View source for Nikolai Volkoff

{{short description|Croatian-American professional wrestler (1946–2018)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name=Nikolai Volkoff
|birthname=Josip Hrvoje Peruzović
|image=WrestleMania 31 Axxess 2015-03-28 11-05-11 ILCE-6000 DSC04678 (17232263810).jpg
|caption=Volkoff in 2015
|names=Nikolai Volkoff<ref name="WWEbio">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/nikolaivolkoff/|title=Nikolai Volkoff WWE Hall of Fame Profile|access-date=March 30, 2011|publisher=WWE}}</ref><br />Bepo Mongol<ref name="OWOW">{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/n/nikolai-volkoff.html|title=Nikolai Volkoff Profile|access-date=September 21, 2008|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref><br />Boris Breznikoff<br />Executioner #3
|height =6 ft 4 in<ref name="WWEbio"/>
|weight =313 lb<ref name="WWEbio"/>
|birth_date={{Birth date|1947|10|14}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Summer |first1=Ben |title=Nikolai Volkoff, professional wrestler who played a Soviet villain, dies at 70 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/nikolai-volkoff-professional-wrestler-who-played-a-soviet-villain-dies-at-70/2018/07/30/512c755e-93a4-11e8-8ffb-5de6d5e49ada_story.html |access-date=December 24, 2019 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=July 30, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>
|birth_place=[[Split, Croatia|Split]], [[People's Republic of Croatia|PR Croatia]], [[Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia|FPR Yugoslavia]]<ref name="OWOW"/>
|children = 2
|death_date= {{death date and age|2018|07|29|1947|10|14}}
|death_place= [[Glen Arm, Maryland]], U.S.
|billed=Moscow, [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Russia]]<br/>Soviet Union<ref name="OWOW"/><br/>[[Mongolia]] (as Bepo Mongol)
|trainer=[[Stu Hart]]<ref name="WWEbio"/><br />[[Newton Tattrie]]
|debut=1967
|retired=
|image_size=150px}}

'''Josip Hrvoje Peruzović''' (October 14, 1947 – July 29, 2018),<ref name=Death/><ref>Born in 1946 per search of FamilyTreeNow.com</ref> better known by his [[ring name]] '''Nikolai Volkoff''', was a [[Croatian-Americans|Croatian-American]] [[professional wrestling|professional wrestler]] from [[Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]], best known for his time in the [[World Wrestling Federation]] where he usually played a Soviet [[heel (professional wrestling)|heel]].

In the 1970s, Peruzović was Bepo of the Mongols [[tag team]], one of the masked [[The Executioners (professional wrestling)|Executioners]] and feuded with [[Bruno Sammartino]] over the [[WWE Championship|WWWF World Heavyweight Championship]] as Volkoff. In the 1980s, he [[tag team]]ed with [[the Iron Sheik]] and won the [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE, 1971–2010)|WWF Tag Team Championship]] at the [[WrestleMania I|inaugural]] [[WrestleMania]] event, and then with [[Boris Zhukov]] as [[The Bolsheviks]].

In 1990, Volkoff turned [[Face (professional wrestling)|face]] and defected to America, briefly feuding with Zhukov and newly-heel [[Iraq]]i sympathizer [[Sgt. Slaughter]]. In 1994, after a hiatus, he returned as a destitute and desperate character, exploited by [[Ted DiBiase]] as the first member of his [[Million Dollar Corporation]]. He continued to wrestle in various promotions until his death in 2018.

