Greg Valentine

[Guest TheGreatPuma]

The Savage vs Garvin bout inside the confines of a steel cage is one of the best matches I've seen from the 1980s. A must see and a classic for me.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Savage/Warrior is a masterpiece, very few matches will ever touch it. Garvin/Savage's cage match still is not as good as the Tito No DQ match, Steamboat (Toronto & Wrestlemania) or Savage/Adonis vs Bruno/Tito in a cage.

 

Unless there is magical unearthing of Valentine's Mid-Atlantic work, I will associate Valentine with WWF.

 

WWF World Tag Champs British Bulldogs vs Dream Team - 2 Out of Three Falls SNME 10/86

 

One impressive thing about this series so far has been that these teams have really gone out and had different matches each time. This match saw the Dream Team in control of majority of the match. Hell, Brutus Beefcake looked shockingly competent. Valentine gets a hold of Dynamite's knee early, but Davey Boy comes in and the Dream Team overwhelm him bringing the injured Dynamite back in. I got to give the man some credit, but the Beefer worked Dynamite's knee pretty well, before Valentine was able to wrangle him into a figure 4 and garner the first fall.

 

They continue to work over Dynamite's leg at the beginning of the second fall. But Valentine goes for the always tempting second-rope elbow and misses allowing for Davey Boy to come in like the proverbial house afire. Bulldog hits his dropkick, delayed vertical suplex and running powerslam on Valentine before re-doing that wicked bitchin finish from the non-title match with Dynamite leaping off Beefcake and doing a headbutt on Valentine for the second fall.

 

Towards the beginning of the 3rd fall, there is a strike exchange, which makes me wish there was a Dynamite vs Greg Valentine match. Snap suplex by Dynamite, but he misses the standing headbutt. Valentine is back on the leg, but Dynamite pushes him off on the figure-4 attempt and tags out to Davey Boy. Beefcake gets the tag simultaneously and cuts off Davey Boy (I always want to write Bulldog, but have to stop myself). Valentine hits a suplex and Brutus connects with a high knee, but Dynamite saves. Brutus goes in for a high knee in the corner, but Davey Boy side-steps and picks up the win with a fisherman's suplex.

 

I would say it is close with the Wrestlemania II, but this is the my favorite match that I have seen between these teams. The match runs through the heels more, which is something I prefer. Hell, Beefcake came through in the clutch and proved me wrong in this match. Valentine was his usually violently awesome self. It is not like the Dream Team ate up the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs got in all of their offense and looked both resilient and impressive in their match. I actually think the other matches were too lop-sided in the favor of the Bulldogs that it actually made the Dream Team look like chumps. This match actually made the Bulldogs look more badass for overcoming the Dream Team in a way that just being on offensive never would. Dynamite sold really well throughout the match and Davey Boy is a really good hot tag. I would say this is my pick for best WWF 80s tag match I have seen so far.

[Matt D]

Valentine/Slater vs Steamboat/Windham - WCW Pro Chicago July 25

 

The whole show is online and it's awesome. It's the last time ever that Valentine ever did anything meaningful I think, and I love it. Valentine was being booked as a surprisingly strong mid-carder, having just gotten a pinfall over Pillman after his brief US tag title run. He's allied with Slater and Barbarian. It's supposed to be a six man tag: Slater/Barbarian/Valentine vs Dustin/Windham/Steamboat.

 

Dustin's being interviewed at Ringside and Valentine comes out to insult Dusty. Dustin goes NUTS on him but Barbarian and Slater come out and Valentine hits three huge elbow drops as they hold out Dustin's legs on the floor. Windham and Steamboat make the save.

 

Due to Dustin's injury, they make the six man a straight up southern tag with Valentine/Slater vs Windham/Steamboat and it's actually really good for what it is (a 10-15 minute WCW 1992 C show main event). Long FIP on Steamboat with lots of hope spots and cutoffs. Windham finally gets the hot tag in and goes to town but Barbarian comes out and the thing breaks down completely. He slams Steamboat on the floor and the numbers game wins out on Windham. Then Dustin runs out, limping and they make it a six man again. He gets a super hot tag and clears house til they take out his leg. We get all sorts of shenanigans with a towel and figure fours, and missed tags until it finally ends with Dustin putting on a figure four of his own and eating a top rope Slater kneedrop behind the ref's back.

 

This was a massive amount of fun, in part because it's so random and forgotten and in part because it was Steamboat and Windham in there with two experts.

[JazeUSA]

Sadly Valentine was a guy I only remember growing up seeing on WWF t.v. & I never really cared much for what I saw of him there, except for the Santana feud & a few bulldog tag matches I saw, that was good stuff, since getting into tape trading I've been able to see some of his old Mid-Atlantic stuff which I loved, I've always thought Greg Valentine was one of those guy's that deserved a 3d set by Will for people to get there hands on. I've worked on several shows w/ him over the years, most recently a tag match in 2010 w/ Bob Orton & George South, a match in which he never officially got in the ring in because he was too drunk to wrestle, nonetheless he is still a Legend in the business IMO even tho I never cared much for him.

[BrickHithouse]

A wrestler I work with (at our regular job) told a similar story. Valentine was "in no condition to perform" for a show in eastern KS, summer 2011. He remained on the apron. I might ask him for more details if I get the chance.

 

When I was bouncing at a strip club in the late 90's, we had a day-time dancer that looked EXACTLY like Valentine. Same build and everything. We all called her "The Hammer" but eventually I got her to answer to "Greg". She also generally showed up "in no condition to perform".

