Nikolai Volkoff on The Iron Sheik

Nikolai Volkoff on The Iron Sheik
Multiple time WWE tag team champion and "WWE Hall of Famer" Nikolai Volkoff talks his former WWE Tag Team Champion partner "The Iron Shiek," if he knew him previously, what it was like traveling with him, his personal issues, and much more!
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[@despiteallmyrage6813]

I wrote a letter to Volkoff back in 2013 requesting an autograph. He wrote back and sent me 2 autographed pictures. 1 was an awesome wrestling card with him on it. He's always been a fav of mine.

[@anthonybranco]

How did you manage to get his address? Whitepages I guess?

[@bogtrotter10]

That’s Nikolai for you

[@kitzilmasked7374]

@@anthonybranco KGB

[@rickylucas6503]

Thats awesome. I always heard he was a nice guy.

[@Mondmensch1979]

Fucking cool ❤😂👍

[@dannypenaloza4160]

R.I.P Nikolai Volkoff. 70 years young.

[@crickethead150]

Legend

[@bzorro1]

Seeing Nikolai Volkoff brings back great memories from my youth....The best era in Wrestling.

[@Jc-si6pj]

Yes the very best era

[@BrianPex]

Watching WWE on Peakcock app and it’s bringing back so many memories. Hysterical to hear Gorilla Monsoon and Mean Gene along with the Sir guy from Europe. Damn his name escapes me. So great.

[@sassylee9941]

Missing flights to sign autographs... The good ole 80s.

[@piratesmurf4251]

Vince must have lost his mind a few times back then lol

[@motaboy2316]

Yup

[@akung94602]

Wow! No drugs and no drinking! I am proud of you! R.I.P. Nikolai

[@WALDENSOFTWARE]

Some people don't need it. Depends on your system.

[@jimrekdal5960]

@Paraone Ngatai 7/29/18

[@lRONSHIEK]

pissa shit still i love you

[@amiriskandarani3608]

You do know that despite the fact the Iron Sheik talks like that he probably writes to his friends normally.

[@774CISCO]

Volkoff legit tough guy , the bulldogs would not have scared him or Shiek.

[@swmita]

Good point they would crushed the British Bulldogs

[@mikemcmanus3918]

I went into a local famers market years ago in Bucks county and saw Nikoli Volkoff at a table signing autographs. I saw him and said "Thank you for all the fine wrestling you do." He smiled and thanked me too for the complement. Nikolai stuck me as being a gentleman and very considerate. I didn't ask for an autograph.

[@subzero8679]

I remember for Christmas of 1985 I got Hulk Hogan and Nikolai Volkoff Ljn Wrestling Superstars. Volkoff was a great heel!!! One of the best.

[@rajnirvan3336]

Old skool legend. This guy is actually is Croatian and says he can speak 4 to 6 other languages

[@mab1959]

He could. He was fluent!

[@TimothyKendrick]

Thank you Hannibal. Nikolai is a class act and so are you my brother.

[@bg_beast2961]

Hahaha😂😂😂

[@milotherussianblue3691]

What a legend. When we were kids, we used to call him Nikolai Coldbarf because we hated him so much. Now as a grown up, I realize just how great of a heel that we was. RIP.

[@trevorwilson5461]

I'm 43 years old and I always loved Volkoff, cool,calm, and collective

[@despiteallmyrage6813]

First time I ever watched WWF wrestling was back in the 80's. I was about 6 or 7. My older brother was watching Hulk Hogan vs Nikolai Volkoff and was routing for Hogan like an idiot. So naturally I stood right next to him and started screaming for Volkoff to win. He didn't. But I was hooked after that. The only problem was that for a month, the only wrestlers I knew of were Volkoff and Hogan. And since my brother loved Hogan, I automatically hated him. Nikolai Volkoff instantly became my favorite wrestler from that point on. And that, my friends, is how I came to love Nikolai Volkoff 🇷🇺

[@Phoenix85006]

Despite All My Rage Hahaha, similar story for me but it was my dad who always rooted for the good guys so of course I rooted for the bad guys, still do. Miss you dad!

[@WALDENSOFTWARE]

@@mammothchimp1774 It was funny how in my school we used to announce if we rooted for good guys or bad guys for a moment. After that we just announced who was heel and face.

