The travel was very appealing to me because I was so young," he continued. 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 May 1988, Jimmy Hart fitted Valentine's left shin with a shin guard, citing a mysterious injury to his wrestler, and proclaiming the shin guard as Valentine's "road to the gold.". Valentine began working on a casual basis for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), then owned by Vincent J. McMahon, in November 1978. 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". He has been in the game for more than four decades, and during this time, he has held more than 40 championships and has cemented his place as one of the most stirring men in the ring. While Santana was sidelined having leg surgery, Valentine feuded with the Junkyard Dog, who he faced in an Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship Title match at the very first WrestleMania held in Madison Square Garden. Greg again won the Canadian Grand-Prix Wrestling Championship held at Morrisburg in May 2007, after defeating Quinson Valentino. In the decades that would follow, The Hammer won numerous championships, competing with the best in the business along the way. Piper would eventually defeat Valentine on April 16, 1983, but Valentine regained the title on April 30 in Greensboro, NC; after the match, where he regained the US Title from Piper, Valentine hit Piper in the ear with US Title. With his golden locks and trademark shin pad wrapped around his boot, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine made an impact in WWE rings for more than a decade. The great white shark of golf has been together with his wife, Kirsten Kutner, since 2010. "First, I thought Brutus was very good. 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 June 2014, it was reported by a wrestling news website that one of them had passed away that month, thus forcing him to miss a wrestling convention. (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 . The feud was abruptly halted when Muraco was dismissed by the WWF, despite Valentine's pleas for Muraco not to be fired so that the promising program could be allowed to run. Like Ricky Steamboathe was tremendous. He also appears in WWE 2K19. He has a height of 6 feet 0 inch (1.83 m) and maintains a weight of 243lbs (110kg) in addition to his long light-colored hair. On January 29, 2011, Valentine was inducted into the Legends Pro Wrestling "Hall of Fame" by Jack Blaze in Wheeling, West Virginia, at their annual "LPW Over The Edge" event. Subsequently, the duo worked hard to defend their belt until it was ousted out from them by The Freebirds at the WrestleWar 92 on May 17th of that year. Greg Valentine Offers Explanation For No Showing Tribute 10 Facts, Who Is Becky Hammon Wifes, Brenda Milano? He was brought back soon after, with Jimmy Hart again as his new manager (while the "kidnap" angle was reassigned to The Islanders) but was used in a much diminished role between 1987 and 1990. 4 Greg Valentine Net Worth; 5 Greg Valentine Social Network; Age, Biography and Wiki. In a match that saw Davey Boy Smith defeat Dino Bravo, Valentine was again accidentally hit by Jimmy Hart's megaphone. Valentine returned on January 13, 1991 at a house show in Albuquerque, New Mexico and defeated Saba Simba. Teaming with Terry Taylor, the duo defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell and Tom Zenk. Later that month he finished his run with the company, defeating Skinner at a house show on January 25, 1992 in Chicago, Illinois. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. I'm looking forward to contributing as much as I can.". Valentine competed in two matches during 2018, both being tag team matches. Throughout the spring the duo successfully defended the belts against Zenk and Bagwell on various house shows. After the loss, an irate Valentine took the title belt and smashed it against the cage, resulting in a new championship belt being created. Valentine was hired to replace his father, who had been forced to retire after he broke his back in a plane crash in 1975. They got married precisely on 14th February, being Valentines day of that year. Greg Valentine on His Career and the Tragic Fate of His Destroyed IC Title Just as Don Fargo had been his mentor early in his career, Valentine was teamed with Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake as a top heel team in the company, defeating the U.S. Express of Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo for the WWF world tag team titles in August of 1985 and holding those belts until losing them to the British Bulldogs at WrestleMania II in April of 1986. Ask him about the 1980s WWE wrestling scene, and Valentine will tell you that life on the road was difficult, but the money often made up for it. 