Ladies and gentlemen. The following contest is set for one fall. Introducing first. Lift the wind together. He weighs 123 kilos.
The Russian Nightmare. Nikita Coo. Welcome to another episode, QA with Cole off The Devil's Nightmare. Welcome back to another show, QA with Colov, Questions and Answers, where you get the opportunity. To get a personal phone call from the Russian nightmare and ask me a couple questions that you would, something you'd like to know, whether it's about my wrestling career or ministry or just life in general.
Love to have you on the show. Go to kolof.net. And submit a request, and we'll make that happen with me today, all the way from Irmo, South Carolina. Chad Craven, aka Chad Zone. Welcome to QA.
Just glad to be here. Very much glad to be here. Absolutely. I'm learning I'm learning so much about you that I didn't know, Chad. Of course, you're a you're a Man Camp alumni and learned a lot about you there.
But more recently, you know, I interviewed you for the for the Man Up Show. It's time to man up and come to learn pro-bass fisherman, a master barber. Man, tell me about a couple of those things. Yeah, um My professional career as, you know, as far as fishing is uh Fishing is my passion. I grew up doing it.
I absolutely love it. I eat, sleep, and breathe it. I mean, it's. It's just in my blood. And I've been fortunate enough To some pretty Pretty good level.
Tournaments. Awesome. Congratulations on that. Yeah. Thanks, sir.
And being a master barber, Um happened Uh through my military career. How how long in the military? How long did you serve in the military? I was 18 years. 18 years.
Thank you for serving, Chad. Absolutely. 18 years. People say, well, why didn't you do 20?
Well, when your mind was as scramble as mine, it was it was kind of difficult to keep going and You know, PTSD is not a joke. It is a real, real thing. And my PTSD got the best of me and it was I felt it was just It was time to go. Time to leave. Yeah.
Yeah. And uh I understand that. Of course, you know, y y you when we spent time together at at Mancamp, you you know, shared some some some more uh you know, more uh on a more deeper, more personal level um uh for those who uh are familiar with uh the movie Black Hawk Down. That incident that happened over there in Somalia in Mogadishu in 1993. They made a movie out of that in 2001.
Chad was sharing some things at camp that he was one of the platoons there stationed in Somalia and was a part of that, which just kind of blew me away because I'm like, oh my gosh, I know the commander over that whole. that whole thing, uh, Jerry Boykin, who's retired Lieutenant General Jerry Boykin. And so I had that connection with Chad, and then some things uh uh happened there. I won't go into great detail. I want to challenge you and encourage you and kind of tease you to go over to the Man Up Show and hear the full story uh of uh of what happened at man camp and how God set Chad.
Free of a number of things from his past, including something called survival's. Guilt. Again, not going to go into that full story because we cover that on the Man Up Show. But, Chad, you said coming in into camp and now looking back, you were just ungrateful, selfish, greedy, right? And God kind of set you free of all that at camp, yeah?
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. One hundred percent. I You know, I tell people all the time, you know, before I went to camp, I was one of the most selfish, most greediest people has ever walked the face of this earth. If I couldn't get what I wanted, I was going to manipulate you into giving me what I wanted.
And what's bad is I was very good at it.
So And I And what's crazy is I took that into my marriage. And it was so wrong.
Now, looking. Looking back. It was so wrong. And and I shouldn't have done it to my wife. you know, thank the good Lord above that my wife is still with me because I think she is the reason God made a girl.
You know, and He h it He has set me free. of so many things. It is unreal. And you know me going to man camp. was the best thing that's ever happened to me in my entire life.
besides my kids being born, of course, but Yeah. Man camp, I mean it was actually. Yeah, it's it's Oh my god. I don't know what shape You're at a loss for words, Chad. You're at a loss for words.
And of course you you're making reference to uh your lovely bride Tracy, who fourteen years of marriage, right? Yeah, sir. Which is amazing, and you know, congratulations on that in today's world. That's a milestone. And absolutely.
