Nikolai Volkoff Passes Away at Age 70

WWE Hall of Famer Nikolai Volkoff died this morning at the age of 70, PWInsider first reported. Volkoff, whose real name was Josip Nikolai Peruzović, died days after being released from a hospital in Maryland, where he was treated for dehydration and other issues.

Volkoff began his wrestling career in the late 60s and first wrestled for “WWE” (then Vince McMahon Sr.’s World Wide Wrestling Federation) in 1968. During the 80s, he had an anti-American Russian/Soviet gimmick, though in reality he was born in Croatia/Yugoslavia. He teamed with the Iron Sheik from 1984–1987 as a team of “foreign heels.” Via Wikipedia: “It was at this point that Volkoff pushed the envelope and 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 exaggerated spitting after saying ‘USA.'” Volkoff and Sheik won the WWF Tag Team Championship at the first WrestleMania in 1985, defeating The U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham). During the 80s, Volkoff also wrestled Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship several times, though he never won the title.

Volkoff’s last full run with the WWF ended in 1995 and he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.