Hi Dave

In responce to the question about the greatest in-ring rivalry in history, the answer clearly is Johnny Valentine vs the Fabulous Kangaroos up to and including the introduction of Cowboy Bob Ellis as Johnny's Tag team partner, replacing the plane-delayed New York MSG Legendary Super Hero Antonio Rocca in the Championship Match being televised live from Capitol Arena - a week after Rocca announced that he was so impressed by Valentine's courage that he would join the former villain in a championship match against the evil Knagaroos -  a replacement  that sent  Wild Red Berry and the Kangaroos into fits of refusal thus establishing and getting over Ellis so impressively that he went on to headline cards against the Great Buddy Rogers  across the Northeast including a rare fourth title shot at MSG -  instead of the usual 3 - and marking the rise of Valentine to superhero status a forever thing in the Northeast - to the point that an ill- conceived feud with Bruno's cousin, Antonio Pugleise, could not turn him back to villain status, and actually turned Pugliese heel, and scared the McMahon Sr. Sammartino hierarchy so much that a planed  Bruno/ Valentine feud was scrapped.  So over was Valentine that, evidenced a long time later,  when Valentine returned to MSG for a match, a one-shot deal, against the recently face-turned Waldo Von Erich, Valentine received the loudest, most intense salute in the history of the Garden, a salute from fans that delayed the start of the match and obviously surprised and touched Valentine so much he broke Kayfabe, and perhaps changed the match outcome to a 20 minute draw.

Steve Mueller

Wrestling Eye, Pro Wresting Today, etc.