And I'm looking, I ain't going to lie to you. I'm looking at 14 more and 14 more after that. 14 more after that. Good. Amen.
You know, absolutely.
Well, I'm going to give you a little bit of insight on that. right before I went to main camp. When I tell you we were on the brink of divorce, That's an understatement. Hmm. We was hanging on by a frog hair.
When I left to go to man camp, I'm going to be just as honest as I could possibly be if I ever spoke it. This was my intentions. The Teiyu This is going to show you how greedy or or such a jerk that I was. I was gonna go. and find a little place around Man Camp and I was going to camp out.
I wasn't gonna even come. And I was going to stay in my little camping area for about three or four days, and I was going to come back and I was going to pack my bags and I was leaving. But when I pulled up I'm going to tell you how strong this is. When I pulled up To the When you first pull into man camp. On to the property.
on to the property.
Something you can drew me in. I don't know what it was. I can't speak on it. I have no idea. But something told me.
So I went and parked. And then From that moment. to the end of man camp changed my life forever. And it's one of the, if not the greatest thing I have ever done in my life.
Well and if it can change somebody like me It can change anybody.
Well, and and and And in addition to that, fast forward to today kind of giv so I know what else happened there. You you discovered the eighteen inches between your head and your heart and had a very deep encounter With God there at camp as he wooed you and drew you in. I'll help you out. I'll help the listeners out. They're like, well, what drew him in?
Well, but God. God drew him in. God says, I'll draw all men unto me. That's what he says in his word. And that's what Chad experienced: he was drawn, he drives onto the property.
He's drawn into the presence of God. While he's there, He discovers what we would know as a relationship, a deep relationship with Jesus. Then, Chad, you go back home, you get water baptized, you plug into a church, you start volunteering, and that marriage with Tracy, which you were on the brink of divorce, if I'm not mistaken, is at this point better than it's ever been. Would that be accurate? Yes, sir, 100% correct.
It's a big 180-degree turn. Because, um, like I mentioned before, uh, All my wife ever wanted, and I was blind to see this, Due to my greed. was She wanted a man to spiritually spiritually lead this house. Uh Well, me not knowing God the way that I was supposed to. I mean, I knew God from my head.
But I didn't know him in my heart. Yeah. Yep, so I was like And when I got back, Now I know. How to lead my household spirit spiritually. I know.
Yeah, I was gonna say because For those who are wondering, at camp, What we do, part of the vision that we had, Lex Luger and I had for camp was to equip men. Give them the tools. And empower them to go back home and be that spiritual leader, that servant leader of their home, the way God designed it. You know, you lead by example, you lead by serving, and you're walking with God. The Holy Spirit is your guide and directing your life, and then you in turn are directing your family.
So it's pretty powerful, Chad. It's a powerful story. And let me just say, for those who are wondering, if you want to learn more about Man Camp, just go to mancamp.info, I-N-F-O, and you'll get the information there. We do one in the spring, one of the fall, and we have scholarships available for those who need financial assistance. We're not going to let that be a reason you can't come.
So check it out. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Nikita Cole off here, and I am excited. Did you hear the huge announcement? The big announcement, but maybe it's a minor announcement.
Anyway, Facebook. Go look up my new fan page, Nikita Cola Fans. And like it. and follow today. If you are a business owner, and would like to advertise your company or product on the man up show and or Q ⁇ A with Kolov.
Contact me directly, Nakita Kolov. Yeah. The Man Up Show is honored to have Dr. Johnny Gayton as one of our longest-running supportive sponsors. Dr.
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Well, Chad, it is called QA with Koloff. And I do want to give you the opportunity. I've asked you lots of questions, both on this show and on the other show. But let me give you the opportunity to ask me a couple of questions. What would you like to know about me today, Chad?
During your wrestling career. Mm-hmm. is your favorite match. Yeah. Boy, you know, and and that's a that's a A familiar question and one I st struggle still struggle with to this day because when I look back on all the matches I had And thinking about, you know, even some of the big ones.
