. Valentine was entered in the WWF World Heavyweight Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV, where he defeated Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat in the first round before losing to "Macho Man" Randy Savage, the eventual winner of the tournament, in the quarter-finals. Valentine would hold the United States Championship twice more, renewing his feud with Wahoo in 1982 and defeating him for the title on November 4 with the assistance of his manager, Sir Oliver Humperdink. He immediately began feuding with Johnny Weaver, who he "retired" with a top rope elbow drop. [citation needed] Six months later, Wisniski relocated to Detroit to complete his training under the Sheik. Where they were the first team to be eliminated after a slightly botched sunset flip from Necro Butcher. To help "ease the pain" of the road, Valentine's wife Julie often accompanied him. Greg Valentine would debut in 1968 and spend the early part of the 1970s developing one of the most crippling versions of the Figure-Four Leglock. They held the titles until May 8, 1977, when the Andersons defeated them in a steel cage match in the old Charlotte Coliseum. Since as far back as 1995, Greg has been married to Julie Wisniski. Just like with Wahoo, Valentine did an angle with the territorys No. On the October 19, 1992 taping of WCW Saturday Night he arrived to learn that he was to lose Sting on that night's taping. Flair was beaten, and then Valentine snapped Gene Anderson's hickory cane over Flair's head, legitimately breaking his nose and splitting his lips. Valentine later claimed to have "seen the light", and re-formed his team with Flair, who believed that Valentine was now a face. [9] On January 7, 1991 the angle was furthered. ), Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. Valentine began working on a casual basis for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), then owned by Vincent J. McMahon, in November 1978. The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), Roddy Piper and Greg Valentine Their Lauded Feud & Dog Collar Match, Championship Belt Maker Dave Millican Shares His Pieces of History, Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine | Rhythm and Blues (and Unkept Promises, Too! Who Is Greg Valentine's Wife? Andrew Anderson & Greg Valentine defeat Pete Nixon & The Executioner. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) Greg Derr/AP Show More Show Less 5 of 8 Brian Walshe, accused of killing wife Anna who disappeared on New Years Day 2023, enters the courtroom for his . "Flair was always a good friend, and a friendly enemy," laughed The Hammer. In August 1976, Valentine debuted in Jim Crockett Jr. and George Scott's Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, an affiliate of the National Wrestling Alliance based in the Carolinas and Virginias. Valentine vs. Orndorff (Mid-Atlantic 70's) 5. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Authorities said earlier that there were 10 present. "I can't teach people how to fly a plane or how to work a computer, my profession is wrestling, and that's what I'm going to teach them. Making the most of their last title shot, the Bulldogs defeated Valentine and Beefcake in front of a capacity Rosemont Horizon crowd. He made his debut on February 4, 1992 at a house show in Norfolk, Virginia. On January 7, 1991 the angle was furthered. It took an eye-opening road trip with his dad in the summer of 1969 to give the young Hammer the motivation he needed to step into the squared circle. That summer Valentine would wrestle three times on a July house show tour, facing Bob Backlund on each occasion. Santana initially thought he had the match won, but had in fact only achieved a two-count. When he returned to the Mid-Atlantic territory, his work against Wahoo and later in the WWWF had "made" Greg Valentine as a main event-level heel. His brother is actor Kevin James. Shortly thereafter, the WWE awarded Santana a new belt, the iconic Intercontinental design still in use by the WWE today. Help us build our profile of Greg Valentine! After the WWF asked him to "kidnap" Matilda, the bulldog mascot of The British Bulldogs, Valentine resigned. Colt Cabana, Greg Valentine & The Honky Tonk Man defeat David Arquette, RJ City & The System. "I think folks are surprised when Im nice," he said, laughing. Read Also:Sara Del Rey Biography, Age, Married, Wrestler, WWE, Salary, Net Worth. 