[JazeUSA]

A wrestler I work with (at our regular job) told a similar story. Valentine was "in no condition to perform" for a show in eastern KS, summer 2011. He remained on the apron. I might ask him for more details if I get the chance.

 

When I was bouncing at a strip club in the late 90's, we had a day-time dancer that looked EXACTLY like Valentine. Same build and everything. We all called her "The Hammer" but eventually I got her to answer to "Greg". She also generally showed up "in no condition to perform".

LMAO thats great!

[Superstar Sleeze]

New Dream Team vs The Killer Bees 10/87 MSG

 

I like Valentine enough that I thought this could be good. Actually before the shit finish, I liked the match quite a bit. Valentine did some really excellent wrestling with both the Bees working in a nice fireman's carry by Blair and grabbing a headscissors on Brunzell before tagging out. It was nice to see some actual grappling as a change of pace. Bravo was a little stiff in the ring, but he showed energy and even did a leapfrog. Brunzell played face in peril after Bravo threw him into the Valentine's elbow. I really felt that the Dream Team had the blueprint for how Demolition should work as Valentine has that similar rough and tumble style with a lot of elbows and general rough housing. He is just way more convincing than either of the Demolition, which look like a bunch of cartoon characters as they stomp on the ring. Valentine got kicked off on his figure-4 attempt. TIMBAAAAAAH! They throw Brunzell on the outside and it is Masked Confusion. It is not an inherently stupid gimmick. I think someone who played it off with a little comedic panache like Eddie Guerrero would have made it into a great gimmick. Instead these two white bread wrestlers just seem like dicks for doing this. This is a decent Valentine match, but it shows after a weak 1987 that 1988 does not look too much better for him. I believe he broke up with Bravo shortly after, but with the Hart Foundation & Demolition turning babyface in 1988 and the onset of the Rockers, I think they could have used a Valentine heel tag team to even the sides.

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWF Tag Champs Dream Team vs Killer Bees - Boston 12/85

 

Holy shit! It is Jim Brunzell with a beard! "He must got tired of looking 16." - Jesse The Body

 

Valentine is one of the best 80s WWF workers by far and away. He is always great to watch when he is in the ring. He works a great chain sequence with Blair similar to the '87 match. He takes a bunch of suplexes from the Bees He sells well for both Bees as they work over his legs. Of course, he works in TIMBAAAAAAAAH! Blair gets caught trying to put the figure 4 on Valentine. Beefcake comes in. He stomps around and makes a lot of noise but doesnt do much. Valentine forsakes grappling and earns the moniker "The Hammer" with his sledges from the tough. Blair is able to maneuver away from Beefcake to tag in Brunzell. Jim and all his nefwound masculinity overwhelm the Dream Team. His new look does not affect his dropkick, but it does affect his awareness as he gets hit from behind while applying the sleeper to Beefcake. That is the finish. It was a decent match, but demonstrates what could have been with The Hammer.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Dream Team vs Islanders - 11/24/86 MSG

 

I was actually looking for the new Dream Team match because I figure people hadn't seen it recently, but hey, I guess we'll go with this. Lots of stalling and breaks to start. I actually like how Johnny V always went to the announcer booth. Hammer begs off after trying an elbow to Haku's skull. I love how Valentine sells the whole body on the Atomic drop, first the head then the back. Tama's offense on the shoulder looks good. Valentine's great at begging off. It actually helps the shine stay out of HIP territory since Valentine breaks it up with stooging. Beefcake comes in and we really ought to have the heels take over. Instead we get more armwork, some clumsy but energetic back and forth. Beefcake stalls too and does his own backwards flop, but we're in the land of heel in peril diminishing returns here. Beefcake does some little stuff ok in an attempt to counter wrestle, but it's not exactly compelling.

 

We get a lackluster heel tag as Beefcake just walks over while in an armbar, and Valentine takes over with a really cruel tombstone. A bit of clubbering on the apron and a kind of lame cross body hope spot since we'd already seen that before in the match. I've seen Tama look better. Beefcake taunts Haku pretty well. He's been at this for a few years now and does a pretty good job controlling the ring even if his offense is sort of haphazard. We get a hope roll up out of a figure four attempt, but Valentine nails Haku on the apron to help prevent the hot tag. It leads to a reversed supletx and the real hot tag. Haku is pretty good demolishing guys. Things break down, Tama gets crotched behind the ref's back, and a hundred years later we get a pin.

 

This wasn't very good.

We have a severe disconnect. I loved this match and thought it was one of the better 80s WWF Tags. Yes, the Beefcake stuff drags it down, but all the parts with Valentine were friggin amazing. One of the reasons, I liked this so much is because Valentine makes the Islanders earn their babyface shine segment. He is constantly firing off shots to the gut or reissting takedowns or holds. It is not just the stooging. It is amount of defense Valentine employs that sets this match apart. This is not just to pick on Demolition, but all heel WWF tag teams were nowhere near as good at that as Valentine. Harts definitely did the super segmented approach to their tag matches. Demolition made the babyfaces earn it by foricing them to do double teams but it was not by defense per se. It was how they structured. Valentine actually worked defense. I will do a full write up tonight because last night I had a bunch of shit so I just watched the match. I really enjoyed this match. As much I loved Valentine's performance, I thought Islanders were just as good. I cant believe I almost overlooked the Islanders vs Valentine. That is pretty much the ultimate 80s WWF tag dream match for me.