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. The former partners began feuding over Flair's NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, with Valentine finally defeating Flair for the title on July 26 in Flair's adopted hometown of Charlotte. DeLana Harvicks Net Worth In 2023: Just How Rich Is Kevin Harvicks Ex-wife? Kelly Ripken- 10 Fast Facts About Cal Ripken Jr.s Ex-Wife- Did She Cheat On Him? Over five decades, Valentine held more than 40 championships, including the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship, and WWF World Tag Team Championship. He made his debut on February 4, 1992 at a house show in Norfolk, Virginia. Sign up for Peacock to watch. He is the brother-in-law of wrestler Brian Knobbs. Honkytonk Man leaving the WWF cancelled the planned feud with Valentine. Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine Rhythm and Blues (and Unkept Promises), Roddy Piper From The Streets to the Big Time, 2 Plane Crash Tragedies that Changed Wrestling Forever, 50 Greatest Fans Meeting Wrestlers Stories, Scott Steiner: The Secret History of Big Poppa Pump, A Ghost Story: How a Long-forgotten Territory Still Haunts WWE, Vince McMahon and His Wild Night Out in the 90s, The Secret History of Bad News Brown Allen Coage. It was in the WWF that Greg Valentine rose to his greatest fame, defeating Tito Santana for the Intercontinental title in September of 1984, kayfabe injuring Santanas leg with the figure-four. Greg Valentine had two daughters, Vanessa and Romaine, from his first wife. His teachers the great Johnny Valentine, the rugged Stu Hart, and the unpredictable Sheik would not accept anything less. Progressively, Greg also featured in the 1993 Survivor Series; he actually came disguised as The Blue Knight, and on 1st July 1996 he also returned to the WCW where he faced Randy Savage in the WCW Monday Nitro, while he made many appearances in the WCW. Nevertheless, Greg then began working on a casual basis for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). in an 8 team elimination match for the then vacant JCW Tag-Team Titles. Shortly thereafter, the WWE awarded Santana a new belt, the iconic Intercontinental design still in use by the WWE today. Where Are They Now? Greg "The Hammer" Valentine | WWE "Of course, I was always better than him at two things, the Figure Four, and falling on my face. On the October 11, 1992 edition of WCW Pro he was defeated by Shane Douglas. Greg Valentine - Net Worth April 2023, Salary, Age, Siblings, Bio 'Succession' Season 4, Episode 6 Recap: 'Living+' In a tag match against Jimmy Snuka and the Iron Sheik, Valentine abandoned Flair, leaving him outnumbered. . His total net worth is reported by trusted sources to be around $15 million, which he garnered from the long years of his wrestling career. He was also downloadable content in WWE 2K17 and also appears in WWE 2K18 along with Brutus Beefcake as The Dream Team. And despite working heel for almost the entirety of his career, Valentine has a smile and friendly word for everyone. Starting in the summer of 1996, Valentine made several appearances with WCW over the course of the next two years. Bianca Carelli: 10 Fascinating Facts About Santino Marellas Daughter Who Is A Wrestler, Gunner Vincent Calaway Is The Undertakers Son 10 Unknown Facts, Dan Cena Is John Cenas Brother Also A Wrestler? Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 11:04, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, Learn how and when to remove this template message, NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship, Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, International World Class Championship Wrestling, NWA North American Heavyweight Championship, NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship, "Greg Valentine Reveals His Favorite WWE Superstar, Would His Stiff Style Work Today, Ronnie Garvin - WrestlingInc.com", "Herb Abram's Universal Wrestling Federation Cards", "Kayfabe, Lies and Alibis: Greg Valentine Shoot Interview", "Matches Greg Valentine Wrestlers Database CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". 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. [12] He later defeated Mike Durham at the same taping, and was interviewed by Albano, his former WWF manager in the "Captain Lou's Corner" segment on UWF television. . The classic match between the two was a Dog Collar Match that happened at . Valentine then put the figure-four leglock on Graham, who had a plastic hip. 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. Mini Bio (1) Gary Valentine was born Gary Joseph Knipfing in Mineola, New York, to Janet, an office worker, and Joseph Valentine Knipfing, Jr., an insurance agency owner. Sep 24, 2018 83 Dislike Share WWE Women's Wrestling 33.9K subscribers WWF Tuesday Night Titans had Vince McMahon and Lord Alfred Hayes interview Julie Valentine and Greg Valentine before. He finished his WCW run with a victory over Pat Tanaka on February 17, 1998.