ian ▁weight l ifting ▁team ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁when ▁he ▁em igr ated ▁to ▁Canada ▁after ▁a ▁weight l ifting ▁tournament ▁in ▁Vienna , ▁Austria . ▁He ▁received ▁training ▁in ▁Cal g ary ▁from ▁Stu ▁Hart , ▁followed ▁by ▁his ▁arrival ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁His ▁brother ▁is ▁Cro at ian ▁footballer ▁Lu ka ▁Per uz ović . ▁A ▁fellow ▁Cro at ian - native ▁played ▁the ▁first ▁Soviet ▁Volk off ▁character ▁in ▁American ▁pro - w rest ling . ▁Steve ▁G obb , ▁born ▁G ob ro kov ich , ▁wrest led ▁as ▁USS R ' s ▁Nic oli ▁Volk off ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁before ▁the ▁character ▁was ▁picked ▁up ▁by ▁Jos ip . ▁ ▁Professional ▁wrest ling ▁career ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁( 1 9 6 7 – 1 9 7 0 ) ▁While ▁trying ▁his ▁luck ▁as ▁a ▁wrest ler ▁in ▁Cal g ary , ▁Al berta ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁he ▁met ▁the ▁wrest ler ▁Newton ▁T attr ie , ▁who ▁was ▁wrest ling ▁for ▁Stu ▁Hart ' s ▁St amp ede ▁Wrestling . ▁During ▁his ▁ 1 9 6 3 - 1 9 6 8 ▁tour , ▁T attr ie ▁took ▁Per uz ov ic ▁under ▁his ▁wing ▁as ▁a ▁prot ég é ▁and ▁trained ▁the ▁non - English ▁speaking , ▁ 3 1 5 - p ound ▁man ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁professional ▁wrest ler ▁and ▁tag ▁team ▁partner