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Weird, on second watch was not digging it as much. I think overstated the amount of Hammer offense in this one. Also, we are watching two incarnations of the same match.

 

The Dream Team vs Islanders 12/86 Boston

 

Tama is looking PIMP at the beginning of the match. That jacket is fuckin *****, maybe that's why I got distracted. beefcake add his one useful contribution drops down to the Superfly pose and does "Up Yours!". Haku/Tama start with early double teams on Valentine's arm. Haku gets him a figure 4 armlock and head headscissors and also a hammerlock pinfall attempt. Tama and Valentine have a nice vicious exchange and Valentine also takes a cross body from Tama. Haku veers off cours and starts going after legs: single Boston Crab and spreading his legs apart. Basically the first half of the match was jaw-jacking and then has been working over Valentine. Valentine has kept it interesting with some stogging, but I really want to see him light someone up. Valentine gets a wicked reverse elbow to turn the tide and send Tama crashing to the paraquet floor. Tama is milking it for all its worth and once back in gets thrown back to the outside to take some light Beefcake offense. Valentine brings him in a with a suplex. Tags in Beefcake, but before exiting steps on Tama. Beefcake distracts Haku & ref for more Valentine offense. Beefcake knew where his bread was buttered.

 

Beefcake displays why he is a candidate for worst wrestler of all time with his lame offense. Tama is selling incredibly well and really trying to make up for Beefcake's shitty offense. In such a short time period, Tama has proved himself to have more versatility than most wrestlers display in their whole careers as he plays both an excellent sympathetic face in peril and a great douchebag heel. Valentine comes in and hits a reverse tombstone and then gets a figure 4, but Haku sensing the end is near breaks that up. Tama blocks a Valentine suplex and hits his own. Haku gets the tag and the place is rocking. Haku is a Tongan Tribal Fire Fully Ablaze!!! Haku is just killing the Dream left and right. TIMBAAAAAAAH! Beefcake is calling for timeout. The Islanders have the former champs where they want them. Haku hoists Valentine up and Tama comes acorss with the flying cross body and the bell sounds signaling the time limit draw. TAMA IS PISSED!!! He calls for 5 more minutes. The Dream Team tease taking them up on the offer before bailing. Gorilla gets a word with the three of them and it is a pretty non-descript promo.

 

Maybe I shouldnt watch matches so late because I did not think it was nearly as good, but I didn't think it was bad either. It was just disappointing. I wanted Valentine and Islanders to really light each other up. Haku was more explosive offensively than I had seen before in the babyface run and Tama was his usual badass self. If only the match I originally outlined was the match that took place.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs Tito Santana - 10/88 MSG

 

This is the Ultimate Greg Valentine match. You got to give it 10 or minutes before it really kicks your ass. The first ten minutes are not that bad, just a bit pedestrian. Valentine is rocking the "Heartbreaker" Shinguard and Ronnie Garvin has not produced the technological innovation of the "Hammer Jammmer" so Tito is left defenseless to the extra pressure the Heartbrekaer will apply. Thus Tito immediately goes after the shinguard this tunnel vision leaves him open for a cheapshot. Tito get a better of this strike exchange sending Valentine out to the floor. We are partying like it is 1985 because their strike exchanges still rule the school. Tito is really good at selling, strikes and comebacks, but he is pretty awful at opening babyface shines. He settles on the side headlock while Valentine settles on the chinlock to begin this match. The work is solid, but uninspiring. Valentine forces Tito into the ropes and kicks Tito's injured right leg. Valentine then wraps Tito's injured knee across the apron. Ok, now we are talking! Back from commercial Hammer is dropping some elbows before relentlessly attacking Santana's knee. Just when it seems like Valentine may be in a toehold too long (crowd is getting restless), Tito pulls down Valentine's trunks and just starts hammering him with punches. The crowd pops like mad for this. However, Valentine is able to catch Tito coming off the second rope. Valentine grapevines the leg and drops back a couple time. He then does the Arn knucklelock spot only he scissors the leg and forces Tito to bridge out three times before taking a shot to the balls. Valentine looks more shocked than hurt. Santana inside cradle only gets 2. Valentine winds up and misses a fist drop.

 

Vamos Tito! Nasty strike exchange, Tito overwhelms Valentine and TIMBAAAAAAAAAH! Now Tito works over Valentine's knee to set up his own figure-4. I am loving this. Tito gets eye-raked and Valentine fells him with a brutal chop. Valentine back on the legs turning the shinguard around but gets caught in an inside cradle. Valentine with two big shots, but fails to get the figure 4 on twice as he is shoved to the outside. They exchange strikes on the outside, which I wised lasted longer. Valentine rakes Tito's eyes, but as he rolls back in the bell rings signaling a draw. They tease a Valentine victory by Countount, but it is confirmed as a draw. Tito clears the ring of Valentine to keep his heat.

