Greg Valentine
Johnathan Anthony Wisniski Jr. ( born September 20, 1950 in Seattle, Washington ) is an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances in the WWF (now WWE), and held numerous titles. He is also a member of the WWE Hall of Fame.
Wisniski since 1995 has been married for the second time with Julie and has two daughters from his first marriage. He sees himself as a born-again Christian and holds together with Ted DiBiase speeches in high schools and colleges.
Wisniski was born in Seattle, the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine and thus came very early into contact with the wrestling. As a teenager, he traveled with his father and finally he dropped out of college to become wrestlers. His father was not really pleased with it, but finally he gave in and after some training with him, he sent his son in 1970 to legendary coach Stu Hart to Calgary. One and a half years later Wisniski went to Detroit to complete his training at Ed Farhat.
Career
Early career
First Wisniski did not want to take advantage of the familiar names of his father and began his career as Baby Face Nelson and later became Johnny Fargo. Under the latter name he stepped up to 1971-1974, as one half of the tag team The Fargo Brothers with Don Fargo in the organization National Wrestling Federation. After the team was disbanded, Wisniski went to Florida and entered first as Johnny Valentine Jr. to. In order not to represent but also his active even in wrestling father as too old, he changed his name to the famous Greg " The Hammer" Valentine and was passed off as his father's brother. During this time Wisniski also worked in California and Japan with Antonio Inoki, before he went to the NWA in 1976.
NWA time
In August 1976, Wisniski came to the members of the NWA Mid-Atlantic promotion, which was located in North Carolina. Wisniski here should replace his father, who was injured in 1975 in a plane crash and thus forced to resign. A wrestling action, which should make it known here, was his elbow drop, which has been shown to be particularly hard. On December 26, 1976, he won along with Ric Flair, the NWA World Tag Team title against the Ole Anderson and genes. They held the title until May 8, 1977 they lost again to the Andersons, to recover them on 30 October of the year. The team with flair was disbanded in April 1978 and declared the title vacant. With Baron von Raschke Wisniski could gain the title in 1978 for a third time. Also in 1977, he feuded with Wahoo McDaniel for the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight title, which he was able to hold twice in the course of this feud before he lost him in April 1978 to Ken Patera final.
In November 1978, Wisniski first appeared on the former World Wide Wrestling Federation, where he was managed by The Grand Wizard. He even got a title match against the reigning World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund and achieved a draw.
1980 Wisniski won the NWA World Tag Team title for the fourth time, this time with Ray Stevens as a partner. Four days later, they were stripped of the title due to an infraction. After an apparent transformation from villain to good, the team was revived with Ric Flair. But Wisniski went behind him, according to storyline and then began a feud with Flair for the NWA United States Heavyweight title, which Wisniski on July 26th of the year was finally able to win. He held the title until the end of November, when Flair decided to rematch for themselves.
1981 was Wisniski for a year back in the World Wide Wrestling Federation and feuded with Backlund for the title as well as with Pedro Morales.
In 1982, he held the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship twice and denied feuds with Wahoo McDaniel and Roddy Piper.
WWF time
1984 Wisniski went to the World Wrestling Federation as the former WWWF was now called, and acted as a villain. First he was there, Captain Lou Albano managed by, and later by Jimmy Hart. Back in September of the same year he was Tito Santana remove the Intercontinental Champion title. He then began a feud with the Junk Yard Dog, against whom he competed at Wrestlemania 1 in a title fight and lost by counting, but retained the title. Santana, who had inserted a pause before Wrestlemania, was again involved in the business, and on July 6, 1985 had Wisniski the title again to leave it.
Wisniski finally got Brutus Beefcake with a tag team partner and you stepped from now on as The Dream Team with Johnny Valiant as Manager. On August 24, 1985, she could against the U.S. - Express win the WWF World Tag Team Title and until April 7, 1986 ( Wrestlemania 2) hold, as the British Bulldogs new champions were. A year later, at Wrestlemania 3 took you an attitude change with Brutus Beefcake and the team was disbanded in this lineup. For now took over Dino Bravo this position.
In 1988, again as a single wrestler on the road, he had a feud with Don Muraco and took the title at Wrestlemania 4 tournament, which Randy Savage won ultimately. He then had a short-lived team with The Honky Tonk Man, which Rhythm'n'Blues called and feuded against the Bushwhackers. He toured to Japan and also went to for World Wrestling Council before in the WWF a new program with Rugged Ronnie Garvin began in 1989. The feud lasted until the Royal Rumble in 1990 when Garvin finally won a Submission Match. Beginning of 1991 was Wisniski then Facebook and kicked Earthquake and IRS of.
In 1992 he moved briefly to World Championship Wrestling and won along with Terry Taylor of the United States Tag Team Title.
At Survivor Series 1993, he returned to the WWF and made an appearance as a masked Blue Knight.
According to the WWF
After 1994 Wisniski approached mainly at Independent organizations in Japan and occasionally for the WCW. In 1999, he joined then shorter, it came appearances at events added legend and he now also worked as a real estate broker.
On March 13, 2004, he was taken by his former manager Jimmy Hart into the WWE Hall of Fame.
On 3 October 2005 he made a guest appearance at the WWE and defeated Rob Conway by Disqualification.
Important wrestling title
- WWE Intercontinental Title
- WWE World Tag Team titles with Brutus Beefcake
- WCW United States Tag Team Title
- 3 times NWA United States Heavyweight title
- 3 times NWA World Tag Team titles ( the fourth was not recognized, see above)
- NWA Canadian title
- Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles
- AWF ( American Wrestling Federation) Tag Team Title with Tommy Rich