==Early life==
Peruzović grew up in the [[Socialist Republic of Croatia]], which was then part of [[Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/wrestling/did-you-know-that-nikolai-volkoff-ran-for-the-maryland/article_0f5378ca-601a-11e8-b2a1-e3d47d19f018.html|title=Did you know that Nikolai Volkoff ran for the Maryland statehouse?|first=Mike|last=Mooneyham|work=[[The Post and Courier]]|publisher=[[Evening Post Industries]]|location=[[Charleston, South Carolina]]|date=May 27, 2018|access-date=July 30, 2018}}</ref> His parents were Ivan and Dragica ([[née]] Tomašević). His brother is Croatian footballer [[Luka Peruzović]].  Despite what he sometimes claimed, his actual middle name was not Nikolai but Hrvoje, and his mother's maiden name was not Volkoff but Tomašević. These inconsistencies cast doubt on his ethnic background and seem to indicate a Croat ethnicity.<ref name="Dragica Peruzović - eOsmrtnice.ba">{{Cite web|url=https://eosmrtnice.ba/osmrtnica/dragica-peruzovic/|title=Dragica Peruzović - eOsmrtnice.ba|website=eOsmrtnice.ba|date=July 9, 2017 |access-date=August 2, 2018}}</ref><ref name="nytimes.com">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/obituaries/nikolai-volkoff-soviet-villain-in-the-wrestling-ring-is-dead-at-70.html|title=Nikolai Volkoff, Soviet Villain in the Wrestling Ring, Is Dead at 70|work=The New York Times |date=July 31, 2018 |access-date=August 2, 2018|language=en|last1=Sandomir |first1=Richard }}</ref> His maternal grandfather Ante Tomašević was world champion in the [[Greco-Roman wrestling]] style at the turn of the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hhs.hr/povijest-hrvanja-u-hrvatskoj/|title=Povijest hrvanja u Hrvatskoj|last=www.eternus-web.hr|first=Eternus web -|website=www.hhs.hr|language=hr-HR|access-date=August 2, 2018}}</ref><ref name="nytimes.com"/> Ante was born in Cetina, a small village near Sinj, Croatia to Croatian parents Stipe and Katerina in 1872.

Peruzović was on the Yugoslavian [[Powerlifting|weightlifting]] team until 1967, when he emigrated to Canada after a weightlifting tournament in [[Vienna]], Austria.{{sfn|Grasso|2014|page=332}} He received training in [[Calgary]] from [[Stu Hart]], followed by his arrival in the United States in 1970.<ref name="Dragica Peruzović - eOsmrtnice.ba" /> A fellow Croatian-native played the first Soviet Volkoff character in American pro-wrestling. Steve Gobb, born Gobrokovich, wrestled as USSR's Nicoli Volkoff in the 1960s before the character was picked up by Josip.

==Professional wrestling career==
===Early years (1967–1970)===
While trying his luck as a wrestler in [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], in 1967, he met wrestler [[Geeto Mongol|Newton Tattrie]], who was wrestling for [[Stu Hart]]'s [[Stampede Wrestling]]. During his 1963–1968 tour, Tattrie took Peruzovic under his wing as a protégé and trained the non-English speaking, 315-pound man to become a professional wrestler and [[tag team]] partner. When Tattrie left the territory in 1968 for the US, Peruzovic left with him, working in various territories for the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] including [[NWA Detroit]], the [[International Wrestling Association (1970s)|International Wrestling Association]] and the [[National Wrestling Federation]] where they won tag gold.

===World Wide Wrestling Federation (1970–1971)===
[[File:The Mongols portrait - Heavyweight Wrestling - 31 August 1970.jpg|thumb|right|Volkoff (left) as one half of the Mongols]]
In 1970 he began wrestling in [[Vince McMahon Sr.]]'s World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) (currently known as [[WWE]]). Wrestling as ''Bepo Mongol'', managed by "Captain" [[Lou Albano]] and partnered with Newton Tattrie (as Geeto Mongol) as the Mongols, he captured the [[WWF International Tag Team Championship]] from [[Tony Marino]] and [[Víctor Rivera (professional wrestler)|Victor Rivera]] on June 15, 1970.<ref name="OWOW"/> After losing the title to [[Grady Johnson|Luke Graham]] and [[Camille Tourville|Tarzan Tyler]] in a match over a year later that unified the WWWF International and [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE)|WWWF World Tag Team Championship]], Peruzovic left the WWWF and went on to singles competition under the name "Nikolai Volkoff".<ref name="OWOW"/>

===Return to the WWWF (1974–1980)===
In 1974, 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]].<ref name="OWOW"/> In 1976, he was masked as an Executioner as he became the third member along with [[Killer Kowalski]] and [[Big John Studd]]. They captured the World Tag Team Championship, but it was vacated due to a third member interfering. Later he reverted to the Volkoff name. During this time in the WWWF, Volkoff was announced as being from Mongolia. He had a very successful feud with Bruno Sammartino, which started when Volkoff attacked him during an interview segment. They sold-out arenas throughout the Northeast. During this tenure, he began crushing fresh apples with one hand as a sign of what he would do to his opponents. He later had a feud with [[Bob Backlund]] during Backlund's tenure as champion.