I mean, the Star 887 unification match against Terry Taylor, right, where I walked away with both belts. The Omni in Atlanta. I actually had a unification match against Wahoo, legendary Wahoo McDaniel, the chief Wahoo. He was the national heavyweight champion. I was the United States heavyweight champion, winner-take-all.
Unfortunately, I walked away with both of those belts out of the Omni that night. And that said, you know, I'm reflective on the first ever great American bash against the nature boy Ric Flair. For the world heavyweight title. And so he flies in on a chopper. Harold Johnson, the sportscaster, chopper nine there in the city of Charlotte, flies in on the chopper with Harold Johnson.
And that was that was For a young guy like me, only uh a little over a year in the business, that was an incredible experience to say the least. But I have to throw in there too, and I know I'm not narrowing it down to just one, Chad, but uh for the listeners out there, I think they may appreciate this. Go back to the Omni for the first ever. uh war games. And so that took place in the Omni as well.
And then last but not least, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the best of seven series against my nemesis Magnum TA. Magnum TA. Magnum TA. Now you're down in Irmo, South Carolina. Boy, I remember a lot of matches down there at the Columbia Township Auditorium.
It's funny you should mention that.
Okay. Because I grew up watching the NWA. That was with Paul Jones. Chief Wahoo McDaniel. Yep.
Harry Punk. I mean, I watched. I I watched your whole entire career. Growing, me growing up, well, almost your whole entire career. Yeah.
I've watched. I've watched wrestling since I was probably Three or four years old, and I am a huge, huge fan. Huge fan. I watch WWE to this day. Since you were knee-high to a grasshopper, huh?
Yes, sir. That's a long time. That's a long time. That's pretty amazing.
So, all right.
Well, you got at least one more question for me? Yes, sir. During during your career All right. What was it that made or helped you or made you God yourself. Because and the reason I ask it that way is I've heard talk from a lot of wrestlers.
That Especially when we was at camp and, um mister Luger himself was telling us about his story His story sounds familiar. You understand what I'm saying? Like a lot of wrestlers say it that way. But what what led you to seek the good lord.
So it's a great question and and really You know, one might think, for those who know my story, and I'll put a shameless plug-in here for my. Biography, Nikita, a tale of the ring and redemption that is in both print form that can be signed and autographed. ordered on my website to audio. I came in this very studio I'm sitting in today talking to you, Chad, and recorded my life story in my own voice. I wanted people to hear it in my own voice.
And uh so for those who just don't like to read, uh they can download that, go on Amazon, Audible, and download the right to their Kindle or or wow. iPhone wherever. Anyway. Um One might think that you know, the the death of a wife, um you know, I left the wrestling business and and towards the late eighties at the peak of my career and and made a vet wrestler and you know, and you know, made of at matches every night and to to take care of of Mandy who had been diagnosed with cancer. And she had to go through she went through she chose to go through chemotherapy and radiation and, you know, lost all of her hair, beautiful hair and and um you know, was quite a Quite an experience for me.
And one might think, you know, that that would, you know, humble me and bring me to the foot of the cross. And for the record, it didn't. It did prompt me to go into a chapel at the hospital. The last six weeks of her life, I slept on an egg crate on a Hard, cold floor in her room in the IC unit, and spent time in that chapel, you know. Talking to God, but that didn't bring me into a relationship.
with God. You know, you talked about that 18-inch trip. 18-inch trip from your head to your heart, you know, that you experienced there at Camp Chad.
Well, You know, I look back on that and think that was a part of the journey for me because it certainly drew me into the chapel, even though it didn't humble me and draw me to the foot of the cross.
So that was a part of my journey. And it wouldn't be till Just a few years later, after leaving wrestling and wondering what I was going to do with the rest of my life. that I realized that there is definitely something missing. Couldn't put my finger on it. Kind of like you, you're like, you know, what's missing in my life?
