This is Darren Kuhn with the Masculine Journey Podcast, where we search the ancient paths to find ways that God brings light into a dark world and helps set men free from the struggles that we all face on a day-to-day basis. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it.
Share it. But most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing 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 Kola. Welcome to another episode, Q&A with Kolov, the Devil's Nightmare.
Welcome back. Another episode, Q&A with Kolov, Questions and Answers, and this is where you get to ask me, yours truly, the Russian nightmare, a few questions that have been pondering all these years. And with me today, Neil Johnson. Neil, welcome to Q&A with Kolov.
Yeah, thanks for having me on. Well, it's great to have you, Neil. We crossed paths, paths, hard to get that word out, just a while back.
You're an entrepreneur. You've got a number of different businesses, but of course we're, I think originally you tell me, but I think we crossed paths, you had brought me in for some autograph signings, if I'm not mistaken. Is that where we first were introduced?
Yeah, absolutely. So the first time that we got together with the AML show last August in Saltbury, a mutual friend of ours, I was able to get in touch with you and we were able to connect and bring you in. And of course we were show sponsors there with my company, Twin Twin Spa, and also my buddy's company with Figure Four Collectibles.
And so it just kind of worked out great from there. So Figure Four Collectibles, we'll talk about that in a minute. Let's talk about, first, because like you say, you're an entrepreneur, you're down in, are you based in Salisbury, North Carolina? Is that where you're based? No, so we're actually out of Statesville, North Carolina. Statesville.
Okay, okay, okay. I don't know why I had Salisbury on my mind, but anyway, because we were just recently, I know, in Statesville and you brought me in for a wrestling show there. I think I heard in excess of a thousand people there at the independent little wrestling show, right? That's what I'm hearing. I'm hearing it has so far been one of their biggest shows, which is really cool because it was kind of nervous going in, but it really all came together.
It was a really nice show. That's awesome. I'll take credit for all that. Just kidding. That's why we brought you in, brother.
Just kidding, just kidding, just kidding. No, you guys have been very gracious to have me. It's just one of the joys for me is to be able to be a part of shows like that and be able to, one, help you as a promoter bringing me in.
My goal is for it to be win-win-win, win for you to help advertise what you do and of course a win for the fans and an opportunity for me to make a little extra money, pay a few bills. So anyway, what a blessing. But so your main business, so in Statesville, your main business is what? Swimming pools, right? Yep. So the company name is Swim In Pool and Spa. And so yeah, we've got a retail store.
We've got a full service department, maintenance department. I've been doing this about 20 years. Just went out on my own in 2020. So you know what that was probably like, but it turned out to be a huge blessing for us. And yeah, I mean, it's, it's been great.
And so what, what, what prompted you to get in the pool business? Okay. Yeah.
What's that? Come on. Well, and, and the, okay, so the funny part about this was, and I've been with Lowe's Home Improvement for a number of years, and this was back in 2006 and my wife was eight months pregnant with our first child.
We have three. She was pregnant with our first child. He was literally going to be four, she was eight months pregnant and I come home and I had a buddy that worked for a local pool company here and they were looking for somebody in their retail store and I literally came home and I said, I'm quitting my job. I'm going to make less money and I'm going into the pool business. She was thrilled about that decision, I'm sure. Oh, eight months pregnant with our first child. I mean, it was a lot of good conversation.
She's like, uh, okay, keep going, keep going. But I'll tell you what, this, this industry, like I said, I've been in it 20 years and it's such a small niche of people. I mean, it's such a wonderful industry to be in and I have grown in it. I've been places I would have never been.
I've met people I would have never met. And so it's, it's funny because there is somebody that, that tells you and they told other people this, they said, once you're in this industry for five years, you're in it for life. And really that's the way it goes. I mean, it is, it's obviously has its ups and downs being, you know, seasonal to a degree, but I mean, it's a great business.
We've really been blessed by it for sure. So you're in Statesville, North Carolina, so, so like what, what I guess area or region do you, uh, for lack of service or how far of a reach, like what's the furthest away you've gone to, you know, build a pool or, or, or service pool or whatever? Yeah, sure. So, I mean, typically it depends on, you know, where you're going forward.
I'm right there, you know, I 77 40. So, you know, we'll go as far as, you know, Moxville as far south as, you know, south as more schools you can get, do a little bit in Cheryl's Ford. We do business in Taylor's rule a little bit in Catawba and then we go as far up as Union Grove. So it's kind of cover, you know, kind of a 30 mile radius from where we're at. Okay. Statesville, North Carolina. And, and, uh, before I forget, so, so give the website, if somebody lives in kind of those communities, so what, what, what's the website where they could go learn more about who you are and maybe, uh, how are you on?
