On this page, you find the full wrestling profile of Ivan Koloff, with his Career History, real name, age, height and weight, the Promotions he worked for, all the Face/Heel turns, the Championship Titles he won, his Finishers, Theme Songs, Tag Teams and Stables, his appearance changes through the years, and more.
Oreal Donald Perras was born in Montréal, Québec, Canada on August 25, 1942.
He died on February 18, 2017 at the age of 74.
Ivan Koloff was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2025 as part of the Legacy wing and in the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) in 2011 as part of the Modern Era wing.
Ivan Koloff Profile Index
Profile Info
- Gender Male
- Real Name Oreal Donald Perras
- Ring Names
- Ivan Koloff ( January 19, 1968 - November 16, 2013)
- Red McNulty ( November 27, 1965 - January 18, 1968)
- Born August 25, 1942
- Died February 18, 2017 (aged 74)
- Nationality
Canada - Birth Place Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Billed From
- Moscow, Russia ( January 19, 1968 - November 16, 2013)
- Dublin, Ireland ( November 27, 1965 - January 18, 1968)
- Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
- Weight
- 298 lbs (135 kg)
- Nicknames The Russian Bear
Career History
-
Roles
- Part Time Wrestler ( October 21, 2004 - November 16, 2013)
- Wrestler ( November 27, 1965 - July 22, 1994)
-
Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion 
INDYOctober 21, 2004 November 16, 2013 Promotion 
ECWFebruary 25, 1992 August 8, 1993 Promotion 
SMWOctober 30, 1991 April 9, 1992 Promotion 
UWF HAOctober 22, 1990 June 9, 1991 Promotion 
AJPWBrand
Heavyweight
January 2, 1990 January 28, 1990 Promotion 
WCWNovember 21, 1988 August 12, 1990 Promotion 
NWASeptember 13, 1961 August 12, 1990 Promotion 
JCPDecember 7, 1983 November 20, 1988 Promotion 
UWFJune 7, 1987 August 23, 1987 Promotion 
AWAOctober 23, 1984 April 28, 1986 Promotion 
PNWSeptember 23, 1985 March 27, 1986 Promotion 
CSW, 
SLWCNovember 29, 1985 January 1, 1986 Promotion 
WWFFebruary 15, 1983 December 26, 1983 Promotion 
GCWSeptember 11, 1982 April 17, 1983 Promotion CSW, SLWCSeptember 17, 1982 December 3, 1982 Promotion JCPOctober 3, 1980 September 13, 1982 Promotion GCWMay 26, 1978 September 28, 1980 Promotion 
CWFJune 15, 1980 September 23, 1980 Promotion 
WWWFOctober 13, 1975 June 2, 1979 Promotion CWFMarch 16, 1977 September 30, 1978 Promotion AWADecember 27, 1970 May 20, 1978 Promotion SLWCFebruary 11, 1977 May 19, 1978 Promotion 
NJPWBrand
Heavyweight
March 3, 1978 March 30, 1978 Promotion 
WWA INJanuary 15, 1977 December 26, 1977 Promotion 
BTW SFJanuary 22, 1977 May 14, 1977 Promotion NJPWBrand
Heavyweight
November 23, 1975 December 2, 1976 Promotion JCPMarch 21, 1974 January 27, 1975 Promotion SLWCJanuary 5, 1973 January 4, 1974 Promotion 
BTW HAWAIIMay 16, 1973 September 26, 1973 Promotion 
IWEApril 18, 1973 May 15, 1973 Promotion 
WWWFOctober 23, 1969 July 16, 1971 Promotion SLWCJanuary 24, 1969 June 14, 1969 Promotion 
PNWSeptember 16, 1966 July 14, 1967 -
Images History
Oct 1975
Jan 1968
Nov 1965 -
Face / Heel Turns
Alignment Details from to Heel October 21, 2004 November 16, 2013 Heel November 27, 1965 July 22, 1994
-
Finishers
- Russian Bear Hug - Bearhug ( November 27, 1965 - November 16, 2013)
- Russian Neckbreaker - Arm Trap Neckbreaker ( January 19, 1968 - July 22, 1994)
- Russian Sickle - Jumping Lariat ( January 19, 1968 - July 22, 1994)
-
Theme Songs
- Theme Song "State Anthem of the Soviet Union" by Alexander Alexandrov, Gabriyel’ Arkadyevich Ureklyan & Sergey Mikhalkov - Single ( April 25, 1992 - August 8, 1993)
- Theme Song "Gets Us All in the End" by Jeff Beck - Single ( January 2, 1990 - January 28, 1990)
Titles & Accomplishments
-
Halls of Fame
- WWE Hall of Fame - Year 2025, Legacy
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) - Year 2011, Modern Era
-
World Wrestling Entertainment
National Wrestling Alliance & Jim Crockett Promotions
- 3 NWA Mid-Atlantic/NWA Television Championship
