By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Professional wrestling has been in Jimmy Valiant’s blood for the past 54 years. This weekend at the age of 79, he will wrestle in his retirement match at the Dublin Fairgrounds as part of the 2021 NRV Fair.
He will hang up the boots while also celebrating his wedding anniversary, his birthday and the birthday of his wife, Angel.
On Tuesday at his Alleghany Springs home, Valiant spoke about his emotions about the event.
“Now is the time for me to leave my boots in the middle of the ring at the end of my final match. I’m done,” he said.
Valiant, whose real name is James Harold Fanning, was born in Tullhoma, Tenn., the youngest of five children. His four siblings were all girls. He admits being the lone male in the family was sometimes tough.
“I just fell into wrestling after seeing a Charles Atlas muscle ad on the back of a magazine. It changed many young boys’ lives like mine,” he said.
At an early age, he delivered newspapers, flipped burgers, and swept up the floor at a local gymnasium just south of Chicago where he crafted his skill on the mat. “I was bound to be a wrestler,” Valiant said.
He started wrestling in 1964 as Big Jim Vallen, then wrestled with the World Wide Wrestling Federation, which is now the WWE, in the 1970s when he was known as Handsome Jimmy Valiant. He teamed with Johnny Valiant to dominate the tag-team ranks, winning the WWF tag team belts several times. The two headlined several matches in Madison Square Garden in New York City.
During the late 70s and early 80s, Valiant became a regular in the Memphis wrestling scene where he feuded with the likes of the King Jerry Lawyer. During this period he changed his wrestling persona several times ranging from King James Valiant to Boogie Woogie Man. His entrance music was the “Boy from New York City” as he danced his ways into arenas.
“I loved to enter with lots of energy, dancing, and hugging and kissing people in the crowd,” he said.
Over the years, he has held 40 individual and tag titles.
Since his departure from the WWF/WWE, he has turned to the Independent scene throughout the country, making public appearances, signing autographs, and even writing a couple of books
(“Woo….Mercy Daddy, Welcome to My World, the Jimmy Valiant Story,” and “Blueprint to Become a Pro Wrestler.”)
He also continues to operate the Boogie Woogie wrestling training camp in Alleghany Springs near Shawsville, which includes his own special wall of mementoes.
One of his biggest honors came in 1996 when he was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame. He has also been named to the Southern Championship Wrestling’s Hall of Fame (1997), the New England Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (2018), and the Allied Independent Wrestling Federations Hall of Fame (2016).
But of all those honors, Valiant admits his biggest memory will be this weekend’s retirement match at the New River Valley Fairgrounds.
“Now, I just want to be a goodwill ambassador for the sport, signing a few autographs, and maybe making some public appearances,” he said.
Valiant is scheduled to meet fans and fairgoers in the Wysor Building at Dublin’s New River Valley Fairgrounds shortly before tonight’s match at 7 p.m.
His wife, Angel, operates a wrestling costume seamstress service in the couple’s basement, making elaborate robes that are seen during wrestling television broadcasts.
“We will keep doing things like that,” Valiant said, but this is his last match as a competitor, especially as he is about to turn 79.
A special birthday bash will be held for the Boogie Woogie Man on Aug. 8 at his training camp. It party is free and open to the public.
“We will have some cake, and I will pass the torch to the youngsters that train at the camp,” Valiant said.
