5 WWE Superstars we lost in 2017

#1 Ivan Koloff

Fear his bearhug

Known as the Russain Bear, Ivan Koloff was a groundbreaking superstar who was able to break so much more as well. Although he was born in Canada, he was billed from Moscow Russia and people really bought it. He was a great heel and many have attributed some of the early aspects of Rusev's character to that of Koloff.

While taking over every territory he stepped into, Koloff went on to the World Wide Wrestling Federation (which would later become WWE). He captured the WWWF Championship in 1971 and ended Bruno Sammartino's still standing record of 2,803 days in the process.

He would go on to have an amazing career as part of The Russians in the NWA and took part in many legendary feuds for the remainder of his career including appearing at the first-ever ECW card and the first television main event of Smoky Mountain Wrestling where be defeated Bobby Fulton in 1992.

He was a WWE Legend although he might not have ever wrestled for the modern-day company. His bright personality carried him to appear throughout the end of his life where he loved seeing fans and telling stories from the past. Koloff passed away on February 18, 2017, from liver cancer at his home in North Carolina.