Scott Simpson - Robbinsdale
High School, Minneapolis
Class
of 1977
Scott Simpson (aka 'Kikita Koloff') was born on March 9, 1959, in Minneapolis, Minn. When Nikita was two years old, his father left home. With no real support, Scott's mother set about the task of raising four children while working as a teacher's aide in the Minneapolis school system. The job didn’t pay enough to fully support a family and she was forced to turn to welfare. Scott found himself and the rest of his family living in the projects of Minneapolis for the next eight years. Finally, escaping the projects at the age of 10, the family moved to Robbinsdale, Minnesota.
When Scott entered sixth grade he stumbled across a copy of "Iron Man," a muscle magazine. Flicking through the magazine he found himself mesmerized at the pictures of bodybuilders. He bought his first weight lifting set - a 110 pound starter set with money earned as a newspaper boy and began weightlifting. By junior high school he was squat lifting 500 pounds. At Robbinsdale he played offense and defensive line for the 'Robbinsdale Robins'.
After Robbinsdale High School,
Scott attended Golden Valley Jr. College and later, Moorhead State University,
setting his sights on a professional football career. During his college
career, Simpson was twice slowed by broken legs. He graduated
in 1982 and moved back to the Twin Cities.
In Minneapolis, Simpson occupied himself pumping iron at Jim Yungner gym and bouncing bars at night. During a bar fight Simpson's leg was re-broken and a steel rod inserted. The rod remained in place throughout his wrestling career.
In 1983 Simpson moved to
Atlanta, to live with Road Warrior Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis who was
working for Georgia Championship Wrestling. The NWA was in a ratings
dip and looking for new talent. World tag team champions, 'the
American defector' Don Kernodle and 'the Russian' Ivan Koloff needed
a Russian 'nephew.' Despite Simpson having no wrestling experience,
Laurinaitis thought Simpson fitted the bill.
Simpson debuted as the Russian heel 'Nikita Koloff' in 1983, later changing his name to his wrestling alias by deed poll.
In 1987,Simpson's girl friend, Mandy, was diagnosed with cancer. By 1988 her condition was deteriorating. Nikita took a sabbatical from the new Turner-owned WCW to care for her. During this time they married. By early 1989 Mandy's fight with cancer was over.
A year later Koloff had returned to wrestling and had remarried, to his wife's best friend, Victoria.
On Nov. 7, 1992 after a match against Vader, Koloff left the wrestling business, claiming injury and collecting a Lloyds of London insurance payoff.
Later Koloff underwent religious
conversion. As his biography notes - " As much as the rejoicing of fans
raised the roof the night that Nikita came to Dusty's aid against the Horsemen,
the response pales in comparison to the rejoicing of the angels in Heaven
the day that Nikita bowed a knee at the altar of Salvation..."
Above 3 images from http://www.nikitakoloff.com/
Zenk vs Koloff
------------------------------------------
