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Ivan Koloff

{{short description|Canadian professional wrestler}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}

{{Infobox professional wrestler

|name = Ivan Koloff

|image = Ivan Koloff 1973.jpg

|caption = Koloff, {{Circa|1982}}

|birth_name = Oreal Donald Perras

|names = Ivan Koloff
Jim Parris{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/i/ivan-koloff.html|title=Ivan Koloff's profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=May 1, 2011}}
Orwell Paris
Red McNulty

|height = 6 ft 1 in

|weight = 298 lb{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/ivan-koloff|title=Ivan Koloff bio|access-date=August 26, 2016|publisher=WWE}}

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1942|8|25}}

|birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada

|death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|2|18|1942|8|25}}

|death_place = Winterville, North Carolina, U.S.

|death_cause = Liver cancer

|billed = Moscow, Russia
Ukraine

|trainer = Jack Wentworth
Dan Koloff

|debut = February 15, 1963 {{cite web | url=https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/ivan-koloff/ | title=Ivan Koloff: Secret Untold Tale of a Beloved Wrestling Heel | date=December 12, 2023 }}

|retired = November 16, 2013

}}

Oreal Donald Perras (August 25, 1942 – February 18, 2017) was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by the ring name "the Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, where he was billed from Russia and, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine. He was the third wrestler to hold the WWWF Championship.{{cite book|author=Chad Bonham|title=Wrestling with God|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T13aPZVgC70C&pg=PA197|year=2001|publisher=David C Cook|isbn=978-1-58919-935-4|pages=197}}{{cite web|url=http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20070610/ARCHIVES/306109970?print|title='Evil Russian' softens, looks back on career|first=Mike|last=Mooneyham|date=June 10, 2007|work=The Post and Courier|access-date=July 15, 2013|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222009/http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20070610/ARCHIVES/306109970?print|url-status=dead}}{{cite book|title=WWE Legends|last=Solomon|first=Brian|pages=[https://archive.org/details/wwelegends00solo/page/155 155–158]|publisher=Pocket Books|year=2006|isbn=978-0-7434-9033-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/wwelegends00solo/page/155}} In April 2025, it was announced that Koloff would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Early life

Perras was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and raised on a dairy farm in rural Ontario along with his six brothers and three sisters.{{Cite web|last=Tornoe|first=Rob|date=February 18, 2017|title=Legendary wrestler Ivan 'The Russian Bear' Koloff has died|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/pattisonave/Legendary-wrestler-Ivan-Koloff-passes-away.html|website=Inquirer}}

Since first watching professional wrestling on 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 in Hamilton, Ontario, where he would lift weights and learn wrestling holds.{{Cite web|title=Jack Wentworth - OWW|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/bios/j/jack-wentworth/|access-date=June 28, 2021|website=Online World of Wrestling|language=en-US}}

Professional wrestling career

= Early career (1963–1967) =

Perras debuted as an Irish rogue villain character named Red McNulty, billed from Dublin, Ireland and wrestling with an eyepatch. For the next three years, he wrestled around the Toronto area, 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 to Japan.

= The Russian Bear (1967–1994) =

File:Ivan and Nikita Koloff 1986.png in 1986]]

