Jim Lanning

Infobox Wrestler
name =Jim Lanning


img_capt =
names =Soldat Ustinov
Ivan the Terrible
Big Jim Steele
The Russian Krusher
height =height|ft=6|in=5
weight =convert|315|lb|kg|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date =
death_date =
birth_place =Minneapolis, Minnesota
death_place =
resides =
billed =
trainer =
debut =
retired =October 26 1990
website =|

Jim Lanning (born in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is a retired American professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Soldat Ustinov, who competed in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and the American Wrestling Association (AWA) during the 1980s.

Career

American Wrestling Association (1986 - 1989)

Arriving in the AWA in late 1986, he would begin teaming with Boris Zukhov under manager Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie and together would defeat the Midnight Rockers for the AWA World tag team title in Lake Tahoe, Nevada on May 25, 1987. [cite web |url=http://www.mikemooneyham.com/pages/viewfull.cfm?ObjectID=41BEF04F-3048-8903-328E4E30ACAC44A3 |title=The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham: Zhukov's Son 'Can Only Get Better' |accessdate= |author=Mooneyham, Mike |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2007-03-11 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=MikeMooneyham.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=] After defending the titles for almost five months with victories over Wahoo McDaniel & D.J. Peterson on August 10, [cite web |url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/memphis/jarrett/1987.html#081087 |title=Mid-South Colliseum: 1987 (Jarrett) |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2006 |month=March |format= |work= |publisher=ProWrestlingHistory.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=] Zukhov jumped to the World Wrestling Federation in October as part of The Bolsheviks with Nikolai Volkoff.

Replaced by "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers, he and Somers would hold the titles little more than a week before losing them to Jerry "The King" Lawler & "Superstar" Bill Dundee on October 10, 1987. [cite web |url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/awa/awa5-2.htm |title=Regional Territories: American Wrestling Association #5, Page #2 |accessdate= |author=Keith, Scott |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2002-06-20 |year= |month= |format= |work= |publisher=KayfabeMemories.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=]

In 1988, Lanning would team with Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie losing to Greg Gagne & "The Crippler" Ray Stevens on January 10 and to Wahoo McDaniel & Baron Von Raschke on January 17 as well as single matches to Tom Zenk and Stevens. [cite web |url=http://www.tomzenk.net/match_results_awa2.html |title=Tom Zenk in the American Wrestling Association |accessdate= |author= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=2007 |month= |format= |work= |publisher=TomZenk.net |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=]

Later that year, he feuded with Sgt. Slaughter losing to him by disqualification on September 17 although he and Teijho Khan would defeat Slaughter and Keith Eric by countout in a tag team match the following night.

On September 19, Lanning teamed with Khan and Colonel DeBeers in a 6-man tag team match losing to Sgt. Slaughter and the Rock 'n' Roll Express. He and Teijho Khan would later feud with Baron von Raschke and The Top Guns (Ricky Rice & Derrick Dukes) before leaving the promotion by the end of the year.

Championships and accomplishments

* American Wrestling Association
** AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Boris Zhukov [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/awa/awa-t.html |title=A.W.A. World Tag Team Title |accessdate=|date= |year=2003 |month= |publisher=Puroresu Dojo ]
* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
* *PWI ranked him # 310 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1991

Notes

External links

* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/s/soldat-ustinov.html Profile at Online World of Wrestling]