HOFer Turned Down Beating Ric Flair For NWA Title Twice

One of the most intimidating and ferocious wrestlers of the 80s, Nikita Koloff debuted in Jim Crocket Promotions in 1984. Equipped with his devastating Russian Sickle clothesline, Koloff quickly moved up the ranks and by 1985 was challenging Ric Flair for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship in the co-main event of the inaugural Great American Bash.

Koloff's crowning achievement came in 1986 when he bested Magnum TA in their best of seven series to win the vacant United States Championship. A babyface from October 1986 through the fall of 1988, Koloff put his professional career on hold for his wife, Mandy, who had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease at only 24 years old. Though Mandy went into remission, the disease came back in full force, which is when Koloff informed the company of his sabbatical to care for her. 

"I don't know that they were very fond of that decision while at the same time it what I felt was the right thing to do," said Koloff on "Busted Open Radio." "And she eventually passed away at the age of 26."

Shortly after Mandy's funeral, Koloff was invited to Flair's house and was offered the world title. After telling "The Nature Boy" he would give it some thought, Flair offered him the world title a second time a couple of weeks later. 

"I put some parameters on it that I knew they probably wouldn't accept and so again, I'm kind of in a rare air in terms of how many guys legitimately turned down the world heavyweight title," said Koloff. "Would it have been fun to have that world title? Yeah, it would've been, but no regrets. I live life with no regrets regarding that."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open" radio with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription