Nikita Koloff

The Russian Nightmare rose through Jim Crockett Promotions and World Championship Wrestling between 1984 and 1992, claiming the NWA United States Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship, NWA World Television Championship, and NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. His signature Russian chain match was a specialty that defined his brutal, intense in-ring style. A pivotal turn came when Koloff transformed from villain to face, establishing himself as one of the top good guys in the NWA alongside Dusty Rhodes. His in-ring career ended in 1992 when a stiff clothesline from Big Van Vader resulted in a herniated disk.

Nikita Koloff is an American retired professional wrestler. Following retirement, he became a born-again Christian in 1993 and started a ministry, running his own wrestling promotion called the Universal Wrestling Alliance as an outreach of his ministry. He has since become a motivational speaker, sharing his inspirational journey of redemption and transformation. He was inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and the National Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame in 2008.