Greg Valentine - What Big John Studd Was Like in WWF

Greg Valentine discusses what Big John Studd was like in WWF (World Wrestling Federation). Streaming now 📺 TitleMatchNetwork.com
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Hall of Fame legend Greg "The Hammer" Valentine knew John Studd when he was first starting out in the Mid-Atlantic. Valentine and Studd would work out at Ric Flair's house in Charlotte.
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Find out what happened once Big John Studd made his way to Vince McMahon's WWF in the early-mid 1980s. Hammer tells us about issues between Studd and Andre the Giant which may have hurt John's long-term success.
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[@TitleMatchWrestling]

Full Playlist 📲 bit.ly/3fMmvW8 Stream Now 📺TitleMatchNetwork.com LIKE if you want more Hammer 🔨

[@Chris-zi9bb]

I'd like to meet The Hammer, Jonathan Anthony Wisniski....

[@chadsevedra5029]

I ate dinner with King Kong Bundy twenty some yrs ago, at a Las Vegas buffet for hours and a dozen plates later

[@KJ-tz7vc]

Anyone else that could sit here and listen to Greg "The Hammer" Valentine tell stories all day, raise your hand! *raises hand*

[@holdenv81000]

🙋‍♂️

[@bigredmiller2964]

☝🏻✋🏻💯🕶

[@craigwilson3532]

Absolutely ✋

[@chrissherrill790]

I’m not even a huge wrestling fan… but I’ve got hooked to this dudes stories.. he needs a podcast

[@yourdaddy6030]

👋

[@georgejackson4426]

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine is the rare wrestler who never bashes anyone and isn't bitter.

[@neverenoughguitars8276]

I met Greg and a few other wrestlers when I was 11 in 1986 at a house show in Toronto at the MLG. I remember shaking his hand and couldn't believe how big and strong his hand was. It was like shaking hands with a bear! I remember he raised his fist at me like he was going to smash me in the face and just before he turned to walk away he winked at me and smiled. I'll never forget that. Greg was and still is the man!

[@Jay-vr9ir]

Yes, the late radio broadcaster at WGR -55 Buffalo , Shane ,wrestled Greg in Buffalo .Shane claimed that Greg ,is a great guy

[@slappymcbutterballs7326]

I used to hate the Hammer when I was a kid...but as an adult..I realize this dude was just really good at his job.

[@blayze2580]

I met Big John Studd when I was 5 years old I was supposed to meet Hogan but "his plane arrived late" I was so scared but he turned out to be a really nice guy

[@Susrek]

That's awesome. Great memory.

[@joshuapaladini1507]

It’s interesting to me how many “non-wrestling fans” still remember Big John Studd. He had incredible charisma and was a solid worker. RIP

[@larryfloyd4993]

john studd ..harley davison and the marlboro man ...movie... he also wrestle as chuck o'connor

[@andrewmcguire9795]

Couldn’t beat Backlund though

[@user-ou2yn1ye8h]

One of my favorites BJS. Yeah 👍

[@user-ou2yn1ye8h]

@@andrewmcguire9795 Backlund WAS A Great Wrestler

[@CWBush73]

I loved the WWF probably in 83-85. Had these rubber WWF rubber action figures of him Hulk, Andre, Roddy

[@Cincinnatus1869]

I found Big John to be more genuinely intimidating than Andre because John wasn't misproportioned or freakish like Andre the Giant. You could picture John as a lumberjack or a construction worker , or just some regular guy who was just a HUGE , mean looking SoB . It really seemed like he could destroy anyone he chose to.

[@thelonegerman2314]

John Stud Did this All for his Family, He took Growth Hormone, And that is What Caused his Cancer

[@neverenoughguitars8276]

You never met Andre or stood near him then. I did and it was terrifying!

[@Realest636]

I could see that.

[@DW-nb2zc]

Andre is almost like a mythological figure,but he was a real man.A man I'm sure you would not want to piss off

[@bigj6143]

Back then a huge attraction was to find a guy comparable to Andre in terms of his size. Not equal, just comparable. Studd met that. Top rope entrance no top rope entrance, real Giant claims, whatever, when they found large men, even Hogan, sooner or later they were matched with Andre. Ernie Ladd also stepped over the top rope as well. Kamala, Blackjack Mulligan, Giant Baba (Japan), Bundy, One Man Gang, Bam Bam Bigelow, if they were tall and big or big maybe not real tall, they matched up with Andre. Unless they were before or after his time. Talk is always about what a match between Andre and Big Show would have done at the box office. Just to have someone that close size wise made it seem legit. That was the selling point. Not the other crap. Sure Andre still went over with the exception of Mania 3 and few other times. No, he wasn't undefeated for 15 years but the lack of internet or knowledge of shows not televised, overseas, knowledge of shows in isolated places throughout the world meant that kayfabe could be claimed up to Mania 3. So it just wasn't about who Andre would or would not work with, it was also about guys willing to get squashed by Andre multiple times throughout the world. Hogan did that back when he first started, was Andre's squash partner. Get squashed then move on to the next squash show....same thing again. Pretty petty to complain about minor gimmick infringement like top rope entrance or trying to draw heat by claiming to be the real Giant. Andre was an attraction due to his enormous size and based on that there was only one.

[@coyote311]

Big John Studd was always one of my favorites. RIP big guy!

[@r0ckstar666]

Big John Stud was one of the greatest heels in wrestling history.

[@4starhero600]

Greg is such a great storyteller. Love these Valentine shoots.

[@txmetalhead82xk]

I agree.

[@neverenoughguitars8276]

Yeah this series is easily one of the best!

[@tomjenkins2489]

Greg always seems so fair and reasonable in these interviews.

[@PATB-qz7mn]

"SOME GUYS DONT GET IT" Greg is intelligent, the way he articulates

[@ben8447]

What nobody ever mentions is that Vince TOLD John Studd to step over the rope!

[@aaronrus]

Exactly. And Andre really didn’t give a shit about it, they worked the boys

[@michaelallanrubin2376]

@@aaronrus Andre cared you're wrong you don't know shit were you there?? Who are you??

[@user-wr6db6nw8t]

Oh I believe it! John could have taken more bumps too, he really didn't as much, only time I saw him off his feet there is when Andre slammed him at the first Wrestlemania!

[@hondamanvtec2894]

@@michaelallanrubin2376 Stop using drugs. Pro wrestlig. Everything is planed /scripted

[@jessecumba]

That's the whole point. John was doing the right thing by getting that type of heat. Calling himself the real giant, walking over the top of the ropes. That's what you call heat to sell a match. Andre was just an ego maniac

[@CP-kb1du]

Andre the Booze Giant was protecting his spot and never sold to Big John Studd ,,Legit power house that could slam Stink Giant through the Canvas ..

[@DaDitka]

It seems like John was in a no-win situation. If memory serves, John was told by McMahon to challenge Andre as being the only giant, and it was McMahon that told John to step over the top rope. If that is true, then John would either incur Andre's wrath, or McMahon would fire him. I don't know. But I do think Andre should have been less sensitive about this.

[@primorodriguez4530]

That's how I look at it too 👍🏼👊🏼

[@ThereIsNoLord]

I agree with Valentine that Studd could have been more creative in thinking of how to put over the feud.

[@jessecumba]

@@ThereIsNoLord no John didn't have too much of a choice. Andre was a bully point blank. If you get the chance to see all the old interviews from a lot of the wrestlers from back then, they all said the same thing. Andre bullied a lot of people specially if he didn't like you. He pretty much did whatever he wanted. That's why he went so many years without losing a single match.

