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 has won a total of 14 championships in major promotions during his career.
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.
Johnny Valentine Profile Index
Profile Info
- GenderMale
- Real NameJohn 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 PlaceMaple 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)
- NicknamesCowboy; Handsome
Career History
-
Roles
- Manager (March 23, 1978 - December 31, 1978)
- Wrestler (January 1, 1947 - October 4, 1975)
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Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion
NWAOctober 11, 1949 October 4, 1975 Promotion
JCPOctober 29, 1973 September 28, 1975 Promotion
SLWCMarch 19, 1971 April 18, 1975 Promotion
BTW DALLASJanuary 6, 1969 April 10, 1975 Promotion
BTW DETROITOctober 23, 1971 October 26, 1974 Promotion
CWFFebruary 7, 1972 May 21, 1974 Promotion
NJPWBrand
Heavyweight
September 17, 1973 September 29, 1973 Promotion
NWFApril 13, 1972 June 9, 1973 Promotion
JWAFebruary 22, 1973 March 6, 1973 Promotion
GACJanuary 10, 1969 February 9, 1973 Promotion
JWAMay 22, 1972 June 1, 1972 Promotion
GCWMay 3, 1968 December 13, 1968 Promotion
CWFAugust 22, 1967 December 12, 1968 Promotion
AWAApril 23, 1967 September 16, 1967 Promotion
SLWCSeptember 16, 1966 September 15, 1967 Promotion
WWWFAugust 2, 1965 October 7, 1966 Promotion
WWA INMay 15, 1964 February 19, 1966 Promotion
BTW DETROITNovember 30, 1963 November 27, 1965 Promotion
SLWCDecember 31, 1960 July 24, 1965 Promotion
IWA ILApril 24, 1964 May 29, 1965 Promotion
WSSDecember 15, 1964 March 18, 1965 Promotion
FKEFebruary 19, 1960 September 7, 1962 Promotion
CWCJune 10, 1958 August 4, 1962 Promotion
JCPJuly 17, 1961 May 24, 1962 Promotion
GACJune 30, 1954 July 10, 1959 Promotion
SWS TXJune 29, 1954 October 28, 1958 Promotion
BTW CALGARYOctober 16, 1956 March 15, 1957 Promotion
SMSANovember 14, 1953 April 22, 1955 Promotion
MID AMERICASeptember 26, 1950 February 28, 1955 Promotion
GCWSeptember 3, 1953 September 23, 1953 Promotion
NWA SFMay 5, 1951 September 5, 1951 Promotion
CSWFebruary 20, 1951 March 15, 1951 -
Images History
Sep 1973
Aug 1965
Mar 1955
Oct 1949
Jan 1947 -
Face / Heel Turns
Alignment Details from to Heel January 1, 1950 October 4, 1975
-
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
Career Awards
NWA Hall of Fame - Individual (Year2011)
NJPW Hall of Fame - NJPW Greatest 18 Club (Year1990)
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) - Television Era (Year2006)
-
National Wrestling Federation
National Wrestling Alliance
World Wrestling Entertainment & National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance & World Wrestling Entertainment
-
x4 NWA/WWWF United States Tag Team Championship (1 with Dr. Jerry Graham, 1 with Buddy Rogers, 1 with Bob Ellis, 1 with Antonio Pugliese)
Japanese Wrestling Association
-
x1 NWA International Tag Team Championship (with Killer Karl Krupp)
NWA Hollywood Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling & Japanese Wrestling Association
-
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)
Teams & 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)
- Managed WrestlersBuddy Roberts
- Family
- Greg Valentine - Son