===American Wrestling Association; Mid-South; and Japan (1972–1984, 1989)===
Late in 1974, Volkoff moved to the [[American Wrestling Association|AWA]] where he wrestled under the name ''Boris Breznikoff'', managed by [[Bobby Heenan|Bobby "The Brain" Heenan]], he used the same gimmick with a different ring name. From 1977 to 1983 he wrestled in Japan for [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]] and [[All Japan Pro Wrestling]]. In 1983, Volkoff wrestled for "Cowboy" [[Bill Watts]] in the [[Universal Wrestling Federation (Bill Watts)#Mid-South Wrestling (1979–1986)|Mid-South region]]. On October 29, 1989, he returned to [[American Wrestling Association|AWA]] for a one night appearance as he lost to [[Ken Patera]].

===Second return to the WWF (1984–1990, 1992)===
==== Teaming with the Iron Sheik (1984&ndash;1987) ====
{{main|The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff}}
[[File:Classy Freddie Blassie.jpg|thumb|left|Volkoff with [[the Iron Sheik]] and their manager, [[Freddie Blassie]]]]
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" [[Freddie Blassie|"Classy" Freddie Blassie]].<ref name="OWOW"/> It was at this point that Volkoff began to sing the [[national anthem of the Soviet Union]] before every match after which the Sheik would grab the microphone and proclaim "Iran number one, Russia number one" before exaggeratedly spitting after saying "USA", in order to gain even more [[heat (professional wrestling)|heat]] for being [[heel (professional wrestling)#Heel Types|foreign heels]].<ref name="OWOW"/> The new team of Volkoff and the Iron Sheik captured the [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE)|WWF Tag Team Championship]] from [[the U.S. Express]] ([[Mike Rotunda|Mike Rotundo]] and [[Barry Windham]]) at the first [[WrestleMania I|WrestleMania]], on March 31, 1985, after the Sheik had knocked out Windham with Fred Blassie's cane.<ref name="OWOW"/> After losing the title back to Rotundo and Windham three months later, Volkoff began to wrestle more in singles competition. He faced [[Hulk Hogan]] for the [[WWF World Heavyweight Championship]] on several occasions in 1985 and 1986 (including a [[flag match]] on ''[[Saturday Night's Main Event II]]'' at the [[Brendan Byrne Arena]]).

Volkoff also feuded with former [[82nd Airborne Division|82nd Airborne]] [[paratrooper]] [[Corporal Kirchner]] throughout 1985 and 1986, defeating him in a "peace match" on ''[[Saturday Night's Main Event|Saturday Night's Main Event IV]]''. Their feud ended when Kirchner used Blassie's cane to defeat Volkoff at [[WrestleMania 2]] in another flag match during the [[Allstate Arena|Chicago]] portion of the event. In the fall of 1986, Volkoff's manager [[Freddie Blassie|"Classy" Freddy Blassie]] sold half interest in his stable of superstars to the "Doctor of Style", [[Slick (wrestling)|Slick]] ([[kayfabe]]),<ref name="OWOW"/> giving Slick co-managerial rights to Volkoff. Blassie also shared the contracts of the Iron Sheik and [[Hercules (wrestler)|Hercules]]. This was a storyline aimed at reducing the aging Blassie's active role, and the "Hollywood fashion plate" eventually retired in the fall of 1986 at the age of 68. Sheik and 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 (professional wrestling)|the Killer Bees]] at [[WrestleMania III]] (Sheik and Volkoff won by disqualification when Duggan entered the ring while chasing Volkoff and then hitting the Sheik with his 2x4 while he had the [[Professional wrestling holds#Camel clutch|camel clutch]] on [[Jim Brunzell|"Jumping" Jim Brunzell]]).

==== The Bolsheviks (1987&ndash;1990) ====
{{main|The Bolsheviks}}
In late 1987, Volkoff was teamed with [[Boris Zhukov]], another purported Russian (played by American James Harrell), to form [[the Bolsheviks]].<ref name="OWOW"/> They feuded with WWF newcomers [[the Powers of Pain]], losing to them at the inaugural ''[[SummerSlam]]'' PPV in [[SummerSlam (1988)|1988]]. As they lost the public eye due to many losses, they eventually lost their manager Slick and were used as a comic relief team losing many matches to [[the Bushwhackers]]. The Bolsheviks never held any titles together, and are perhaps best remembered for being defeated in 19 seconds by [[the Hart Foundation]] at [[WrestleMania VI]].<ref name="OWOW"/> Eventually, by 1990, the Bolsheviks split up. 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 [[Face (professional wrestling)|babyface]] in the process.