Absolutely. So you can go to our website. We got all the contact information there.
You can reach out through the website or call into the store from there and it'll tell you all the areas with service and area and the, uh, services we provide. Uh, but that is swimmingpoolinspah.com and when I say swim in, it's literally just the letter N. Yeah. So I was going to say, it's not I, it's not I N or it is S W I M, S W I M, swim and then the letter N as in, uh, Nikita. Okay. Right. Yeah.
Swim and pool. Right. Yep. And spa, you know, so a and D and spa.com and go check that out and then, and then the collectibles business, take a minute and, and, and talk to us about, uh, about the, uh, collectibles.
Yeah, absolutely. So one of my best friends, um, forever, uh, Marty Beck senior, which obviously you've met him several times now, um, he was selling, you know, he's like, I'm a wrestling fan. Like he like is a wrestling encyclopedia. And so he started collecting figures and belts and all kinds of memorabilia and had started selling some of the stuff online and things were kind of moving along and everything. And, um, so we've expanded to doing, you know, various toy shows in the area.
Um, we actually, one season we, when the full store was slowed from November to January, we actually opened it up and actually had figure four collectibles in the store. Uh, and so, you know, once he got started with that and I started doing the full stuff, I kind of got hooked up with him and, you know, let's, let's branch on out a little bit. And that's where we started doing some of these wrestling shows and eventually led to us being the main sponsor for this show that we literally just put on, you know, last week in West Ardle. And uh, which is amazing.
Like I said, it was an amazing show. And of course the guys there, Tracy, right, and the guys with AML do a, do a phenomenal job. And, and those same guys that, that, uh, sponsored the big Wrestlecade, correct. Is that right?
And Winston-Salem every, every November after Thanksgiving. Yep. That's correct.
That's Tracy News crew. Absolutely. Yeah. Wrestlecade.
Of course I've been a part of that in the past and, uh, always fun to thousands or thousands to thousands of fans that come through Wrestlecade, uh, you know, each and every year that weekend following Thanksgiving, kind of taking a page out of the old Starrcade book from Greensboro. Right. Uh, so absolutely. Go ahead.
Sorry. No, I was just gonna say, yeah, if you've never been there, definitely go. We went for two years. And so last year we actually ended up setting up with figure four and working the show. And I mean, it is, it's a big event, especially for this area. Yeah.
A lot of fun, a lot of fun, uh, you know, meeting a lot of the fans there as well. So, all right. So it is Q and a with coal off and, uh, it, well, let me ask you this first, uh, is there for the figure fours, is there, you know, a website off top of your head where people can find out more about figure fours?
So it's hard figure four collectibles. We don't have a website set up right now. Okay. Um, we do have where you can go online to mccarry.com. That's where we sell most of our stuff there.
Okay. Um, and also look on eBay, just look up figure four collectibles. Um, we do do most of the, like I said, the toy shows around here, uh, Hickory Salisbury Winston. So you can certainly find us at those places. Figure four collectibles to go check them out.
Neil Johnson and his partner there and, uh, check that out. So, all right. So let's segue. Uh, what, what questions do you have for me today? Neil? So I don't know. I like that laugh.
I'm not sure I like that laugh, Neil, but I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding. But just right off the top, I mean, I guess, you know, and I'm sure you're asked this a hundred times, but, um, you know, what, what got you into wrestling business, what enticed you to get there and, you know, how did you break in the business? Yeah, it's, uh, not, not on my radar as a kid, you know, and, uh, football, football, weightlifting, bodybuilding, you know, it was kind of my focus as a kid growing up, you know, early years, uh, junior high school, high school, college days. And of course, you know, a bunch of my buddies, a few recognizable names like ravishing Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Kurt Henning, Barry Darso, AKA crusher, cruise chef, AKA demolition smash, uh, Tom zinc, the Z man.
I mean, there's quite a list of, of guys there, a couple of little guys named the road warriors. Uh, a few, few of my buddies got into wrestling and then, and then, uh, I was, you know, I wanted to play pro football and it was training for that. And road warrior animal, you know, one of my buddies actually recruited him out of high school to play college football with me. He dropped out, got into wrestling.
