World Wrestling Entertainment says Peruzovic was "one of the greatest villains sports-entertainment had ever seen." He was known for singing the onetime Soviet Union's national anthem before matches and for his tag team alliance with another wrestler known as The Iron Sheik.
WWE says his career spanned the better part of 40 years and featured showdowns with wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan.
In 2006, Peruzovic made an unsuccessful run for a House seat in the Maryland General Assembly.
Today is a super sad day for me and wrestling fans everywhere. I just found out NiKolai Volkoff, Brian Lawler & Brickhouse Brown all passed away today. It literally took my breathe away. My deepest sympathies go out to all their families. God Bless you brothers. Gods Speed DDP