3 Who Is Greg Valentine's Wife? On February 15, 1992 he made his debut on television. "I called him and said that I didn't want to go back to school, and that I wanted to become a wrestler. Due to this, Greg later became convinced to join wrestling. Returning to the NWA, Valentine renewed his feuds with Wahoo McDaniel and Rowdy Roddy Piper over the United States Championship. Following the road trip, Valentine returned to his home in Seattle where he was supposed to return to school. When Crockett threatened to send the film to NWA president Bob Geigel who said he would overturn their victory, Stevens and Valentine attacked him and cut the film up with a pocketknife, destroying the evidence. John Anthony Wisniski Jr. (September 10, 1950) is an American professional wrestler better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Jonathan Anthony Wisniski (born September 20, 1951) is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. In April 1989 he began feuding with "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin. Valentine was hired to replace his father, who had been forced to retire after he broke his back in a plane crash in 1975. By 1992, Greg had joined the World Championship Wrestling (WCW ) where he teamed up with Terry Taylor, and with this new partnership, they were able to win the WCW United States Tag Team Championship, after defeating Ron Simmons and Big Josh. The team split after they were stripped of the titles in April 1978 by NWA president Eddie Graham as a result of their "unprofessional conduct". Greg Valentine is a Professional Wrestler who was born on 20 September, 1951 in United States. On television, Valentine's fortunes continued to wane. John Theodore Wisniski (September 22, 1928 - April 24, 2001), better known by his ring name Johnny Valentine, was an American professional wrestler with a career spanning almost three decades. Rhythm and Blues feuded with The Bushwhackers (Butch and Luke) and The Hart Foundation, but were overshadowed by the Legion Of Doom (Animal and Hawk), who were by then dominating the tag division. Valentine would also (illegally) attach the shin guard to his arm in order to accentuate his elbow drops. He currently lives in suburban Birmingham, Alabama and can be reached on Twitter @bamawriter. Greg Valentine was born on 20 September, 1951 in Seattle, Washington, United States, is an American professional wrestler. He had two daughters, Vanessa and Romaine, with his first wife, who once appeared on WWF TV in 1984 to give Valentine a back rub, which he claimed was the secret of his success. Sadly, Vanessa later developed cancer and eventually died in 2015. "But we don't have the numbers, right?" he says to . Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar. "For a lot of years, I never got to meet my fans because I was so busy. HOW FortuneBaynia II - Event @ Fortune Bay Resort Casino in Tower, Minnesota . Flair, by then a face, declined. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the worlds best TV and movies. Two weeks later, he teamed again with Terry Taylor to defeat Ron Simmons and Big Josh to win the WCW United States Tag Team Championship. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine . He also appears in WWE 2K19. In1994, Greg took his wrestling campaign to the independent circuit, wrestling in Japan, and the Hamilton-based International Championship Wrestling promotion as well as the American Wrestling Federation, where he featured in several fights. So when Greg Valentine and Tito Santana met on July 6th, 1985, in a steel cage in Baltimore, Maryland, it was a perfect opportunity to put the belt out to pasture. Roddy Piper began pursuing the title, and, after Piper gave Valentine a cake with a dog collar inside, the two had a series of brutal dog collar matches, most notably at Starrcade 1983, where Piper pinned Valentine in a non-title match after repeatedly whipping him with the steel chain. McMahon was expanding his fathers old territory, planning to take his promotion national. Two weeks after WrestleMania V (where he teamed with the Jimmy Hart managed Honky Tonk Man in a loss to the now babyface Hart Foundation), he defeated Garvin in a retirement match on Superstars of Wrestling by reversing a small package and holding on to the ropes. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. They first defeated Gene and Ole Anderson on December 26, 1976 (who nine years later would become in storyline Flair's "cousins") in Greensboro, injuring Gene so badly that he had to be stretchered out. Greg Valentines income source is mostly from being a successful Wrestler. They got married precisely on 14th February, being Valentine's day of that year. Valentine pinned the JYD after using the ropes, but Santana came to ringside and informed the referee, who restarted the match. Teaming with Terry Taylor, the duo defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell and Tom Zenk. Meanwhile, on June 11, 1977, Greg won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship in Raleigh after breaking the ankle of Chief Wahoo McDaniel to claim the Heavyweight title. Greg Valentine birthday is on 20- Sep -51 and he was born on the Day of Thursday. These days, Valentine still wrestles fairly regularly while also working the convention and autograph circuit. Bobby Mathews is a contributor for Pro Wrestling Stories as well as a veteran journalist whose byline has appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Birmingham News, The Denver Post, as well as other newspapers around the country. Jonathan Anthony Wisniski (born September 20, 1951) is a retired American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. While in this series, Valentine also began to regularly team with Dick Slater. Sign up for BINGE to watch. Just how old is Greg "The Hammer" Valentine? Greg Valentine Personal Life, Married, Wife, Children, Sara Del Rey Biography, Age, Married, Wrestler, WWE, Salary, Net Worth. In a match that saw Davey Boy Smith defeat Dino Bravo, Valentine was again accidentally hit by Jimmy Hart's megaphone. He eventually challenged WWWF champion Bob Backlund in Madison Square Garden, going to a one-hour draw. Following Taylors departure from WCW, Valentine was left to fend for himself. "I never wanted anybody to be able to see through any of my stuff, so when I threw something, I threw it hard. Valentine got his start in show business on the stand up comedy stage. The two soon defeated the Minnesota Wrecking Crew for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Date of Birth. , money, salary, income, and assets. On January 29, 2005 at WrestleReunion, Valentine won a seventeen-man battle royal to become the IWA Heavyweight Champion. Teaming with Terry Taylor, the duo defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell and Tom Zenk. Their union has resulted in their two daughters, Vanessa Valentine and Romayne Valentine. Aside from working with younger wrestlers, The Hammer is also enjoying the time he spends meeting fans he never got to meet during his many years on the road. 1. We have estimated In May 2007, Valentine defeated Quinson Valentino to win the Canadian Grand-Prix Wrestling Championship in Morrisburg, Ontario. Valentine found himself the No. Garvin then became a ring announcer, and began aggravating Valentine. However his stay in the UWF was technically only for that TV taping; as with Andre the Giant, Vince McMahon responded to Abram's announcement by luring Greg Valentine back to the WWF. In AWA Superstars of Wrestling, Valentine regularly wrestled Tony Atlas. This is the reason why Valentine recently missed Canadian Wrestling's Elite "Legends Of Wrestling and Professional Sports Convention 2". Greg Valentine is a member of the following lists: 1951 births, People from Seattle, Washington and American professional wrestlers.. So, how much is Greg Valentine worth at the age of 71 years old? So, how much is Greg Valentine worth at the age of 72 years old? DeLana Harvicks Net Worth In 2023: Just How Rich Is Kevin Harvicks Ex-wife? He continues to appear on the independent wrestling circuit, but Greg The Hammer Valentine will always be remembered as one of wrestlings toughest, the man who helped make the Figure-Four Leglock one of the most feared holds in professional wrestling history. Santana eventually healed and fought Valentine in many matches (after Santana returned to the ring by defeating The Executioner in the first ever match at Wrestlemania). "Dont you think people would have paid for a picture with that belt?" He later changed his ring name to Greg "the Hammer" Valentine, and was billed as Johnny Valentine's brother, not his son, because of fears that the elder Valentine would be thought of as too old to be a legitimate threat. He is the brother-in-law of wrestler Brian Knobbs.[21][22]. With this determination, he decided to drop out of college to pursue that dream, defying his fathers advice to continue with his studies. Valentine and Flair worked a brutal feud with unlikely babyfaces, Ole and Gene Anderson, trading the world tag titles back and forth, until they were stripped of the tag team titles by then-NWA president Eddie Graham for "unprofessional conduct" in an angle that explained Flair breaking off to pursue the world championship. 