[@anotherDnightmare]

When I was a kid, I had Bundy and Studd as my tag team champs with the rubber LJN line. Then I got the Bulldogs. Put the belts on them. Didn’t feel right. Back on Bundy and Studd. Big John was always a fave. RIP Studd. Bundy. Brain.

[@Michael_Chandler_Keaton]

Who was your world champ? Please don't say Hogan. I know it was Hogan, but Mach shoulda had a run or two.

[@anotherDnightmare]

I never liked Hogan. I absolutely had Macho and Bruno... I mean, Bruno’s the hometown boy. Steamboat was champ a couple times. Studd too when I broke up he and Bundy and put Bundy with the One Man Gang. This is funny... I haven’t thought about any of this til right now. Thanks for the trip!

[@Michael_Chandler_Keaton]

@@anotherDnightmare Hey thanks for sharing. I love stuff like that

[@greatesttoysevermade3693]

I had some of the rubber LJN figures, not all of them, six or seven (still have them with the cards and posters). Roddy Piper always was the WWF champion, always a BJS fan too, I think he had a run or two as the champion as well 😀!!!

[@joeschmo5021]

@@anotherDnightmare could not stand Hogan as a baby face.

[@riddickshultz6877]

I have LOTS of respect for this man. Greg is a true legend

[@dustinfowler7868]

Valentine is so easy to listen to. Fantastic story teller.

[@totalnonstopwillsinn]

BJS was one of my favorites, had the LJN toy of him and had him body slam the Hulkster figure on a daily basis.

[@vincegedeon6583]

😂

[@soulofanerd9364]

Definitely one of the best looking figures. They captured that two toned blonde hair/beard combo and his tights and boots.

[@Wolfgar-jx5kl]

Had that figure of BJS as well. It was hard to find at toys are Us man ..there would be plenty of Hulk Hogans on the rack but never BJS. I got him for Xmass finally . Im 48 years old and still have his figure to this day put away with other keep sakes.

[@soulofanerd9364]

@@Wolfgar-jx5kl right. There were always Hogans in the racks 😄😄😄. My brothers and I, we had about 3 or 4 of them, not because we were fans but because we'd doctor them up with markers or my sister's finger nail polish to change the look 😄

[@shanedaviau5976]

I loved those fucking wrestling toys I had machoman and Elisabeth even mean Gene Oakland I had both hulk hogan toys the yellow and later it was a white and red one

[@frankpalancio8471]

Greg Valentine has a lot of great stories to tell. Not many wrestlers live old enough to tell them.

[@cybrnathan]

Got to meet him when i was a kid when he was with Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling before a show one night. Even though he was a heel, he met myself and couple of other kids as a favor to one of the ushers he was friends with. One of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet. His son Sean wrestles in Booker T's Reality of Wrestling. He's not small either, 6'10" and 280lbs

[@rickurt4063]

I met him in a local PA mall as a kid too. Extremely nice, was a heel at the time too, and took the time to meet with, shake hands, and do personalized autographs for all the kids.. I still have mine to this day. Nicer than probably any other wrestling star there ever was. Many in the profession have even commented that he was too nice to be a wrestler.

[@kirkmuffie7542]

I saw his son was getting into wrestling. Wish him the best. Big John was our Pennsylvania Giant. Heard he's from Butler PA.

[@Tbear230]

Took my nephew to get his autograph at a restaurant. Could not have been a nicer man. Appreciated him big time.

[@Danimal77]

Is that his "billed" height? John was also billed 6'10", but was a legit 6'7".

[@misserin3371]

I love hearing stories about Big John Studd. What a sweet man! He deserved so much better. It hurts to hear that he would actually work out to the point of throwing up. Poor baby...I want to hug him.

[@Thor-Orion]

He had a type of cancer.

[@Berek71182]

@@Thor-Orion Not to mention the Growth Hormone he was soft-forced to take. According to rumours.

[@justafanofnerdculture7602]

Nice to hear The Hammer talkin' about BJS.

