Oleg Aleksandrovich Prudius, professionally known as Vladimir Kozlov, is a Ukrainian-American actor and former professional wrestler best known for his tenure with WWE. Born on April 27, 1969, Prudius is a multi-disciplinary combat sports expert, trained in a wide range of martial arts including sambo, judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and kickboxing. After signing a developmental deal with WWE in 2006, he worked through Deep South Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling, where he captured the OVW Heavyweight Championship. Prudius debuted on WWE’s SmackDown in 2008 as Vladimir Kozlov, quickly making an impact with a clean victory over The Undertaker and competing for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series that same year.
Despite an early push and being awarded WWE’s Slammy for Breakout Star of the Year in 2008, Kozlov’s WWE run had mixed critical reception. While fans initially took notice of his imposing persona and undefeated streak, his style and matches were later criticized, with some accolades like “Most Overrated Wrestler” and “Worst Match of the Year” from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He was later moved to ECW where he aligned with William Regal and Ezekiel Jackson, and eventually transitioned to a comedic role on Raw, forming a tag team with Santino Marella. The duo won the WWE Tag Team Championship before Prudius’s departure from the company in 2011.
Since leaving WWE, Prudius has transitioned into acting and stunt work, building a successful second career in entertainment. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) under his real name, Oleg Prudius. His unique combination of combat sports credentials and entertainment experience continues to make him a notable figure in both the wrestling and film industries.
