Jimmy Valiant Wrestles Final Match at 83 Years Old
Jimmy Valiant laced up his boots one final time at 83 years old, stepping into the ring this past weekend for what he has confirmed will be his last match.
The WWE Hall of Famer announced his retirement match took place on April 25 in Lancaster, South Carolina, at an event called Boogie's Last Dance, presented by NAWA Championship Wrestling. Valiant last wrestled on September 23, 2023, and his appearance will mark the end of a career spanning 62 years, beginning in 1964.
Ahead of the match, Valiant acknowledged he has retired before but made clear this time carries a different finality.
"Yes, this will be my final dance. I've retired before but this is truly my last dance," he said in a statement via press release. "I'm honored to hang up my boots after 62 years of wrestling pro."
He also reflected on the sheer scale of what his career has encompassed.
"I had over 15,000 matches and drove 6 million miles on U.S. highways, plus flying getting to those matches. I want to dance down that aisle to my theme song, 'Boy From New York City,' one last time to make wrestling in 7 decades, from 1964 to 2026, a reality for me."
Valiant made his professional debut in 1964 and captured the WWWF World Tag Team Championship during his career, holding the titles for 370 days. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996 alongside Johnny Valiant. His career, spanning seven different decades of professional wrestling, makes him one of the longest-tenured performers in the history of the business.
