The Valiants
Photo credit: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
Written by Allen Rockum
“Handsome” Jimmy Valiant
Real Name: James Harold Fanning
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 250 lbs.
Date of Birth: August 6, 1942
From: Tullahoma, Tennessee
Resides: Shawsville, Virginia
Pro Debut: May 5, 1964
Retired: 2005
Trained By: Verne Gagne
Finishing Move: Flying Elbow
“Luscious” Johnny Valiant
Real Name: Thomas Sullivan
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 245 lbs.
Date of Birth: November 25, 1946
Date of Death: April 4, 2018 (71)
From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Resided: Queens, New York
Pro Debut: 1967
Retired: 1989
Trained By: Al Costello
Finishing Move: ?
“Gentleman” Jerry Valiant:
Real Name: John Steele Hill
Height: 6’3”
Weight:
Date of Birth: July 8, 1941
Date of Death: March 10, 2010 (68)
From: Hamilton, Ontario (Canada)
Resided: Indianapolis, Indiana
Pro Debut: 1959
Retired: 1988
Trained By: ?
Finishing Move: Sleeper Hold
Biography
– The Valiant Brothers debuted as a team on January 5, 1974. They disbanded in 1980.
– The Group wrestled for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation (WWWF/WWF) & World Wrestling Alliance (WWA).
– After winning the WWWF Tag Team titles, they had the longest reigning record of any champions in that era (370 Days) before Demolition (Ax & Smash) broke it 14 Years later.
– Jimmy & Johnny were inducted into the 1996 WWE Hall of Fame.
– As a team the following titles we’re won together by Jimmy & Johnny:
– NWA United States Tag Team
– NWA Georgia Tag Team
– NWA World Tag Team
– WWA World Tag Team (3x)
– WWWF World Tag Team
– PWI Tag Team of the Year in 1974.
– Jerry & Johnny held the WWF Tag Team Titles together separately.
– On November 30, 2019, Jimmy Valiant was voted into the GERWECK.NET Hall of Fame.
* Other Accomplishments & Championships for Jimmy Valiant include:
– AAW Heavyweight Champion (5x)
– APW Heavyweight Champion
– AIWF 2016 Hall of Fame
– AIWF Mid-Atlantic Tag Team (with Rob McBride)
– ACW Universal Tag Team (with Bob Ross)
– CPW Heavyweight Champion
– NWA Television Champion (2x)
– NAWA Heavyweight Champion
– NAWA Tag Team (with Hangman Bruce Pobanz)
– NWF Heavyweight Champion
– AWA Southern Champion (5x)
– AWA Southern Tag Team (with Rocky Johnson)
– CWA Tag Team (3x) 2 with Bill Dundee & 1 with Don Carson.
– NWA Southern Champion
– SCW Hall of Fame 1997
– USWA Southern Champion
– USWA Unified World Champion
– WWA World Champion
* Other Accomplishments & Championships by Johnny Valiant:
– WWA World Champion
* Other Accomplishments & Championships by Jerry Valiant:
– NWA Central States Tag Team (2x) with Roger Kirby.
– NWA Canadian Tag Team (6x) with Buck Ramstead, Gene Kiniski, the Brute, Ormand Malumba, Ricky Hunter & Eric Froelich.
– NWA Pacific Coast Champion
– IWA World Champion
– WWA World Tag Team (5x) with Joe Tomasso (3), Roger Kirby (1) & Abdullah the Great (1).