[@robertgillen979]

Studd was great. One of my favorites. Andre needed to lighten up.

[@justafanofnerdculture7602]

@@robertgillen979 I agree wholeheartedly! Andre is undoubtedly a legend and I'm a big fan of his, but he seemed to be very insecure.

[@jvac1129]

Greg is awesome to listen too. Seems like a really nice good dude. Great stories.

[@anthonygentile8968]

Hammer is the best ! More Hammer !

[@jackbarnes9728]

This is by far the best interview I've seen with the Hammer.

[@sychophantt]

Good for Studd doing his thing

[@jamesmccormick875]

By all accounts John was a super nice guy. He was great with fans and other wrestlers. Andre was the opposite. He hated fans and was nasty to them and he bullied a lot of guys in the business. Andre getting mad that John stepped over the top rope is ridiculous. Andre was notorious for not liking other big guys like John, and Andre took liberties on John and many other wrestlers in the ring.

[@noshow22]

I remember Bruce Prichard saying that John was too nice of a guy for the wrestling business.

[@peterp2153]

Andre was cranky and obviously had an issue with other big men, but I do get him being protective, especially in that era. Other guys weren’t supposed to do your finisher or even your signature spots when you were in the same territory together. That said, “who’s the true giant” is such a natural feud for him and Studd. Andre feuded with other big monsters. I would have to think at least some of those feuds involved the heel saying he was the real giant.

[@gringobronx7670]

Damn these guys gave it all no scripted promos just great charisma and really great wrestlers

[@kennymcbair7323]

Big John Stud Was my First wrestler Toy

[@davemiller6055]

Nice that so many of these stories are getting told. These guys don't live to a ripe old age and an awful lot of them are already gone. I was a teen when wrestling exploded in the 80s. The Rock And Wrestling Connection. I watched the WWF all the time. Even went to a live match once. I saw King Kong Bundy, Big John Studd, and Bret Hart.

[@jeffladd569]

I really enjoy these old stories from the hammer. He seems like a cool old timer, a nice guy. Never really has anything bad to say about anyone.

[@timmcphillips2546]

Love the Hammer interviews

[@Cvtreasures]

Valentine is a class act. Doesnt come across angry like many of the ex WWE guys.

[@christopherkelly2942]

Love the Greg "the Hammer" stories. My parents were out to eat one night at Coopers Restaurant in Scranton, PA. My brothers and I were young kids at the time and big wrestling fans. Anyways, my father noticed Big John Studd sitting at a table with a couple other patrons and went over to John and asked for his autograph for my brothers and I. John was very nice and wrote a nice autograph for us. Still have the autograph to this day. My father also mentioned how big John Studd was and that he needed 2 or 3 chairs to sit on cause of his size. RIP Big John Studd.

[@dwade6322]

Im from Maryland,not too far away was a famous family theme park "Kings Dominion" ..it was like Busch Gardens in the 70's an 80's..anyway John Studd did a commercial for Kings Dominion an in it he rode the roller coaster..funny seeing a guy that size getting nervous on a roller coaster 🤣

[@Bit2brain]

I’m in northern VA, not too far away from KD and do remember Big John Studd’s commercial well!

[@davidsuggs3025]

Speaking regionally, I remember seeing him, and I assume his son, at Washington Football team games at RFK stadium during the 80’s. I guess he lived in the Washington DC area.

[@mikebowermaster4250]

It would've been boring if everyone was friends.

[@billycox2040]

Greg captivates my interest with his wrestling stories. What an outstanding interviewer.

[@pgh45rpms]

In fall of 1993 Big John Studd developed a tumor under his arm. He was treated, but he had a few health setbacks. He died of lymphoma cancer in 1995 and is buried in a church cemetery in Saxonburg PA.. Andre the Giant died in his sleep from congestive heart failure in 1993. He was in Paris France for his father's funeral and stayed a little longer to tend to his mother.

