpe really put a beating on Volkoff for this atrocity, but in the end, the big Russian was victorious. Kenny Casanova has had a history of independent matches both against and with Nikolai Volkoff since their first encounter with each other. It is a strange love-hate relationship that only Kenny, Nikolai and the makers of Russian Vodka can understand.