WWE Superstar Wallpaper: Vladimir Kozlov

Friday 23 September 2011

Vladimir Kozlov

Vladimir Kozlov Biography

Vladimir Kozlov was born on July 4, 1972 in Ukraine, as Oleg Aleksandrovich Prudius. He is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment, wrestling on its SmackDown brand. Aside from his devotion to the sport, he is also a stage and screen actor. He has appeared in Spike Lee’s 25th Hour, as well as on Grindhouse.

Before he was introduced to WWE by Jerry Jarrett, Kozlov won numerous achievements. He was a former Ohio Valley Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, and became the 2005 USA Open Heavyweight Sambo Champion and a United States Kick-Boxing Association (USKBA) International Heavyweight Grappling Champion. Additionally, he has played American football for the Ukrainian National Team and Santa Barbara City College. In 2006, WWE announced that Kozlov has signed on to a developmental contract and was sent to the territory, Deep South Wrestling. He debuted as “Oleg Prudius” and had his first match against Tommy Suede. Later that year, he made an appearance as a WWE prospect and used the name Vladimir Kozlov. He was taken off television for a while, and at that time won in all dark matches he participated in.

Two years later, Kozlov officially debuted on WWE SmackDown as a heel. He defeated Matt Bentley in his first match, and continued that streak in a series of squash matches. He soon began demanding “better competition,” later attacking Jeff Hardy and soon WWE Champion Triple H. Kozlov then earned a match for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series, when he defeated The Undertaker by disqualification.

Kozlov garnered his first pay-per-view win at Armageddon, where he defeated then-ECW Champion Matt Hardy. This was followed by the 2009 Royal Rumble match, but he was eliminated by Triple H.

Other television appearances by Kozlov include those in HBO’s The Wire, and on Ukrainian TV’s Roksalana and It’s Not to Easy. On stage, he has been seen on the Russian military theatre play Victory Day, as well as a Ukraine University adaptation of Three Musketeers.

Vladimir Kozlov