==== Babyface turn (1990; 1992) ====
A short time after the Bolsheviks split, Volkoff became a [[face (professional wrestling)|face]] for the first time in his career. His [[gimmick (professional wrestling)|gimmick]] was now that of a recent defector, he became very pro-[[Western world|west]] which led to a feud with [[Sgt. Slaughter]] who had an Iraqi sympathizer role and teamed with the former Iron Sheik, who had recently begun an [[Iraq]]i gimmick under the name Colonel Mustafa.<ref name="OWOW"/> After Volkoff's team defeated Slaughter's team at the [[Survivor Series (1990)|1990 Survivor Series]] ([[Tito Santana]] was the sole survivor), Volkoff left the WWF at the end of 1990. He made a brief return to compete in the 1992 [[Royal Rumble (1992)|Royal Rumble]] match, as well as to face Hercules in a house show match on January 29 in Lowell, Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/92.htm|title=92|website=The History of WWE|access-date=January 17, 2021}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eosmrtnice.ba/livno/|title=Osmrtnic Livno|website=All obituaris from Livno|access-date=January 17, 2020}}</ref>

===Various promotions (1991-1994)===
After leaving WWF, Volkoff began competing in the [[independent circuit]]. On May 3, 1991, he defeated his former Bolshevik partner [[Boris Zhukov]] for Trans World Wrestling Federation in Newington, Connecticut. On August 8, 1992, he went to Puerto Rico to wrestled for [[World Wrestling Council]] WWC 19th Anniversario 1992 losing to [[The Patriot (wrestler)|the Patriot]]. On April 4, 1993, he wrestled his former partner [[the Iron Sheik]] to a double count out at Wrestling in the USA event in Livingston, New Jersey.

===Eastern Championship Wrestling (1992–1993)===
In 1992 he went to [[Extreme Championship Wrestling|Eastern Championship Wrestling]] in Philadelphia where he feuded with Vladimir Markoff. On October 2, he lost to [[ECW World Heavyweight Championship|ECW Champion]] [[Don Muraco]]. He then returned to ECW on October 16, 1993, as he lost to [[Jimmy Snuka]].

===Third return to the WWF (1993; 1994-1995)===
==== One night appearance (1993) ====
[[File:10.17.09NikolaiVolkoffByLuigiNovi.jpg|thumb|right|Volkoff in 2009]]
He returned as a babyface to pin [[Barry Horowitz]] at a ''WWF Superstars''/''All-American Wrestling'' taping on July 6, 1993, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/93.htm|title=93|website=The History of WWE|access-date=January 17, 2021}}</ref>

==== The Million Dollar Corporation; departure (1994–1995) ====
{{see also|The Million Dollar Corporation}}
On February 1, 1994, 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/94.htm|title=94|website=The History of WWE|access-date=January 17, 2021}}</ref> For the next two months, Volkoff was shown in the crowd, until eventually he became a sympathetic heel by playing the whipping-boy of [[Ted DiBiase]]'s [[Million Dollar Corporation]].<ref name="OWOW"/> Volkoff had [[kayfabe]] fallen on hard times and was forced to take a job working for DiBiase and his new Corporation. As low man in the group he was forced to wrestle matches no one else wanted to or sent out to "soften up" opponents for other members of the [[glossary of professional wrestling terms#stable|stable]] as the sacrificial lamb of the group. The disrespect even extended to renaming him "Nickel & Dime" Volkoff and DiBiase forcing him to place a [[cent (United States coin)|¢]] on his trunks where the Russian [[hammer and sickle|sickle]] once was along with a sign on his ring attire that read "Property of the Million Dollar Man". The final WWF match for Volkoff was on December 30, 1994, when he defeated jobber Bob Starr in a house show. Volkoff's final appearance was at the WWF's final show at the Boston Garden on May 13, 1995. During a match between Bam Bam Bigelow and Tatanka, Volkoff made an appearance to chase Tatanka's manager Ted Dibiase away.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhyZ0QHJiIc|title=Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Tatanka 05/13/95|publisher=YouTube|access-date=March 4, 2021}}</ref> Following this last run in the WWF, Volkoff entered semi-retirement.

