[3] Having competed against wrestlers such as Keith Hart he made his way to Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, teaming with Steve Bolus on MLW television in a losing effort against Baron von Raschke and Greg Valentine on December 16, 1978.
[4] Throughout the remainder of the 1970s, Ventura competed for All-Star Wrestling and Stampede,[4] feuding with wrestlers including Terry Sawyer, Dynamite Kid, Cuban Assassin and Roddy Piper.
[9] This was the second title he won from Thornton in as many months as he had captured the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship on October 16 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
He formed a successful team with Mike Davis, competing in noted feuds with Black Bart & Kevin Sullivan and Hector & Chavo Guerrero.
Lightfoot also began one of his most memorable rivalries with the One Man Gang, a feud which spanned both CWFF and Jim Crockett Promotions.