Flair and Nikita would go on an battle each other for the next 2 months and on September 29^th 1985 in Atlanta, Georgia, Flair defeated Nikita in a steel cage match to end the feud, and start a new one with Flair & Dusty, but that’s another article. Nikita then refocused on winning the tag belts with his comrades and on October 13^th 1985, Ivan & Nikita would regain the NWA World Tag belts from the R’n’R in Charlotte, North Carolina and they would hold those belts until Starrcade 85 where they would lose them back to the R’n’R in a great steel cage match in Greensboro, North Carolina. Also, at Starrcade 85, Krusher would defeat Sam Houston in a tourney final for the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight title in which he would lose it to Houston on January 11^th 1986 in Atlanta, Georgia. In early 1986, the Russians made a friend in Baron Von Raschke who would team with them on the side and in February 1986, Krusher would break his leg, so the Baron would replace Krusher as 1/3 of the six-man champs. At this time, the Koloffs were feuding with just about every face somehow or another, but the main feuds were with Dusty Rhodes, Magnum T.A., and the Road Warriors. Nikita and Magnum were battling for the U.S. Heavyweight title while they were feuding with Dusty & the Roadies for the six-man belts and on May 17^th 1986 in Baltimore, Maryland, Dusty & the Roadies defeated Ivan, Nikita, and the Baron for the NWA Six-Man title. So, Nikita could now concentrate on the U.S. Heavyweight title which was vacant by this time because Magnum “attacked” NWA president Bob Geigel, so the NWA sanctioned a Best of Seven series for the U.S. title. These matches were spread out all over the Great American Bash and also at this time Krusher returned from his injury and on the Bash all of the Russians feuded with Dusty, Magnum, and the Roadies in all kinds of different matches and Nikita even got a couple of shots at Ric Flair’s NWA title, but the main focus was that U.S. title. Nikita won the 1^st 3 matches of the series, so Magnum would have to win all of the last 4 matches to win the belts. Magnum won 3, but failed in the last match on August 17^th 1986 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Everything was still the same with the Russians until October 14^th 1986 when Magnum T.A. wrecks his Porsche, nearly kills himself, and was never able to wrestle again, so then booker Dusty had to decide what to do since his number 2 babyface was gone, so Dusty decided to turn his number 2 heel which was Nikita babyface and it shocked the wrestling world as it was a turn that no one saw coming and a couple of weeks later, Nikita would team with Dusty to take on Tully Blanchard & Ric Flair. Nikita would then say that Magnum inspired him and he did what he felt he needed to do, so the Russians broke up then and Ivan would be relegated to mid-card and Krusher was relegated to no job in about a year, but he would go on to the WWF to become ½ of Demolition. Also in 1988, Ivan would turn babyface and reform his team with Nikita, but it didn’t last long as both men would soon leave the NWA.

NEXT MONTH:

We will look at Sgt. Slaughter and his tenure in the Mid-Atlantic area.