Nikolai Volkoff's Poor Gimmick

[spman]

Anyone remember around 1994 when Nikolai Volkoff made his WWF return, and his gimmick was that he was supposedly now dirt poor. He speant the last of his money on ticekts to RAW at the Manhatten Center, and Ted Debiase berated him for being poor, and made him his servent. Instead of Debiase's tights with dollar signs on then, Volkoff's tights had cent signs on them. When they were seen backstage, Volkoff kept trying to eat, but Debaise just kept yelling at him. They even had some continuity in 1997 when VOlkoff made a cameo on Shotgun saturday night living on the streets of New York in a cardboard box, eating out of a garbage can. Anyone else remember this?

[JJMc]

Yeah, I remember being pumped for some reason seeing him re-debut on Superstars. But after DiBiase added IRS, Tatanka, etc., it made Volkoff look like a joke.

[cawthon777]

I was watching the Shotgun episode a few weeks back. When Pettingill was outside and Volkoff popped out of the cardboard boxes I absolutely died laughing.

 

Then I pulled a Jesus and came back to life.

[Guest Staravenger]

I was watching the Shotgun episode a few weeks back. When Pettingill was outside and Volkoff popped out of the cardboard boxes I absolutely died laughing.

That has GOT to be the funniest thing I have ever read, Volkoff was living in a cardboard box?

[Guest AdamF]

I loved how Nioklai had the same trunks as DiBiase but with the cents symbol instead of a dollar sign.

 

Some friends of mine were joking about writing a letter in crayon and sending it to Nikolai under the guise of being a five year old kid. They were going to include his allowance (a quarter) so he wouldn't have to put up with that mean DiBiase anymore.

 

I wish they had done it.

[Guest Fook]

I remember him being Dibiase's servant and being a glorified jobber and such, especially when they started to add more people to Dibiase's "corporation" gimmick.

 

Never saw the Shotgun segment. Did they mention it was him and make an issue out of it or was it just something that was in the background for the smarter fans?

[Guest The Winter Of My Discontent]

At least Nikolai had a job in 95 when he was about 20 years past his prime.

[cawthon777]

Never saw the Shotgun segment. Did they mention it was him and make an issue out of it or was it just something that was in the background for the smarter fans?

They mentioned it was him. Pettingill was outside and talking about the real estate situation in NYC and he started putting over this collection of cardboard boxes as a nice home to live in. It was kinda lame at first - Pettingill was trying too hard and being the annoying DJ character that he did so well - but when Nikolai was actually seen living in the boxes it made everything work. Then he sent it back to Vince and Sunny inside and they thought it was pretty funny too, IIRC.

[Guest Staravenger]

At least Nikolai had a job in 95 when he was about 20 years past his prime.

The real statement is did Volkoff even have a prime?

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

Of course. Volkoff was part of the Mongols, which was one of the biggest heel tag teams in the late 60s/early 70s. As Volkoff, he held the tag team title and had a brief run with Hulk Hogan in 1985.

[Guest Staravenger]

Oh, late 60's/early 70's is WAY before my time. Well, not that much, but over a decade at least.

 

Was Nikolai's gimmick in 1994 like a true gimmick, or was it to just mock him for no reason other than have him wearing the same suit he had since 1984.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

I think it may have been an example of Vince just wanting to give someone paycheck. A hand out of sorts.

[The Metal Maniac]

Does anyone else remember DiBiase referring to him as "Nickel-And-Dime" Volkoff?

 

Cuz I do. Am I insane?

[Guest Staravenger]

Does anyone else remember DiBiase referring to him as "Nickel-And-Dime" Volkoff?

 

Cuz I do. Am I insane?

I have an episode of the Kings Court where Dibiase debuts his new and improved Volkoff, where he and Lawler just make fun of him for about 7 minutes.

 

"You have an american flag going this way, and an out of date russian flag going the other way, like you don't know which way to go. Take that disgusting jacket off right now!"

 

After that Dibiase gives Volkoff his very own tuxedo....shirt! (evil laugh)

[Jericholic82]

He did call him nickel and dime lol

 

I remember this well. Cant believe it's been 10 years.

 

I felt so bad for him as a young mark