===Semi-retirement (1995–2018)===
Volkoff made a brief cameo on an episode of ''[[WWF Shotgun Saturday Night|Shotgun Saturday Night]]'' in 1997 where [[Todd Pettengill]] discovered him [[homelessness|homeless]] sleeping in a box on the streets of New York City. He also appeared at [[WrestleMania X-Seven]] at the [[Astrodome]] in Houston in the gimmick battle royal which was won by [[the Iron Sheik]]. On November 30, 2001, he lost to [[King Kong Bundy]] at AAWA event in Jersey City, New Jersey. On February 3, 2005, Volkoff was announced as one of the [[WWE Hall of Fame]] inductees for the class of 2005. He was inducted on April 2, 2005, by [[Jim Ross]] at the [[Universal Amphitheatre]] in Los Angeles. In 2006, Volkoff took part in the [[World Wrestling Legends]] pay-per-view ''6:05 The Reunion''. Managed by the Iron Sheik, he wrestled a match against Duggan. Before the match, he once again sang the national anthem of the Soviet Union and riled up the crowd. Volkoff made his first appearance on WWE television in over two years on the August 13, 2007 episode of ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' as a contestant on WWE Idol, a parody of ''[[American Idol]]''. Volkoff appeared alongside the Iron Sheik and [[Howard Finkel]], although Volkoff was the only one who sang. Volkoff sang the Soviet Union national anthem, receiving boos from the crowd (despite being a babyface) and was insulted by judge [[William Regal]], although judges [[Mick Foley]] and [[Maria Kanellis|Maria]] both praised the performance. In response, Sheik, who was also insulted, went on a tirade until both he and Volkoff were escorted out of the building by security.

[[File:WrestleMania 31 Axxess 2015-03-28 11-04-16 ILCE-6000 DSC04668 (17419437831).jpg|thumb|left|Volkoff in 2015]]
The March 10, 2008, edition of ''WWE Raw'', featured rematches from previous [[WrestleMania]]s. The Iron Sheik appeared along with Nikolai Volkoff to face off against the U.S. Express in a rematch from the [[WrestleMania I|first WrestleMania]]. The match never started as [[Jillian Hall]] came out to interrupt Volkoff's singing so she could sing [[Bruce Springsteen]]'s "[[Born in the U.S.A. (song)|Born in the U.S.A.]]", which the U.S. Express used as their ring entrance music in 1984–85. On the November 15, 2010, edition of ''Raw'', as part of the "old school" theme, Volkoff appeared with the Iron Sheik, singing the Soviet national anthem before being interrupted by [[Santino Marella]] and [[Vladimir Kozlov]], the latter of whom then sung a duet with Volkoff of the Soviet national anthem. Afterwards, Volkoff worked for various [[independent circuit|independent promotions]] throughout North America. He remained popular on the autograph convention circuit. In June 2013 he threw out the first pitch at a Bowie Baysox baseball game and sang "God Bless America" after the pitch. In October 2013, he sang the Soviet national anthem at a show in New Jersey, after being introduced by [[Howard Finkel]].

[[File:Nikolai Volkoff.jpg|thumb|right|Volkoff in 2008]]
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. While the book is not wrestling related, the author Jason Strecker was a personal friend of Volkoff's and in the foreword Volkoff responds to his friendship with the author along with the book's message of being of strong character and doing positive actions for others. The book also has a foreword by [[Jimmy Valiant]]. On the January 6, 2014, "Old School" episode of ''RAW'', Volkoff encountered [[Big E (wrestler)|Big E. Langston]] on his way to a match and sung him the Soviet national anthem, to which Langston smiled. Immediately after, Langston walked past fellow Million Dollar Corporation members, [[Ted DiBiase]] and [[Mike Rotunda|Irwin R. Schyster]]. On the RAW Fallout segment following the September 8, 2014 ''Raw'', Volkoff appeared backstage with [[Rusev (wrestler)|Rusev]] and [[Lana (wrestler)|Lana]] and sang the Soviet national anthem.<ref>{{Citation|last=WWE|title=Nikolai Volkoff joins Rusev & Lana - Raw Fallout - Sept. 8, 2014|date=September 8, 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WobMoezcP8|access-date=May 31, 2018}}</ref> On February 28, 2015, Volkoff appeared for the Superstars of Wrestling promotion in Bayville, New Jersey, where he teamed with ECW legend [[The Sandman (wrestler)|the Sandman]] to take on independent standouts Kentucky Bred – in a 3 on 2 handicap tag match. Before the match, Volkoff and Sandman sang the Soviet national anthem and proceeded to drink beer together. The duo squashed Kentucky Bred and then poured beer all over them.

