Sonny King (wrestler)
Sonny King | |
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Birth name | Larry Johnson |
Born | 1945 North Carolina, U.S.[1] |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Sonny King |
Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[1] |
Billed weight | 231 lb (105 kg)[1] |
Debut | 1960s |
Retired | 1985 |
Larry Johnson is an American former professional wrestler better known as Sonny King. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), where he won the WWWF Tag Team Championship.
Professional wrestling career
Johnson began his career as a professional boxer, but later turned to professional wrestling after befriending Ernie Ladd.[2] Johnson initially turned down the offer from Jack Britton to join the sport, but later tried it anyway.[2] He began his training in Detroit.[2] He later worked in Pittsburgh and Ontario.[2]
In 1972, he teamed with Chief Jay Strongbow to win the World Wide Wrestling Federation's World Tag Team Championship from Baron Mikel Scicluna and King Curtis Iaukea.[2][3] After a month, they lost the title to the team of Professor Tanaka and Mr. Fuji.[3] Through 1973 and 1974, he worked in NWA Mid Atlantic where he most often fought Johhny Valentine and Swede Hanson.
Johnson won the NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship in Alabama in March 1977. In 1978 and 1979, Johnson worked in Memphis as a manager to Jos Leduc and Ron Bass.[2] He also feuded with Jerry Lawler for the Southern Championship.[2] While with Championship Wrestling from Florida, he traded the Florida version of the NWA Brass Knuckles Championship with Killer Karl Kox.
While partnering with The Angel in the Continental Wrestling Association in 1980, he won the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship. While waiting for a card to start in the Carolinas, he noticed a male force his way into an arena past an elderly security guard. When Johnson confronted the man, he was stabbed numerous times, during which he suffered a punctured lung and the knife knicked his heart. Johnson was rushed into emergency surgery. Years later, Johnson recounted the surgeon having to massage his heart outside of his body to keep him alive. He retired in the mid-1980s.[2]
Personal life
Johnson grew up in North Carolina.[2] After retiring from wrestling, he worked in a junkyard in South Florida, buying and selling car parts.[2] His son played football for the South Carolina Gamecocks.[2]
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version) (1 time)
- AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Ricky Morton (1) and The Angel (1)
- NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Eddie Sullivan[1]
- International Wrestling Association
- IWA Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time) [1]
- WWWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Chief Jay Strongbow[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e Sonny King Cagematch.net Retrieved Apr 1, 2020
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Oliver, Greg (May 31, 2010). "Sonny King talks about his career -- for the first time!". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b c "History of the World Tag Team Championship". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
External links
- Sonny King Profile at Online World of Wrestling
- Sonny King Profile at Cagematch
- v
- t
- e
- Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler
- Karl Gotch and Rene Goulet
- King Curtis Iaukea and Mikel Scicluna
- Chief Jay Strongbow and Sonny King
- Mr. Fuji and Professor Tanaka
- Haystacks Calhoun and Tony Garea
- Dean Ho and Tony Garea
- Valiant Brothers (Jimmy Valiant and Johnny Valiant)
- Dominic DeNucci and Pat Barrett/Víctor Rivera
- The Blackjacks (Blackjack Lanza and Blackjack Mulligan)
- Louis Cerdan and Tony Parisi
- Executioners (Executioner #1 and Executioner #2)
- Billy White Wolf and Chief Jay Strongbow
- Dino Bravo and Dominic DeNucci
- Yukon Lumberjacks (Lumberjack Eric and Lumberjack Pierre)
- Larry Zbyszko and Tony Garea
- Valiant Brothers (Jerry Valiant and Johnny Valiant)
- Ivan Putski and Tito Santana
- Wild Samoans (Afa and Sika)
- Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales
- Rick Martel and Tony Garea
- Moondogs (Moondog Rex and Moondog King/Moondog Spot)
- Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito
- Chief Jay Strongbow and Jules Strongbow
- Soul Patrol (Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas)
- North-South Connection (Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch)
- U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo)
- The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff
- Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine)
- The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid)
- The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart)
- Strike Force (Rick Martel and Tito Santana)
- Demolition (Ax, Crush, and Smash)
- Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard)
- Colossal Connection (André the Giant and Haku)
- The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags)
- Legion of Doom (Animal and Hawk)
- Money Inc. (Irwin R. Schyster and Ted DiBiase)
- The Natural Disasters (Earthquake and Typhoon)
- Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner)
- The Quebecers (Quebecer Jacques and Quebecer Pierre)
- 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty
- Men on a Mission (Mabel and Mo)
- Headshrinkers (Fatu and Samu)
- Two Dudes with Attitudes (Diesel and Shawn Michaels)
- The 1-2-3 Kid and Bob Holly
- Smoking Gunns (Bart Gunn and Billy Gunn)
- Owen Hart and Yokozuna
- Bodydonnas (Skip and Zip)
- The Godwinns (Henry O. Godwinn and Phineas I. Godwinn)
- Owen Hart and the British Bulldog
- Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Dude Love and Stone Cold Steve Austin
- The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher)
- New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg)
- Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie
- Kane and Mankind
- Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker
- Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock
- Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart
- Kane and X-Pac
- Acolytes Protection Agency (Bradshaw and Faarooq)
- Hardy Boyz (Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy)
- The Unholy Alliance (Big Show and The Undertaker)
- Rock 'n' Sock Connection (Mankind and The Rock)
- Holly Cousins (Crash Holly and Hardcore Holly)
- Al Snow and Mankind
- Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley)
- Edge and Christian
- Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty)
- Right to Censor (Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather)
- The Rock and The Undertaker
- Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane)
- Two-Man Power Trip (Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H)
- Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho
- Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Kanyon
- Chris Jericho and The Rock
- Booker T and Test
- Spike Dudley and Tazz
- Billy and Chuck
- Rico and Rikishi
- Edge and Hulk Hogan
- The Un-Americans (Christian and Lance Storm)
- The Hurricane and Kane
- Chris Jericho and Christian
- Booker T and Goldust
- Lance Storm and William Regal
- Chief Morley and Lance Storm
- Kane and Rob Van Dam
- La Résistance (René Duprée and Sylvain Grenier)
- Evolution (Batista and Ric Flair)
- Booker T and Rob Van Dam
- Chris Benoit and Edge
- La Résistance (Robért Conway and Sylvain Grenier)
- Eugene and William Regal
- Tajiri and William Regal
- The Hurricane and Rosey
- Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch
- Big Show and Kane
- Spirit Squad (Johnny, Kenny, Mikey, Mitch, and Nicky)
- Roddy Piper and Ric Flair
- Rated-RKO (Edge and Randy Orton)
- John Cena and Shawn Michaels
- Paul London and Brian Kendrick
- Cody Rhodes and Hardcore Holly
- The Legacy (Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Jr.)
- Batista and John Cena
- CM Punk and Kofi Kingston
- John Morrison and the Miz
- The Colóns (Carlito and Primo)
- Chris Jericho and Edge
- Jeri-Show (Big Show and Chris Jericho)
- D-Generation X (Shawn Michaels and Triple H)
- ShoMiz (Big Show and The Miz)
- The Hart Dynasty (David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd)