Lancaster, South Carolina is about to become the stage for one of professional wrestling’s most remarkable send-offs.
WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Valiant, known worldwide as “The Boogie Woogie Man,” has announced that he will lace up his boots one final time on April 25, 2026, in Lancaster, SC, for a special event titled Boogie’s Last Dance, presented by NAWA Championship Wrestling.
At 83 years old, Valiant is set to close out an extraordinary career that has spanned an almost unimaginable six decades. Valiant made his wrestling debut in 1964 and traveled the world as a pro wrestling star, and he and his kayfabe brother Johnny Valiant dominated the tag team scene as WWWF Tag Team champions for 370 days. Pro Wrestling Illustrated crowned them the No. 1 tag team in 1974, and Valiant went on to become a two-time NWA Television champion before being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996.
The Lancaster event will mark Valiant’s first in-ring appearance since September 23, 2023, when he competed in a six-man tag team match, also hosted by NAWA, at the age of 80. His opponents for the April 25 bout have not yet been announced.
In a statement shared ahead of the event, Valiant made clear that this time, the retirement is real:
“Yes, this will be my final dance. I’ve retired before but this is truly my last dance. I’m honored to hang up my boots after 62 years of wrestling pro. 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.”
That last detail is a point of personal pride for Valiant, the ability to claim he competed as a professional wrestler across seven separate decades, from the 1960s all the way through the 2020s. It’s a distinction very few athletes in any sport can claim.
To put the moment in perspective, Ric Flair had his last match in July 2022 alongside Andrade El Idolo, and Flair was ten years younger than Valiant is currently. Valiant isn’t just surpassing Flair in age; he’s rewriting what’s thought possible for longevity in the squared circle.
NAWA promoter Michael Elliott expressed the gravity of hosting such a historic night: “We are honored to have this moment be a part of NAWA. This will truly be a historic evening.”
For fans in the Lancaster area and across the Carolinas, this is a rare chance to witness a living piece of wrestling history say goodbye in person. Lancaster, SC, a small city with a big heart for community events, will serve as the intimate backdrop for what promises to be an emotional and unforgettable evening.
Tickets for Boogie’s Last Dance are available at events.ticketleap.com, and fans can follow updates on the NAWA Facebook page at facebook.com/NAWAprowrestling.
One last dance. One unforgettable night. Lancaster, SC, April 25, 2026.
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