Q&A with Koloff - #18

Speaking of how angry we got we got some going to the Truth Network. This can help the world not be so angry, just need God's word is please help the Truth Network send Bibles to Africa and we know that they they need God's word. We have until the end of the month, just five dollars gets a Bible in the hands of a poor, impoverished believers all over the African continent with the help of the Bible league, just five dollars. Think about that Robbie just five dollars a please give you give more than five dollars man would love for you to do it in the number to call is one 800 yes word, one 800 yes word on 800 yes word hello this is Matt slick from the match look like podcast right defend the Christian faith and lay out our foundation of the truth of God's word are chosen Truth Network podcast starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network.

This is the Truth Network cuticle all their questions and answers they would pull off the devil's nightmare. Nick Nick, I'm not sure how to probably want to put your last name you how do you sell you put out your last name Nick well I you know I somewhat relate to that like people of spell Nikita all kinds of different ways but sub somewhat familiar with Bud while Bob, I'm glad you said it in and I did have the characters of the record, but great to have you acute now Youngsville, North Carolina's errors that we you reside. That is correct that it correctly move down here a couple years ago after spending all my life in New England to be close to my older son ship and our grandchildren all very nice.

There's a lot that make make that kind of move and not not been a lot of places in North Carolina but you might have to enlighten me as to what Youngsville is north of Raleigh Raleigh okay so can outside of the will to get the code.

The triangle triangle that yeah trying are you part of the triangle.

I think technically were not part of it but but are work work. I got yeah and in what type of work did you financial services. Okay, no financial planner financial planner help help people grow their futures exactly that you how many years you been doing that quite a while 23 years while while I would say with that that type of career you you've had some success that you have you been with her for 23 years. Well tonight career and I enjoy what I do affirm that I'm with you, and currently is just absolutely fantastic. So couldn't be happier about the weight I'm forked out okay and what you would tell us who you work at all okay Frankel capital financial solutions okay. We have offices in Raleigh, Richmond, Charlotte. Very nice and see ACC came down from where New England to come down from I was in Massachusetts on Cape Cod. Hello 25 years behind this is not grew up in the Hartford Connecticut area which is actually where I saw my first match okay jumping on that in just a moment here but Cape Cod now that the transition from Cape Cod to Raleigh, North Carolina or outside a Raleigh.

That's a change. Nick well yeah I was a big change in little little top because you know we still have some family my folks are in Connecticut and my wife's brothers and sisters are still in Massachusetts but to have a chance to be near two of our grandchildren and and watch them grow up with just you know a wonderful opportunity so we grabbed it, absolutely. And in you know the sacrifices we will make right as his parents and grandparents in and see and you just have the two grandchildren actually it would you believe if I told you that the other two are with about 10 miles from Robbinsdale, Minnesota. No way are you for real. I am IN my youngest son Mark and his family lived just and they live in Waconia which is very close to Robbinsdale that we pass Robbie on the trip from the airport there and that and I will always pointed out to Mark on several times as we go by Robin Dale all the famous wrestlers who are okay and from that area, including yourself, and the legendary Rob last bill the time the like do you like what what was up with that Robbinsdale high school. Once I go well you know Solano 10,000 lakes. It must've been the all the minerals in the water tower for sure for sure. So I have a five-year-old grandson out there and a nine-year-old granddaughter she's the only granddaughter truly the apple of my eye sure I just and we just had our ninth grandchild nine while yeah wow so a full quiver so you like in living okay nixie like you live in the north of the South better go.

Be honest, I'm loving where we are right now where we are right now I can looking forward to being able to go see my parents sometimes willing to travel again but I'm loving living here what we recall in clear country right yeah that's you know and like I said that to be near my friendship and his family and in our two grandchildren that are here and there, 11 and nine and the first thing that we did about a month after we moved here is we all as a family. All went directly yeah a PM theory in Raleigh. So wonderful. What wonderful times the PNC arena. Now is the end in I should know this, but is the Dorton Arena still there and Raleigh dean as part of the state fairgrounds that I imagine would be yes yeah and I believe what I believe good precoat with date and some they did some small event there still but you know when when WWE toward the day they go to the PNC, which is where the Carolina hurricanes got so okay well that's that's pretty cool. While I appreciate you. I mean to say all the time and just never get tired of saying that you know just love love love all the fans you guys just so so faithful, so loyal and all these years that is looking at the need submitted some questions to me and I know you'd said that you first started watching NWA shows on television the late 1985.