3 of 27 4 of 27 Mass shooting survivor Wilson Garcia looks up to the sky during a vigil for his son Daniel Enrique Laso, 9, Sunday, April 30, 2023, in Cleveland, Texas. He made his debut that night at a television taping in the Penta Hotel in New York City, defeating Sonny Blaze. BEST OF GREG VALENTINE Disc 1 1. Place Of Birth. Im going to lead the match, and I just dont work that way.". When Crockett threatened to send the film to NWA president Bob Geigel who said he would overturned their victory, Stevens and Valentine attacked him and cut the film up with a pocketknife, destroying the evidence. Everyone has been so nice to me, and it's really been a great compliment. Greg has always maintained a fairly fierce look as an experienced wrestler that he is. I did a slow burning triple take, making sure it . Initially reluctant to take his father's ring name, Wisniski wrestled as Baby Face Nelson before becoming Johnny Fargo, one half of the Fargo Brothers with Don Fargo between 1971 and 1974. in an 8 team elimination match for the then vacant JCW Tag-Team Titles. Consequently, he moved to Canada in the 70s for his training; he actually trained under Stu Hart in Calgary. A second-generation wrestler, Greg The Hammer Valentine would go on to compete in some of the most ferocious matches in the history of the sport. Born Valentine's Day, 1934, this actress played television wife to Mike, mother to Jan, Marcia and Cindy and stepmother to Greg, Peter #menu-top-menu { While they were contenders for the WWF Tag Team Championship, Valentine did not see the success he had known with past partners, and the team was disbanded. 5 Feuded With Roddy Piper. While Santana got the victory to reclaim the title, Valentine retrieved the championship and destroyed the belt, beating it repeatedly against the cage and tearing the gold away from the leather. After the WWF asked him to "kidnap" Matilda, the bulldog mascot of The British Bulldogs, Valentine resigned. Valentine, with his work ethic and history in the business, just wanted to go out and call it in the ring. 10 Facts, Who Is Becky Hammon Wifes, Brenda Milano? Wahoo had cost Valentine and Flair their first tag team championships (Wahoo, the then-nemesis of Flair, had been the special referee in the steel cage match), so Valentine was eager for revenge. Both Rhodes attacked Valentine, only to then be retaliated upon by Dick Slater and The Barbarian. In the fall he continued to team with Slater in matches against The Steiner Brothers. Famously during the time of Rhythm and Blues, WWF announcer Gorilla Monsoon would proclaim every time Valentine got on the microphone and sang (while also attempting to play a guitar) that "if you hung The Hammer for being a good singer you would hang an innocent person". Following the win, Valentine put Santana in the figure four leglock, reinjuring him. He went on to win the title back on July 6, 1985 in a steel cage match in Baltimore, ending Valentine's 285-day reign, the fifth-longest in Intercontinental title history. Today, Greg Valentine operates out of his home base of 22 years, Clearwater, Fla. No longer committed to wrestling on a weekly basis, Valentine spends as much time as possible working in his garden, talking on the phone, lifting weights in the gym, or relaxing out on his boat. Working with the Bulldogs could be a challenge, becauseespecially at the timethey were one of the newer breeds of teams who wanted to plan spots out in advance. [19] He is a born again Christian[20] and occasionally speaks at high schools and colleges with Ted DiBiase. 15.11.2019. DETAILS BELOW Greg Valentine (born September 20, 1951) is famous for being wrestler. On the February 17, 1991 edition of Wrestling Challenge, the WWF aired footage from the incident with Jimmy Hart at Madison Square Garden at the end of 1990. As a result, The Hammer engaged in a brutal near one-year feud with Santana over the belt. He reappeared in the WWF at the 1993 Survivor Series under a mask as The Blue Knight in an elimination match pitting Shawn Michaels (who was substituting for Jerry Lawler) and his three "knights" (who also included Barry Horowitz as the Red Knight and Jeff Gaylord as the Black Knight) against the Hart Family. In AWA Superstars of Wrestling, Valentine regularly wrestled Tony Atlas. Valentine played an usher who ejected guests from the theater when their time is up on the show. On January 29, 2005 at WrestleReunion, Valentine won a seventeen-man battle royal to become the IWA Heavyweight Champion. Wahoo returned on August 9, 1977 and took back the title. In 2004, he was honored for his contributionswhen he was officially inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Valentine was successful in defeating Koko in Cornwall, though the title was vacated due to inactivity. The following night, at WrestleMania XX at Madison Square Garden, Valentine received loud applause when the class of 2004 was introduced. There was so much talent with Crockett. At SummerSlam 1989, for his match with Hercules, Garvin