Russian Team
Encyclopedia
The Russian Team was a professional wrestling
team in the 1980s that attempted to prove their Soviet
dominance over their opponents.
's Jim Crockett Promotions
. It consisted of Ivan Koloff, Nikita Koloff
and Krusher Khruschev
.
They were named the NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champions and won the NWA World Tag Team Titles
twice. They feuded with Dusty Rhodes
, Magnum T.A.
and the Rock 'N Roll Express.
They also had many hard fought matches against the Road Warriors
, who could match up in strength and size.
During their feud with Magnum T.A., Nikita won the United States Title in a best of seven series. Then in October 1986, Magnum was injured in a car wreck and his career was over. Nikita left the Russian Team and joined Rhodes forcing Ivan and Krusher to feud with them.
Krusher left in December 1986 and Ivan replaced him with Vladimir Petrov
to get Nikita. Ivan and Petrov continued to call themselves the Russian Team until they added Dick Murdoch
a few months later.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
team in the 1980s that attempted to prove their Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
dominance over their opponents.
History
The Russian Team was formed in December 1984 in the NWANational Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
's Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
. It consisted of Ivan Koloff, Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff
Nikita Koloff is a retired American professional wrestler,. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he wrestled as "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff, which was a play on the nickname of fan favorite "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes .Nikita was brought into the National...
and Krusher Khruschev
Barry Darsow
Barry Darsow is a former American professional wrestler who is known as Smash, one half of the tag team Demolition, and as Krusher Kruschev, Repo Man, and The Blacktop Bully...
.
They were named the NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Champions and won the NWA World Tag Team Titles
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
twice. They feuded with Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
, Magnum T.A.
Magnum T.A.
Terry Wayne Allen is a retired American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Magnum T.A..-Early years:...
and the Rock 'N Roll Express.
They also had many hard fought matches against the Road Warriors
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
, who could match up in strength and size.
During their feud with Magnum T.A., Nikita won the United States Title in a best of seven series. Then in October 1986, Magnum was injured in a car wreck and his career was over. Nikita left the Russian Team and joined Rhodes forcing Ivan and Krusher to feud with them.
Krusher left in December 1986 and Ivan replaced him with Vladimir Petrov
Al Blake
Al Blake is a retired American professional wrestler, known by his ringname Vladimir Petrov, who wrestled in North American regional promotions including the Universal Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance, most notably as a member of...
to get Nikita. Ivan and Petrov continued to call themselves the Russian Team until they added Dick Murdoch
Dick Murdoch
Hoyt Richard "Dick" Murdoch was an American professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:A second-generation wrestler, the son of 1950s Texas wrestler Frankie Hill Murdoch, Dick Murdoch grew up with fellow second-generation wrestlers Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk, watching their fathers...
a few months later.
Ivan Koloff
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times)
- NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- NWA United States Tag Team ChampionshipWCW United States Tag Team ChampionshipThe WCW United States Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship contested for in the United States-based National Wrestling Alliance , Jim Crockett Promotions , and World Championship Wrestling promotions. The title was only contestable by male tag teams and in tag...
(1 time)
Nikita Koloff
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA United States ChampionshipWWE United States ChampionshipThe WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
(1 time) - NWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times)
- NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- NWA National Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA National Heavyweight ChampionshipThe original version NWA National Heavyweight Championship was the major singles title in the NWA-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1980 until 1986...
(1 time)
Krusher Khruschev
- National Wrestling AllianceNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship contested for in Jim Crockett Promotions , a territory-promotion governed by the National Wrestling Alliance . The title was only contestable by male individual wrestlers...
(1 time) - NWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times)
- NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- NWA United States Tag Team ChampionshipWCW United States Tag Team ChampionshipThe WCW United States Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship contested for in the United States-based National Wrestling Alliance , Jim Crockett Promotions , and World Championship Wrestling promotions. The title was only contestable by male tag teams and in tag...
(1 time)
Vladimir Petrov
no titles- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked the Koloffs # 64 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" in 2003.