Greg Valentine

John Anthony Wisniski Jr. (born September 10, 1951 in Seattle, Washington) is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestling legend Johnny Valentine.

Career

Training

After traveling around Texas in his teens with his father during a summer vacation, John Wisniski, Jr. decided to drop out of college and become a wrestler. His father initially tried to deter him, but eventually acceded to his wishes and sent him to Canada in 1970 to train under the legendary Stu Hart in Calgary. Wisniski remained in Canada for a year, wrestling his debut match in July 1970 against Angelo "King Kong" Mosca (he lost in around five minutes). Six months later, Wisniski relocated to Detroit to complete his training under The Sheik.

The Fargo Brothers

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. The Fargo Brothers initially competed in the Buffalo and Cleveland based National Wrestling Federation before moving on to Texas. In 1974 they split and Wisniski went to Florida, where he began performing as Johnny Valentine, Jr., hopeful that he could live up to his father's legacy. 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. Greg Valentine remained in Florida for a year while also working in Los Angeles and in Japan under Antonio Inoki in 1975 and early 1976.

National Wrestling Alliance

In August 1976, Valentine debuted in George Scott's Mid-Atlantic promotion, an affiliate of the National Wrestling Alliance based in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Valentine was hired to replace his father, who had been force to retire after he broke his back in a plane crash in 1975. He immediately began feuding with Johnny Weaver, who he "retired" with a top rope elbow drop. 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.

Valentine then formed a tag team with Ric Flair, with whom he twice won the NWA World Tag Team Championships and held the Mid Atlantic Tag Team Championships (between June 30 and August 22, 1977). They first defeated Flair's "cousins" Gene and Ole Anderson on December 26, 1976 in Greensboro, injuring Gene so badly that he had to be stretchered out. They held the titles until May 8, 1977, when the Andersons defeated them in a steel cage match in the Charlotte Coliseum. Flair and Valentine regained the tag titles from the Andersons on October 30, 1977, this time leaving Ole unable to leave under his own power. 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". Flair then set his sights on the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, while Valentine held the NWA World Tag Team Championships once more with Baron Von Raschke in 1978.

At the same time, Valentine feuded with Chief Wahoo McDaniel over the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship. 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. On June 11, 1977 in Raleigh he defeated Wahoo, breaking his leg in the process. Though Wahoo's legs were too thick for Valentine to apply his signature Figure Four leglock, he managed to break Wahoo's ankle using a Leg/Ankle Suplex. The heel Valentine then began wearing a T-Shirt with the slogan "I broke Wahoo's leg" on the front and "No more Wahoo" on the back. Wahoo returned on August 9, 1977 and took back the title. Valentine would hold the title once more, defeating Wahoo again on September 10, 1977 and losing to Ken Patera on April 9, 1978.

World Wide Wrestling Federation

Valentine began working on a casual basis for the World Wide Wrestling Federation, then owned by Vincent J. McMahon, in 1979. 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. In his debut match, he faced WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund and fought him to a one hour draw.

Valentine returned to the WWWF, now known as the World Wrestling Federation, for a year in 1981 and continued to pursue the title. On October 19, 1981 he was pinned by Backlund, but then handed the title belt by the dazed referee. The title was held up, and Backlund defeated Valentine cleanly in the November 23 rematch. He also feuded with Pedro Morales, who he "injured" by suplexing him on the floor of the arena.

National Wrestling Alliance

Valentine returned to the NWA in late 1979 and asked Flair to reform their tag team. Flair, by then a face, declined. Valentine held the NWA World Tag Team Championships once more with Ray Stevens in 1980. Four days after their victory, the promoter, David Crockett told Valentine and Stevens that he possessed film which proved that the illegal man had been pinned in the tag match, nullifying the win. When Crockett threatened to send the film to Bob Geigle (then the NWA President) who would overturn their victory, Stevens and Valentine attacked him and cut the film up with a pocket knife, destroying the evidence.

Valentine later claimed to have "seen the light", and reformed his team with Flair, who believed that Valentine was now a face. In a tag match against Jimmy Snuka and The Iron Sheik, Valentine abandoned Flair, leaving him outnumbered. Flair was beaten, and then Valentine snapped Gene Anderson’s hickory cane over his head, legitimately breaking his nose and splitting his lips. 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. He held the title until November 24, when he was beaten by Flair.

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. Roddy Piper began pursuing the title, and, after Valentine gave Piper 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. 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. Piper would eventually defeat Valentine on April 16, 1983, but Valentine regained the title on May 1. He dropped the title to Dick Slater on December 14, just before leaving the NWA.