 

After Martel was "injured", they put Tito in a holding pattern until he got back though he mainly faced Rick Rude, which I am looking forward to watching. Valentine had returned to the singles ranks after his team with Bravo failed to set the world on fire even though I think with the right push they could have been a bigger deal. Valentine was working with Muraco at this point so neither guy was in a major angle, but they pulled busted out a pretty hard hitting match together. Outside, Randy Savage/Ted DiBiase, I cant think of anything else that would get on this level. In a pretty light year for the WWF, I would say this is a serious MOTYC.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs Dusty Rhodes 6/89 - Niagara, NY

 

With Tony on commentary, this feels like some down-home Southern cooking, baby. Dusty's antics always make me laugh; definitely one of my favorite wrestlers to watch. They establish the elbow early as his signature weapon felling The Hammer instantly. This is a battle of the Bionic Elbow vs. The Hammer Elbow. Dusty misses an elbow and Hammer takes over with a chinlock. Dusty and Valentine exchange blows in the corner. He goes for the Figure-4, but Hammer rakes the eyes enabling him to work over Dusty's leg. Valentine has the Hartbreaker is looking to make Dusty submit to his Figure-4, but Dusty pulls the hair. Dusty mounts the comeback out of the comeback and Dusty proves his work translates well to the North whipping the crowd into the frenzy. Valentine gets his knee in the corner and Jimmy Hart ascends the top turnbuckle!?!?!??! Garvin grabs him off the top. Rhodes gets the roll-up win.

 

The match is nothing to write home about and you do not have to go out of your way to watch it, but it is cool this match exists. Dusty in WWF is almost as weird as Flair in WWF, but I think Dusty fits a bit better in WWF, but not by much. It is always interesting to watch him in WWF. His bells and whistles still got over with the crowd. Valentine worked his usual stuff in, but I wished he turned it up a bit.

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Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs Blue Blazer - 4/89 Boston

 

WOW! I did not expect this match at all. Pretty much all the pre-94 Owen I have seen has been pretty disappointing as many have pointed out he works too much like a gymnast. He starts off with a backflip off the top turnbuckle and I expected much of the same throughout the match. Instead, we got a hard-hitting, focused and well-paced match. This is the type of match that convinces me that Valentine is the best WWF worker of the 80s. He really wrestles a smart match that makes the Blazer look incredible. The Blazer was a pretty cool gimmick and could have really cashed in on the superhero craze that is going on right now.

 

Blazer targets Valentine's left arm with armdrags and wristlocks. He gets a nearfall with a cross body block. Blazer has dizzied Valentine with his speed and this is some of the best ground game I have seen in 80s WWF. Valentine is able to send the Blazer crashing to the outside. Valentine comes off the apron with a double axe handle. Owen sucks at selling as he kind of staggers around the outside and is not evoking sympathy rather just looks confused. Hammer plays King Of Mountain keeping Owen at bay with elbows and knees. Valentine hits him with a backbreaker and stomps. He wrenches his knee in the corner and he delivers vicious forearms. Blazer mounts a comeback with a second rope dropkick TIMBAAAAAH. Blazer fighting fire with fire using European uppercuts. He crashes and burns on a dropkick when Valentine hooks the ropes. Valentine realizing that the Blazer is for real wastes no time trying to apply the figure-4 but fails on all three occasions eventually crashing to the outside. Blazer seizing this opportunity works through a series of nearfalls attempting to secure the victory with a series of high spots including a missile dropkick and a top rope elbow drop. On his last move from the top, Valentine catches him and slams him for the victory.

 

I loved this match! It really felt like two wrestlers struggling working hard to secure a victory. Blazer was able to focus on Valentine's arm early, but Valentine was able to throw him to the outside and deliver some heavy blows, but that does not phase Blazer enough. Valentine regains the advantage tries to go in for the kill, but the Blazer is persistent. The Blazer would not let up with a barrage of moves. Eventually the ring veteran Valentine snaps him up to get the win. It was just a really well-constructed match that was executed beautifully. One of the best matches I have seen from the WWF 80s era.

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Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin - 10/89 MLG

 

Well this match did not sneak up on me as I knew how much I liked the Royal Rumble match. This is one of those "Katie Bar The Door, Pier-Six" Brawls, just a drag-out, burn-down, bare-knuckle slobberknocker. You can count the "wrestling moves" on one hand, but who gives a fuck because they bring the heat with every blow. Gorilla tells me Valentine is the one who asked for Garvin's reinstatement after he retired him. Lord Alfred says if he gets his ass handed to him that he would be "hoist on his own petard", which I had seen elsewhere and now know what it means. Who says wrestling can not be educational?

 

They lock up and Garvin wins a shoving contest in the corner. Then it turns into a boxing match with Garvin getting the better of that. Valentine tries coming in full bore with some vicious blows and chops, but Hands of Stone cannot be denied, well until Valentine gets a kick that may have been low. Valentine capitalizes on this immediately with elbows, but Garvin spreads his leg on a piledriver attempt. When Gorilla says look at that spread I get a chuckle out of it. Valentine piledrives him anyways, but only gets two. Here comes Garvin again with punches and chops; he attempts a pin after a headbutt/splash combo. Valentine backdrops Garvin on piledriver attempt, but Garvin tries a sunset flip however his legs are too short. Lord Alfred had a good laugh over that one. Garvin Stomp! The Sharpshooter gets blocked by an eye-rake and Valentine tosses him to the outside, we play a little King of the Mountain as Valentine sledges and elbows him. Garvin grabs a sleeper but he is just too damn short. He pokes him in the eyes and gnaws on his forehead. He goes for the kill with the Sharpshooter, but Valentine punches his way out. Garvin walks into a shinbreaker and Valentine applies his figure-4 leglock. Garvin makes the ropes, but is selling the leg for all it is worth. Valentine going for his second rope elbow gets caught and eats a press slam by a debilitated Ronnie Garvin. Garvin removes the shinguard and threatens to strike the Hammer with it, but in the confusion gets rolled up. Garvin beats him down the aisle way with the HeartBreaker.