- 4 NWA World Tag Team Championship (2 with Nikita Koloff, 1 with Don Kernodle, 1 with Ray Stevens)
- 2 NWA United States Tag Team Championship (1 with Dick Murdoch, 1 with Demolition Smash)
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / Jim Crockett Promotions
- 3 NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship
- 1 NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (with Don Kernodle)
- 2 NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship
- 2 NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 with Nikita Koloff & Krusher Khruschev, 1 with The Barbarian & The Warlord)
- 1 NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (with Nikita Koloff & Krusher Kruschev - Freebird rule)
American Championship Wrestling
- 1 ACW United States Championship
Atlantic Coast Wrestling
- 1 ACW Tag Team Championship (with Vladimir Koloff)
Championship Wrestling from Florida
- 1 NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version)
- 5 NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 with Pat Patterson, 3 with Masa Saito, 1 with Nikolai Volkoff)
Coastal Real Extreme Wrestling
- 1 CREW Heavyweight Championship
CWF Mid-Atlantic
- 1 CWF Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (with Sean Powers)
Georgia Championship Wrestling
- 7 NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (5 with Ole Anderson, 2 with Alexis Smirnoff)
Great Lakes Wrestling Association
- 1 GLWA United States Heavyweight Championship
International Wrestling Alliance
- 1 IWA World Tag Team Championship (with Maurice Vachon)
International Wrestling Association (Montreal)
- 1 IWA International Heavyweight Championship
Maple Leaf Wrestling
- 1 NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Toronto version)
Masterz of Mayhem
- 1 MoM USWA North American Heavyweight Championship
Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Alliance
- 1 MAWA Heavyweight Championship
NWA Charlotte
- 1 NWA Charlotte Legends Championship
Virginia Wrestling Association
- 1 VWA Heavyweight Championship
Western Ohio Wrestling
- 1 WOW International Heavyweight Championship
World Wrestling Association
- 1 WWA World Heavyweight Championship
World Wrestling Council
- 1 WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship
-
Other Accomplishments
- HVPW Hall of Fame induction (2014)
- SCW Hall of Fame induction (class of 1999)
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship Tournament Winner (1986 – with Krusher Khruschev)
- NWA Canadian Heavyweight Title Tournament Winner (1984)
- NWA Florida Tag Team Title Tournament Winner (1977 – with Mr. Saito)
- George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame's Frank Gotch Award (2009)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame induction (class of 2015)
Teams & Relations
-
Tag Teams & Stables
- Twisted Aggression - Sean Powers ( February 5, 2005 - March 19, 2005)
- Ivan & Vladimir Koloff - Vladimir Koloff ( October 30, 1991 - January 29, 1994)
- Dick Murdoch & Ivan Koloff - Dick Murdoch ( April 22, 1988 - July 28, 1988)
- Dick Murdoch & Ivan Koloff - Dick Murdoch ( February 14, 1987 - March 29, 1987)
- The Russians - Nikita Koloff ( September 30, 1988 - November 26, 1988)
- Ivan Koloff & Russian Assassin #1 - Russian Assassin #1 ( June 22, 1988 - September 3, 1988)
- The Russians - Demolition Smash, Nikita Koloff ( June 20, 1984 - October 18, 1986)
- Don Kernodle & Ivan Koloff - Don Kernodle ( August 13, 1983 - October 20, 1984)
- Ivan Koloff & Ole Anderson - Ole Anderson ( June 7, 1978 - March 24, 1983)
- Ivan Koloff & Ray Stevens - Ray Stevens ( February 7, 1981 - November 4, 1981)
- Ivan Koloff & Nikolai Volkoff - Nikolai Volkoff ( June 16, 1980 - September 23, 1980)
- Alexis Smirnoff & Ivan Koloff - Alexis Smirnoff ( December 7, 1979 - September 15, 1980)
- Ivan Koloff & Mr. Saito - Masa Saito / Mr. Saito ( October 5, 1977 - February 14, 1978)
- Pat Patterson & Ivan Koloff - Pat Patterson ( June 13, 1977 - October 5, 1977)
- Superstar Billy Graham & Ivan Koloff - Superstar Billy Graham ( January 26, 1973 - September 3, 1976)
- Managers