[@civilwildman]

Yeah, recently, sources say it’s lymphoma. I remember years ago it was said he had thyroid cancer instead. In either case, I’d wager it’s hell to go through. :(

[@tfelich19]

I defy anyone to find a wrestler who has done a more straightforward job on these shoot interviews than The Hammer. He has colorful, original insight on just about EVERYONE. All hail the Hammer!

[@tommycraig6552]

As a little kid I meet Greg at a local match I liked the good guys and didn’t want anything to do with him. My sister and her friends talked to him she said he was the nicest guy looking back he and Paul Jones were the only one’s that talked to the fans. While Flair and Steamboat did come out until match time. Greg was talking and taking pictures with fans I guess 2 hours. Thanks Mr. Valentine for being you.

[@E.C.2]

My Pop (RIP) saw Big John at a truck stop around 80-81,said he was big scary looking fella and very gracious kind etc with the women and few men who approached him.

[@rdpeach]

I used to have the Big John Studd thumb wrestler

[@robertanderson2898]

Me too, lol. And Hogan's. So I had the same battles all the time.......

[@andymoorhouse9819]

Me too. Of the 10 I had the Big John Studd one was the smallest. Even shorter than the Steamboat and Orndorff ones. Really annoyed the 10 year old me. Slightly annoys the 40+ me.

[@robertanderson2898]

@@andymoorhouse9819 Yeah they were never really to scale

[@CJ-xi5gm]

I saw the match at Maple Leaf Gardens where Andre cut Studd's hair. Prior to that it was Patera and Studd cutting off Andre's hair and little did we know it was all for Andre's appearance in The Princess Bride. So cool listening to guys like The Hammer talk stories. Enjoy this because guys from old school eras like this will never exist again. Still can't understand why Valentine's face isn't flat on one side as he'd land on it from a free fall every match. That guy is pro !

[@CertifiedHuSTLer]

I worked with hammer in Oct 2022 best one I've ever mettttt. I've met thousands of wrestlers

[@graciethebluejay]

Great interview! I loved watching Greg wrestle and was fortunate to have seen him many times in NY. Who else remembers his dog collar match with piper? It's nice to see him doing well.

[@rbell3109]

Excellent interview. Classy well spoken man

[@mirzaghalib8659]

I always liked John stud as a kid... had his figure and everything.....

[@davidquinn2382]

As always, great piece of interview.

[@LTDANMAN44]

that body slam at wrassle mania was awesome

[@Captainslow556]

Why would Andre get so butthurt about big John studd putting his leg over the top rope. Too sensitive

[@Orange6921]

Because it was Andre's gimmick, and guys were supposed to respect each others gimmicks.

[@michaelmckenzie6311]

Like how Jeff Jerrette did Honky Tonk Man! Total disrespect!

[@kirkmuffie7542]

@@Orange6921 You mean like how Hogan stole 90% of Superstar Billy Graham's whole persona and gimmick. The let me tell you something brother? The cupping of the ear. The 24 inch pythons? All stolen from the superstar

[@Orange6921]

@@kirkmuffie7542 What are you? 12 years old? You said it like it was new information. Is McDonald selling hamburgers new information for you as well.

[@kirkmuffie7542]

@@Orange6921 Like your insightful sentence was written by Shakespeare himself. Because it Was Andres gimmick is exactly what fucking Hammer said. Way to bring anything new but your asinine parroting of what Greg just said. So insightful. Are you 6?

[@kingalexander2704]

The feud between Studd and Andre would've been better if they had let Studd defeat Andre once in a while! It would have been better for wrestling overall. Nobody wants to watch a match knowing that the result is ALWAYS going to be the same! Studd was the man to beat the giant but they never allowed it to happen!

[@CP-kb1du]

Spot on Andre was protecting his spot .... Bully ...Booze Stink Box .. Studd was Legit

[@seansimms8503]

What John didn't get and apparently you don't get is...as long as John was talking that real giant stuff, Andre would never sell for him, Kamala once said when he first started wrestling Andre, he'd carry a gun in his costume, that was the only way he could physically stop him.