 

This was an ugly, brutal wrestling contest and I loved it. I will say that stand up wrestling matches like this are not my absolute favorite, but I do liked them every once and a while. This was a great change of pace from 80s WWF tag scene. I can only think that Savage, Backlund and Santana are serious contenders against him for best worker in the WWF 80s. Backlund obviously is missing half of the decade, but he did run on top for the whole first half. I have watched enough Santana to know he can have a few borefests or clunkers even though his stuff with Valentine, Savage and the Islanders is some of the best stuff of the 80s. Savage was not with the company as long as Valentine and Santana, but he obviously had some great stuff and in addition had a main event run. I am sure if started watching Savage again in earnest I would say he is the best, but Valentine is hard to deny with so many great performances.

[ohtani's jacket]

I fuckin' love the Hammer. There are also Toronto and MSG versions of the Blazer/Valentine match. Neither are as good as the Boston match, but the MSG match has a sweat beatdown on the Blazer and Owen's string of near falls is pretty hot. The Toronto match has a chunk of the bout edited out, but you still get a sense that the two had a good working dynamic. What sets the Boston match apart is that opening armdrag section and the clever little transitions all the way through.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Hell, I cant believe it has been over a month since I watched me some Hammer that Owen match was pretty bitchin'.

 

The Dream Team w/Jimmy Hart vs Tito Santana & Ricky Steamboat - MLG 4/85

 

This match sure lived up to the hype and may be the best Beefcake performance I have ever seen. This match was all about tempo. Santana was in his red-hot feud with Valentine who had broken his leg and taken his title. The crowd was molten for that angle. The babyfaces worked their entire end in an up-tempo, fired -up fashion. The Dream Team knowing they could not match this attempted every trick in the book to break their momentum and work a real grinding style. This led to a really good match.

 

Early on Steamboat and Santana have a hot shine sequence with Beefcake and Valentine just bumping all over the place for them. I have been down on WWF Steamboat, but he was pumped for this match just flying around the ring. You know that Tito is going to bring the hate with his fists balled up. Beefcake and Valentine do their best to stall and break this momentum, but at first there seems like no end to this onslaught. Until, Tito goes for the figure-4 on Valentine, who grabs his trunks and hits a knee in the midsection. Once he hits a shoulderbreaker he consolidates the advantage for the Dream Team and grinds the match to a halt. They work on Santana with some double teams and Valentine slaps on an arm bar. Tito is almost able to make the tag, but Valentine knocks Steamboat off the apron and then Beefcake comes around and beats on Steamboat. The crowd was just eating this all up. The Beefer gets cocky and goads Steamboat. Tito is able to crawl past Beefcake and get the hot tag to Steamboat. IT IS BREAKING LOOSE IN TORONTO! Steamboat with his best hot tag I have seen. He unloads on both the Hammer and the Beefer with karate shots. The crowd was losing their shit for this. Steamboat grabs the sleeper hold, but Beefcake with an eye-rake. Valentine and Steamboat have a good exchange until an eye-rake does Steamboat in and Valentine consolidates with a gut buster. I preferred the Steamboat FIP is a better at selling and the Dream Team really unloaded with double teams and offense. Valentine starts to warm him up for the figure-4, but Steamboat knows his way around the figure-4 and grabs an inside cradle. Steamboat fights out of the corner and is able to Tito. ARRIBA! Double noggin knocker. Tito drops Valentine with a right. Flying Burrito to a huge pop! Beefcake saves. Melee ensues. They are double teaming Tito and Steamboat flies off the top onto Beefcake. Tito blocks Valentine's atomic drop and applies the figure-4 for the submission victory. ARRIBA! Wooooooooooooo, I am out of breathe after that one.

 

This is babyface wrestling 101, folks. Steamboat and Santana gave maximum effort and I bet it is real easy when you have a crowd as hot as this one at the Maple Leaf Gardens. The Dream Team wrestled a smart match to ensure constant heat throughout the match as they built not one, but two really hot tags. In some of those double FIP AWA tags, the first hot tag is not all that hot, but in this match that Steamboat hot tag is just as red-hot as the following Santana one. Beefcake actually wrestled pretty well here and was not as awkward as usual. The Hammer is going to clog the lane every time and make sure that babyface earns every shot. This up there with the Bulldogs match as one of the best WWF Tags of the 80s.

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WWF Tag Champs US Express vs The Dream Team - Philly 9/85

 

I am glad I went back and watched these two Dream Team matches because they could contend with the Islanders as my favorite heel tag team in 80s WWF. I will say one of the disappointments of Valentine sticking in one promotion for so long is that we did not get stuff like Valentine vs Windham one on one at length. Also, what I do not understand is why Beefcake seemed to suck so hard in '86. I mean Valentine barely let Beefcake wrestle in Wrestlemania II. He wrestled pretty decently in these two matches. He is still only the fourth best wrestler in these matches, but he is not sucking out loud.

