{{Short description|Canadian wrestler}} {{Infobox professional wrestler |name = Bullwhip Johnson |image = Bullwhip Johnson (wrestler).jpeg |birth_name = Daniel R. Johnston |names = Bullwhip Johnson<br />Bull Johnson<br />Battleship Johnson<br />Danny Johnson<br />Danny Sharp |height = 6"5 |weight = {{convert|286|lb|kg|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=3063 |title=Battleship Johnson: Profile |publisher=CageMatch}}</ref> |birth_date = January 6, 1954 |death_date = {{death date and age|2003|7|20|1954|1|6}} |birth_place = Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |death_place = |billed = Toronto |trainer = Bull Johnson |debut = 1974 |retired = 1990s }} '''Daniel Johnston''' (1954–2003) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He wrestled under the ring name, '''Bull Johnson''', '''Bullwhip Johnson''' or '''Battleship Johnson''' where he spent his career in the National Wrestling Alliance, Lutte International in Montreal and World Championship Wrestling.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=2355|title=Profile|publisher=Wrestlingdata|accessdate=2023-12-11}}</ref>

==Professional wrestling career== His father Ron Bull Johnson trained him and made his wrestling debut in 1974 in Stoney Creek, Ontario.<ref>{{cite web |author=Oliver, Greg |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2001/02/05/slam-wrestling-canadian-hall-of-fame-bullwhip-danny-johnson/ |title=Bullwhip Danny Johnson followed Father into the Ring |access-date =2024-09-02 |date =5 February 2001 |work=SLAM! Wrestling|publisher=Canoe.com}}</ref><ref name="OWOW">{{cite web|url=https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/dan-johnson/|title=Wrestler Profiles: Dan Johnson|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|accessdate=2012-03-15}}</ref> He worked in Buffalo, New York for Pedro Martinez's National Wrestling Federation in 1975.{{citation needed|date= September 2024}}

In 1978, Johnson appeared in the wrestling film Blood & Guts. The movie was filmed in Hamilton.<ref>{{cite web |author=Oliver, Greg |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2006/09/11/hamilton-runs-through-blood-guts/ |title=Hamilton runs through Blood & Guts |access-date =2024-09-02 |date =11 September 2006 |work=SLAM! Wrestling|publisher=Canoe.com}}</ref>

In 1980, he won the NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship in Los Angeles defeating Butcher Brannigan after winning a tournament. He also teamed with former football player Walter Johnson winning the Tag Team title Los Angeles version.{{citation needed|date= September 2024}}

In 1982, Johnson made his debut in Montreal for Lutte International. He worked there until 1986. From 1986 to 1987 he worked for Jim Crockett Promotions in the Mid-Atlantic.{{citation needed|date= September 2024}}

Johnson appeared at World Championship Wrestling's Starrcade '90: Collision Course teaming with Canadian Troy Montour losing to Russians Victor Zangiev and Salman Hashimikov in the quarterfinals at the Pat O'Connor (wrestler) Memorial International Cup Tag Team Tournament.<ref name=411mania>{{cite web |url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/65304 |title=Going Old School: Starrcade '90 |first=Matt |last=Adamson |date=2008-02-17 |publisher=411mania |accessdate=2008-05-28 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1990/ |title=1990 |website=Thehistoryofwwe.com |access-date=2016-12-31}}</ref> In a reader's poll in the January 8, 1991 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 234 out of 447 fans that responded gave the show a thumbs up. 176 gave it a thumbs down, with the remaining 37 giving it a thumbs in the middle reaction. The match between the teams of Hasimikov and Zangiev and Johnson and Montour received the most votes for the worst match of the night with 116.<ref name=81991WON>{{cite web|url=https://members.f4wonline.com/wrestling-observer-newsletter/january-8-1991-wrestling-observer-newsletter-all-news-heading-new-year|title=January 8, 1991 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: All the news heading into a new year|author=Observer Staff|publisher=Wrestling Observer Newsletter|website=F4WOnline.com|date=January 8, 1991|accessdate=August 18, 2019}} {{subscription required}}</ref>

Johnson worked in the World Wrestling Federation in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/91.htm |title=1991 |website=Thehistoryofwwe.com |access-date=2016-12-31}}</ref> Later in his career, Johnson worked in the independents in Ontario.

He retired from wrestling sometime in the 1990s. Johnson would promote wrestling in Hamilton at a Kiwanis club.{{citation needed|date= September 2024}}

==Personal life== Johnson died on July 20, 2003, at 49 from liver cirrhosis due to years of alcoholism.<ref>{{cite web |author=Oliver, Greg |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2003/07/22/ontario-will-miss-bullwhip-johnson/ |title=Ontario will miss Bullwhip Johnson |access-date =2024-09-01 |date =22 July 2003 |work=SLAM! Wrestling|publisher=Canoe.com}}</ref><ref name="OWOW"/>

His father, Bull Johnson, was a wrestler who wrestled in the World Wide Wrestling Federation, Toronto, Calgary, the United States and Japan from the 1960s to 1980s.<ref name="OWOW"/> Died in 1988. His brother, Randy also wrestled and teamed with Johnson. Randy died on October 13, 2023, at 67.<ref>{{cite web |author=Oliver, Greg |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2023/10/13/ontarios-randy-johnston-dead-at-67/ |title=Ontario's Randy Johnston dead at 67 |access-date =2024-09-02 |date =13 October 2023 |work=SLAM! Wrestling|publisher=Canoe.com}}</ref>

His son, Eric is also a wrestler and a comedian. Eric and Canadian authors Greg Oliver and Joseph Casciaro did a book called Run with the Bull: Three Generations of Sports & Entertainment covering Johnson, his dad and his grandpa, Bull Johnson. The book was released on February 1, 2024. On March 16, 2024, a launch party in Toronto was a meet and greet for the book.<ref>{{cite web |author=Casciaro, Joseph |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2024/02/02/excerpt-from-run-with-the-bull-three-generations-of-sports-entertainment/ |title=Excerpt from Run with the Bull: Three Generations of Sports & Entertainment |access-date =2024-09-02 |date =2 February 2024 |work=SLAM! Wrestling|publisher=Canoe.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Casciaro, Joseph |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2024/03/17/mat-matters-wasnt-that-a-party-lots-of-bull/ |title=Mat Matters: Wasn't that a party? Lots of Bull! |access-date =2024-09-02 |date =17 March 2024 |work=SLAM! Wrestling|publisher=Canoe.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oliverbooks.ca/wrestling-goodies/run-with-the-bull/ |title=Run with the Bull - Oliver Books |date=14 November 2023 }}</ref>

==Championships and accomplishments== *'''NWA Hollywood Wrestling''' **NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Walter Johnson **NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(Los Angeles Version)'' (1 time) – with Walter Johnson ** NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship (1 time)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ca/la/nwa/int-tv.html|title=N.W.A. "Beat the Champ" International Television Title (Los Angeles)|year=2003|publisher=Puroresu Dojo}}</ref>

==References== '''General''' * {{cite book |last=Nevada |first=Vance |author-link=Vance Nevada |date=2022 |title=(Un)Controlled Chaos: Canada's Remarkable Professional Wrestling Legacy |location= |publisher=FriesenPress |isbn=9781039154797}}

'''Specific''' {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Bullwhip}} Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers Category:20th-century Canadian professional wrestlers Category:Canadian male professional wrestlers Category:Professional wrestlers from Ontario Category:Sportspeople from Hamilton, Ontario Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni Category:1954 births Category:2003 deaths Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen