On this page, you find the full wrestling profile of Johnny Valentine, with his Career History, real name, age, height and weight, the Promotions he worked for, all the Face/Heel turns, the Championship Titles he won, his Finishers, Theme Songs, Tag Teams and Stables, his appearance changes through the years, and more.
John Theodore Wisniski was born in Maple Valley, Washington on September 22, 1928.
He died on April 24, 2001 at the age of 72.
Johnny Valentine was inducted in the NWA Hall of Fame in 2011, in the NJPW Hall of Fame in 1990 as part of the NJPW Greatest 18 Club wing and in the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) in 2006 as part of the Television Era wing.
Profile Info
- Gender Male
- Real Name John Theodore Wisniski
- Ring Names
- Johnny Valentine ( July 30, 1968 - December 31, 1978)
- Big O ( May 3, 1968 - July 29, 1968)
- Johnny Valentine ( July 27, 1956 - May 2, 1968)
- Rocky Valentine ( March 17, 1955 - July 26, 1956)
- Johnny Valentine ( January 1, 1947 - March 16, 1955)
- Jimmy Valentine ( October 25, 1950 - April 9, 1951)
- Born September 22, 1928
- Died April 24, 2001 (aged 72)
- Nationality
United States - Birth Place Maple Valley, Washington
- Billed From
- Maple Valley, Washington ( January 1, 1947 - December 31, 1978)
- Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
- Weight
- 255 lbs (116 kg)
- Nicknames Cowboy; Handsome
United StatesCareer History
- Roles
- Manager ( March 23, 1978 - December 31, 1978)
- Wrestler ( January 1, 1947 - October 4, 1975)
- Promotions / Brands
Promotion from to Promotion 
NWAJanuary 1, 1947 October 4, 1975 Promotion NJPWBrand
Heavyweight
September 17, 1973 September 29, 1973 Promotion JWAFebruary 22, 1973 March 6, 1973 Promotion JWAMay 22, 1972 June 1, 1972 Promotion AWAApril 23, 1967 September 16, 1967 Promotion WWWFAugust 2, 1965 October 7, 1966 Promotion WWEJune 10, 1958 August 4, 1962 Promotion STAMPEDEOctober 16, 1956 March 15, 1957 - Face / Heel Turns
Alignment from to Heel January 1, 1950 October 4, 1975 - Images History
Sep 1973Aug 1965Mar 1955Oct 1949Jan 1947
NWA
NJPW
JWA
AWA
WWWF
WWE
STAMPEDE
- Finishers
- The Brain Buster - Elbow to a grounded opponent’s head ( January 1, 1947 - October 4, 1975)
- Diving Elbow Drop ( January 1, 1947 - October 4, 1975)
- Vertical Suplex ( January 1, 1947 - October 4, 1975)
Titles & Accomplishments
- Halls of Fame
- NWA Hall of Fame - Year 2011, Individual
- NJPW Hall of Fame - Year 1990, NJPW Greatest 18 Club
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) - Year 2006, Television Era
- Titles Won
Capitol Wrestling Corporation / World Wide Wrestling Federation
- 5 NWA United States Television Championship
- 3 NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Northeast version) (1 with Buddy Roberts, 1 with Bob Ellis, 1 with Dr. Jerry Graham)
- 1 WWWF United States Tag Team Championship (with Tony Parisi)
50th State Big Time Wrestling
- 1 NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship (with Ripper Collins)
All Japan Pro Wrestling
- 1 NWA International Tag Team Championship (Japan version) (with Killer Karl Krupp)
- 1 NWA United National Championship
Big Time Wrestling (Boston)
- 1 BTW United States Heavyweight Championship
Big Time Wrestling (Detroit)
- 3 NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version)
Championship Wrestling from Florida
- 1 NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version)
- 4 NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship
- 1 NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version)
- 1 NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (with Boris Malenko)
International Wrestling Association (Chicago)
- 1 IWA International Heavyweight Championship (Chicago version)
International Wrestling Association (Montreal)
- 1 IWA International Heavyweight Championship (Montreal version)
L&G Promotions
- L&G Caribbean Heavyweight Championship
Maple Leaf Wrestling
- 4 NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version) (1 with Bulldog Brower, 1 with Jim Hady, 2 with Whipper Billy Watson)
- 7 NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Toronto version)
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- 2 NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship
- 1 NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)
Mid-South Sports
- 2 NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship
NWA Los Angeles
- 2 NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship
NWA Minneapolis Wrestling and Boxing Club
- 1 NWA World Tag Team Championship (Minneapolis version) (with Chet Wallach)
Southwest Sports, Inc./NWA Big Time Wrestling
- 5 NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Texas version)
- 1 NWA American Heavyweight Championship
- 3 NWA American Tag Team Championship (2 with Wahoo McDaniel, 1 with Thunderbolt Patterson)
- 9 NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
- 1 NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (with Eddie Graham)
- 1 NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Texas version)
St. Louis Wrestling Club
- 1 NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship
Stampede Wrestling
- 2 NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version)
Western States Sports
- 1 NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version)
- Other Accomplishments
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame induction (class of 1995)
- St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame induction (class of 2007)
- IHW Entertainment Hall of Fame induction (class of 2010)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame induction (class of 1996)
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1973)
- PWI Stanley Weston Award (2001)
Relations
- Tag Teams & Stables
- Wahoo McDaniel & Johnny Valentine - Wahoo McDaniel ( May 29, 1971 - July 30, 1971)
- Atomic Blondes - Chet Wallach ( November 12, 1957 - February 14, 1958)
- Wrestlers managed Buddy Roberts
- Family
- Greg Valentine - Son