So you see I missed a little bit of the couple first couple years of of my career, but you submitted some great questions there, and we jump into those in in just a second, but you been to with words you say you here for the very first match ever westward Connecticut where I Hartford Connecticut Hartford Civic Center. My my father who is not necessarily a fan for me and my buddy Mitch who walked compactly defend against uncle Ivan. Believe it or not all yeah yeah. I went out together when I realize we're talking today and I thought about that and in it and he Backlund and Ivan were the main event. Hartford Civic Center and I want to say that would probably be 79 yeah yeah and then we in 85, as I mentioned about the you know NWA for the first time and there was a time there where I had a buddy and her neighbor Scott and Rich they were in exactly the fine arts, but in probably watched every paper view together for about five years we would get together with both companies. At that point and so that you know those were great times and that's when you are really you know really lighting it up as a heel and I and then eventually you note through the whole series with Magnum and everything and that was just fantastic.

Great rates.the years went on, when I moved to Massachusetts and and then my son Mark and his buddies through the attitude Eric.

Eric were big wrestling fan stone cold in the rock, and all men running their mavens in backyard wrestling including some of their dad hello yeah you go. Years later, in my little nephew that had jumping a poster on the wall when I went to see it one day that and then you go forward and the guy my manager at the gym that I went to, you know, in 2015 1617. What is a professional wrestler named Johnny thunder.

You know, wasn't it, and then dependence is over 20 year career. And then I come here and, of course, as I mentioned, my two grandsons my son and to be able to watch wrestling together with my grandsons is just fabulous. And then I have bunch of guys.

Now my friends tag and Alex and we all text each other whenever something funny happened whenever something good happens or crazy happens or whatever it you don't through whatever period of my life. There's always been some sort of time in one way or another whether with the kids for grandkids or somebody who I've met up with so it's just you know it it's always been their goal of passing onto the generation send that's pretty cool. Uncle Ivan is Bob back in the I had one little side story had one Bob Macklin match one and I I did. I remember talking about was in Altoona Pennsylvania at a building called the jaw for mosque ride home, and legendary building, and in further NWA matches anyway yeah I this guy is near as I can recall is go through the match together. I'll never forget because you know is I was still you know that the that the commie Russian I was the bad baddest of the bad, and so he came out in an Army helmet. I don't know where I know where you got it. I don't really follow the armory you must of you must apply now I think about you know it may fall in the back are some of the referrers and he comes out in it was like in my view, like it was like Howdy Doody meets the U.S. Army, you know, I mean just right. Digital Backlund had kind that look right that Howdy Doody luck and yeah I vaguely remember the magic is that so many but I do member had that one match against him and I think for the fans certainly was certainly entertaining to say the least. And so I wanted a lot lately. My one Bob back with match but will certainly have the look, you certainly had to locate and I can remember the first time you know where I first started watching TV. I think the NWA shows there is a scary jacked up to demand you play that part. I did what you come out and threaten Magnum and go through the whole bit. And in Greeley that was one of the first. You know be cute but I saw you and yeah now I delete my first question for you that that series was just amazing.

The heat you guys got you know is going to mean watching. I can remember watching several of those matches. Myself and just weeks so into it and I guess my question to you what you know, what was your friendship with Magnum like at that time your bow, you know, obviously very young guy and it back time. You know you still I don't know if he didn't think rocket territory that was the same as Bill Watts where you couldn't even you.

