- Larry Stoy

Let me begin this month’s article by expressing my condolences to the family and friends of two legendary names in pro wrestling.  Last month, we (as in the wrestling community) said goodbye to LOU THESZ and ED “WAHOO” McDANIEL.  It’s impossible to put into words the feelings we all experienced when these two great gentlemen left us all too soon. 

This month, we will stroll down memory lane and take a look at the Mid Atlantic career of Greg Valentine.  His accomplishments while wrestling under the JCP banner are well renowned.  At various times during his tenure here, Greg won four of the five championships recognized by Crockett Promotions.  The Mid Atlantic Heavyweight, Mid Atlantic Tag Team, Mid Atlantic Television, and World Tag Team titles all spent time around the waist of Valentine.  The only title that escaped his grasp was the N.W.A World title. 

Greg first arrived in the area in the fall of 1976.  He had spent his early years wrestling in other territories (Calgary, Omaha, Detroit) before coming to the Carolinas.  After only a couple of months competing in the area, Greg pulled of a mild upset by capturing the Mid Atlantic Television title from the veteran Tim “Mr. Wrestling” Woods.  Valentine would only hold the title for a few weeks until being defeated by Rufus R. “Freight Train” Jones in late November.  Greg would recapture the gold in early 1977, this time holding on to it until once again losing to Jones in March. 

During the latter part of 1976, about a month after his TV title loss to Rufus, Greg teamed up with Ric Flair to win the prestigious NWA World Tag Team titles from another heel duo…Gene and Ole Anderson.  These two teams would be engaged in a very heated (and extremely successful!) program for most of the next year.  Anytime you put four men the likes of Flair, Valentine, Gene and Ole in the ring with so much on the line, you can be assured the matches would be brutal from start to finish.  Greg actually held BOTH the TV title and one half of the NWA World Tag Team championship simultaneously…a tremendous feat in any era. 

The year 1977, in my opinion, was probably Greg’s best all around year in his Mid Atlantic stay.  Not only being part of the NWA WTTC for most of the first half of the year, Greg also managed stints as TV champ, MA TT champion (with Flair), and MA Heavyweight champion!  Very impressive credentials for a relative newcomer to the area.  His tenacity in the ring and his rough style made him a threat to capture the gold whenever he climbed into the ring. 

In fact, the second of Valentine’s reigns as Mid Atlantic Heavyweight Champion that was the most memorable.  During the summer of 1977, Valentine and the late Wahoo McDaniel feuded all through the Mid Atlantic circuit.  This feud had its roots in a tag team match that took place in May at the Greensboro Coliseum.  During a cage match pitting Flair & Valentine defending the NWA TTC against the Andersons, special guest referee Wahoo McDaniel apparently helped Gene & Ole win the belts by “accidentally” tripping Valentine, causing Greg to loose the fall.  More...