[@dildonius]

How does rooting for Hulk Hogan in the 1980s make someone an idiot? He was the most popular wrestler in the universe at the time and for good reason. Also, if it's stupid for someone to blindly root FOR Hogan, it's just as stupid to blindly root AGAINST Hogan simply because everyone else is rooting for him.

[@completecarnage]

Nikolai was my favorite too!

[@BrianPex]

@@dildonius Relax. Is a silly show.

[@stufaman]

I have new levels of respect for Volkoff.

[@gavinlacour6143]

All i can say what a class act i have so much respect for Nikolai Volkoff

[@everetth-top4760]

Whoever gave this a video a thumbs down needs to be humbled by the Iron Sheik!

[@Bollthorn]

HE WILL PUT EM IN DA CAMEL CLUTCH!! HE WILL MAKE DEM HUMBLE AND HE WILL FACK DER ASS!! FACKIN BULLSHIT!! ;)

[@wrestlingloverslikeme4932]

+Bollthorn lol

[@charlierobles316]

lol thats funny

[@r-truth798]

I agree whole heartily!!! lol 💯💯🤣🤣😂😂😂

[@bg_beast2961]

Hahaha😂😂😂

[@tx8661]

I had the privilege to visit his home maybe twenty years ago, what an imposing behemoth of man with such a wonderful personality. A true wrestling legend.

[@kizarto]

How did you get to visit his house? Curious to know lol

[@tx8661]

@@kizarto He lived in the neighborhood my best friend at the time used to date his daughter. I was only ever there the one time.

[@kizarto]

@@tx8661 wow that’s really cool and must have been an unforgettable experience. Thanks for sharing!

[@chrislouden6702]

Nikolai was always awesome! RIP and thanks for the wonderful memories

[@pauljensenstandup.2226]

Took my daughter to a comic convention and ran into Nikolai just months before he passed. He was extremely polite and seemed to genuinely enjoy talking with my daughter and I. I haven't watched wrestling since I was a kid in the 80s but I do remember him. But honestly it was his demeanor in person that made me a fan. He may have been one of the great villains in wrestling but it's often said that only the nicest people can properly portray a villain in entertainment.

[@mab1959]

He was a lovely human. Truly.

[@ThunderFist1978]

In the book WWE Legends, Nikolai said that he was really against the Russian gimmick at first, and he told Freddie Blassie that he had come to America to get away from communism, so he wasn’t comfortable with that gimmick. Blassie told Nikolai that if he hated communism so much, the best way to get back at it would be to show people how bad it really was. Nikolai made it work, and as we have seen, he couldn’t have been more different than the man we saw in the ring.

[@arrowhiteshark]

I love your interviews with different wrestlers. You do a great job as far as the journalism aspect goes as well. Keep it up!!!

[@stevedrums1675]

Volkoff seems like a class act.

[@shellyweiers121]

He sure does Steve

[@mab1959]

He was. Truly a remarkable gentleman.

[@shadowman2192]

What a class act Volkoff was. Didn’t drink or drug. Not bitter and angry like so many retired wrestlers. Shawn Micheals could’ve learned a lot of Volkoff.

[@datacipher]

I always remember the Saturday night main event match with Hogan. Nikolai was always tag teaming with sheik and while the commenters would always sell that he was strong, he never really showed it in the tag matches. He didn’t have big juiced, tanned, ripped muscles, so while you could see he was THICK, it was easy to forget about him being strong. Then in that match, he put hogan over his head but it wasn’t the kind of press where they put the guy right into the position and he can jump/push himself up and even help the guy press him by pushing up on the guys shoulders. Nikolai Just half listed him into a barbell clean position and then all on his own heaved hogan up over his head. Impressive! And hogan was probably at his biggest and heaviest at that time.

[@nonameyet9165]

Nikolai, loved thiis guy as a kid. Magical, the memories

[@user-wr6db6nw8t]

Great interview!

[@DeViLzzz2006]

What a great interview. Thanks for the truth telling Nikolai.

[@FedorMachida]

Nikolai Volkoff is an OG. I remember him as a kid. He is a hall of famer, imo.

[@mab1959]

He was inducted in 2005.

[@johnreece5540]

Though there were better tag teams. Nikolia and The Iron Shiek were the definitive heel tag team from mid 1985 to late 1987.

[@michaelpowell5266]

Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik were always in character in the ring, but a much different story away from the ring. They were good men, especially in interviews!!!

