shoe Posted June 4, 2016 Report Share Posted June 4, 2016 Johnny Valentine vs Wild Bull Curry (Houston Wrestling) This was something I was looking forward to when Bruce posted the list. Johnny Valentine matches are very rare. I loved both wrestlers here. Johnny has a special aura about him, and Curry has a face only a mother and also a wrestling fan. Valentine would try to slow the pace. Curry was great with his facals while in holds. He really put over the pain. The 1st time Curry gets a flurry of punches in and the crowd goes wild. The punch exchanges here are the best I've ever seen. These looked like something out of a prize fight. You get how Johnny is a master of crowd psychology. He takes them down, then takes them up with the wild fighting. Again the punches in this need to be seen. When Johnny becomes a bloody mess this takes it over the top as a classic. The match ends up as a wild brawl. This is totally chaotic and out of control. Great stuff, with a super heated crowd. 4 1/2* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeCampbell Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 Holy crow, this was all kinds of fun! There are only a couple of actual wrestling moves, but, between their intensity, and selling, specifically Curry putting over that headlock and Johnny looking like he was in a trance when he got busted open, they more than make this an enjoyable experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Badger Posted March 20, 2019 Report Share Posted March 20, 2019 This really is an awesome match and the first time I've seen a full Johnny Valentine bout. He and Bull Curry beat each other senseless here...and I loved it! It was really great, simple yet violent pro wrestling. The quality of the footage is excellent as well. So very glad I watched this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstar Sleeze Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 United States Champion Johnny Valentine vs "Wild" Bull Curry - Houston 6/20/69 Two Out of Three Falls Johnny Valentine is billed as United States Champion, but I dont know which version. Apparently, Valentine injured Bull's son, Fred, so shit is personal. Bull Curry is an ugly mutha from Connecticut who looks like he could be my great uncle. Bull Curry is already 56 years old at the time of this bout! I was watching some video apparently from 1972 where they interviewed some Houston Wrestling fans. One older lady said "If Bull Curry can love as good as he fights, I would like to take him home". After watching this match, I gotta say if that woman was right and got her wish, she would have a helluva time! First Fall: Bull Curry is basically good at one thing, punching Valentine in the face. If you are going to only be good at one thing in pro wrestling make it punching people in the face. Valentine crowds up against the ropes so Bull pops him right in the jaw and Valentine is so good at selling. Valentine goes for a wristlock, whats Bull's solution to punch him in the face. Valentine is so great at clutching his jaw and selling like he is in there with a wild man. Valentine decided to grind this out with one of the most brutal, painful chinlocks you would ever see. This takes some starch out of Bull. Eventually Bull sees an opening and punches him in the gut. STAND & BANG! Johnny tries to throw hands with Bull, bad idea! Bull whups him! Johnny heads for the hills and behind the referee. This is as great as advertised. Johnny plays King of the Mountain. I think this is smart. Bull got his shine. Johnny tried to grind, Bull shined in that so now they have progressed to something new. Johnny slams him into the table. He drops The Hammer right in the mush! He keeps cutting Bull off at the pass and knocking him off the apron. Great stuff all around thus far. FIST FIGHT BREAKS OUT! Bull grabs the hair and just pounds Valentine into submission. Valentine takes a hard left jab right in the nose/cheek bone. Here comes a right! Valentine rips Bull to the ground and wrestles him down for a three count. Love the sudden finish. Bull is clearly pissed and out for blood. Valentine is here to win and retain. He squeaks out the fall. Second Fall: Johnny Valentine tries to press his advantage by throwing hands with Wild Bull, bad idea Johnny. LEFT JAB SQUARE IN THE MUSH! Bull just fucking tees off for the rest of the fall. I love bumping as much as the next guy. I think we have swung the pendulum too far in everyone bumps for everything, all the time (although my girl, Jade Cargill didnt bump except for once against Red Velvet recently so I have hope that she will do well). We could just use stand & bang stuff. Johnny is registering and selling here. He is selling on his feet. He is letting Bull do his thing which is throw wild haymakers. The facial expressions from Johnny are pitch perfect. Bull rains down the punches and busts Johnny open! YES! YES! YES! The whole Bull beating the shit out of Johnny and the way Johnny was telling the story with his eyes and you know any moment he would bump and finally that big punch lands and TIMMMMMBBBBBAAAAAAHHHHHH! Even Paul Boesch makes a Timber reference. Johnny Valentine cant answer the ten count and he loses the fall by TKO. If youre a fan of Lawler/Dundee, you gotta watch this! Third Fall: HOCKEY FIGHT! Bull has him backed into the corner, got the hair and teeing off. Ref just to break it and Bull pops him for good measure. Luckily this is not the finish. They brawl on the outside! Bull has a chair and slams Valentine. Of course it is a double countout. Bull ends up punching Danny McShane and the ref as they try to break it up. This match is for those who just love great punching. This is definitely a Memphis classic that just doesnt happen to take place in Memphis. What really elevates for me was Johnny Valentine's selling. He really ratcheted up the entertainment factor. Bull Curry was a crushing the brawling game. The finish takes it down from the super high highs but this is still a stand & bang classic. ****1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cactus Posted June 14, 2021 Report Share Posted June 14, 2021 The referee in this match was called Dick Brain. ★★★★★ The first fall features action that was way too slow and subdued for my plebian, modern taste, but I did like Valentine's subtle heel reactions and Curry's wild striking. Valentine now tries to keep Curry from wailing on him by locking in a hold and wearing him down. Although the first fall didn't engage me that much, I can appreciate the smart psychology behind everything. The second and third falls feature some amazing Memphis-flavoured brawling. The visual of a bloodied-up Valentine wobbling around was very memorable. Dick gets brained by a Curry right hand and they start brawling all over the ring and this one goes to a no-contest. I wasn't sure that I would like this at first, but they won me over in the end. ★★★★¼ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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