George South- A Dream Come True

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Enjoy it, share it. But most of all, thank you for listening to the Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network. Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is set for one flaw. Introducing first, from Lithuania, he weighs 123 kilos, the Russian nightmare, Nikita Kolob. And now, The Devil's Nightmare. Welcome back to another episode of It's Time to Man Up. Welcome back to another episode with The Devil's Nightmare, storming the gates of hell and building the kingdom of God, Nikita Kolob. I am in the studio today with, man, a long, long time friend.

I'm not sure how many, I'll have to ask him how many years we go back when we first met, but I have none other than the legend of wrestling himself, Mr. Number One, George South in the studio today. George, welcome to the Man Up show.

Thank you so much, Nik. It is just such a pleasure to be here with you, and I'm standing my distance, you know, for the Russian sickle, okay? I still got it in me, George.

I know that, buddy, but I love you, man. And you took one... I took many of them, buddy. I was going to say, you probably, knowing you, you may have them documented in a journal how many...

Yes, I sure do. Some of the first ones, too, were the roughest, let me tell you. Well, they should have been, because I didn't know what I was doing. Someone said I never knew what I was doing, but... Me neither, but thank you. It is just, I'm so excited to be here with you this morning. Well, and it's great to have you in the studio with me, for real. I mean, and really, I mean, we have known each other for a long, long time, and back to the 80s, the mid-80s, right?

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I think maybe the first time I... I started in 1980, December of 80, in Atlanta, Georgia Championship Wrestling, and it was just maybe two or three years after that is when we first met. So we... longtime friends, buddy. Okay, because, yeah, because I debuted June of 1984.

Right. And so, yeah, so we would have met at that time. So 1980 was your debut in professional wrestling?

Yes, sir. You know, what was amazing, Nick, is then there was no wrestling schools. The old timers didn't really want you in pro wrestling, because they looked at it as you're, you know, taking their job. And, of course, no cell phones, no internet, and occasionally in a wrestling magazine in the back would be an address where you could write or call a promotion. And I remember I called Georgia Championship Wrestling, and the first pro wrestler I ever spoke to was Buzz Sawyer, mad dog Buzz Sawyer, and he told me these words I never forgot. He said, if you come to Atlanta, I'll kill you.

Yes, he did. Oh, my gosh. Maybe I don't want to be a pro wrestler after all. Okay, so let me ask you, so when did you know you wanted to get into pro wrestling?

Well, that, of course, many, many years, 10 years old. Honestly, I turned the television on one day, and I saw Wahoo McDaniels and Paul Jones wrestling the Anderson Brothers on a special TV show. And I sat down, and I got hooked and just fell in love with these big, ugly pro wrestlers and knew then that if there was any way, that that was what I would want to do. And, of course, started going to the old Park Center in Charlotte.

You know, that's when you could go in and walk right up to the pro wrestlers. I remember Paul Jones used to have me go get him a coffee, and I would come back, and he would be gone. And he did that many times, and so years later when I got to know him, I said, Paul, something's been bothering me all these years. You know, as a kid, you would send me to get coffee, and I'd come back, and you'd be gone. And he said, that's because you were driving me nuts, you know, with all those questions. That's how he knew how to get rid of you. Yeah, so I went and got many a coffee and just sit there and held it. You fell for it every time, though. I kept falling for it, but he said, you were asking so many questions that you drove us crazy. And then carried their bags.

It sounds so crazy now, but I would meet them in the parking lot, and I would love to carry their bags in. And, of course, years ago, Wally Dusick built the rings and set them up, and then I knew that they always need help. So hard work even then was never a bother to me because it got me in pro wrestling. Yeah, it got you in the door. It sure did. It sure did. And so I was able to start helping set up, you know, Jim Crockett rings and Ollie's ring in Atlanta, and just to be around it and get to know some of the guys, and so amazing. That's actually how I got in.

They didn't care if I wrestled. Just, here, grab a piece of steel, you know, and carry it in. So that opened the door for me.