[@andykerr3803]

Wow, never saw him interviewed. What a straight shooter! Hard to imagine him working in that life of drugs and excess. Respect.

[@j-manhoosier7373]

R.I.P. 🙏🏿

[@akung94602]

A different perspective of the Iron Sheik. Willing to sign autographs and miss the plane. Wow!

[@realest_shirts]

Growing up in the '80s and with wrestling being such a big deal to me when I was a kid, these videos are so great to watch now. Nice to see how the guys are doing. Thanks Hannibal!

[@looseyourzlf]

How many people took credit for healthy lifestyle and dedication? 2:56 R. E. S. P. E. C. T RIP

[@knightlife98]

Loved this guy, too! Man, wrestling was so great back in those days, I miss it, honestly...!

[@TonyAntonakas]

Got a chance to meet him once. He was a code enforcer for Baltimore County and also worked with kids in the Baltimore County school system. Definitely a class act.

[@mab1959]

He very much enjoyed that job and working with those kids. 💜

[@nicotra007]

I went to College in Tampa *80's" and worked out with a Friend of mine (who was a power lifter) at a Hard Core Bodybuilding GYM Owned by former Mr. America Rick Posten. I soon realized that Pro Wrestlers were working out there too. One day we walked in to work out and the place was filled with WWF Wrestlers Don Morocco,Brutus Beefcake,Lex Luger.....ect. Anyway the Iron Sheik was also there. These Guys were a Bit intimidating back then and Most were not so approachable lets just say! But the Iron Sheik was Great! Me and a friend spoke with him for a good 10 minutes and he offered if we wanted his autograph!! I Have to say The Shiek was Very Nice...Never forgot that....Luger and Beefcake NOT even close!!!!

[@nicotra007]

Yeah I know. He might have been Wrestling in Florida. He was a regular at that gym. I didnt think I would have to explain that but there you go SMARKY...there were other wrestlers there too on a regular but I tried to keep the story short and to the point, like a good Promo... It was about The Iron Sheik being a Kool Guy! +Mark Mullins

[@ackas4576]

MICHAEL N Luger got started in Florida around 85 or 86. He used to play in the USFL.

[@nicotra007]

This happened in 86'. What are you trying to say?

[@ackas4576]

Ppl think that Luger wasnt wrestling in the 80s just because he wasn't in the WWF. Back then the WWF wasn't the only gig in town.

[@nicotra007]

Yeah No kidding.....what are you trying to "teach' me? I don't get it. I have been watching the WWWF since I was a Kid. You have a question or you want to show that you know things? I'm not getting it. Lex Luger was in that Gym pretty often, when Lex would squat he would Literally have the area of the Squat rack roped off with the same Rope stands they use outside a club or in an airport to Que people up. He was what you would call a Douche. I encountered Lex at that Gym at least 10 times and never once did he ever even say a word to me and my buddies. He was a Gym bully. The Iron Sheik although I only met him once was Great!!! So what are you trying to Teach me?

[@stephenjoe3347]

I remember Nikoliia Volkoff started in Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling Bepo the Mogolian and terrified my brothers and sisters but I got his autograph....nice man

[@fallguye6011]

Been pretty cool if Nikolai would've been wearing his Property of the Million Dollar Man shirt with the cent sign on it. Wrestling has had many hilarious moments, but that whole angle was one of the funniest I remember in maybe 35 years of watching. I still laugh whenever I think about it.

[@mab1959]

Josip was a friend of my family in Louisiana. He was a lovely, intelligent, KIND man. Godspeed…you are missed.

[@reggiekrager5411]

Do you know if he ever visited his home country of Croatia ever again or had any contact with his family back there?

[@janelle7668]

Nikolai Volkoff was Croatian and wrestled for 30 years. I knew Nikolai very well. He was fluent in 5 languages. 💜

[@mab1959]

He was a lovely man. He was a friend of my family from his time in Louisiana until the end of his life. I miss him. 💫💜

[@charlesheddy7565]

I remember taking a picture with him in rocky mount north Carolina at walmart

[@junegiovanni6475]