[@csho6512]

@@seansimms8503 Andre was a big boy and should have been more like a big man. The sheer fact that a heel claiming to be the real giant pissed him off shows he wasn't doing what's best for business most of the time. Andre was a bully who would hate you unless you sucked up to him. Even Studd sucked up to Andre all the time, look what that did for him, ruined because Andre's insecurities.

[@seansimms8503]

@@csho6512 Studd should of stopped stepping over the top rope, hey...I'm a little guy, what's the point of being the Giant if you can't toss your weight around?

[@csho6512]

@@seansimms8503 They were both big, if Studd can easily go over the top rope it shouldnt even be an issue. I wonder what Andre would do if Bad News went over the top rope? Whole lot of nothing.. but backing down when someone ready to throw down. Studd shoulda just beat the shit out of Andre but than he would have been fired. "Noone but Andre is allowed to go over the top rope as its literally all he can do" Your trying to justify Andre being a broken shell of a wrestler who constantly had to hold on to the ropes as he couldnt stand up. He really had no right acting like he did, affecting other people's careers but he himself had absolutely no business still being in a wrestling ring. Go watch Survivor Series 87, couldn't even pick up Bigelow at all yet being way bigger, was disgraceful. When he fought Studd in 85 my god he couldnt do anything, and mercifully after he wrestled Jake Roberts we didnt have to watch anymore 1 on 1 matches as all he did was choke constantly.

[@rsuriyop]

He made it sound like Big John's wrestling career was so brief. But I still remember seeing him wrestling back in the late 80s. So he must've wrestled for at least a good dozen or so years. I would call that moderate.

[@vincegedeon6583]

Big John Stud was awesome loved watching him and love listening to The Hammer ⚒️🤘🤼‍♂️💪🥰🔥

[@joeberg5749]

I love your interviews. Liked you when you wrestled. The best wrestling was when you were wrestling. AWA WWF all at the same time. I grew up north of Denver and getting both those wrestling promos were great!

[@stacking4life86]

Look how small Studd Looks at 2:48 ..................

[@robertanderson2898]

Just a weird perspective, Andre is closer, but yeah, makes him look tiny

[@bumblebeemoi]

Because of Andre being so touchy, the “I’m the real Giant” angle was missed out. It’s about creating heat that attracts fans and not pleasing the wrestlers! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That angle could have made them a lot more money if Andre had put his ego aside. Greg is usually spot on with his analysis, but I think he’s wrong here. Studd did what generated heat and serious interest. That’s the only thing that matters.

[@gillies9]

Philip I agree with you 100%. You do whatever you can to bring people inside the arena (within reason). Think back to Piper's "La Cucaracha" thing in LA. Could have gotten him killed but he accomplished what he needed....get heat. Get people to hate you. Get people to pay money to come inside. Andre whining about Studd stepping over the top rope or calling himself the real giant is petty.

[@MikeHart72]

Andre was 100% wrong with this beef. You see it all the time... "I'm the best" "No I'm the best" "I'm the strongest" "No I'm the strongest". It's how rivalries and interesting matches are made. I did enjoy watching Studd team with Bundy and always wondered how they could possibly be beat but things could have been more interesting had the Andre story developed better. I mean who wouldn't want to watch a battle of giants. All they had to do was have Andre win the majority of the time and it would have been gold.

[@jackson5781]

See the difference back then was, is that you didn't let people mock your character cause if you did, it would take away from your character and ability to be who you were as a wrestler

[@gillies9]

@@jackson5781 I disagree. Look at the great promos by Don Muraco & Roddy Piper. They mocked everything up, down, left & right. Fans sold out arenas just to see them get beat up. Piper playing La Cucaracha & calling it the Mexican National Anthem. Muraco yelling one insult after another at Snuka. You can hear the cash registers going cha-ching as they did that.

