Another Wrestling Legend Is In Bad Health

It’s a sad state of affairs, but many legendary wrestlers are now of an age where their health is getting the better of them. That’s to say nothing of the cost of living in the pro wrestling business, which makes age an even more difficult factor to overcome.

The latest name reporting bad health? The Russian Bear, Ivan Koloff. That name may not be familiar to modern wrestling fans, but his massive career included ending the eight year long WWWF Championship reign of Bruno Sammartino. Koloff was the third title-holder in the lineage of the belt now held by John Cena.

According to this week’s Wrestling Observer (subscription required), Ivan Koloff–real name Oreal Perras–is fighting liver problems, and is now showing signs of liver failure at the age of 74. His daughter, Rachel Marley, has started a Go Fund Me to help pay for medical expenses.

In real life, Koloff is no Russian Bear–instead, he’s a Canadian family man who turned to Christian ministry after retiring from the ring. He lives now in North Carolina, and his family is now asking for words of encouragement from fans, which can be sent to this address:

Ivan Koloff
P.O. Box 2673
Winterville, NC 28590

Koloff has spent his post-wrestling career in ministry, speaking at churches and prisons, and has worked to promote the Children’s Miracle Network in the Carolinas. In recent years, his health problems have become so severe that’s been unable to sign autographs for fans, instead using a rubber stamp for signing.

We send our best wishes to legend and his family.