Freddy Blassie as the manager, the Iron Shiek & Nikolai Volkoff, former multi-time WWE Tag Team Champion) part of the huge pro wrestling boom, the golden era, in the 1980s, in the WWE 1984-1990) known as the Rock "N" Wrestling Connection ) he was hugely popular and he came a mainstream star and was on late-night talk shows and I'm music viideos, part of pop culture, him along with Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Roddy Piper, Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndoff, Bob Orton Jr, Macho Man, Iron Shiek, Wendy Richter, Moolah, Cpt Lou Albano, Freddy Blassie became house hold names, and causal fans grew up in him. He was part of that big huge era. RIP Nikolai Volkoff 1947-2018

[@anthonybranco]

I spoke to Nicolai Volkoff as a young man at Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens. I was with my sister, Sandy. He asked us, "are you Italian?". I told him that we were Portuguese. He said to my sis, "let me guess your name, Maria, Maria!". I said, "nope, that's my mom's name". He laughed.

[@brucesturton8521]

The first time i saw him he was in a tag team called the mongols . It was championship wrestling from Buffalo, lou albano was their manager. I saw the mongols tag team several years later on super stars of wrestling from Montreal. A very good tag team. In the early 70s the mongols were the wwwf tag team champions.

[@nrood3821]

these 2 and can am connection were the first 2 tag teams i liked as a kid. and nikolai and shiek were the 1st 2 heels i liked too. and they are so nice in real life. i met nikolai and very nice guy. id still love to meet shiek

[@johnreece5540]

I remember November of 1985 or 1986 Hogan had a title defense against Nikolia on Saturday's Nights Main Event . I recalled a series of clothes line and an immense gorilla press against Hogan. I watched in horror was literary turned into a Pretzel.

[@johnreece5540]

I often wondered how Ivan and Nikita Koloff would have worked as a stable with Nikolia and "The Iron Shiek??? A great opportunity was lost when NWA and WWF didn't have "The Civil War" that "Rasslin" fans demanded.

[@swmita]

Dam Hannibal your interviews and interview skills are excellent. Too many other interviewers make it about them or part of it, and the fact that we don't even see you in these interviews partly illustrates the point that the interview is about the person you are interviewing. When he got to the part about how the Iron Shiek told him "you stupid son of bitch always make times for the kids" it was a poignant moment for me who grew up watching this stuff. Anyway keep those interviews coming 👍

[@ThunderFist1978]

I’m so happy I was able to take he opportunity to meet Nikolai when it was there. I got him to sign my copy of the book WWE Legends, as there is a chapter dedicated to him in the book. I had the book flipped to the end of the chapter about him, which was where I wanted him to sign, and he first flipped a few pages back, and there was a picture of him lifting Bruno Sammartino for an atomic drop. Nikolai excitedly said, “Hey, there’s me and Bruno!” The last thing I said to him was what a great singing voice he had, as much as we booed him when he sang the Soviet anthem. I just wish I could have gotten a picture of Nikolai and Fred Ottman hugging when Ottman arrived later that day.

[@abelaldrich7831]

RIP Volkoff and Iron Sheik 😢

[@jayking901]

Rest In peace my dear friend

[@capncarter7395]

God bless you Nikolai fly high brother

[@johnnyfoo8737]

I wish we had those days of wrestling back

[@myinnapeaceministries7545]

Rest in peace, brother!

[@Metalic1]

He was a great guy!!!

[@shaneshadows318]

He was a very nice man

[@dumpl1nggs]

rip nikolai volkoff

[@foreverunsaved6661]

First time I saw Nicoli was in the 70s. Fred Blassie came on TV, and promised he was going to show up next week with a russian. He did - and introduced the WWWF to Nicoll Volkoff. The man was intimidating. (PS) He spelled his name Nicoli back then instead of Nikolai.

[@kengibbens5059]

Luv this guy!!!

[@696969640]

word of wisdom from him very kind smart man

[@tedcarey3637]

This guy is an interior decorator. He killed 16 Czechoslovakians.

[@shanebrennan8250]

His house looked like shit.

[@pd9971]

@@shanebrennan8250 ..........Mix it with the relish!

[@shanebrennan8250]

Coach D. What are those, tic-tacs?!

[@Ziki-P]

Shane Brennan I was really hoping no one beat me to it but here you are

[@herpderp7264]

Underrated comment.

[@JGomezabino]

one of the greats right there!!!

[@marcusjnewtonz28]

I’m high as well watching this. I feel like shit now. Thanks Nikolai

[@micahhodges8799]

I like this guy

[@communismwithgiggles2515]

RIP to one half of the best villain tag-team

[@Listman11]

I love the member's only jacket.