Help set up the rings. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

And that's incredible. So, age 10, you're like, this is what I want to do with my life. Yes, sir. And so, fast forward, 1980, you end up debuting after carrying rings and just carrying coffee. Yes, carrying coffee, anything.

Anything, however, whatever you could do. Yes, sir. And so we fast forward 40 plus years. So you've had a 40 plus year career in professional wrestling. We could probably do six shows just from the stories you've had in pro wrestling over 40 plus years. Yes, sir.

Wow. So, for the listeners out there, George, what would, I mean, goodness, what would be a couple, who are some of the guys, well, I'm not going to say who are you in the ring with. You've been in the ring with probably who. It'd be easier to say who haven't you been in the ring with, right? Yes, sir. You know what was amazing, Nick, is I was living in Charlotte and calling Atlanta, Georgia Championship Wrestling, which was completely separate, and heard about a guy named Mike Jackson, who we both know.

Yes, Alabama. And I had tried everything in the world. I had started trying to wrestle at some independent shows, not knowing anything of what I was doing. And so I got a hold of Mike Jackson. And here it is, I thought that it was going to be some tryout or that I was going to go there and they were going to beat me up. But he said, just come to Atlanta. I said, excuse me?

I mean, I've been trying for so long to just get my foot in the door to get in the ring and wrestle. And he said, yeah. He said, you come to Atlanta? And he said, but there is a booking fee, which I didn't care.

And that was just simply whatever I made, I had to give him a portion of it, which I did not mind. I mean, there was no other way for them to let me wrestle. So my first trip to Atlanta, I wrestled in Georgia Championship Wrestling for almost a year and a half before anybody even knew that I lived in Charlotte.

Okay. And so every Saturday morning, I would get up 5 a.m. in the morning. You had to be in Atlanta at 9 a.m. to tape their TV shows. This was way before WCW. TBS Studios. TBS, Techwood Drive.

Georgia Championship Wrestling. Yes. Yeah. Tempted Techwood. Yes.

And what's so amazing, Nick, is this past weekend, I went to do NWA TV tapings that me and you have done in Atlanta, Georgia. I look up, and the building is on Techwood Drive. Yep.

So I don't know if that's good or bad. Forty years later. Full circle, you come through. Full circle.

Fourteenth in Techwood, actually. Yes. Four blocks down. Four blocks down.

Yes. We stopped at the light, and we were just waiting on the light to change. And I look up, and there's a street sign. Techwood.

I said, Techwood Drive. Always thinking of my loss. So I got involved in that. And, of course, that's when Jim Crockett, a few years later, they came down and bought Georgia Championship Wrestling.

And then one day, J.J. Dillon said, it says here on this paper that you live in Charlotte. Nikita Kolop, and I am here with a huge announcement, like big, big announcement. Man Up Men's Conference, Morningstar Ministries, Fort Mill, South Carolina, August 25th to the 27th. You're thinking, that's a ways away.

No, not too soon to sign up. What a lineup of speakers we have. The Benham Brothers, David and Jason Benham, All Star, NBA All Star, Al Wood is speaking. World Wrestling Champion, The Total Package Lex Luger, Chris Reed, Rick Joiner, Delta Force Commander, General, Lieutenant General, Jerry Boykin retired.

Yours truly, Nikita Kolop, world renowned evangelist, Frank Shelton. Register today. It is live. M Star Events, mstarevents.com slash man up. Go get registered. You will not want to miss this event. Nikita Kolop here.

If you're needing to buy a car and have marginal credit and considering using buy here, pay here, that's worse than taking the Russian sickle. Winston-Salem motorcars will put you behind the wheel of a car you can rely on while helping rebuild repair or establish your credit score. Conveniently located on Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem. Be sure to check them out today at WSMC, the number one dot com, because you are number one. And I said, yes, sir. And he said, well, if anything opens up in Charlotte or North Carolina, we'll call you. Which was a blessing because I lived here. So it just one door opened.

