Acting
"The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff (born Oreal Perras, Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a Canadian former professional wrestler who once held the WWWF Championship.
Nite of Champions II sees the American Wrestling Association and the National Wrestling Alliance unite to present a truly iconic confrontation; "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair goes toe-to-toe with "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes in a match for the ages.
One million dollars is on the line as NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair takes on Dusty Rhodes with legendary boxing champion Smokin' Joe Frazier as special guest referee. Tully Blanchard faces Ricky Steamboat for NWA World Television Championship. Jimmy Valiant takes on Paul Jones in a Loser Leaves Town Tuxedo Match and much more.
Ivan Koloff, Salvatore Bellomo, The Sandman and more set the tone for the mayhem that would occur over the next decade in ECW.
Ric Flair takes on Dusty Rhodes for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. A Brutal Steel Cage "I Quit" Match for the United States Championship pits Magnum T.A. against Tully Blanchard. The Rock 'n' Roll Express battle The Koloffs and much more.
The Great American Bash: Freedom Challenge took place on July 6, 1985 at the American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The main event was a steel cage match for the NWA World Television Championship with Tully Blanchard defending the title against Dusty Rhodes. Nikita Koloff challenged for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Ric Flair with David Crockett as the special guest referee. Magnum T.A. defended the NWA United States Championship against Kamala, while the NWA World Tag Team Champions Krusher Khrushchev and Ivan Koloff fought the AWA World Tag Team Champions, The Road Warriors. 4 other matches took place on the undercard.
Jim Crockett Promotions used "The Great American Bash" as the name for a tour that had several PPV caliber shows around the country. In 1986, there were 13 Great American Bashes and NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair defended his title at each one against Ricky Morton, Road Warrior Hawk, Ron Garvin, Nikita Koloff, Robert Gibson, Road Warrior Animal, Magnum T.A., Wahoo McDaniel and Dusty Rhodes. Rhodes defeated him for the title at the July 26 Bash. Flair challenged for it on the last Bash on August 2. Nikita Koloff and Magnum T.A. were involved in a best of seven title match series throughout the Bash for the U.S. Title.
Only one team will survive the "Night of the Skywalkers" as The Road Warriors and Midnight Express clash high atop a 25 foot scaffold! Ric Flair defends the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against The Russian Nightmare Nikita Koloff. The Rock 'n' Roll Express defend the NWA Tag Team Championship against Ole & Arn Anderson in a Steel Cage Match.
This was the first use of the WarGames: The Match Beyond match conceived by Dusty Rhodes. Rhodes was on the winning side in both events along with the Road Warriors, Nikita Koloff and Paul Ellering. Koloff, Rhodes and J.J. Dillon sustained serious injuries in the first encounter. The Bash series took place in numerous venues all July long, starting in Landover, Maryland at the Capital Centre on July 2.
Nikita Koloff defends the NWA Television Championship against Bobby Eaton. Larry Zbyszko challenges Barry Windham for the UWF Western States Championship. Ric Flair defends the NWA World Championship against Road Warrior Hawk. Nine superstars, including Dusty Rhodes, Arn Anderson, and Lex Luger compete in a Steel Cage Bunkhouse Stampede Match.
Ric Flair defends the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Lex Luger. Barry Windham takes on Dusty Rhodes for the United States Championship. Plus, a Tower of Doom Cage Match featuring The Road Warriors and more.