Professional Wrestler. He was well known to wrestling fans as the "The Russian Bear" who ended then World Wide Wrestling Federation champion Bruno Sammartino's seven and two-third years title reign on January 18, 1971. He left high school at the age of 18 and went to Jack Wentworth's wrestling school in Hamilton, Ontario. He made his professional wrestling debut as a Irish villain named Red McNulty and wrestled mostly in the Toronto area. In 1967 he became "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff and first wrestled in the Montreal area and then, went to the then WWWF in 1969 where he was managed by Captain Lou Albano. He started a rivalry with WWWF champion Bruno Sammartino and in January of 1971 at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, defeated him for the championship. He held the title for 21 days before losing to Pedro Morales. He left the wrestling promotion later in 1971 and went on to have further success, winning tag-team and singles titles in the National Wrestling Alliance promotions in Georgia, Florida, and the Mid-Atlantic area. He also came back to the WWWF to wrestle in 1975 to 1976, 1978 to 1979, and 1983. He later teamed with his "nephew" Nikita and Krusher Krushchev as "The Russians," one of the top "villain" groups in Jim Crockett Promotions during the mid 1980s. He left Jim Crockett Promotions in 1989 and spent time with Eastern Championship Wrestling and Smoky Mountain Wrestling before retiring from active wrestling in 1994. He later became a born-again Christian and an ordained minister.
Professional Wrestler. He was well known to wrestling fans as the "The Russian Bear" who ended then World Wide Wrestling Federation champion Bruno Sammartino's seven and two-third years title reign on January 18, 1971. He left high school at the age of 18 and went to Jack Wentworth's wrestling school in Hamilton, Ontario. He made his professional wrestling debut as a Irish villain named Red McNulty and wrestled mostly in the Toronto area. In 1967 he became "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff and first wrestled in the Montreal area and then, went to the then WWWF in 1969 where he was managed by Captain Lou Albano. He started a rivalry with WWWF champion Bruno Sammartino and in January of 1971 at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, defeated him for the championship. He held the title for 21 days before losing to Pedro Morales. He left the wrestling promotion later in 1971 and went on to have further success, winning tag-team and singles titles in the National Wrestling Alliance promotions in Georgia, Florida, and the Mid-Atlantic area. He also came back to the WWWF to wrestle in 1975 to 1976, 1978 to 1979, and 1983. He later teamed with his "nephew" Nikita and Krusher Krushchev as "The Russians," one of the top "villain" groups in Jim Crockett Promotions during the mid 1980s. He left Jim Crockett Promotions in 1989 and spent time with Eastern Championship Wrestling and Smoky Mountain Wrestling before retiring from active wrestling in 1994. He later became a born-again Christian and an ordained minister.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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