One after another, after another, after another. Do you remember who your very first match was by chance? You will think this is so ironic because he's still around today. My very first TV match was with Jimmy Valiant. Boogie Woogie Man. The Boogie Woogie Man. Can you believe that?

The boy from New York City. And what was so amazing, Nikita, at that time, there was a crew for Georgia Championship Wrestling. One day, Jim Crockett walks in Saturday morning and everybody just took a deep breath. Because a lot of guys had left Charlotte to get away from Jim Crockett. And Jim Crockett just walked in.

No introduction. It got deathly silent in the dressing room. And he said, I want to introduce to you the new guy in charge. And that's when Dusty Rhodes walked in. First time I ever saw Dusty Rhodes. He walked in like John Wayne. Those doors were swinging.

And I could hear some of the old timers starting to cuss under their breath because they had just tried to get away from Dusty. And the coldness of our business, Nik, is Dusty took out a sheet of paper. And he said, these are the ones that I'm keeping. And if your name ain't on this list, you're fired. And he just read down a few names. And here's what's funny, Dick. My name wasn't on either list.

Okay? Like I was even important. And so dumb me actually had the nerve to go up and say, excuse me, Mr. Rose.

My name was not on either list. And he looked at me and said, kid, you're not even important enough to be on either list. So I went back to the corner and shut up after that.

Oh, come on. But that transition, within the next two weeks, it was a whole new crew brought into Georgia Championship Wrestling. And the rest was history.

I saw a lot of legends once Dusty read that list. A lot of them just packed their stuff up. And walk out. No warning. No warning. I remember Chick Donovan, who I'm still good friends with, he walked up to Dusty and said, my name ain't on that list. And Dusty said, I've already got my nature boy. Talking about Rick. Yeah. Yeah. So the coldness of our business, they picked up their bags. And so the rest was history.

So I kept my mouth shut, and whatever they asked, I did it. Yeah. Rassle Rick Flair, the nature boy. I had just turned 19 years old. And the first time I wrestled him was in Atlanta, the Super Station.

Right. Which was just all of the talent was coming there to get on this thing we've just heard about, the Super Station. And it was cool, because I had read all the magazines, wrestling magazines. And then all of a sudden, you look over, and they're sitting right beside you.

There they are, right in front of you. And that's the part of it I still miss to this day, is the old wrestling magazines. That's the only way we could read about some of the stars was through those magazines. Well, and yeah, but I don't think some maybe realize, especially if you're not a wrestling fan, but if you are an avid wrestling fan, to realize, yeah, just there was a level of, you say, how cold our business is, or at times backstabbing, and somebody jockeying for position, right, to want to be main event versus semi-main, or opening match, or wherever you were on the card, trying to jockey your position there. Well, tell us, who were some of the, so you mentioned Ric Flair, you were in the ring with probably hundreds of times, but who, just mention some other names who you've been in the ring with. Of course, the Road Warriors. Our buddy, I remember the first time the Road Warriors walked in Atlanta, and the whole dressing room split open. I mean, just backed up, because you'd never seen guys like this. Now, there's high school kids that's that big, but at that time, Animal and Hulk were very, very impressive.

Mohawks. Oh, unbelievable. And I remember Hulk Hogan, his early days, I had a few matches with him. It's neat to see even Bret Hart, who came through Atlanta, but he wasn't even like, really, Bret Hart yet. Jerry, the King Lawler, he came through, and that was always impressive to me, because he was like, you never got to see him much on television around here, but through the magazines, and then to be able to be in the ring with him. I remember, first time I wrestled Jerry Lawler, he told me he was going to beat me with his fist drop, which he beat everybody with that.

Well, he decides to change his mind in the ring, and so he does a pile driver, and then he does the fist drop. Well, I kicked out of the fist drop, this move that he's beat Andre the Giant with, and I came through the curtain, and Ole Anderson literally grabbed me and put me against the wall, and I was scared to death. I didn't know what I'd done wrong, and of course, he let me have it that I just killed Jerry Lawler's famous finisher.