I continued on with my college career. He ends up recruiting me into wrestling. He ends up making a phone call, gives me a phone number for a guy named Jim Crockett. Uh, people might, you may know that name, Jim Crockett promotions and a five minute phone call conversation with Mr. Crockett, they'd already had a storyline looking for a nephew quote, nephew for Ivan Koloff. And yeah, just, you know, no, no training, no background, never been in a professional wrestling ring, never been on an amateur mat, uh, at least not to competitively. I should say I've been, I was on wrestling mats, but not to compete, um, and, uh, showed up the day.
He said to be there in Charlotte, North Carolina, Nikita Koloff, born in the hallways of Charlotte North Carolina in 1984, debuted in Raleigh, Dorton arena the next night, um, in front of a sold out crowd on television, never having been in a wrestling ring. And so they showed me, uh, Neil in the dressing room, how to lock up, how to tie up as we call it. Wow. Yeah.
And so it was a crash course introduction, 11 second win in my debut on television and in a, a rocket ship to, to the first great American bash 13 months later against the world heavyweight champion, Ric Flair. That's the shorter version of the story, man, that, that is amazing. I could sit here and just listen to this stuff all day long. That's awesome. Yeah.
It's crazy. And I'll just put a shameless plug if people aren't familiar with more of the story, want more of the story. Of course you can get an autographed copy of my life story, Nikita, a tale of the ring of redemption through my website, coloft.net, or last year I went in the studio and I actually in my own voice, Neil, I actually spent 25 hours in the studio, uh, telling that story from, uh, so I took the, made the ring of redemption into an audio book.
So any, any of those platforms, somebody can now download a ring of redemption and, and hear me tell my life story in my own voice. So there you go. Awesome. Yeah. So there you go. So, all right. You got another question for me? Yeah. So we'll kind of tie this in, in this will kind of be two part here. So, so we hear a lot about, you know, especially during those times, you know, life on the road, you know, the things that's been documented as far as, you know, wrestling and the wrestlers and what went on and whatnot.
You know, how back then, you know, how was your lifestyle and then at what point, and it may have been even before that, did things turn and, you know, kind of lead you to where you are today and what led into, you know, like you and legs doing the man camp and just kind of a little bit about that. Hmm. Okay. Yeah.
So, so, you know, in those wrestling days, uh, I refer to those or one way I refer to those are BC before Christ, um, and, uh, and, and, and my lifestyle, even though I wasn't living, you might say living for the Lord, um, you know, my lifestyle wasn't just personally, wasn't one of partying every night and, and, you know, and, and, and all of that, all that comes with that or, or I should say all that was available at my fingertips. Nikita Kolov here, and I am excited, did you hear the huge announcement, the big announcement? Well, maybe it's a minor announcement. Anyway, Facebook, go look up my new fan page, Nikita Kolov fans and like it and follow today. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. Would your company, business, or you personally like to partner with me in supporting Kolov for Christ Ministries, the man up show and man up minutes, go to kolov.net and click the donate button.
You can give monthly, annually, or one time. God bless you for making a difference around the world. When your eyesight is at stake, it pays to travel to one of the world's leading eye surgeons. Dr. Johnny Gayden is an author, speaker, Christian leader, and a committed family man. He is also a pioneering cataract and glaucoma surgeon.
That's why I chose him for my eye surgery. Check out drjohnnygaydenateyesightassociates.com. If you would like to support Kolov 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.kolov.net and donate today. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. You know, when I broke into wrestling, because of the way I broke in, you know, because I wasn't a fan necessarily of it growing up, and so I wasn't, you know, I wasn't googling and goggoing over the whole fact that I was one, I went in with a business mindset, believe it or not, and had already determined, told Ivan and Don, by the time I was 35, I'd be out of active in-ring wrestling, that it would be a short-lived career, but hopefully an impactful one, and so many nights after the matches, Luger, I hear different stories of different guys, you know, who tell some of their memories of me, you know, Luger used to go out, right, and go, where's Nikita? And he's like, yeah, he's back in his hotel room, and he'd go, doing what? And they go, um, he's eating tuna and bagels and watching TV.
He goes, that's weird, right, he goes, that's just weird, that's just weird, right? But it's the truth, it's what I did, and you know, if Ivan were alive, he would attest to that, I mean, I just wasn't a big party guy, just wasn't, and you know, they try to browbeat me sometimes to go out with them, and I'm like, you know, every now and then I'd, but then I, you know, so I would, but I'd make that short-lived as well, I just wanted to get back, get my rest, get a good night's sleep, so I could go to the gym the next day, right? But I literally, I literally would be back there eating, like, eating tuna and bagels and fruit and stuff after the matches, most nights, I can't, not every single night, but most nights, and just, you know, just not wasting, or in my mind, not wasting or spending my money or wasting my money, and that's what I did.