In 1967, Perras became "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, a bearded villainous character billed from Ukraine (the name was taken from Dan Kolov, an actual Bulgarian wrestler who had competed in Canada in the 1930s), and debuted with the International Wrestling Association in Montreal, Québec. He defeated Johnny Rougeau for the IWA International Heavyweight Championship the following year. Koloff debuted in the World Wide Wrestling Federation in late 1969, managed by "Captain" Lou Albano.{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/144 144]|publisher=DK|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/144}} He soon started a rivalry with then-WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino. On January 18, 1971, Koloff defeated Sammartino in Madison Square Garden for the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship by pinfall after a knee drop from the top rope, ending Sammartino's seven and two-thirds years reign.{{Cite web|date=January 18, 2019|title=Daily Pro Wrestling History (01/18): Ivan Koloff defeats Bruno Sammartino to win WWWF title|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0118-ivan-koloff-defeats-bruno-sammartino-win-wwwf-title|access-date=June 28, 2021|website=WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Remembering the night Bruno Sammartino lost the WWE Title|url=https://www.wwe.com/classics/remembering-the-night-bruno-sammartino-lost-the-wwe-title|access-date=June 28, 2021|website=WWE|language=en}}{{Cite book|last1=Johnson|first1=Steven|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H-6DoPuiRkEC&q=ivan+koloff&pg=PA366|title=The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels|last2=Oliver|first2=Greg|date=November 16, 2010|publisher=ECW Press|isbn=978-1-55490-284-2|language=en}} Koloff lost the championship 21 days later to Pedro Morales,{{Cite book|last=Hornbaker|first=Tim|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4yNrCgAAQBAJ&q=ivan+koloff&pg=PA276|title=Legends of Pro Wrestling: 150 Years of Headlocks, Body Slams, and Piledrivers|date=July 2012|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing Inc.|isbn=978-1-61321-075-8|language=en}} 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 like Stan Stasiak and The Iron Sheik would be in later years. After the loss, Koloff remained a contender for the title but never reclaimed it, leaving the WWWF in 1971.{{Cite web|last=Greer|first=Jamie|date=February 18, 2017|title=Former WWE World Champion Ivan Koloff Passes Away|url=https://lastwordonsports.com/prowrestling/2017/02/18/former-wwe-world-champion-ivan-koloff-passes-away/|access-date=June 28, 2021|website=Last Word on Pro Wrestling|language=en-US}} During his time in the WWWF, Koloff weighing in at {{convert|310|lb|kg}} wrestled WWWF World Heavyweight Championship title matches against Sammartino, Morales, Superstar Billy Graham and Bob Backlund, holding the distinction, with fellow villain Stan Stasiak, as one of only two men to challenge all four of these champions.{{Cite book|last=Freedman|first=Lew|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TQ5pDwAAQBAJ&q=ivan+koloff&pg=PA149|title=Pro Wrestling: A Comprehensive Reference Guide|date=September 7, 2018|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-4408-5351-7|language=en}} Koloff would also challenge Sammartino for the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship in the first ever steel cage match at Madison Square Garden in a rematch loss on December 15, 1975. He fought in the WWWF from 1975 to 1976, 1978–1979 and 1983.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Koloff found success in the National Wrestling Alliance, winning many regional tag team and singles titles in the Georgia, Florida, and Mid-Atlantic territories. In February 1981, he teamed with Ray Stevens to defeat Paul Jones and Masked Superstar to capture the NWA World Tag Team Championship. This would be the first of his four reigns as NWA World Tag Team Champion, later winning the belts with Don Kernodle and twice with his "nephew" (kayfabe), Nikita Koloff as The Russian Team.

In April and May 1973, Koloff wrestled in Japan for the International Wrestling Enterprise promotion as part of its Dynamite Series. In his debut match, he teamed with Mad Dog Vachon to defeat Great Kusatsu and Strong Kobayashi for the IWA World Tag Team Championship in a two-out-of-three falls match. They lost the titles to Great Kusatsu and Rusher Kimura several weeks later.{{cite web|title=Ivan Koloff - matches - International Wrestling Enterprise|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=687&page=4&promotion=1153|website=Cagematch.net|access-date=July 26, 2023|first=Philip|last=Kreikenbohm}}

The Russians (which also included Krusher Kruschev) were a top villainous group from 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 Nikita turned on Ivan to join their enemy Dusty Rhodes in 1986, the latter teamed with Vladimir Petrov and Dick Murdoch to get revenge. Koloff's biggest NWA feuds were against Rhodes, The Road Warriors, The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) and Magnum T. A. In 1988, Koloff spent time in Paul Jones' faction, The Paul Jones Army, where he was a "coach" of sorts for The Powers of Pain, The Barbarian and The Warlord. He later split with Jones, reunited with Nikita, and feuded with Jones' team, The Russian Assassins, before leaving Jim Crockett Promotions in January 1989. In 1992, Koloff also wrestled in the first television main event of Jim Cornette's Smoky Mountain Wrestling, beating Bobby Fulton. He lost to Ron Garvin at Tim Horner's National Championship Wrestling on July 22, 1994. He retired afterwards.