He's beat everybody, and here me, unknown, kicks out. But luckily, Jerry Lawler came up, and he calmed Ole down and said, no, it was my fault. I did tell him that, and I decided to use the pile driver. So, little things like that, but I remember Ole grabbing me just as soon as I came out of that ring.

I said, what in the world did I do? But he let me know that I just killed Jerry Lawler's career, you know? Which we know that was not the case.

He's still attitude. But yeah, which is amazing. I mean, I think it's just amazing that all these years later, I mean, again, I don't know telling how many shows we could have and how many stories you could tell, George. I mean, and that just means we're just going to have to have you back again sometime to tell more stories. Have you written a book yet? Yes, sir. I sure have. Yeah, I sure have.

It's called Dad, You Don't Work, You Wrestle. Nikita Koloff here, and I am excited to announce a new fan page, Nikita Koloff Fans. Go do a search on your Facebook for Nikita Koloff Fans.

You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. And many years ago, I'd come in off the road, Nik, as you know, with our children, and they would be wild. They'd be jumping on the bed. You had a bunch of them. A bunch of them. Seven?

Yes, yes. And now I got six grandbabies. So I go on the road to rest, Nik. But I remember yelling across the hallway for my daughter, Abigail. I said, calm down. You know, I got to go to work.

And she yelled back, a little smart aleck, and said, Dad, you don't work, you wrestle. And so I thought, if I ever write a book, that's going to be the name of it. Come on, where can people find your book? They can come, of course, to my website, georgesouth.com. I try to keep things real simple and pictures or whatever. They can always go there and say, hey. People always ask me, well, if I contact your website, is that your people or is that you? And I say, what?

I get that, too. Yeah, I'll say hey to you. I'll pray for you.

I'll take a prayer request. It comes to me. It's amazing. So they can find your book there. And by the way, I want to mention, too, because I want to transition here and say, because you've got such a phenomenal back story prior to wrestling, because you've got a wrestling school in Charlotte. Yes, sir. Yeah. And they can find out more about that on your website as well.

On the website? Yes, sir. They sure do. And you've trained. Just real quick, how many, so you've trained a lot of, what's the biggest name you've trained who went on to have a superstar status in wrestling? Well, two of them that are still very, very active doing good, of course, is Cedric Alexander, who is in WWE right now doing good. And of course, Tully's daughter, Tessa, who is doing very, very well. I was able, you know, when someone that you respect bring their children to you, you better know what you're doing.

I had the privilege of training Rick Flair's son, Reed, and also David and Ricky Steamboat's son. And that is very, very nerve-wracking when they give you their kid and they're watching. And trust you. Yes. And they're standing there watching. And they're standing there watching. Yeah. And I'm thinking, uh-oh, uh-oh. And sometimes it's funny, because Rick and Steamboat have actually, like, you know, late at night in the gym when it's just me and their son, they'll take off their watch and their sports coat and they get in the ring with us.

And you're thinking, oh, wow, if we could just have a camera to film some of this stuff. But when I, you know, even now when someone comes to my school and they don't really know me, and they almost want a resume of what I've done, and I just, I tell them that. So, well, and man, that in and of itself is, so buy the book.

I want to encourage people to buy your book, go to your website and buy your book. But George, something I remember about you, here's how I want to transition this, something I remember about you is back in the wrestling days, now, I was not a Christ follower back in the wrestling days. No shock to you, I'm sure, and based on our experiences in the dressing rooms as well as in the ring, taking the wrath of the Russian signal. But one thing I remember is, I knew George South was on the card whenever I walked into a bathroom stall, because there'd be what's called a track, a gospel track. And I'm like, George is here again, you know, he's trying to spread that Bible stuff. Even Hawking, George South, you know, but anyway, and so give a little backstory, if you will. I mean, because something tragic happened to your life at an early age, and is that what led you to the foot of the cross? Give a little backstory, if you will.

Yes, sir. Nick, you know, I come from a very big family from the mountains of North Carolina. I've got, excuse me, 13 brothers and sisters, and at the age of six years old, our mom and dad was killed in a car wreck, both of them. And I can remember Brother Jesse coming home that night telling us that mom and dad had been killed, and what I did, Nick, being the youngest of the family, I thought, okay, yeah, I'm sad, but okay, wow, who's gonna stop me now?

I looked at it as nobody's gonna tell me anything what to do. And even at a very young age, I got into a lot of trouble, and just very disrespectful to a lot of people. And I had a brother, Brother Bill, he was the last hope. He had let me stay with him. I was staying anywhere I could. At age six.

Well, at seven, eight, nine, yeah, I would stay with one friend here. I thought it was like, honestly, the greatest time of my life, Nick. I drank my first beer at 10 years old, I thought, and my brothers all set me down on the end of the bed and said, what are you doing, son? Look at what we've done wrong, and I would say, y'all got caught.

I'm not gonna get caught. And I had stayed with Brother Bill for a week, very disrespectful to him and his wife, and she had had enough, and she basically said, get him out of here. And I remember Brother Bill waking me up, and he said, pack whatever clothes that you've got, and let's go. He said, I've got to get you out of here, and I said, okay. So I threw a few clothes in a bag, and I got in the front seat of Brother Bill's car, and as we were going, coming out of the mountains of North Carolina, it was like 2 a.m. in the morning. This was when the radio still had knobs, and the windows still had, you know, whole handles. And so I was just, just being a brat, I was hitting the dash and just turning the radio, and Brother Bill, for the first time in my life, he began to tell me that somebody loved me.

I had never heard those words in my whole life, and I didn't want to hear it then. So I kept hitting the dash, and... How old were you? I was 13. 13, okay. 13 years old. Okay.

And so I didn't want to hear it then. He kept talking. All feet agree. Clemons Carpet is where you need to be with carpet, vinyl, tile, and hardwood from the top brands.

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Go to koloff.net and donate today. He kept talking. He kept telling me about somebody that loved me, and then he said, I'll never forget it, that somebody loved me so much that they gave their only son to die on the cross for my sins. That was the first time I'd ever heard it, and it just, wow, stopped me in my tracks. I reached over.

Like it was yesterday. I turned the radio down. I said, pull this car over. I said, pull this car over, and we pulled over an old gravel parking lot, pitch dark, and I looked at brother Bill, and I said, what are you talking about? What do you mean that somebody loved me so much that they gave their only son to die on the cross for my sins? That was the first time that I'd ever heard that, and right there in the front seat of brother Bill's car, I just bowed my head, and I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart and save me, and it's funny because people say, well, now, ain't that where lightning hits you in the head?

I mean, don't the earth split? I said, no. I said, Jesus just did exactly what he said he would do, and he came into my heart at 13, and he took away all the meanness even at 13 that I'd done all the sin, and that was it. It was like the moment that I knew that, wow, because I'd never heard it. So anywhere I go now, if I can just tell people that God loves them, I don't know who's out there that has never heard that. Now you think with the internet age, everybody's heard it, but there's still people that have never heard that, and that's all I want to do. When I go to a town to wrestle, I don't want to leave that town unless I've told somebody that God loves them.

It changed my life. Well, and wow, I mean, that's a powerful story, and I think one of the things that I love about that, we've been a part of many shows in the past. We've done wrestling outreaches where you've put together the whole show, and then your testimony, mine.

We've had other guys share their testimonies, Uncle Ivan prior to his passing, just a number of different guys. What I get a kick out of you all the time is because you've been a good guy, you've been a bad guy. But even as a bad guy, you've got John 3.16, one of the most familiar scriptures on the planet, on the back of your tights, and you're egging people on, like, shut up and sit down. And I'm like, he's got John 3.16 on the back of his tights. And you know, Nick, it's so amazing, the people that actually come to my gimmick table, and they say, can you show me where, they'll have an Austin 3.16, which was popular, you know, just on culture, and they'll come up with a Bible and say, I've been reading this thing.