World Wrestling Federation

In 1984 Valentine opted to commit to the WWF, (correctly) predicting that Vince McMahon's plan for national expansion would succeed. He was originally managed by Captain Lou Albano, then by Jimmy Hart.

On September 24, 1984 in London, Ontario Valentine defeated Tito Santana for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, focusing on Santana's injured knee throughout the match. Santana initially thought he had the match won, but had in fact only achieved a two-count. As Santana was celebrating, Valentine rolled him up for the pin and the title. Following the win, Valentine put Santana in the figure four leglock, reinjuring him. While Santana was sidelined having leg surgery, Valentine feuded with Junkyard Dog, who he faced in a title match at WrestleMania 1. Valentine pinned Junkyard Dog after using the ropes, but Santana came to ringside and informed the referee, who restarted the match. Valentine then walked out, losing the match but saving his title. Santana eventually healed and went on to win the title back on July 6, 1985 in a steel cage match in Baltimore, climbing down the outside of the cage and slamming the door on Valentine's head as he attempted to effect an exit. Valentine, incensed over losing the belt, destroyed it in the steel cage, forcing the WWF to get a new Intercontinental title belt.

Valentine would then form a tag team with Brutus Beefcake known as The Dream Team, managed by Johnny V. On August 24, 1985 the Dream Team defeated the U.S. Express, Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo for the WWF World Tag Team Championship. They held the titles until April 7, 1986 when they were defeated at WrestleMania 2 by the British Bulldogs. At WrestleMania III, the Dream Team defeated Jacques Rougeau and Raymond Rougeau as a result of interference by Johnny V and Dino Bravo. Upset because of a missed move by Beefcake during the match, Valentine left with Bravo and abandoned Beefcake, resulting in Brutus turning face later on in the night.

Replacing Beefcake with Dino Bravo, Valentine formed The New Dream Team. Valentine was unhappy about teaming with Bravo, who he felt he had little chemistry with. After the WWF asked him to "kidnap" Mathilda, the bulldog who was the mascot of the British Bulldogs, Valentine resigned. He was brought back soon after, but was used in a much diminished role between 1987 and 1990.

Valentine was entered in the World Heavyweight Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV, where he defeated Ricky Steamboat before losing to Randy Savage, the eventual winner of the tournament. Valentine then dyed his hair black and formed a tag team with The Honky Tonk Man known as Rhythm and Blues and managed by Jimmy Hart. Rhythm and Blues feuded with The Bushwackers and The Hart Foundation, but were overshadowed by the The Legion Of Doom, who were by then dominating the tag division. The teaming was short-lived, and Valentine began touring Japan with the Super World of Sports promotion, wrestling tag matches with Haku as his partner. He also wrestled for the World Wrestling Council.

In April 1989 he began feuding with "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin, and two weeks after WrestleMania V he defeated Garvin in a retirement match on Superstars of Wrestling by reversing a small package and holding on to the ropes. Garvin became a referee until Valentine and Hart managed to have him fired. Garvin then became a ring announcer, and began aggravating Valentine. At SummerSlam 1989 he announced Valentine as being "thirty pounds overweight" as he approached the ring for his match with Hercules, and then announced Hercules as the winner when Valentine cheated to win. Valentine eventually demanded that Garvin be reinstated so that they could fight in the ring.

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 referred to the shin guard as the "Heartbreaker". Valentine would also (illegally) attach the shin guard to his arm in order to accentuate his elbow drops. In the course of the feud, Garvin countered with a rotated shin guard of his own, which he dubbed "the Hammer Jammer". The feud culminated in a submission match at the 1990 Royal Rumble. Valentine systematically wore down Garvin's leg throughout the match, but lost after Garvin hit him with the Heartbreaker and applied a sharpshooter, forcing Valentine to submit.

Valentine became a face on January 21, 1991 shortly after the 1991 Royal Rumble, where he lasted forty-four minutes. He lost to Earthquake in a squash match at WrestleMania VII, and was defeated again at SummerSlam 1991 by Irwin R. Schyster. He took part in the talent-packed 1992 Royal Rumble, where he attacked his old rival Ric Flair before being eliminated by Repo Man.

World Championship Wrestling

Conscious of his diminishing status, Valentine left the WWF and signed with World Championship Wrestling in 1992. He formed a tag team with Terry Taylor for six months and the duo went on to win the WCW United States Tag Team Championships. After Taylor was fired, Valentine was left without a storyline, and eventually resigned in late 1992 when he was asked to lose to Sting.