 

I loved the start to this match as the Dream Team jumps them and a melee ensues. The Windham/Valentine exchange makes me want that singles match so much. The faces send the heels packing. Valentine & Beefcake true to form work smart and try to break their momentum. We get Windham/Valentine proper and the two minutes we get is awesome. Valentine stops the runaway freight train with a knee lift. Beefcake loses this advantage and we go to Heel In Peril with some arm work. I actually think Beefcake sold this pretty well and Rotundo worked pretty well in this segment. The US Express even hits a double dropkick (way better than Rockers one) on Beefer. Beefcake works Rotundo to his corrner and he blind tagged Valentine, who came off the top with a sledge onto Rotundo. Valentine suffocates Rotundo and is relentless on his legs and Rotundo sells pretty well. Rotundo is good at working some strikes in his hope spots in the corner. I dig Dream Team double whip into the corner. We hit the front facelock for a while. I will say the Valentine drop toehold to prevent Rotundo from making the tag is one of the best of those kind. Windham and Valentine get back into it. I just love how chippy this is. Valentine hits his shoulder breaker. I dig the shoulderbreaker I think someone should incorporate it in their moveset, but it is weird for Valentine's moveset. Valentine gets kicked off by Rotundo on his figure-4 into his corner so he can tag Beefer. But Rotundo escapes and hot tag to BIG BARRY!!! I love how Windham steps through his punches. He hits Valentine with a bulldog, but Valentine KICKS OUT! Now that's a death sentence for a babyface. Windham goes for the second bulldog, but Beefcake puts "Luscious" Johnny V's hair product in Barry's eyes. Valentine hits an elbow to seal the deal.

 

The other match is definitely the better workrate match and the front facelock stuff does drag, but Windham & Valentine are really excellent. I wish they would some of that beginning melee stuff in other matches it gives matches a more heated feel. I thought this is one of the better title switches I have seen.

 

Actually lets rank the title switches (I don't have the Colossal Connection switches yet)

 

1. Bulldogs/Dream Team

2. Dream Team/US Express

3. Hart Foundation/Strike Force

4. Demolition vs Hart Foundation

5. Demolition vs BrainBusters MSG 9/89

6. Demolition vs Strike Force

7. Demolition vs Brainbusters - SNME

8. Hart Foundation vs British Bulldogs

9. Hart Foundation vs Nasty Boys -That heat segment fuckin sucked.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs Jake "The Snake" Roberts - 5/88 Primetime Wrestling

 

This was a pretty disappointing affair as most Jake the Snake matches are for me. This is a perfect example of an air-tight logical match that is boring as piss. Roberts did not seem up to work at all as there was no babyface shine and he worked the entirety from underneath in holds. The entire match was structured as Valentine works a hold -> mini-Snake comeback ->signals DDT -> Valentine bails & stall. Rinse, lather and repeat. I will say the first couple holds were boring, but the leg work was the most entertaining and Roberts is always game to sell, just not put any effort into anything else. It did not feel like Valentine was really laying in his shots. They built the entire match around the "D-D-T!", which the crowd was chanting at the beginning until they were lulled to sleep. Now I was ready to be pissed if Roberts signalled for the DDT and then finally hit it because the whole bout was built around Valentine bailing when he knew it was coming. Roberts may be lazy, but he ain't stupid. He hit the DDT out of nowhere, which paid off that internal story. Jake the Snake brought the internal consistency and his usual selling, but left Valentine to the carry the workload in a really layout. Valentine did not even stiff him. Booooooooooooo!

[slabinski611]

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs Tito Santana - 10/88 MSG

 

 

Is this match available online ? I didn't see it listed on Cawthon's website.

[Ricky Jackson]

It's from 11/88 not 10/88. It's on dailymotion.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs "The Rock" Don Muraco - PTW 06/88

 

I went in expecting the absolute worst and was pleasantly surprised at how well this came off and yes that is mostly due to the amazing carrying powers of The Hammer. If you let Valentine work his match, you are the very least going to get a good match and thats why the Roberts match was so boring as the wrestled a Snake match. Muraco put himself in the very capable hands of the Hammer and I was entertained for the 15 minutes of the match. Muraco for his part actually worked hard and ended up blowing up, but at first I was impressed with how quick he looked with all that muscle mass. The short shine was a showcase of Muraco's surprising quickness and one sweet sequence on the mat. Only for Valentine to start taking over with nasty, high chops that look at home in Japan. Yes, Valentine goes back to the chinlock a lot, but I liked his striking and the grittiness. He hit a sick hotshot on Muraco and then started landing wicked blows on Muraco. Muraco takes exception to this, but Valentine bails and resumes his offense with harsh strikes. This has to be up there for one of the best striking showcases from Valentine. Valentine crotches himself on Muraco's knees. Muraco still has some energy with some decent strikes and punctuates with a shoulderbreaker, but only gets two. Valentine starts to work the knee, but he crashes on his ass to the mat. Muraco ends up on top of the ref, but moves at the last second so Valentine lands an elbow on the ref. Muraco is totally blown up and the ref calls for a DQ while Valentine has him cradled. This is a match to watch to see Valentine just unleash his arsenal on a willing victim, but nothing especially great.

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Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs "The Rock" Don Muraco - MSG 7/88

 

"[Muraco] told me it is his lifelong dream to put Valentine out of business" - "Superstar" Graham

 

"They are not just fighting for a paycheck. They are fighting for morality. MORALITY!" - "Superstar" Graham

 

I decided to push my luck and watch another for their series and once again I thought it was good, but not great. Muraco goes after the HeartBreaker early. It took them a year and half to pay off that storyline thats incredible. Valentine's shoulder eats the post. Muraco very gently rams him into the post. Muraco's arm work is pretty decent and I smile when he hit the Asiatic Spike onto the arm. Valentine revs up and just starts unloading with blows. Muraco turns the tide and Superstar starts talking smack on Valentine while Muraco lays into him. Valentine picks the leg and wraps it around the ringpost. Valentine works the leg and alternates with some nasty forearms and clubbering on Muraco. Muraco keeps fighting out of the figure-4. Muraco mounts his comeback with Valentine begging off. Muraco finally gets the HeartBreaker off only for the time limit to expire. It is a match that I will be probably forget soon, but during it I never thought it dragged, but never really hit that next level. Valentine could still go in the post-Dream Team and I would have loved to see him get a run in the tag division against the Rockers or against Savage for the title in a one-off. Alas.