You can be seen in public together and all that stuff. If you are a good guy and a bad guy, but I but there was still no good. Good amount of that playing the part and you and carry friendly outside of work. At that point you know when you would you guys. What would you guys hang out together now and then there was no you had to keep you not end on separate sides of the world. What's good question and and for those who are the listeners that are maybe you familiar with with all what we would call old school wrestling that that age of wrestling. It was in any really in any territory you were supposed to maintain. You know the level of protection for the business and there were things that would happen. Your cars break down or something they work and leave a guy you know stranded on the side of the road work when your fellow workers you pick him up bringing to the town make sure you got there, but by the same token, we typically every road in separate cars. We didn't train the gym at the same time, I mean just write all of that just to maintain the integrity of the business and so I Magnum and I which it submits the most talked about of of my career is the best-of-seven series against Magnum and we were really, I would not say with the best friends I was there. We had a working relationship at the at that point and it really is. So the answer.

The question is no wheat we didn't hang around you obviously anywhere in the lot size lot of the buildings in separate dressing room so we weren't even in the CI dressing room come out opposite ends of the building but no wheat we didn't we didn't hang out and go to his house to go to my house so we just had a cordial friendship and in the business relationship and it wasn't until his accident that that really all that shifted and changed and to where to where we became really best friends took to this day.

In fact will do occasionally wrote stories will travel together, not together, but will will go meet up and in lot of times a group you will recently at a church service at a church outreach were we just tollroad stories and shared some of our story and and in our testimony and and kind of where we are at today. So with the best of friends today, but we were not back it necessarily in those days, but we had a very cordial respect for one another outside of the ring so right. Great yeah lead me to my second question, and thank you for telling me all that because I always wondered you know that in what I know that in you WF Watts was extremely strict about right extremely strict about it, but might my next question, of course, is after Megan's accident and you know I still to this day get goosebumps if somebody plays the clip of when you came out and read between the cage and you know officially became the first baby face Russian right and so my question for you. If you have any apprehension about that you know is something to be more fun being a heel but also you are just so over as he brought it to you. Did you realize what you realize that that was going to be money that was going to be huge.

Did you did you know that right off the bat. This is another good question. In fact I didn't even know about Magnum's accident till I get back I was on a two week tour in Japan yeah okay got back from Japan on my first day back was in Philadelphia at the Civic Center downtown Philly and Jim Crockett, Junior and Dusty pulled me into a room and they would tell me about Meg's accident while wrestling is a work right now my going yeah right, whatever you know. It took a few midnight absolutely convinced me that no like were like for real. Like he broke his neck. He may be paralyzed from the neck down the rest of his life in yada yada yada nicely only got so kind let that settle in for a moment and then and then they shared with me the two of them shared with me the idea of of teaming up with Dusty and kissed him and Magnum court said that this storied career together you know is tagteam as you are individuals, but I am so you know you because you made reference about the about the pop that night that went when you made the turn and utilized it pretty sure someone recently told me financially at Tony Siobhan in his podcast had mentioned or somewhere along the way. When they asked Tony very similar question what was the loudest pop you'd ever heard in your career of announcing that he said that the cuticle of turning in Charlotte that night. By far was the loudest pop that he had ever heard it, which for me is quite a compliment is Tony Siobhan's Barraza pretty big matches right and so yeah right. Goes without saying, but to answer more specifically your question. Note that I have any first day I have any apprehension when they when they share the idea with me. You know and and and they said you know, think, think about think about it, think it through you now and NCM see if you have the sum you want to do. I guess Nick what I thought my mind was you.

Here's Jim Crockett, Junior was family been in professional wrestling promoting for 50+ years. Here's Dusty Rhodes, whose legendary creative genius in in in the wrestling business and and I just thought Nana fifth if they think this could work because as you said never been a baby face Russian that we knew of. If they think this can work. Then why not. Let's let's let's let's do it and I do know this to years later Summit was traveling with Dusty on the road and and asked him a similar question yours did you know instantly that this would be big business that would be huge right, and his answer and the same with mine.

That night I had no clue I was just in good faith and trust in Dusty Jim's judgment, but when they asked Dusty that years later Dusty said wheat we had no idea we it was a roll of the dice. We hoped it would.

But never you know never that we had anticipated it would explode the way it didn't make us for the next two years. He and I did with Larry anywhere we went whether Sam and I are him and I the road. Where is it just the four Horsemen or or whatever eight-man six man tagteam singles.

