NJPW & ROH Star Announces His Retirement

One-half of acclaimed tag team The Forever Hooligans, Alex Koslov, has announced his retirement from professional wrestling. Koslov competes regularly for New Japan Pro Wrestling where he is a 2x IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champion, he has also competed in Ring of Honor where he is a former 1x ROH World Tag Team Champion as with Forever Hooligans tag team partner, Rocky Romero.

Koslov is also a former WWE development talent, being signed in 2010 and released in 2012. He competed as Peter Orlov in Florida Championship Wrestling. He has also worked for TNA as part of Team Europe in their 2008 World X Cup. Koslov also worked for Mexican promotions AAA, CMLL and Japanese independent promotion Toryumon, founded by legendary Japanese wrestler, Ultimo Dragon. He has also competed on the American independent circuit, most notably for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla.

Koslov opened Wrestle Kingdom 9 this past weekend with Romero in a four way tag team match for the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championships which also featured The Time Splitters, The Young Bucks and ROH tag team reDRagon. On Wednesday, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer stated that Koslov had been released by NJPW but didn't specify why.

Koslov had the following to say on Twitter.

I wanna thank @njpw1972 for the opportunity to work for the best company in the world.

— Alex Koslov (@AlexKoslovCom) January 9, 2015

I wanna thank my partner @azucarRoc for being the best tag team partner and just someone I shared my career with for the best decade

— Alex Koslov (@AlexKoslovCom) January 9, 2015

I am hesitant to say I'm retiring from pro wrestling, but I am taking a much needed indefinite sabbatical to focus on my life.

— Alex Koslov (@AlexKoslovCom) January 9, 2015