On this episode of Get Your Bell Rung Pro Wrestling Podcast, host K.G. Landry sits down with Vladimir Koloff, or perhaps more notably the man behind the monster, Carl Richard Brantley for a wide ranging interview about wrestling, legacy, travel, toughness, and the life behind one of professional wrestling’s most believable Russian heel personas.
This is not just a conversation about a wrestling gimmick. It is a conversation about the weight of carrying the Koloff name. Carl talks about being the second man entrusted with that legacy by Ivan Koloff, following in the shadow of Ivan and Nikita while still building his own chapter in wrestling history. K.G. opens the show by putting that honor into perspective, describing Vladimir as a man who has spent more than 35 years in the wrestling business, traveled through 153 countries, and crossed paths with some of the biggest names the industry has ever produced.
The heart of the interview is the contrast between Carl and Vladimir. Carl describes himself today as a man who lives a simple life, takes care of his 88 year old mother, enjoys calm over chaos, and loves taking care of his livestock, dogs, chickens, and property. But once he steps into the world as Vladimir Koloff, the presence, the history, and the weight of the name are still there.
One of the best parts of the interview is hearing how committed they were to protecting that illusion. Carl talks about people coming up to him and Nikita at conventions saying they thought they were really Russian, and even fans who met them back in the day remembered them staying in character at gas stations, airports, hotels, and restaurants.
The interview closes with Carl reflecting on legends he knew and respected, including the Road Warriors, Kerry Von Erich, Jake Roberts, Ric Flair, Ivan Koloff, Nikita Koloff, Stan Lane, and Andre the Giant. He speaks with the kind of perspective that only comes from someone who lived inside the business, saw the roads, the locker rooms, the conventions, the politics, the friendships, and the sacrifices firsthand.
This is the story of Vladimir Koloff.
But more than that, it is the story of Carl Richard Brantley, the man who carried a monster’s name, protected a wrestling legacy, and lived a life that sounds almost impossible until you hear him tell it himself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyJm3yqIS1M
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