We just did seller games all mortgage we just did sell a business work or ever.

We went in every venue so yeah so that was looking back and by the way one last caveat to that I'm I'm glad I'm glad that I got the opportunity to be on both sides of the tracks and most likely had Magnum never had that accident.

I really wonder if I may have been the bad guy. My entire career. If Megan had never had that accident so just write.

Let's say, just as some of the mysteries.

The weight the way God God orchestrates things that even and even the wacky world of professional wrestling because it led to to the platform. I have now with with ministry and everything so sure about dollar, and I know you had any had yet one more question for me today if you don't mind. I don't belong there.

We were good. I will mail this last will and then that will be done. Why did we never see cuticle allotment WWE I just feel like you and Hogan would've been just huge and I just huge and when you are looking would've just I mean, I would've thought that would've been drooling over that possibility of seeing Nikita versus Coco going so you know, I've heard that you were, you know that that he never approached you and I heard that you wrote you but the timing wasn't right and just tell us what let's let's start with your course all the magazines touted the wrestlemania Hogan versus Cole often what that would you know what that to your point what that would potentially draw and and you perhaps set wrestling on its ear and and you as you said Creek create huge money for the for the company and so that the main reason I never made the job was because of of my loyalty to the NWA. I just let me just start right there.

Jim Crockett give me my break. He gave me the opportunity of a lifetime really took a chance again to roll the dice took a chance with on a guy who had no amateur wrestling background and zero professional training, the night I debuted. Guess where Nick and Dorton Arena in Raleigh. That was my day to stone's throw from where you're living now and right and so he took a chance and so I just I'm loyal to a fault, you might say. And in that.

Yeah I realize I probably could've went there, probably would've made.

Who knows huge money as you said 10×20, who knows how much. But out of my loyalty to Jim Crockett in the end. To this day NWA forever loyal through and through so I was a part now now buried are so who went to high school. Rob is still with me who you wrestle this crusher, Khrushchev and then later on his demolition as well as repo man. A couple of the characters minimum hundred man of many faces buried are so you know he approached me about going up there as demolition and and I just know in my heart of hearts of just like just that one. I did what I do want to change character work work so hard on the cuticle of character. I didn't want to change character. I was great friends with Rob or animal. I did want to disrespect them in any way.

You know by taking on a similar type of character and the only conversation I've had with Vince McMahon was at a gym in Las Vegas were running shows the same night were head-to-head. This is before the Monday night wars were run and shows head-to-head, and we cross paths in the gym very cordial conversation. I never talk business, you know, per se, in the only other conversation I had with it was when I spoke at were Hawks funeral and no and I like to say if they ever did reach out to me them. The muscle left a voicemail on the on the old old recorder and I missed it.

I guess you know. But the plot so yeah I just never so wasn't that we did right reach the right deal. It wasn't that the timing wasn't right. It was more than anything. Just the fact that I was loyal to the NWA willing to bypass probably millions of dollars but but money isn't everything in my world and and worse just be loyal to to the NWA loyal to Jim Crockett in and respectful to toot to the wrestling business as well so gray questions today.

Yeah, thank you so much and am no let you in on something that my my grandson Colton Cody Gort 11 yeah 11 and Cody to Carolina dream come. We conduct the code is nine years was going to happen, he's he's got it all figured out.

He probably would've figured out right away that you are really Russian and and he called the finish of the Royal rumble two minutes after it started this year until his kid is smart. It Martin and you may have future poker written all over just over you tell me how much the names that you said you bought science for him yet. He Carolina dream to decode code for Samoa codes, you name it and I bet I I try to find it I try to find a way to put his name and told that I just told Jessica yeah well I Nick I think so much for joining us on Q&A questions and answers with Cole often, and thank you and in all the children and grandchildren and the many others. The friends and all those that you you impacted for four generations through with with wrestling and just really sincerely appreciate all you guys. Thank you, thank you, Beth, and next time you are going to be up this way you let me know that God bless have a wonderful day okay there you but bottom line. This is the Truth Network