On March 21, 2015, Volkoff participated at a SICW event taking place on East Carondelet. Volkoff managed and mentored the team of younger wrestlers Ricky Cruz and Red River Jack, while also managing veteran wrestler "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr. to take on the team of Chris Hargas, Bull Bronson, and Attila Khan. Volkoff and Orton appeared in their outfit and gimmick from their WWF days. The team of Volkoff, Orton, Cruz, and Jack came up victorious. 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 June 25, 2016, he wrestled his last match in Canada where he defeated the Messiah for Great North Wrestling in Pembroke, Ontario. On June 9, 2017, Volkoff wrestled for H2O Wrestling: 1 Year Anniversary in Willamstown, New Jersey as he defeated [[D. J. Hyde]]. On May 5, 2018, at the age of 70, Volkoff wrestled his final match, teaming with [[Jim Duggan]] to defeat the team of Mecha Mercenary and Nicky Benz for Battleground Championship Wrestling in Feasterville, Pennsylvania.

==Personal life==
[[File:Paul Orndorff et Nikolai Volkoff.jpg|thumb|right|Volkoff (right) with [[Paul Orndorff]], 2015]]
Peruzović met his wife Lynn in 1970, and became an American citizen that year.<ref name="Vensel">{{cite news|last1=Vensel|first1=Matt|title=Retired professional wrestler Nikolai Volkoff turns his energy to helping children |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-sp-nikolai-volkoff-profile-20130910-story.html|access-date=July 29, 2018|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|publisher=[[tronc|Tronc, Inc.]]|location=[[Baltimore]]|date=September 10, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpid=659&show=archivedetails&ArchiveID=1098203&om=1|title=Ex-wrestler finds code of conduct|date=March 30, 2005|last=Sears|first=Bryan P.|work=Towson Times|location=[[Walla Walla, Washington]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926213111/http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpid=659&show=archivedetails&ArchiveID=1098203&om=1|archive-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref> In [[Freddie Blassie]]'s [[autobiography]] ''Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks'', he describes Peruzović as a "good family man" who helped Blassie reconnect with a daughter from whom he had been estranged for many years. In a 2009 shoot interview released by Pro Wrestling Diary on DVD, Peruzović discusses his in-depth history with Freddie Blassie as well as helping Blassie re-connect with his daughter. During his career he was also known for his frugality, and traveled with a [[hot plate]] to avoid having to spend money on meals at restaurants.

Peruzović worked with the [[Baltimore County, Maryland|Baltimore County]] [[Police Athletic League]] kids programs.<ref name="Vensel"/> He previously worked as a [[code enforcement]] officer in [[Baltimore County, Maryland|Baltimore County]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/iron-sheik--the-man-behind-the-mask-224707360.html|title=The cruel tragedy of The Iron Sheik|first=Kevin|last=Iole|work=[[Yahoo! Sports]]|publisher=[[Yahoo!]]|location=United States|date=June 23, 2013|access-date=January 16, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Fox">{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/another-former-pro-wrestler-seeks-political-fortune|title=Another Former Pro Wrestler Seeks Political Fortune|author=Capital News Service|work=[[Fox News]]|publisher=[[Fox Entertainment Group]]|location=[[New York City]]|date=March 25, 2006|access-date=March 25, 2006|author-link=Capital News Service (Maryland)}}</ref>

===Politics===
Peruzović ran unsuccessfully in the 2006 Maryland Republican primary for state delegate in [[Maryland Legislative District 7|District 7]] (representing parts of Baltimore and Harford County).<ref name="Fox"/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Rodricks|first1=Dan|title=Once-evil wrestler has quiet life in Glen Arm|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2006/01/26/once-evil-wrestler-has-quiet-life-in-glen-arm/|access-date=July 29, 2018|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|publisher=[[tronc|Tronc, Inc.]]|location=[[Baltimore]]|date=January 26, 2006}}</ref>

