16 Most Illustrious Fake Families In Wrestling History

Ivan Koloff ended Bruno Sammartino's near-mythical first WWE Championship run. In Madison Square Garden. It was absolutely unthinkable, and the result was actually not announced at the time to avoid sparking a riot.

The feat alone would be enough to cement his career as an all-time great, but in the twilight of his career he had another run at the top as the mentor, handler, and tag team partner of his fictional nephew, Nitika, the Russian Nightmare.

Nikita was kind of like a Soviet Goldberg, a bald beast with a monstrous physique capable of demolishing most opponents within seconds. He never won the NWA World Championship, but he did capture the United States Championship at a time when the prestige of both titles was nearly equal.

Neither man was remotely Russian or remotely related.