= Eastern Championship Wrestling (1992–1993) =

He also spent time in Eastern Championship Wrestling, appearing on the very first ECW card in 1992. In 1993 he began teaming with his storyline nephew Vladimir Koloff. The team won their debut match on the June 29 edition of ECW Hardcore TV. Koloff defeated The Sandman on the July 6, 1993, episode of ECW Hardcore TV in a number one contenders match for the ECW Heavyweight Championship.{{cite web |title=ECW Hardcore TV #14 |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=15763 |website=Cage Match |access-date=September 10, 2020}}

= Return to wrestling (2004–2013) =

Image:Ivan Koloff (cropped).jpg

In 2004, Koloff returned to the ring for the first time in 10 years. He wrestled in the independent circuit. On August 27, 2005, Koloff defeated Dominic DeNucci in a Russian chain match at WrestleReunion. Koloff would win his final wrestling title defeating The Barbarian in a Russian chain match for the Legends title at NWA Charlotte. On July 19, 2013, Koloff lost to Shane Douglas in an Extreme Rules match at Mega Pro. His final match was against Bob Armstrong in which Armstrong won on November 16, 2013, at Superstars of Wrestling 1 in Rome, Georgia. Koloff stood around {{convert|5|ft|9|in}} tall, and weighed approximately {{convert|300|lb|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 {{convert|205|lb|kg}}.{{cite web | url=https://www.midatlanticwrestling.net/resourcecenter/interviews/koloff/ivankoloff01.htm | title=The Mid-Atlantic Gateway | the Ivan Koloff Interview }}

Personal life

Perras wrote a book titled Is That Wrestling Fake? The Bear Facts that was released on January 1, 2007. He became a born again Christian in 1995{{Cite web|last=Courier.com|first=Mike Mooneyham Special to The Post and|title=WWE, Ivan Koloff and an opportunity missed|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/wwe-ivan-koloff-and-an-opportunity-missed/article_7a56676e-faa3-11e6-a857-7754849e18bf.html|access-date=June 28, 2021|website=Post and Courier|date=February 25, 2017 |language=en}} and traveled to churches to share his testimony as an ordained minister. Koloff spoke openly and candidly of his conversion to Christianity and struggles with alcohol and drugs and the crazy days of wrestling in his 2014 book, Life in the Trenches.{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.com/Life-Trenches-Brian-DAmbrosio-ebook/dp/B00MYHM74Y/ref=la_B008FVAIOO_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420000009&sr=1-2|title=Life in the Trenches|last=D'Ambrosio|first=Brian|date=August 21, 2014|publisher=Firefly Books|others=Anthony Zuccarini|language=en}} Perras was named as a defendant in a 2015 lawsuit filed 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.{{cite web|title=WWE seeking to block concussion-related lawsuits|url=http://www.foxsports.com/other/story/wwe-concussion-lawsuits-blackjack-mulligan-koko-b-ware-dynamite-kid-070115|work=FoxSports.com|date=July 1, 2015|access-date=November 27, 2015|publisher=Fox Entertainment Group (21st Century Fox)}}

Death

Perras died at his home in Winterville, North Carolina, on February 18, 2017, from liver cancer.{{cite web|title=Ivan "The Russian Bear" Koloff, Professional Wrestler, Dies at 74|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ivan-koloff-dead-wrestling-villain-dies-at-74-liver-cancer-977586|last=Shanley|first=Patrick|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 18, 2017|access-date=February 18, 2017}}

Other media

Koloff is featured as a playable character in the video games Legends of Wrestling, Legends of Wrestling II and Showdown: Legends of Wrestling.

Championships and accomplishments

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • Wrestling With God, Chad Bonham, 2001, {{ISBN|1-58919-935-9}}, pp. 179–197.

External links

{{commons}}

  • {{wwe superstar|ivan-koloff|Ivan Koloff}}
  • {{Professional wrestling profiles}}
  • {{official website|http://www.ivankoloff.com}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Koloff, Ivan}}

Category:1942 births

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