[@babsbat]

goes good with your slim fits right

[@sce2aux464]

Rest in peace sir!

[@JCSanto]

God bless him...One of my favorite wrestlers n bad guys....I wonder...can he still crush apples in his handds?!..😉

[@skullface2694]

if he's telling the truth.....I have a new respect for Nikolai Volkoff...

[@laggerg]

He is right about the Iron Sheik's rapport with kids, I used to belong to a gym in Forest Park, Ga. where Sheik was a member. When kids would see him, he would stop and sign autographs for them almost at an instant. Sheik never took his fame for granted when it came to children.

[@blacquesjacques7239]

+laggerg It was one of the reasons he didn't get along with Andre the Giant . Andre use to tell fans to get lost

[@yardlet6]

Andre was hurting at that time.

[@blacquesjacques7239]

***** Everyone has a limit . I think the fans showed a lot less coutesy to him than it was right to do as well g

[@KeithFroehlich07]

Not all the time. 1978 Andre and Captain Lou Albano were enjoying a meal at the Howard Johnson's near the Pittsburgh Airport, my Dad saw them and told Andre I was a big fan of his and he signed a napkin for my Dad. So did Albano, back in those days it was rare to see the heels socializing with the faces in public.

[@mr.x9566]

As if Nikolai still kept that accent up.... I'm only kidding. Rest In Peace

[@damirkruselj2503]

R.I.P NIKOLAI CROATIA MAN

[@erikkjems2635]

Rest in peace

[@roberthiguera602]

Gentle giant...

[@fredtoddism1649]

I love him

[@NemeanLion-]

So this is why you don’t hear any crazy stories from Volkoff. Dude went right back to the hotel room after performing. I don’t blame him. A lot of the stories I hear seem pretty dark.

[@mab1959]

He was telling the truth here. He was a friend of my family during his Louisiana time in MidSouth on. He didn’t do the partying. He likes to play chess and was so intelligent, interesting and kind. 💜

[@denisdemey9624]

2:03 😂😂

[@jamescastle1287]

Such a good man.

[@whereisevan]

RIP

[@jimmason1072]

I remember him well...my young cousins loved those old WWF days...Russian #1 America.....

[@kylek5730]

Rip Iron sheik

[@philaman1972]

Volkoff wears the scars of life on his face!

[@despiteallmyrage6813]

philaman1972 dude he's like approaching 80! Wtf are you talking about??

[@thomasnee290]

Exactly, he's a fuc*king legend in every sense of the word.

[@fredtoddism1649]

philaman1972 he 70+

[@georgejohnson1064]

RIP Nikoli...

[@seanberry1969]

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

[@knightlife98]

Wow, not once did he walk into a Bar and buy himself a drink...!? Wow, I never would have guessed that, I figure they all; at some point, would've hit up the Bar for a drink after a show.

[@mab1959]

He was exactly who he said here.

[@alnosaints]

He looks good for to be in his 80s

[@selfiekroos1777]

Standing up for his homie

[@davidbreen6335]

For someone who hated communism he played the role of a communist supporter perfectly.

[@mab1959]

The very point of his character was to make people be turned off by communism. In real life, Josip was a lovely, intelligent, KIND human. My family misses him.

[@shr3ddur]

Volkoff is a Dalmatian Croatian !

[@TheRydog61]

He goes way back to the Original Sheik

[@HellhammerSS]

he still got that jacket geez

[@JerGer918]

HellhammerSS I think he still has that red & yellow stripe suit that a million polyesters were killed to make

[@georgedoolittle7574]

*ZOOM IT!*

[@hgwiechie]

Sheik liked to party, Nikolai didn´t. Sheik still alive, Nikolai isn´t.

[@georgethomas7040]

How are you Hannibal?Have you stopped wrestling?

[@Eclectic999]

RIP, Nikolai. до свидания.

[@bigsexy9999]

All know is, no one took liberties with Nikolai. There is probably a reason for that.

[@anthonythegreat72]

"Russia..number 1. Iran..number 1..U.S.A...!"

[@riff2072]

Iran Number 1. Russia Number 1. America Number 2.

[@alnosaints]

Brain cells do come back

[@neohhorkee454]

Deal 11004 Damage and Choose 2 Gem(s) to Make into Black Gem(s).