2012 Leaf Originals Wrestling is a higher-end release, with each box containing 5 autographed cards. The cards are done in the same style (and small, square shape) of the original 1948 Leaf Baseball cards. The entire set is 51 cards, and there are a lot of pretty big names in the set. Each card has a few different variations of differing rarities, including colored backgrounds and alternate artwork. All of the autographs are on card, not stickers. All in all, a very nice looking set.
My awesome wife got my 2 boxes as gifts (If I recall correctly, I think one was for my birthday back in November, and the other was for Valentine's Day). I actually pulled a really nice hit in both boxes, but we'll save those for the end of this series of posts! :)
Today we start with the man who showed up in BOTH boxes I opened - "The Russian Nightmare" Nikita Koloff~!
Nikita (real name Nelson Simpson) wrestled throughout the 1980s and into the early 90s. As you probably guessed from his ring name, he was a bad guy billed from the Soviet Union, who came to America to prove the superiority of the Reds. He was at one point a World Tag Team Champion along with his "uncle" Ivan Koloff. The "Russian Nightmare" nickname was given to him by one of his babyface rivals, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. (see what he did there?)
After retiring, Simpson became a born-again Christian. He runs a small wrestling promotion called the Universal Wrestling Alliance along with his religious ministry. For those who are wondering what that Bible verse is (as I was), it states: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad."
Coming next post: a star of the late 1990s WCW whose goofy persona drove me nuts back in the day. :)
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