[17]. Graham, walking with a cane, tried to intervene when Valentine held the figure-four leglock on jobber Ricky Ataki, after already winning the match. [16] The following year he was used sparingly as well, again on television but had a 62 record, defeating Mike Enos, Bobby Eaton, and Billy Kidman. He is a born again Christian and occasionally speaks at high schools and colleges with Ted DiBiase. "I didnt call spots with those guys," he said. On Clash of the Champions XX, Bobby Eaton & Arn Anderson defeated Slater and Valentine in a rare heel vs heel match. In late 2007, Valentine made an appearance in JCW or Juggalo Championship Wrestling reforming the Dream Team with Brutus Beefcake. 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. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. Greg Valentine hammering a fan who tried to take his chair in MSG On September 24, 1984 in London, Ontario Valentine defeated Tito Santana for the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, focusing on Santana's injured knee throughout the match. Jimmy Hart managed to remove the "Hammer Jammer" from Garvin's leg, after which Valentine systematically wore down Garvin's leg, but eventually lost after Garvin hit him with the Heartbreaker and applied a sharpshooter, forcing Valentine to submit. Garvin utilized the "Hammer Jammer" during the match, using it to "counter" Valentine's figure-four leglock when Valentine applied it on Garvin during the match (rather than writhing in pain as normal during the hold, Garvin was smiling and making faces at Valentine). Vanessa began training with the Hart Brothers in the late 1990s. They held the titles until May 8, 1977, when the Andersons defeated them in a steel cage match in the old Charlotte Coliseum. In April 1989 he began feuding with "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin. Due to this, Greg later became convinced to join wrestling. After the WWF asked him to "kidnap" Matilda, the bulldog mascot of The British Bulldogs, Valentine resigned. In the 2000s, he began reducing his independent dates in order to pursue a career in real estate. This website is not affiliated with any professional wrestling organization. He is from . "I think folks are surprised when Im nice," he said, laughing. In addition he was not scheduled to be booked at any upcoming events, and Valentine resigned from the promotion. On June 11, 1977 in Raleigh he defeated Wahoo, breaking his leg in the process. Valentine competed in two matches during 2018, both being tag team matches. Santana initially thought he had the match won, but had in fact only achieved a two-count. There were weeks when Valentine was bringing home $20,000 a week in the 80s. Born in Seattle, Washington, Wisniski traveled around Texas in his teens with his father; Johnny Valentine. He continued to wrestle face opponents in his first month back. "Sharon (Johnny's wife) called and left a message on my machine." She said Sharon was just totally devastated. 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. Sign up for BINGE to watch. Facebook gives people the power. Valentine played an usher who ejected guests from the theater when their time is up on the show. 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. In the course of his career, which has spanned over four decades, Valentine has held more than 40 championships, including the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, NWA World tag team title, and WWF World Tag Team Championship. Jonathan Anthony Wisniski (born September 20, 1951) is a retired American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Continuing into the 1990s, Valentine remained a thorn in the side of WWF Superstars participating at the Survivor Series and Royal Rumble. He would return again, as Greg Valentine, at the 1994 Royal Rumble, lasting over twenty minutes before being eliminated by Rick Martel. He made his debut that night at a television taping in the Penta Hotel in New York City, defeating Sonny Blaze. Valentine lost to the Jimmy Hart managed Earthquake at WrestleMania VII, and was defeated again at SummerSlam 1991 by Irwin R. Schyster. Valentine's elbow drop was promoted as a deadly move, with tapes of him breaking wooden boards with his elbow shown to the audiences before his debut. Matches Greg Valentine Wrestlers Database - CAGEMATCH However, Valentine abruptly departed the company and along with the Honky Tonk Man's aforementioned departure from the WWF this effectively cancelled the planned feud with Valentine. John Anthony Wisniski Jr. (September 10, 1950) is an American professional wrestler better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. The feud was intensified by Valentine's propensity to focus on Piper's ear, which had been injured earlier in his career and would bleed easily. Valentine returned to the WWF, now known as the World Wrestling Federation, for a year in 1981 and continued to pursue the title. Valentine then found himself in an interesting position. Valentine was present at the retirement ceremony of his long-time friend, Ric Flair, on the March 31, 2008 episode of WWE Raw. I never got to work a program with him, but we had some house show matches, and he was terrific to work with. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. "We had really good chemistry as a tag team. In January 1982, Valentine met Backlund yet again, this time in a steel cage, for the WWF Heavyweight Championship at the Philadelphia Spectrum, which Backlund won. Sadly, Vanessa later developed cancer and eventually died in 2015. On September 24, Valentine defeated Tito Santana to win the coveted Intercontinental Championship. Herb Abrams had aggressive plans for his Universal Wrestling Federation, announcing the signings of name wrestlers such as Andre the Giant, Steve Williams, The Killer Bees, and Bob Orton. "For a lot of years, I never got to meet my fans because I was so busy. Born in Seattle, Washington, Wisniski traveled around Texas in his teens with his father; Johnny Valentine. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Greg Valentine Bio: Age, Net Worth, Height, Wife, Married, Ethnicity Biography Entertainment Relationship Lifestyle Highlights Entertainment The Shocking Truth Behind The Arrest of Kay Lovely! While in this series, Valentine also began to regularly team with Dick Slater. "Flair was always a good friend, and a friendly enemy," laughed The Hammer. (720pHD): WWE TNT 07/17/84 - Julie Valentine & Greg Valentine Segment His father was the legendary Johnny Valentine, who prior to a 1975 plane crash (which also involved Ric Flair) was one of the top stars in all of wrestling. On the October 19, 1992 taping of WCW Saturday Night he arrived to learn that he was to lose to Sting on that night's taping. Valentine would hold the title once more, defeating Wahoo again on September 10 and losing to Ken Patera on April 9, 1978. He was present at the Retirement Ceremony of his long-time friend, Ric Flair, on the March 31, 2008 episode of WWE Raw. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Vanessa died of cancer in 2014. Valentine was unhappy about teaming with Bravo, who he felt he had little chemistry with. An angle was recorded on December 28, 1990 at Madison Square Garden where he was defeated by Saba Simba after accidentally being hit by Jimmy Hart's guitar; afterwards he almost attacked his manager and began to be cheered by the fans. As a result, The Hammer engaged in a brutal near one-year feud with Santana over the belt. However, The Hammer soon realized that his heart was no longer in the classroom. I want to say thank you to everyone.". 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". As Santana was celebrating, Valentine rolled him up for the pin and the title. In as much as he fights in the wrestling ring, Greg is also a devoted Christian, belonging to the Christian wrestling organization. He also feuded with Pedro Morales over the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, who he "injured" by suplexing him on the concrete floor of the arena. He is a celebrity wrestler. Greg Valentine birthday is on 20- Sep -51 and he was born on the Day of Thursday. Greg Valentine was always an unforgiving and often ruthless opponent in the ring. Below is the statement the company issued regarding Valentine missing the event: "And one day when I saw him a few years ago, I asked whatever became of that belt, because Tito kept it after that angle. Following Taylors departure from WCW, Valentine was left to fend for himself. Greg Valentine - How Much Money I Was Paid in WWF - YouTube In 2008 Valentine co-starred with George "The Animal" Steele in a short film entitled Somethin Fishy, in which the two former wrestlers purchase a fishing camp. Watch WrestleMania and other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow. He is also a part of Christian wrestling organization, World Impact Wrestling. His father initially tried to deter him, but eventually ceded to his wishes and sent him to Canada in 1970 to train under Stu Hart in Calgary. In addition he was not scheduled to be booked at any upcoming events, and Valentine resigned from the promotion. In the fall he continued to team with Slater in matches against The Steiner Brothers. The duo wrestled The Freebirds and Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes. [4] The