announced Valentine as being Hercules' "so-called opponent" and at 249lbs looking to Garvin like he was "overweight by thirty pounds" as he approached the ring. He later changed his ring name to Greg "the Hammer" Valentine, and was billed as Johnny Valentine's brother, not his son, because of fears that the elder Valentine would be thought of as too old to be a legitimate threat. For some time Valentine had been wearing a shin guard, which he would rotate (so it covered his calf, not his shin) in order to increase the pressure exerted by the Figure Four Leglock. Valentine then formed a tag team with Ric Flair, with whom he twice won the NWA World tag team title and held the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (between June 30 and August 22, 1977). . Check out 100 hot photos of Stephanie McMahon 2023 Pro Wrestling Pix. Greg Valentine on His Career and the Tragic Fate of His Destroyed IC Title Author: Bobby Mathews Jan. 14, 2022 WWE Hall of Famer Greg Valentine called it in the ring for almost the entirety of his career. They got married precisely on 14th February, being Valentines day of that year. The two only showed great teamwork, and with Johnny Valiant as their manager, it was only a matter of time before they would wear tag team gold. In August 1976, Valentine debuted in Jim Crockett Jr. and George Scott's Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, an affiliate of the National Wrestling Alliance based in the Carolinas and Virginias. I want to say thank you to everyone.". Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Later that month he finished his run with the company, defeating Skinner at a house show on January 25, 1992 in Chicago, Illinois. Valentine and Jimmy Hart eventually demanded that Garvin be reinstated so that they could fight in the ring. The feud culminated in a submission match at the 1990 Royal Rumble. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine. View the profiles of people named Grg Valentine. He made his debut that night at a television taping in the Penta Hotel in New York City, defeating Sonny Blaze. Valentine wanted to send a message to those fans. Mystery of Missing Wrestling Championship Belts, Tim Storm: From Super Fan to NWA World Champion, Brad Armstrong Your Favorite Wrestlers Favorite Wrestler. Greg Valentine is one of several veteran superstars who appears in the 350 Days documentary, which details what it was really like to live life on the road as a professional wrestler in the 1980s. Watch WrestleMania and other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow. His first manager was Captain Lou Albano, and he was later managed by Jimmy Hart. He told me his wife threw it out! The duo wrestled The Freebirds and Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes. 2. He finished his WCW run with a victory over Pat Tanaka on February 17, 1998.[17]. Jonathan Anthony Wisniski (born September 20, 1951) is a retired American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Managed by The Grand Wizard, he was given the gimmick of a methodical wrestler who broke the legs of all his opponents, including Chief Jay Strongbow. They split in 1974 and Wisniski went to Florida, where he began performing as Johnny Valentine Jr., hopeful that he could live up to his father's legacy. However, before then, Greg had two daughters whose names are Vanessa and Romaine with his first wife. He went on to win the title back on July 6, 1985 in a steel cage match in Baltimore, ending Valentine's 285-day reign, the fifth-longest in Intercontinental title history. After living most of his WWF life in Florida, the Valentines moved to Las Vegas. 2 heel in the company, just as he had been for Crockett. Kelly Ripken- 10 Fast Facts About Cal Ripken Jr.s Ex-Wife- Did She Cheat On Him? The film served as the pilot for a comedy series that was not developed further. This began the televised process of his face turn. He dropped the title to Dick Slater on December 14, just before leaving them for the World Wrestling Federation. Watch every Premium Live Event and get unlimited access to WWE's premium content - available to you anywhere, anytime, on any device. Like Ricky Steamboathe was tremendous. He held the title until November 24, when he was beaten by Flair; Flair became one of Valentine's main opponents in the Mid-Atlantic territory. Additionally, away from the rings, Greg has made appearances in quite a number of movies and television shows, notable among them are: Hogan Knows Best, Insane Clown Posse, Something Fishy, as well as Legends of Wrestling II, Showdown, in addition to WWE Legends of WrestleMania, WWE 2K17, WWE 2K18, WWE 2K19, and lastly in The Dream Team.