![]() I've learned things in my 35 plus years in the business that you couldn't learn in any school or college, and I want to pass my knowledge on. ![]() "I can't teach people how to fly a plane or how to work a computer, my profession is wrestling, and that's what I'm going to teach them. "I'll never be able to do anything else," said Valentine. The veteran told WWE.com that contributing to the future of the business is one of the most rewarding experiences of his career, and he hopes to continue doing so as long as he can. The Hammer still spends a lot of time on the road as well, hosting seminars and getting in the ring with the stars of tomorrow at WWE's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling. The Hall of Famer was even spotted on a recent episode of the hit VH1 reality show, Hogan Knows Best. No longer committed to wrestling on a weekly basis, Valentine spends as much time as possible working in his garden, talking on the phone, lifting weights in the gym, or relaxing out on his boat. Today, Greg Valentine operates out of his home base of 22 years, Clearwater, Fla. In fact, I want to send a personal challenge to Ric for a Retirement Match so I can retire him myself." "Of course, I was always better than him at two things, the Figure Four, and falling on my face. "Flair was always a good friend, and a friendly enemy," laughed The Hammer. Valentine jokingly told WWE.com that he still has unfinished business with the Nature Boy. One of his favorite partners and opponents over the years was his good friend, Ric Flair. In the decades that would follow, The Hammer won numerous championships, competing with the best in the business along the way. Soon after, he sent me up to the dungeon in Calgary to train with Stu Hart."Īfter nearly eight months of zero degree temperatures and intensive "training" from the Hart family patriarch, Valentine returned to the United States where he began the next chapter of his long and storied career. "I called him and said that I didn't want to go back to school, and that I wanted to become a wrestler. "When I got back to Seattle, I called my dad," recalled the Valentine. However, The Hammer soon realized that his heart was no longer in the classroom. "Between that, the excitement of the wrestling itself and seeing my father perform to sold-out crowds every night was what inspired me."įollowing the road trip, Valentine returned to his home in Seattle where he was supposed to return to school. ![]() The travel was very appealing to me because I was so young," he continued. "I never wanted to follow him into the business, until I went on the road with him in '69. "I had my sights set on other things," said Valentine. It took an eye-opening road trip with his dad in the summer of 1969 to give the young Hammer the motivation he needed to step into the squared circle. However, until his late teens, Greg had no intentions of following in his father's footsteps. 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. In 2004, he was honored for his contributions when he was officially inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.Īs a child, Greg Valentine was constantly surrounded by the business. ![]() With a career that has spanned more than 30 years, Valentine has seen and done it all in sports-entertainment. 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. ![]()
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