==Death==
Peruzović died at home on July 29, 2018, at the age of 70, days after being released from a Maryland hospital where he had been treated for dehydration and other medical issues.<ref name=Death>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/119222/wwe-hall-of-famer-nikolai-volkoff-passes-away-updated-with-career-retrospective.html?p=1|title=WWE Hall of Famer Nikolai Volkoff Passes Away (Updated With Career Retrospective)|first=Mike|last=Johnson|work=PW Insider|publisher=PW Insider, LLC|location=United States|date=July 29, 2018|access-date=July 29, 2018}}</ref>

== Other media ==
* Volkoff is a playable character in the following video games: ''[[Legends of Wrestling]]'' (2001), ''[[Legends of Wrestling II]]'' (2002), ''[[WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain]]'' (2003),<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://ie.ign.com/wikis/wwe-smackdown-here-comes-the-pain/Legend:_Nikolai_Volkoff | title=Legend: Nikolai Volkoff - WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain Wiki Guide| date=March 28, 2012}}</ref> ''[[Showdown: Legends of Wrestling]]'' (2004), and ''[[WWE Legends of WrestleMania]]'' (2009).
* On October 29, 2007, a Homestar Runner Halloween special was released, in which Strong Mad was dressed as Nikolai Volkoff.
* In 2010, Volkoff appeared along with wrestler [[Jimmy Cicero]] on Karlos Borloff's [[Web television|internet TV]] show ''Monster Madhouse''.
* In 2016, Volkoff released a biographical comic book miniseries through Squared Circle Comics, titled "Nikolai" (2016–2018).The series was later re-released under the title "Turnbuckle Titans" from Antarctic Press (2019).
* In 2018, Volkoff appeared in the horror film ''WrestleMassacre'' as the father of the film's central character, played by pro wrestler Richie the Cuban Assassin Acevedo. The film was released on DVD and on demand on June 16, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2020/05/wrestling-meets-horror-in-trailer-for-wrestlemassacre/ | title=Wrestling meets horror in trailer for "WrestleMassacre"| date=May 29, 2020}}</ref>

