Nikolai Volkoff, Croatian-American wrestler
Josip Hrvoje Peruzović (October 14, 1947 – July 29, 2018), better known by his ring name Nikolai Volkoff, was a Croatian-American professional wrestler best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Although the character that Volkoff often portrayed was a villainous Russian, Peruzović originated from the former Yugoslavia in real life, now present day Croatia.
In the 1970s, he was Bepo of the Mongols tag team, one of the masked Executioners and feuded with Bruno Sammartino over the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship as Volkoff. In the 1980s, he was known for his tag team with the Iron Sheik, with whom he won the WWF Tag Team Championship at the inaugural WrestleMania event.
In 1990, he turned face and became a supporter of America, briefly feuding with former partner Zhukov and newly-turned Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter. In 1994, after a hiatus, he returned as a destitute and desperate character, exploited by Ted DiBiase as the first member of his Million Dollar Corporation. He continued to wrestle in various promotions until his death in 2018.