[Superstar Sleeze]

I have not fully fleshed this out yet, but hear me out. Valentine is like the Flair of the WWF in the 80s. Valentine and Flair have very similar spots: very stiffing, hard-hitting strikes, Flop vs TIMBAHHH, begging off, figure-4. Flair cuts a bit better pace. Valetine prefers to work on top and Flair is more giving in the ring. I think people who's major hang-up on Flair is that as the champ he got his ass kicked too much, but probably love the Hammer because he does all the Flair stuff, but works on top in the majority of his matches. Since the WWF had Hogan as its ace, they needed their "Flair" to be on top, but rather in the midcard and tag division where he can be put in place to have great matches with a whole host of folks. I thought the following match could be viewed as what a Valentine NWA title defense could be like. I don't even think it is anywhere near his best match, but felt more in that vein than any other singles match I have watched. The one issue with being in the WWF midcard and now being featured is you became prone to getting lost in the mire, which is what hurts Valentine in comparison to Flair.

 

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs "The Rebel" Dick Slater - 1/87 Boston

 

I love how Gorilla and Lord Alfred always goof on Joey Marella. That's definitely something my Dad would definitely do to me if we were ever on TV together.

 

Valentine works this match in a style that you would believe would be how he would work a NWA World Title defense. Unlike Flair, even though they have similar mechanics and spots, Valentine is going to work the match more on top and make Slater earn his keep. Valentine has vaulted into my Top 5 wrestlers I wish got World Title runs at some point. I will say I believe this is the only Dick Slater match I have ever seen. I know of the tag team with Bob Orton and feud with Jake the Snake in Mid-South, but other than he is a blind spot in wrestling. He definitely lives up to his reputation as a poor man's Terry Funk with how he sells Valentine's chops and blows. Valentine bails early after Slater gets the first punch in. They regroups, but Slater is able to maintain the advantage until Valentine tosses him over the top rope. Before he brings him in, he swings down the hammer across his chest. Valentine goes for the figure-4 after some hard-hitting work, but Slater counters into the small package. Valentine unloads, but here comes Slater with some punches of his own. TIMBAAAAAHHHHH! He even begs off after this. They have a wicked slugfest in the corner. Valentine gets his foot on the ropes and Slater drops down on his knee and goes for the figure-4 of his own, but Valentine eyerakes. Valentine pours it on with a sleeper and a figure-4 with Slater countering each, but unable to garner any momentum. Valentine pulls his trunks into corner gaining the pinfall while Joey Marella is oblivious to Slater's feet on his ropes. That is not going to help his reputation.

 

Valentine still went out of his way to put over Slater with TIMBAAAHHH and selling the leg of the figure-4, but I did not get a good feel for what were Slater's spots or what him unique. This really felt like Valentine was the champion and they were going to run his match which is a high-intensity slugfest.

 

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I take it back, this following Tom Zenk match is a better representation of what I think would be a prototypical Greg Valentine NWA Title Defense. Zenk is that perfect mid-card white meat babyface fodder that Flair would defend against (as he would in early '90) often. It was interesting to get to see Valentine in this context.

 

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs Tom Zenk - 2/87 Philly

 

The Dream Team was programmed with the Can-Ams (I have not found the tag match and we are robbed of Valentine/Martel in '87, my dream match) thus they broke it up to singles affairs for this show. They start off with some hot arm work with a good sense of struggle. Valentine follows up with a Oklahoma Slam into the post and then proceeded to stand on Zenk quite a long time. I was listening to the Titans show, I was laughing so hard during this part. This is a great match to contrast with the Flair match because Valentine is working on top and Zenk is forced to shine via selling rather than through offense. He hung him out to dry with a front suplex onto the ropes followed up with a figure-4. Valentine knees Zenk onto the floor and then swings the Hammer down on the ropes. I loved the bit with Zenk pulling Valentine out to the floor and he holds onto the ref. Even though Valentine prefers to work on top, he still shows ass like the above and then later lets Zenk chase him around the ring. Valentine wins the chase, but Zenk finally fires up and does a poor man's Martel with his highstepping. Finally, Valentine hoists him up and crotches him on the top rope, which the ref signals for the DQ.

 

I don't think this is as good as the Slater match, but it is not a bad match per se. The Flair-style matches let the opponents look good, but they are just doing the Flair spots and only the cream of the crop were able to actually stand out by contributing. The Valentine-style matches force the opponents to look good at selling and earning it. However, again, his opponents do not show anything that makes them stand out. They look plug-in-play wrestlers while Valentine wrestle around him. You have to hold these wrestlers accountable. I think the Valentine/Blazer match is a great showcase of how the Valentine can get a wrestler over, but it is on that wrestler ultimately to get himself over by contributing interesting and unique spots. Valentine has proved time and time again that he can get good matches out people as disparate as Zenk and Muraco, which shows his style is readily adaptable.