title was held up, and Backlund defeated Valentine cleanly in the November 23 rematch. I did a slow burning triple take, making sure it . "Dont you think people would have paid for a picture with that belt?" An angle was recorded on December 28, 1990 at Madison Square Garden where he was defeated by Saba Simba after accidentally being hit by Jimmy Hart's guitar; afterwards he almost attacked his manager and began to be cheered by the fans. In fact, he once resigned because the WWE wanted to involve him in an angle where Valentine and Dino Bravo would "kidnap" the Bulldogs mascot, Matilda. This time Valentine attacked Jimmy Hart and turned face. Wisniski is the father of professional wrestler Greg "The Hammer" Valentine.. Greg Valentine Personal Life, Married, Wife, Children, Sara Del Rey Biography, Age, Married, Wrestler, WWE, Salary, Net Worth. On television, Valentine's fortunes continued to wane. He was used on a pay-per-appearance basis, but was rarely utilized and was allowed to continue wrestling on the independent circuit. 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. He was 72. 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. "When I got back to Seattle, I called my dad," recalled the Valentine. Valentine faced Dustin Rhodes on multiple house shows that summer and was winless. He dropped the title to Dick Slater on December 14, just before leaving them for the World Wrestling Federation. As of 2022, Greg Valentine's net worth is $100,000 - $1M. On October 10, 1999 he appeared on the infamous Heroes of Wrestling pay-per-view, pinning George "The Animal" Steele with the assistance of Sherri Martel. These days, Valentine still wrestles fairly regularly while also working the convention and autograph circuit. 2 babyface, Chief Jay Strongbow, where he broke Strongbows leg. 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. [14], 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. They held the titles until April 7, 1986 when they were defeated at WrestleMania 2 by The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid). Greg Valentine's net worth Valentine started out as "Babyface Nelson" before getting an early opportunity to work as one of the Fabulous Fargo brothers, teaming with Don Fargo from 1971-74. in an 8 team elimination match for the then vacant JCW Tag-Team Titles. Where they were the first team to be eliminated after a slightly botched sunset flip from Necro Butcher. On August 24, 2007, Valentine returned to Ontario to defend the CGPW Championship against Koko B. Ware in Cornwall, after Koko defeated Valentine in a non-title match, on the previous night, in Ottawa. Greg Valentine was born on 20 September, 1951 in Seattle, Washington, United States, is an American professional wrestler. ECPW - Event @ Franklin Elementary School in Franklin, New Jersey, USA. 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. However, before then, Greg had two daughters whose names are Vanessa and Romaine with his first wife. Other insults by Garvin during the introduction included Valentine not knowing whether he was "coming or going" and being the only wrestler Garvin knew who had "two left feet" and that he had a "pipsqueak, poor excuse for a manager". He is 63-years-old (born on September 20, 1951, in Seattle, Washington) . Valentine remained in Florida for a year while also working in Los Angeles and in Japan under Antonio Inoki in 1975 and early 1976. At 72 years old, Greg Valentine height Greg Valentine Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family Greg has always maintained a fairly fierce look as an experienced wrestler that he is. Garvin became a referee until Valentine and Hart managed to have him fired. On August 24, 2007, Valentine returned to Ontario to defend the CGPW Championship against Koko B. Ware in Cornwall, after Koko defeated Valentine in a non-title match, on the previous night, in Ottawa. Just how old is Greg "The Hammer" Valentine? greg valentine first wife greg valentine first wife - molecularrecipes.com On June 11, 1977 in Raleigh he defeated Wahoo, breaking his leg in the process. He made his debut that night at a television taping in the Penta Hotel in New York City, defeating Sonny Blaze. Valentine then put the figure-four leglock on Graham, who had a plastic hip. 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. The Hammer and Jimmy Hart eventually demanded that Garvin be reinstated so that they could fight in the ring. Ric Flair & Greg Valentine in 1976, after defeating Gene and Ole Anderson to win the Mid-Atlantic version of the NWA World Tag Team Titles in Greensboro, North Carolina, ending the Andersons fourth reign. Join Facebook to connect with Grg Valentine and others you may know.

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