Nikolai Volkoff

Nikolai Volkoff, born Josip Hrvoje Peruzović on October 14, 1947, was a prominent Croatian-American professional wrestler who left an indelible mark on the wrestling world, particularly during his tenure in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

In the 1970s, Volkoff began his wrestling career as Bepo Mongol, part of the Mongols tag team alongside Geeto Mongol, and also performed as one of the masked Executioners. His transformation into Nikolai Volkoff saw him adopt the persona of a Russian Soviet heel, leading to a notable feud with the legendary Bruno Sammartino over the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship.

The 1980s marked a significant period in Volkoff's career as he teamed up with the Iron Sheik, capturing the WWF Tag Team Championship at the inaugural WrestleMania event. He later formed another tag team with Boris Zhukov, known as The Bolsheviks, further solidifying his status in the wrestling community.

In 1990, Volkoff made a dramatic turn, defecting to America and briefly feuding with Zhukov and the newly-heel Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter. After a hiatus in 1994, he returned to the ring as a destitute character, exploited by Ted DiBiase as the first member of the Million Dollar Corporation. Volkoff continued to wrestle in various promotions until his passing on July 29, 2018.