Sure. Yeah, so, so that, so that kind of, you know, in a sense kind of set the stage, you know, for me, because I had the mindset, this is a business, you know, I'm gonna treat it as such, and I've got, you know, kind of my exit strategy, 35 was the target, you know, Big Van Vader, right, you probably know that name, people know that name. I got injured November 92, wrestling him, two injuries, one injured my neck, I got a hernia, picking him up, you know, 450 pounds, picking him up, got a hernia, had hernia surgery, and had the fiber mesh put in, rehabilitating my neck, this is over Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and heading into my 34th birthday, and I just thought in my mind, Neil, I thought, well, if I go back, by the time I'm ready to get back in the ring, what's it, a year at the most, nine months, I mean, how much time do I got left, because I'm leaving when I'm 35, and I just, I just made an executive decision, I said, you know what, I'm done, I'm out, I'm done, and, and so no fanfare, no retirement match, no, no, no, you know, no big send off, I just said I'm done, and little did I know, 11 months later, that 17 October, 1993, would I find myself in a church, at an altar, encountering Jesus Christ, surrendering my life to Christ, and then, Neil, little did I know from that decision, fast forward 30 plus years later, would I have been writing all kinds of books, have a radio show on Truth Radio Network, a podcast on their network, two different shows on the podcast, television show, I mean, traveling all over the world, I mean, I, you know, 36 different countries, all 50 states, oh my gosh, I mean, there's so many things that I have done, that I never in a million years would have realized I'd be doing, the camps with Lex Luger, man up conferences, well, I just go down the list, I'm like, it just blows me away sometimes, Neil, to really honestly think about it, and just humbled by what I've gotten to do this last 30 years, so, yep, yep. And I can tell, I mean, I can tell, you really are, you're a humbled man, it's funny because, you know, when we first met or whatever, you know, it's kind of like a, you know, it is, it's business, and I've seen that, you know, especially after this last show, I mean, I feel like that, you know, it's kind of, you know, we have a connection, we have a friendship, and just being around you, and just seeing you around those people and everything, man, I mean, I just, you can just see how, you know, down to earth and humble and just appreciative you are of everything, and just looking at all the things that you've done, just, you know, I've been looking more, you know, obviously in the past, you're getting to know you, just, it's just amazing to see. Well, and here's what I appreciate, like, you know, guys like yourself who bring me in, you know, for events like that, you know, it gives me the opportunity to, you know, Scripture talks about being, the Bible talks about being salt and light to, you know, salt of the earth and just a beacon of light to the world, and so I know it's, you know, it's a wrestling atmosphere, I get that, you know, I try to be very respectful of that while at the same time, you know, I'll just tell you, you probably don't even know this, but one of the, one of the biggest blessings of this last show that you had me in, you know, I don't know how many people came by the table, but however many came by, I'm going to tell you 40 or 50 percent of them, you know, it wasn't like, oh man, I saw you in Greensboro Wrestle Ric Flair for the World Heavyweight title, you know, and I hear those stories, I do hear those stories, but 40 or 50 percent of them, Neil, were like, dude, like you preached in my church in 2007 and this was the message, I'm like, wait a minute, and you remember the message from 2007, you know, or, so I'm hearing more and more and more of those stories, which is incredibly rewarding for me, and just know, let me just say this to you on air, you guys, you're not necessarily doing it for this reason, but you guys are a part of that, the fact that you opened that door for me to have that audience with those people, what I'm saying to you is, kudos to you and there's credit going your way for allowing me or opening that door for me to do that and have those conversations and meet people, and at times, even pray, like right there at the autograph table, pray for people, you know, or they'll ask me, will you pray for me, and which is incredibly an honor to do, and so I appreciate all that, well we got, if you have one more, we have time for one more, it's your call. Yeah, we'll do one more, I'm going to touch on something that you just said before that, and then I'm going to ask you a question, a little bit off, but just as a fan of someone, I have to ask a question, but backing up, when you were talking about, so I had literally did a podcast prior to the show and some things that got mentioned about, you know, how, well I'll just put it this way, you know, I'm just as local as you can get, I support local, and Twin Twin Point Spa has really given me a platform to just promote all kinds of other people, other businesses, and I don't expect anything, it's just I love being able to have something where I can promote whatever it is, Figure Four, you know, Nikita Koloff, or all kinds of businesses, and so I've been blessed in that aspect, where I can do those things, but then when I hear someone like you come back with that, and these other companies come back, and I would never even think about wanting, you know, any credit for that, I just do it, but it is nice to hear that, you know, this company is able to put things here, here, and here, so thank you for that.
