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More Laurels For "The Hammer" Greg Valentine

Posted: Jul 1st 2010 By: CMBurnham

"The Hammer" was more than a nickname for Greg Valentine.

Few pro wrestlers of his generation delivered such a hard-hitting style inside the ring. And for those opponents who wouldn't take steps to make their matches look realistic, Valentine was more than happy to take matters into his own hands.

"I remember some guys wouldn't make a comeback or were late (with moves). I just beat the hell out of them," Valentine said Tuesday in a telephone interview from his Tampa, Fla.-area home. "They didn't deserve to be in the business. That's just the way I was brought up. You shouldn't be pussyfooting around if you want to make money."

Valentine earned his fair share of cash during a storied 39-year career. Already a member of World Wrestling Entertainment's Hall of Fame, Valentine will be further honored at the NWA Wrestling Legends Fanfest Aug. 5-8 in Charlotte, N.C.

Following in the footsteps of his late father, Johnny Valentine, the Mid-Atlantic region is where Greg Valentine blossomed into a headline talent in the 1970s working for Jim Crockett Promotions. But just like others from famous wrestling families, Valentine had big shoes to fill. Johnny Valentine (real name John Wisniski) was one of the industry's top headliners until suffering career-ending injuries in a 1975 airplane crash.

"All I wanted to be is half as good," said Greg Valentine, who was named after his father (John Wisniski Jr.). "Even though my dad was crippled for the last 20 years of his life, he would always watch me on TV. He would tell me things like, 'Greg, you're flopping around too much. Greg, go to work on the bag like a boxer (for your punches).' He gave me little tidbits so I could tweak what I did in the ring. Nobody else could ever have given me such valuable information."
Greg Valentine parlayed his Mid-Atlantic success into several WWE stints, including a nine-year run (1984 to 1992) that began when the company expanded nationally. During that span, Valentine excelled as both a singles and tag-team performer working with partners like Ed "Brutus Beefcake" Leslie and Wayne "Honky Tonk Man" Ferris.

As a performer, Valentine was best known for his trademark figure-four leg lock and elbow smashes as well as lengthy feuds with Roddy Piper, Wahoo McDaniel, Ric Flair and Tito Santana. Valentine credited his father and longtime matchmaker, George Scott, for guidance on helping him prolong such rivalries without them becoming stale.

"I think nowadays people jump around a little too much," Valentine said. "All my feuds lasted at least a year, even tag-team feuds. I got mileage off everybody I worked with and we worked long matches. My shortest matches were 30 minutes. Most of mine went 45 minutes to an hour."
Like many WWE stars of the 1980s, Valentine eventually left and worked for the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling before migrating to independent promotions. The latter environment is where his grappling days essentially ended. Valentine, 60, tore his quadriceps last summer when slipping on what he claims were faulty ringside steps performing for an independent group in Chicago.

Valentine said he probably has worked his last match. He wishes two of his graybeard peers still appearing for TNA Wrestling -- Flair and Hulk Hogan -- would do the same.
"I don't think Ric should work anymore," Valentine said. "Eventually, he might end up get hurt bad. I know Hogan has had hip surgeries, and now he's having back surgeries. It is financial (why they're still wrestling). It hurts me to see that."

After his injury, Valentine said his income was slashed in half because he was forced to miss bookings and autograph-signings while recovering. But he recently received good news. Valentine said WWE has plans to release his autobiography and DVD of his best matches.
"When I hurt myself last year in Chicago, I felt maybe God was telling me to finally quit," said Valentine, who became a born-again Christian in 2002. "He's taken care of me when I was thinking, 'Where am I going to make money?,' and this and that. I've been blessed since this accident."

Other stars expected to attend the Fanfest include Ted DiBiase, Johnny "Mr. Wrestling II" Walker and Tully Blanchard. For more information, visit www.nwalegends.com.

Tags: Greg Valentine, NWA, WWE, Honky Tonk Man, Roddy Piper, Wahoo McDaniel, Ric Flair, Tito Santana, Ted DiBiase, Mr. Wrestling II