I don't find Austin 3.16 in it, you know? And I'll just say, no, exactly. But it's amazing that I can be, and it's almost when I'm a bad guy and I get people so stirred up that that's when they really listen to me about my story, because they figure if you're a good guy, oh, you're supposed to love Jesus.

You know, you're supposed to kiss babies and be good. But when a bad guy that they just throw coffee at, you know, shares a Bible with them or a tract, then they say, oh, wait a minute, maybe this is for real. So amazing.

Wow. Well, you have a real story, and you brought your Bible in with you today. Do you have a favorite scripture, like a life scripture, some call it?

Yeah, you know, and we've heard it many, many times. You see it, me and you talked about it on the back of my tights, but John 3.16, that simple verse changed my life forever. And I tell people all the time, if you miss that, you might as well just close the Bible.

Because if you miss John 3.16, the rest of it ain't going to do you a bit of good. For God so loved George, you got to put your name in there. For God so loved George, this old piece of dirt, so much. I have three sons that I love to death, and I don't think I would give them up to this world, you know, to people that are mean. But for God to so love George that he gave his only son, and if I would have been the only one, Nick, that we know, if I'd have been the only one, he would have still gave his son.

And that, man, that makes me feel pretty good, you know. Well, give the rest of the scripture, because there may be somebody out there listening right now, George, that has never heard John 3.16. Amen, John 3.16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only, and I love that word, only. He didn't have another one to choose from.

He gave his only begotten son that whosoever would just believe in him will have everlasting life. And that changed my life. To talk to grown people nowadays that won't go to church with me because they've got a dirty shirt, and the simplest stuff, and, you know, well, you don't know what I did last week, and so I can't go to church with you, and it's just sad that they may miss – I told a guy yesterday, you're going to miss heaven by five bucks. He said, what do you mean, five bucks? I said, I'm going to get you a new shirt for five bucks. I mean, honestly, you're going to miss heaven by a new – you're going to let a new shirt – a clean shirt keep you out of heaven.

And it's just amazing. This sums up me real quick. I tell everybody, I'm just glad, Nick, that I'm dumb enough to figure this out. I'm dumb enough to figure out that it's all of Jesus, and it ain't none of me.

It ain't none of me. And, man, phew. That's a good word right there, and, man, it's been so good having you on the show.

GeorgeSouth.com, right? Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

Thank you. And they can learn more about the wrestling school, they can purchase your book and other things there, and even learn more about you. And I know just in the – not just in your wrestling career, but what you've done using wrestling as a platform, because, again, I've been a part of many outreaches and many events that you have done. There's no telling, George, how many lives you've impacted. I mean, your parents, car wreck, dying at the age of six.

Yes, sir. And then at the age of 13, surrendering your life – I mean, you had a genuine, real encounter that forever changed your life, and for somebody listening out there today, you're hearing George's story. No matter what you've gone through, what you're going through, it doesn't matter.

As George just said, John 3.16, you could pull your car over today and surrender your life to Jesus, and I hope George's story has been an inspiration and in some way a motivation for you. George, it's so great having you on the show today. Thank you. Thank you. My pleasure, buddy. I love you, man. I love you as well, my friend. I'm so thankful that you laid those tracks.

Who knows? Amen. You may get some credit for planting a seed in my heart and my coming to Christ by planting those tracks in every bathroom, stall, and wrestling venue around the world, George. Yes, I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of It's Time to Man Up, and someone who's done just that, Mr. No.

1 George South, he manned up, and so can and so should you. God bless you. This show 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 coloff.net and donate today. If you would like to support Koloff for Christ Ministries, for a gift of $25, Nikita will send you his two CDs, Adoration and Declaration. For a gift of $50, Nikita will include his book, Wrestling with Success, and for a gift of $100 or more, Nikita will include a signed copy of his newly updated life story, A Tale of the Ring and Redemption. Go to www.koloff.net and donate today.

Hi, Nikita Koloff. Be sure to check out The Man Up Show, now available on television, broadcast, and podcast. Go to monistartv.com or the Truth Radio Network. Check out your local listings or better yet, download the Truth Network app today. This is the Truth Network.