Yep, absolutely, yep. And so the last thing I've got to ask, my favorite wrestler of all time was Sting, I've been a Sting guy inside and out, and of course I saw that you were there at his last match, I think you and Magnum were sitting together if I'm correct, yes sir, yep, what was that atmosphere like, and what is Steve Borden like in, you know, in real life, all I hear is good things. Yeah, I mean of course I'll just start with, he absolutely genuinely loves the Lord, and I was able to in December 1995 at the Charlotte Coliseum for about a half hour corral him, corner him, and share my enthusiasm about, you know, now living for Jesus, and fast forward August of 98, he was led to the foot of the cross himself, and became a Christ follower, a moment of truth for him as his book and movie illustrated years ago, and so he's a very private person, you know, and yep, he loves the wrestling fan, he loves being out among the fans, loves entertaining the fans, that's why he did it for nearly four decades, nearly 40 years, which is amazing, kudos to him, you know, better him than me, but kudos to him, a dear, dear personal friend, I feel fortunate, there was a season there where I went out to his ranch about every three months, about four times a year, just to sow into, disciple and mentor him and his sons, and just invest that time in them, and one of the few guys, again, because he's very private, one of the few guys that was allowed into his home, he doesn't open his home to many, you've got to be pretty close or part of his inner circle for that to happen, you know, so that's why, you know, again, there's not a whole lot out there, you know, in terms of the public eye, other than when he's out in the public eye, right, so all that to say, nothing but good things to say about Steve as I know him, sting as the world knows him, just love the stinger, he and I and Lex, Lex is probably even closer to Steve than I am, although I feel like I have a close relationship with him, the other part of the question, the retirement match, it was so much fun to just one go and just honor his career and to be a part of that and to sit at ringside with Magnum, you know, was pretty cool, just off to my right is Ric Flair, just off to my left is Ricky Steamboat and Neil, I couldn't help but reminisce about how many times I had stepped in that ring, that location in that building, in that atmosphere, the memories that flooded back of how many matches I had against Flair in that building, Steamboat, Sting himself, how many matches I had against Sting in that building, you know, and then the electricity in the building, they did it right, they treated him right, they did it right on his way out, so to be there and be a part of that, you know, David Crockett, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross sitting right in front of me was a cool deal and then last but not least, on the way out at the end of the night as I was taking my, they said, you can take that chair with you, the commemorative chair and I'm like, I will and I did, right?
But as I'm walking out, Neil, there's, you know, that building's been kind of added onto but there was the old dressing room of what we would know as the baby face dressing room, okay, and I'm walking by and I'm like, alright, nobody else is around, I'm like, I got to go in here just for, you know, for posterity's sake for a moment, I walk and there was nothing in there, I just, I walked in and it just, you know, I just thought all the memories, all the moments, all the conversations, you know, had in this dressing room with the boys over the years, if, that old expression, if these walls could talk, right? Oh my gosh, if these walls could talk and so, yeah, it was just, it was amazing, it was an amazing experience, I'm glad I was able to be there to be a part of it, so, yep. Yeah, I was so glad when I heard it, when they were doing it in Greensboro, it was like, they, like, they're really doing this right, and they did, they, yep, they did it right, yep, and then for, I'll say this last note too, for his boys, for his boys to be a part of it, I mean, dressed up like him in those early days, what an, what an experience for them as well, so, yeah, anyway, exactly, well Neil Johnson, so great to have you a part of, of course Q&A with Koloff, thank you for being a part of the show today and much success with your swimming business and, and your collectibles business there, I know the Lord will continue to prosper you and, and all that you're doing there as well, okay? Absolutely, man, we appreciate you and, and thank you very much. Alright, and to all of you out there in Listening Land, as always, my challenge to you is to go out today and live a God-filled, God-blessed day, thanks for tuning in once again. 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. Nikita Koloff 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 wsmc1.com because you are number one. If you are enjoying Q&A with Koloff, would you help us spread the word? Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your neighbors to download, subscribe, and leave a comment.
Hi, Nikita Koloff. Be sure to check out The Man Up Show, now available on television, broadcast, and podcast. Go to MorningStarTV.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.