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Greg "The Hammer" Valentine vs Brutus Beefcake - 7/87 MSG

 

I felt compelled to include a match from this series even given my disdain for the Beefer. Valentine must have really not wanted to lose his hair because they put over the ultimate goal being to cut "Luscious" Johnny V instead of Valentine's golden locks. This series is also important because it bridged Beefcake from top heel tag wrestler to #3 or #4 babyface from 1988-90. Shockingly, this is a very good match, but who am I to doubt Greg Fuckin Valentine. They work in this WWF feud style so it is not a Katie Bar The Door Pier-Six Brawl, but just than version of it. Beefcake knocks their heads together and starts teeing off on Valentine. I love how Valentine sells the atomic drop as hurting his body from the tailbone to the top of his head. Valentine uses the leverage move into the turnbuckles to gain the advantage and Johnny V chokes Beefcake. "Luscious" Johnny V taunts the debilitated Beefcake with his hair. Valentine crashes down on Beefer with all his weight. Valentine applies the figure-4 onto Beefcake. He kicks Valentine off on his second attempt into the turnbuckles. I like how in WWF matches this is not an immediate transition, but there is a real sense of struggle. Valentine goes for a desperation suplex, but Beefcake reverses it. Beefcake reels off a nice lariat and follows up with his sleeper on Valentine and then on Johnny V before Dino Bravo interferes. They cut off a couple locks before the Bulldogs save.

 

It is not an all-time great match, but Beefcake is surprisingly good throughout this match. He brought plenty of energy in his shine and home stretch runs. He actually worked in some hope spots in the heat segment and he sold pretty well. Valentine was Valentine, which is to say he was pretty damn good. I loved him crashing down on Beefcake with all his weight and I thought he sold like a million bucks for Beefcake. Given, the crowd reactions it was to easy to see that Beefcake was getting over and definitely part of that was how well Valentine sold for him and structured the match around him.

[bradhindsight]

A wrestler I work with (at our regular job) told a similar story. Valentine was "in no condition to perform" for a show in eastern KS, summer 2011. He remained on the apron. I might ask him for more details if I get the chance.

 

When I was bouncing at a strip club in the late 90's, we had a day-time dancer that looked EXACTLY like Valentine. Same build and everything. We all called her "The Hammer" but eventually I got her to answer to "Greg". She also generally showed up "in no condition to perform".

Fantastic

[ohtani's jacket]

God, I love the Hammer. If you love the Hammer you owe it to yourself to watch this match --

 

Is there a comprehensive list of injuries the Hammer inflicted? Flair's nose, Piper's ear, Wahoo's leg, Santana's knee. Any more?

[Ricky Jackson]

Jay Strongbow's leg in 79, which was basically a reprise of the Wahoo angle. Also led to perhaps the best matches of Strongbow's career.

[ohtani's jacket]

Jay Strongbow's leg in 79, which was basically a reprise of the Wahoo angle. Also led to perhaps the best matches of Strongbow's career.

After watching as much Mid-Atlantic Valentine as I could find, I wondered if I was wrong to like Valentine more than so many other American workers, then I watched the Strongbow stuff and had one of those if lovin' you is wrong I don't wanna be right epiphanies. Man, I dig those 70s-to-mid 80s Madison Square Garden crowds. When did the MSG vibe change? Is it post-SNME where it's not the same sort of wrestling crowd? Gorilla was FAT in 1979. Holy shit.

[Ricky Jackson]

Man, I dig those 70s-to-mid 80s Madison Square Garden crowds. When did the MSG vibe change?

As far as I understand it part of the change was due to the fact that, around 1984 and the beginning of the Hogan-era, Vince essentially purged MSG of all the long-time front row fans who had been permanent ticket holders and made sure their seats were taken by yuppies and other young people in order to project the image on TV that the WWF was now "cool". That is not to say the long-time fans were banned from shows, but they were essentially "swept under the rug" in an effort to yuppify the fan base. But the main factor in the vibe change was that a lot of the long-time fans were simply turned off by the new WWF and slowly faded away, while young kids and their parents replaced them.

[Kevin Ridge]

I was randomly watching some WWF MSG from 1975 and I just love the MSG crowds. The Spectrum crowds were awesome in the violence lusting way but I just so enjoy watching an MSG crowd from the day. Anyways, there was this female fan at an MSG show that was just going completely crazy for the good guys. I could not keep my eyes off her as she was just cheering like a mad woman. There was even an exchange with her and some dude who was sitting across from the entrance aisle were I have to say she was probably screaming at this guy to shut the fuck up as he was probably rooting for the heels. I so wanted to party with her in NYC after watching a show at MSG.

[Big Rob]

Even his WCW stints when he was way past his prime in the 90's I find enjoyable. Big time Greg Valentine fan.

Yeah, he was still good up until the late 90's atleast. He did a random tour for Battlarts in 98 and had a fun match vs Hisakatsu Oya

 

WWE have a sub-five minute match on their Youtube channel with Greg working Rob Conway on Heat from 2005, and I'll be damned if the Hammer doesn't bust his arse for it. I don't remember giving it a second thought when it actually aired, but rewatching it, it's lots of fun albeit marred by a lame Eugene run in.

 

Based off of this thread, I'm watching a bunch of Valentine stuff as he's not someone I've paid close attention to in the past. Several matches in, and I'm a big fan - the guy is just so damn believable with pretty much everything that he does, and has amazing timing. Even his goofier bumps and selling come off as pretty credible and still work in a serious environment. I loved the Toronto tag with him and Brutus against Steamboat and Santana, although that's a pretty amazing showing for Tito too. Damn those two guys had fantastic chemistry with one another.