==Championships and accomplishments==
[[File:Freddie Blassie, Nikita Koloff and Iron Sheik WWF Tag Champions Wrestlemania.png|thumb|Volkoff was a one-time [[WWF Tag Team Champion]] with [[The Iron Sheik]]]]
*'''[[Championship Wrestling from Florida]]'''
**[[NWA Florida Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Florida Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with [[Ivan Koloff]]
*'''[[Georgia Championship Wrestling]]'''
**[[NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship]] ([[NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 time]])<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/ga-h.html NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship History]</ref>
**NWA Georgia Brass Knuckle Championship (1 time)
**NWA Macon Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Brute Bernard
*'''[[National Wrestling Federation]]'''
**[[NWF World Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWF World Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with [[Geeto Mongol]]<ref>{{cite web| last=Tanabe | first=Hisaharu | title= N.W.F. North American Heavyweight Title |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/oh/nwf/nwf-t.html | publisher=Wrestling-Titles.com | access-date = July 12, 2007}}</ref>
*'''[[Maryland Championship Wrestling]]'''
** MCW Hall of Fame (Class of 2009)<ref name="MCW-HOF">{{cite web |url=http://www.marylandwrestling.com/mcw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=957:nikolai-volkoff&catid=102:hall-of-fame&Itemid=67 |title=Nikolai Volkoff |author=Maryland Championship Wrestling |author-link=Maryland Championship Wrestling |year=2009 |access-date=October 5, 2011 |work=2009 Inductee |publisher=MarylandWrestling.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625153912/http://www.marylandwrestling.com/mcw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=957:nikolai-volkoff&catid=102:hall-of-fame&Itemid=67 |archive-date=June 25, 2013 }}</ref>
*'''[[Jim Crockett Promotions|Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling]]'''
**[[NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with [[Chris Markoff]]<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midatlantic/ma-t.html NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team title history]</ref>
*'''[[Universal Wrestling Federation (Bill Watts)|Mid-South Wrestling]]'''
**[[Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship|Mid-South North American Championship]] ([[Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 time]])
*'''[[New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
**Class of 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nepwhof.weebly.com/hall-of-famers.html |title=List of Past Inductees  |access-date=June 14, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706232003/http://nepwhof.weebly.com/hall-of-famers.html |archive-date=July 6, 2013 }}</ref>
*'''North American Wrestling'''
**NAW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)<ref name="Titles"/>
*'''Northeast Championship Wrestling (Tom Janette)'''
**NCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name="Titles">{{cite book|author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will|title=Wrestling Title Histories|publisher=Archeus Communications|year=2000|edition=4th|isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}</ref>
*'''[[NWA Detroit]]'''
**[[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version)|NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(Detroit version)'']] ([[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version)#Title history|1 time]]) – with Boris Volkoff<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/mi/nwa/mi-nwa-t.html | title= National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [Detroit] | work=Wrestling-Titles | access-date=February 21, 2017}}</ref>
*'''''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''''
**Ranked No. 134 of the 500 singles wrestlers in the ''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated#PWI 500|PWI 500]]'' in 1994<ref>{{cite web|url=http://profightdb.com/pwi-500/1994.html|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 1994|publisher=The Internet Wrestling Database|access-date=August 25, 2015}}</ref>
**Ranked No. 136 of the top 500 singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003<ref name="pwi">{{cite web|url=http://www.willywrestlefest.fr/Ressources/PWI/PWI500_PWI_Years_2003.htm|title=PWI 500 of the PWI Years|access-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref>
**Ranked No. 96 of the 100 tag teams of the "PWI Years" with the Iron Sheik in 2003<ref name="pwi"/>
*'''Universal Wrestling Association'''
**UWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name="Titles"/>
*'''[[World Wide Wrestling Alliance]]'''
**WWWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name="Titles"/>
*'''Summit Wrestling Association'''
**SWA Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
*'''[[WWE|World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment]]'''
**[[World Tag Team Championship (WWE, 1971–2010)|WWF Tag Team Championship]] ([[List of World Tag Team Champions (WWE, 1971–2010)|1 time]]) – with [[the Iron Sheik]]<ref>[http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/ Official World Tag Team Championship Title History]</ref>
**[[WWF International Tag Team Championship|WWWF International Tag Team Championship]] ([[WWF International Tag Team Championship#Title history|2 times]]) – with [[Newton Tattrie|Geto Mongol]]<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pa/w/studio/wwwf-in-t.html WWWF/WWF International Tag Team Title History]</ref>
**[[WWE Hall of Fame]] ([[WWE Hall of Fame (2005)|Class of 2005]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/hof.html#2005|title=WWE Hall of Fame|work=Pro Wrestling History|access-date=February 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521190701/http://prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/hof.html#2005|archive-date=May 21, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
**[[Slammy Award]] (2 times)
***Most Ignominious ([[Slammy Award#1986 Slammy Awards|1986]])<ref name="PWH">{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/slammy.html|title=The Slammy Awards|website=ProWrestlingHistory.com|access-date=April 28, 2018}}</ref>
***Best Personal Hygiene ([[Slammy Award#1987 Slammy Awards|1987]]) {{small|with [[Boris Zhukov]] and [[Slick (wrestling)|Slick]]}}<ref name="PWH"/>
*'''[[World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)|World Wrestling Association (Larry Sharpe)]]'''
:*WWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name="Titles"/>

*'''''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''
**[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Worst Tag Team|Worst Tag Team]] (1988) with Boris Zhukov

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KUsJAwAAQBAJ&q=Peruzovi%C4%87+was+on+the+Yugoslavian+weightlifting+team+until+1967&pg=PA332|title=Historical Dictionary of Wrestling|series=Historical Dictionaries of Sports|first=John|last=Grasso|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield#Imprints|Scarecrow Press]]|location=[[Lanham, Maryland]]|year=2014|edition=Hardcover|isbn=978-0810879256|page=332}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{WWE superstar}}
* {{IMDb name|0675769}}
* {{Professional wrestling profiles}}
{{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Detroit version)}}
{{WWE Hall of Fame}}
{{WWF International Tag Team Championship}}
{{World Tag Team Championship (WWE)}}
{{Portal bar|Croatia|United States|Maryland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Volkoff, Nikolai}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
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[[Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:21st-century male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:American male professional wrestlers]]
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[[Category:Faux Russian professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:Maryland Republicans]]
[[Category:Million Dollar Corporation members]]
[[Category:NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champions]]
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[[Category:NWF World Tag Team Champions]]
[[Category:Professional wrestlers from Baltimore]]
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[[Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni]]
[[Category:World Tag Team Champions (WWE, 1971–2010)]]
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[[Category:Yugoslav male weightlifters]]