Chris Markoff

Early life Markoff was born in Yugoslavia and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.

Professional wrestling career

Markoff began his career in the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association in the mid-1960s. Managed by Professor Steve Druk, he feuded with The Crusher.

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.

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.

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.

By 1985 Markoff was back in the AWA as the manager and occasional tag team partner of Boris Zhukov.

Death Markoff died on February 10, 2024, at the age of 85, after suffering a stroke in January.

Championships and accomplishments

50th State Big Time Wrestling NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Steve Strong American Wrestling Association AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Harley Race Championship Wrestling from Florida NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Bronko Lubich (1 time) and Bobby Shane (1 time) Jim Crockett Promotions NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Nikolai Volkoff NWA Big Time Wrestling NWA American Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bronko Lubich NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles version) (3 times) NWA New Zealand NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version) (1 time) World Wrestling Association WWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Angelo Poffo