And it was the revelation, an aha moment. 17 October 1993, in a church service, having met a Christian couple through business. That invited me to their church, that I had that aha moment of what was missing in my life, and that was that personal relationship with Jesus. And so it wasn't anything tragic or dramatic, like, you know, I don't have a, you know, yeah, I was, you know, addicted to drugs or, you know, an alcoholic, or wasn't any of that. I was successful, but I was unfulfilled.
Right, right, I gotcha is part of my story. That's what brought me to the foot of the cross, that revelation. Uh in that morning of October 1993.
So, yep.
So we got time for one more. If you've got one more for me, we got time for one more, Chad. If You had a chance. To change something in your life back then when you was young till now, What would be the one thing you would change? You know, it's an interesting question, right?
And I think any one of us. you know, might or could, let me just say it that way. could look back and say you know, wow, if I did this different or did that different or made this decision or that decision, that there certainly would be a most likely a different outcome, right, from for from where we're at. Present day, right? Yeah.
I'll say this.
So I call them defining moments, okay? Things that happen in our life, like the death of Mandy, my late wife. uh was a defining moment um You know, some know that I I was uh out in Hollywood uh screen testing. Yeah. Dolph Lundgren.
For that final, you know, it was kind of between him and I for the role of Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. And I didn't get that role, obviously. Dolph Lundgren got it. But again, another defining moment. And so Chad, I can look through life And see quite a few defining moments.
I'm guessing many of our callers, and even yourself, if you sat down to think about it, could probably write out a list of defining moments. And the reason I'm approaching an answer to your question this way is I don't know that I would Actually, change anything from the past, even though I've made a ton of mistakes. for this reason Those decisions and those defining moments have made me who I am to day. There you go. Yes, sir.
And yeah, and so I'm, you know, I may be. You know, I go so far as to say, had I landed that role in Rocky IV, I don't know that I'd have QA with Koloff. I don't know that I'd have the Man-Up show. I don't know that I'd have Koloff for Christ Ministries. I don't know, Chad, that I'd have Man Camp.
I don't know that you and I would have even then met. Right? Right. Yes, sir. But because of all those different decisions, past decisions, mistakes I made.
You know, they've molded me into the man I am today. And I'm continuing to be molded by the good Lord.
So I know I haven't arrived. I know I'm still on that journey. And what's one of the things we say at camp? Chad, do you remember when guys would ask questions? I'd go, Hey, I'll give you a clue.
Trust, you remember? Um Trust. Huh? Trust The Process. Process.
Good job, Chad. Good job. You are listening. You're paying attention. Trust the process.
And I'll just say this: in conclusion of our conversation today, for everyone out there. You know, as you're listening to Summer Chad's story, again, go over to the Man-Up Show, listen to his full story about. His experience in Somalia and Mogadishu and that whole miraculous story of really of some things God did there that Jerry Boykin, Lieutenant General Jerry Boykin, had shared with me. That clearly, you know, even in a situation like that, that God is everywhere, omnipotent, omnipresent, He's everywhere all the time. And so I just challenge all.
All of you, all of you out there in listening land, you know, just take a look at your own life and be thankful for who you are, but don't stop pursuing a relationship with Jesus and just trust the process that what God is doing, Romans 8:28. You know, he'll work all things out for for the good. for those who love him. And so And on that note, Chad Craven, aka Chad Zone. Thanks for being on QA with Koloff today.
Yes, sir. I have thoroughly enjoyed it, Mr. Koloff, and I appreciate it very much. Awesome. Well, we send our love to Miss Tracy.
Thanks. Glad to hear all the amazing things that are happening in your life. And to all of you out there, tune in again next week. I just appreciate all of you. Keep spreading the word on both these shows.
And until next time, you go out today and just have a God-blessed and live a God-filled day today, yourself. See ya. This podcast is made possible by the grace of God. And your faithful prayers support, and generous gifts. May God bless you for your continual contributions.
Go to koloff.net. and donate. Today. I Nikita Koloff. Be sure to check out the Man Up Show now available on television.
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