Oleg Prudius was born on April 27, 1979, in the Ukrainian SSR, a part of the USSR, which is now modern-day Ukraine. Growing up in the old Soviet Union, Prudius developed a passion for sports and martial arts from a young age.
He began competing in Sambo and Judo, dominating the competition and gaining recognition across the country. By the time he was 17 years old, Prudius had grown into a towering figure, earning him a spot on the Ukrainian National American Football Team.
As fate would have it, his success on the football field caught the attention of American college scouts, who offered him college scholarships to play in the United States. Prudius chose to attend Santa Barbara CC, where he excelled as a two-way player and was awarded a spot on the WSC All Conference Team in 2000.
After college, Prudius played professionally in the European Football League (EFL) in Germany, where he was named MVP of the EuroBowl after helping his team win the Cup. Despite his success on the gridiron, Prudius never lost his passion for martial arts.
He returned to the United States, where he competed in the US Kickboxing Association (USKBA) and was discovered by Spike Lee, who offered him a role in his production 25th Hour (2002). Prudius made his film debut as a menacing Russian Mafia enforcer, and his performance sparked a wave of acting opportunities.
However, Prudius felt the need to prove himself in the martial arts world. He won the US Open Sambo World Cup in 2005, which caught the attention of legendary wrestling promoter Jerry Jarrett. Jarrett brought Prudius to the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) headquarters, where he met Vince McMahon and signed a Developmental Contract Deal on January 17, 2006.
As "Vladimir Kozlov," Prudius quickly impressed with his unique size, background, and skill set, becoming a fan favorite in the WWE. He won both solo and Tag Team Heavyweight Championships, dominating through the ranks of the organization.
By 2011, Prudius grew disillusioned with the scripted storylines of the WWE and left the organization to pursue a purer experience in mixed martial arts. He joined Japan's Inoki Genome Federation (IGF),where he continued to compete in the sport.
In 2013, Prudius took a break from mixed martial arts to focus on acting and producing. He partnered with longtime Hollywood director and producer Bernard Salzmann to form Quasar Entertainment, a 3-D and 5K post-production company.
Now, Prudius is bringing his unique look and talents back to the screens, focusing on acting and production once again.
