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Yugoslavian-American professional wrestler (1938–2024)
Chris Markoff Birth name Risto Zelevarov Born (1938-03-01 ) March 1, 1938[1] Yugoslavia [2] [3] Died February 10, 2024 (aged 85 )Ring name(s ) Chris Jelevarov[4] Billed height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m )[4] Billed weight 275 lb (125 kg; 19.6 st )[4] Billed from Macedonia [5] Serbia [5] Russia [5] Debut 1963 Retired 1993
Risto Zelevarov (March 1, 1938 – February 10, 2024), known professionally as Chris Markoff , was a Yugoslav-American professional wrestler . He was best known for his appearances with professional wrestling promotions in the Midwestern United States in the 1960s.[2] [4] [5]
Early life [ edit ]
Markoff was born in Yugoslavia and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota , United States.[2] [3]
Professional wrestling career [ edit ]
Markoff (top) applies a shoulder claw on Tony Atlas , c. 1984
Markoff began his career in the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association in the mid-1960s.[6] The Crusher .[2] AWA World Tag Team Champion with Harley Race in January 1967 after Race's original partner, Larry Hennig , sustained a broken leg. Their reign ended in November 1967 when they were defeated by Pat O'Connor and Wilbur Snyder .[7]
In the mid-1960s, Markoff began wrestling for the Indianapolis , Indiana -based World Wrestling Association , where he formed a tag team with Angelo Poffo called "The Devil's Duo". Markoff and Poffo won the WWA World Tag Team Championship in 1966 and again in 1967.[8]
In the late 1960s, Markoff began competing for Championship Wrestling from Florida . He won the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship in 1969 and again in 1972.
In 1969, Markoff wrestled for the Los Angeles , California -based promotion NWA Hollywood Wrestling . Over the course of the year, he won the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship with Bronko Lubich, the NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship , and the NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version) three times.[9] [7]
In 1972, Markoff toured Japan with the Japan Wrestling Association , wrestling a series of matches against Apache Bull Ramos . Antagonism between Markoff and Ramos resulted in a legitimate brawl in a restaurant during which Ramos bit off part of Markoff's ear and Markoff bit off the tip of Ramos' finger.[10]
In 1978, Markoff wrestled in New Zealand for All Star Pro Wrestling, briefly holding the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship . In the same year, he wrestled in Hawaii for 50th State Big Time Wrestling , holding the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship with Steve Strong .
In 1981, Markoff joined the Charlotte, North Carolina -based Jim Crockett Promotions , where he formed a tag team with Nikolai Volkoff called "The Imperial Russians". Managed by Lord Alfred Hayes , the duo won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship later that year.[6] [11] [12]
Markoff died on February 10, 2024, at the age of 85, after suffering a stroke in January.[13]
Championships and accomplishments [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
^ a b c d Kristian Pope (14 August 2005). Tuff Stuff Professional Wrestling Field Guide: Legend and Lore ISBN 1-4402-2810-8
^ a b Harley Race ; Gerry Tritz (2004). King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story ISBN 978-1-58261-818-0
^ a b c d "Chris Markoff" . Cagematch.de . Retrieved September 30, 2017 .
^ a b c d Dale Pierce (10 June 2013). Wrestling in Akron ISBN 978-1-4396-4350-1
^ a b "Chris Markoff – Career" . Cagematch.de . Retrieved September 30, 2017 .
^ a b "Chris Markoff – Titles" . Cagematch.de . Retrieved September 30, 2017 .
^ Harris M. Lentz III (9 May 2011). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2010 ISBN 978-0-7864-4175-4
^ a b "Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title (Los Angeles)" . Wrestling-Titles.com. 2017. Retrieved October 1, 2017 .
^ Jim Wilson; Jim Wilson & Weldon T. Johnson (2 September 2003). Chokehold: Pro Wrestling's Real Mayhem Outside the Ring ISBN 978-1-4628-1172-4
^ a b Dewey Robertson ; Meredith Renwick (2006). Bang Your Head: The Real Story of the Missing Link ISBN 978-1-55022-727-7
^ Harris M. Lentz III (4 May 2006). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2005: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture ISBN 978-0-7864-5210-1
^ Obituary , SlamWrestling.net. Accessed February 12, 2024.
^ a b Harris M. Lentz III (20 May 2008). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2007: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture ISBN 978-0-7864-5191-3
^ "N.W.A. "Beat the Champ" International Television Title (Los Angeles)" . Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
^ Harris M. Lentz III (9 May 2011). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2010 ISBN 978-0-7864-4175-4
^ George Schire (2010). Minnesota's Golden Age of Wrestling: From Verne Gagne to the Road Warriors ISBN 978-0-87351-620-4
External links [ edit ]
t
e
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
R e t r i e v e d f r o m " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chris_Markoff&oldid=1228089744 " C a t e g o r i e s : ● 1 9 3 8 b i r t h s ● 2 0 2 4 d e a t h s ● 2 0 t h - c e n t u r y m a l e p r o f e s s i o n a l w r e s t l e r s ● A m e r i c a n m a l e p r o f e s s i o n a l w r e s t l e r s ● F a u x R u s s i a n p r o f e s s i o n a l w r e s t l e r s ● P r o f e s s i o n a l w r e s t l e r s f r o m M i n n e s o t a ● H e e n a n F a m i l y m e m b e r s ● Y u g o s l a v e m i g r a n t s t o t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s ● Y u g o s l a v p r o f e s s i o n a l w r e s t l e r s ● N W A F l o r i d a T a g T e a m C h a m p i o n s ● N W A " B e a t t h e C h a m p " T e l e v i s i o n C h a m p i o n s ● N W A A m e r i c a s T a g T e a m C h a m p i o n s ● N W A W o r l d T a g T e a m C h a m p i o n s ( D e t r o i t v e r s i o n ) H i d d e n c a t e g o r i e s : ● A r t i c l e s w i t h s h o r t d e s c r i p t i o n ● S h o r t d e s c r i p t i o n m a t c h e s W i k i d a t a
● T h i s p a g e w a s l a s t e d i t e d o n 9 J u n e 2 0 2 4 , a t 1 1 : 5 7 ( U T C ) . ● T e x t i s a v a i l a b l e u n d e r t h e C r e a t i v e C o m m o n s A t t r i b u t i o n - S h a r e A l i k e L i c e n s e 4 . 0 ;
a d d i t i o n a l t e r m s m a y a p p l y . B y u s i n g t h i s s i t e , y o u a g r e e t o t h e T e r m s o f U s e a n d P r i v a c y P o l i c y . W i k i p e d i a ® i s a r e g i s t e r e d t r a d e m a r k o f t h e W i k i m e d i a F o u n d a t i o n , I n c . , a n o n - p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n . ● P r i v a c y p o l i c y ● A b o u t W i k i p e d i a ● D i s c l a i m e r s ● C o n t a c t W i k i p e d i a ● C o d e o f C o n d u c t ● D e v e l o p e r s ● S t a t i s t i c s ● C o o k i e s t a t e m e n t ● M o b i l e v i e w
