[NWALegends.com] Hall of Heroes to Honor "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff

NWALegends.com announced today that the first inductee for their Hall of Heroes Class of 2008 would be "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, a member of the LCW Board of Directors.

Koloff will be honored for his lifetime accomplishments at their second annual Hall of Heroes dinner banquet and awards ceremony Friday night, August 15th during the NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest in Charlotte, North Carolina. For more information on this event, and to get your tickets now, click here or visit NWALegends.com.

"Uncle Ivan," as he's affectionately referred to by his peers, is one of the most successful and well-traveled wrestlers in history. He was just 28 years old when he sprung one of the greatest upsets ever, ending Bruno Sammartino’s seven-and-a-half year reign as WWWF champion with a kneedrop and pin before stunned fans in New York’s Madison Square Garden. Though Koloff dropped the title to Pedro Morales shortly after, his place in wrestling was secure, and he continued a legendary feud with Sammartino in rings all over the East Coast.

“The reason I enjoyed wrestling him so much was that after each match when I left and went back to the dressing room, I felt in my heart that the fans who came out … got their money’s worth,” Sammartino said.

Koloff was trained in Ontario by the legendary Jack Wentworth, and often worked in Montreal and Quebec early in his career. He mounted a challenge to NWA World Champion Dory Funk Jr. in Toronto in 1969, and toured Australia in 1970 before moving with success to the WWWF. In 1972 and 1973, he worked on the top of the card in the Midwest-based AWA, where he threatened the long title run of Verne Gagne.

In the 1980s, Koloff became a fixture in the Mid-Atlantic territory, where he terrorized wrestlers and frightened fans for years. He was a Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champ and Television Champion, and his feud with Jimmy Valiant in 1982 is still the subject of wrestling chatter.

Koloff also held one-half of the NWA world tag team title in the Mid-Atlantic with partners such as Ray Stevens, Don Kernodle, and his wrestling nephew Nikita. A master of the Russian Chain Match, Koloff was known for his raspy voice and roughhouse tactics. While that infuriated a generation of fans, fellow wrestlers understood that he was a true professional.

Koloff’s life took a final turn in the 1990s when he turned to the Lord and rid himself of the addictions that caused him years of pain and anguish. He's often been a special guest speaker and delivered his personal testimony at previous fanfest's Sunday morning worship services.

Other honorees for the Class of 2008 Hall of Heroes, as well as the complete dinner menu for this year's banquet, will be announced in the coming months.

2007 Hall of Heroes inductees included Gene and Ole Anderson, George Scott, Penny Banner, Rip Hawk, Swede Hanson, and Bob Caudle.

A limited number of seats remain for this year's Hall of Heroes dinner banquet and awards ceremony, on sale now at NWALegends.com.