World Wrestling Federation

He reappeared in the WWF at the 1993 Survivor Series under a mask as The Blue Knight in an elimination match pitting Shawn Michaels and his three "knights" against the Hart Family. Valentine eventually submitted to Owen Hart. He made two more pay-per-view appearances in 1994.

Independent circuit

Valentine went on to tour the independent circuit, wrestling in Japan, with the Hamilton based International Championship Wrestling promotion and with the American Wrestling Federation. He made several appearances with WCW in the late 1990s, and was involved with the short-lived Xtreme Wrestling Federation as an investor and as an in-ring performer. He was re-signed by WCW on a per-appearance basis in 1997, but was rarely utilized and was allowed to continue wrestling on the independent circuit. 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. He wrestled on the 2000 tour of the United Kingdom in which Yokozuna died. In the 2000s, he began reducing his independent dates in order to pursue a career in real estate.

On January 29, 2005 at WrestleReunion, Valentine won a seventeen man battle royal to become the IWA Heavyweight Champion. He lost the title to Tito Santana at WrestleReunion #2 on August 27 of that year. Valentine also wrestled for several independent promotions, including AWA Superstars of Wrestling, which toured New England. In AWA Superstars of Wrestling, Valentine regularly wrestled Tony Atlas.

World Wrestling Entertainment

On March 13, 2004, Valentine was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his former manager Jimmy Hart. The following night, at WrestleMania XX in Madison Square Garden, Valentine received loud applause when the class of 2004 was introduced. Shortly after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, Valentine dedicated the plaque he received to his late father by saying: "This one's for you pop." On October 3, 2005, Valentine made an appearance at WWE Homecoming, and on October 23 he was defeated by Rob Conway (then using the gimmick of a "legend killer") on an episode of WWE HEAT after Eugene interfered on his behalf, causing the referee to award a victory via disqualification to Conway. Following the match, Eugene attempted to raise Valentine's arm, but was pushed to the ground by a frustrated Valentine.

Legacy

Greg Valentine was known and respected for his stamina and consistently stiff wrestling style. He and "Nature Boy" Ric Flair perpetuated the tradition of wearing glamorous robes to the ring, much like previous generations of wrestlers such as "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers and Gorgeous George had. He held multiple titles in both the NWA and the WWF, the two largest promotions of the 1980s and 1990s, and appeared on both the first and the twentieth WrestleManias.

In wrestling

Finishing and signature moves

Figure four leglock
Hammer (elbow drop)
Bionic elbow (elbow smash)
Knife-edged chops
Backwards suplex / Headlock suplex
Leg/ankle suplex / European figure four leglock

Signature foreign object

Heartbreaker (shin guard)

Previous managers

Personal life

Valentine was once engaged to Madusa, and married Julie on February 14, 1999. He has a daughter from a previous marriage, Vanessa, who began training with the Hart Brothers in the late 1990s. He is a born again Christian, and occasionally speaks at high schools and colleges with Ted DiBiase.

Championships and accomplishments

American Wrestling Association

1-time AWA Midwest Tag Team Champion (with Jerry Miller)

American Wrestling Federation

1-time AWF Tag Team Champion (with Tommy Rich)

Independent Association of Wrestling

2-time IAW Heavyweight Champion

IWA

2-time IWA Heavyweight Champion

Midwest Wrestling Federation

1-time MWWF Tag Team Champion

National Wrestling Alliance

World

4-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (1-time with Baron Von Raschke, 1-time with Ray Stevens, 2-time with Ric Flair)

North American

2-time NWA North American Heavyweight Champion

United States

3-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion
2-time NWA United States Tag Team Champion (Tri-State version) (1-time with Bill Watts, 1-time with Gorgeous George Jr.)

Regional

2-time NWA Americas Heavyweight Champion
1-time NWA Beat the Champ Television Champion
1-time NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship
2-time NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion
4-time NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Champion
1-time NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion (with Ric Flair)
1-time NWA Western States Tag Team Champion (with Don Fargo)

National Wrestling Federation

2-time NWF Tag Team Champion (with Don Fargo)

NSWA

1-time NSWA Tag Team Champion (with The Honky Tonk Man)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

PWI Most Hated Wrestler Award (1975)
PWI Most Hated Wrestler Award (1979)
PWI Most Hated Wrestler Award (1983)
PWI ranked him # 119 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
PWI ranked him # 51 of the best tag teams of the PWI Years (with Ray Stevens).
PWI ranked him # 94 of the best tag teams of the PWI Years (with Brutus Beefcake).