Athletes - Nikita Koloff

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	Athletes - Nikita Koloff

Nikita Koloff is an American former professional wrestler who wrestled throughout the 1980s and early 1990s as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff. Brought into the National Wresling Alliance by his Uncle Ivan to prove Soviet superiority their ultimate goal was to dethrone NWA Champion Ric Flair. A physical marvel he was also hailed as the Russian Road Warrior.He was billed from Moscow in the Soviet Union, and then from Lithuania after the fall of the Soviet Union. In reality, Koloff was born Nelson Scott Simpson in the projects of Minneapolis, Minnesota, on March 9, 1959. He grew up without knowing his father and aspired to play professional football. He started lifting weights in junior high school and built up a massive body weighing 275 pounds (125 kg) on a 6 foot 2 inches (188 cm) frame.

Career

Early career

Nelson Simpson suffered an injury playing football but rehabbed to play for Moorhead State University where he suffered another career ending injury.

In 1984, Simpson was going to try out for the USFL when Road Warrior Animal, a professional wrestler from the Minnesota area, called him to ask him to become a professional wrestler. Simpson decided to go with wrestling and was told to shave his head bald and to show up. 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.

He learned on the road with Ivan and Don how to wrestle and was booked in very short matches until he learned some skills and would stand behind them with his massive arms folded while they did interviews. His wrestling ability and interview skills developed and he started wrestling longer matches and doing interviews. Nikita determined to keep the gimmick as real as possible and learned some Russian and would not come out of character even when away from the ring.

Nikita and Ivan won the NWA World Tag Team Titles on March 18, 1985 from Dusty Rhodes and Manny Fernandez. They were also named the NWA World Six Man Tag Team Championship holders along with Krusher Khruschev in December 1984. Ivan dictated that any two of the three of them could defend the Tag Team Titles. Ivan and Krusher lost the titles to the Rock 'N Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) on July 9, 1985.

Nikita got good enough and became a big enough heel to get a match against NWA World Champion Ric Flair at The Great American Bash on July 6, 1985. 32,000 fans packed Charlotte Memorial Stadium to witness this special card. Nikita ended up losing to Flair and was even attacked by a fan during the match, but he established himself as a superstar in the wrestling business.

Nikita & Ivan won the NWA World Tag Team Titles back on October 13, 1985 from the Rock 'N Roll Express but lost them back on November 28, 1985 at StarrCade '85 in a cage match.

In spring of 1986, Nikita started one of his best feuds ever when he attacked NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, Magnum T.A. Then-NWA President Bob Geigel stripped Magnum of the title and put it up in a best of 7 matches between the two. They wrestled all summer and ended up tied when the final match on August 17, 1986 arrived. In a hard fought match, Krusher and Ivan helped Nikita to win the title in typical "heel" fashion. The fans went nuts as the US Title was in the hands of a "Russian"!

Nikita went on to feud with Wahoo McDaniel and unify his US Title with Wahoo's NWA National Heavyweight Championship on September 28, 1986. He also feuded briefly with Ron Garvin.

Face Turn

In October 1986, Magnum T.A. was in a horrible car wreck that left him paralyzed and ended his career. The NWA needed a top name to team with Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream, against the dreaded Four Horsemen. Dusty was supposed to team with Magnum against Tully Blanchard and Ole Anderson in a cage on October 24, 1986 in Charlotte. Tully ended up being replaced by James J. Dillon due to a knee injury. Jim Crockett Jr. chose Nikita to replace Magnum. The fans went nuts when Nikita entered the cage to help Dusty and instantly made him a top "baby face". When Nikita teamed with Dusty they were called The Super Powers.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Nikita Koloff ]

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Athletes - Nikita Koloff

Career

Early career

Face Turn

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