[@SAVikingSA]

@@jackson5781 this would hold weight if Andre didn't work angles with Heenan where Heenan wore the same singlet as Andre.

[@ronsilvia8127]

Sounds like andre the giant was the one who was out of line.

[@rawbundy4676]

Yup. I watched WWF religiously growing up. I can’t see what the problem was with Studd stepping over the top rope. I think it dumb . Js

[@robertgillen979]

@@rawbundy4676 right. It helped with the storyline

[@sabuhellwert5420]

“The Hammer” is one of my favorites! I got to talk to him at a signing and he is cool as cash! I met Bundy who was great amongst many others but The Hammer was the best. I wasn’t a wrestling fan from 83 to 92 when ECW was taking over South Philly. I remember absolutely loosing my mind but of corse Sabu didn’t show but Greg and Bundy made it a great day. Oh I almost forgot I got to meet The Sandman and the one and only Terry Funk at a hotel near the airport. The Sandman is great with history and I was very impressed with his intelligence………

[@jrtjonathanwinchell3955]

When I first started watching the WWWF in 1977 with Vince McMahon Sr is because there was no heat just watching real Wrestling. I am happy that Greg Valentine acknowledged that because thats what I remember prior to John Stud coming over to the WWF.

[@bobbeezel2593]

Big John Studd was always one of my favorites to see

[@keeponrollin7922]

Insane at 2:40 how small BJS looks compared too Andre

[@BravesFan30281]

BJS always had problems with Vince over money. He was in many main events with Andre and King Kong Bundy but apparently his payout was not on par with their payouts. So BJS left the WWF in late 1986 and went to work in Japan. Eventually, he and Vince worked out their differences and BJS came back to the WWF again in early 1989 and was given a big push by winning the Royal Rumble. He resumed his feud with Andre. But his money issues with Vince would come up again over his payout from serving as a guest referee at WM5. He quit the WWF again soon after, and Hillbilly Jim took his place in all the future matches that had been booked with Andre.

[@craigwilson3532]

Saw an interview with him, seemed so nice

[@davidmreyes77]

Studd’s ‘89 WWF run was so weird because it felt like 10 years had passed since he left but he was only gone for 2 years.

[@lt.danicecream]

It was. I was hyped when he came back as a face. Its too bad it didn't last longer. With Andre's health issues, Studd could have been the giant for a few years. Especially with how Vince shifted gears due to the steroid allegations.

[@stacydornan9765]

Love the honesty of The Hammer,he was great

[@phillipmennor2585]

Big John Studd was from my hometown of Butler PA. He and my father went to school together.

[@mikejeffers2173]

John Is John and and puts potential on the map because he lands at number 6 for all time...

[@holden3]

JOHN seemed smart enough to not piss andre off

[@MrJ1S]

And now the top rope step over is THE staple entrance for every big man

[@tazzhardwick1316]

Andre was being petty damn a promo is a promo..Andre was a giant baby.

[@txmetalhead82xk]

He didn’t seem to want anyone to get over. Especially, over him

[@neosupreme7971]

Could've been an insane long running angle/rivalry, that most definitely would've put butts in seats.

[@aaronrus]

Studd was getting heat over stepping over the top rope from the fans. That was the whole point, and Vince put him up to it

[@InnocentFurryCat-we6yz]

Awesome stories 🖐️

[@ryangildon8865]

I've met the hammer in my pleasant tx at the civic center back in the late 90s and he truly inspired me to do what I do now I would love to meet him again and tell him that he inspired me that would mean alot to me

[@forrestmalcom8351]

I remember John Studd in a movie called Harley Davidson & the Marbol Man . Vanessa Williams played his wife

[@geraldkfrazier8667]

1:23 Aw come on Andre that made the feud much more interesting with Studd stepping over the ropes.

[@icebergism]

I can not get enough of the stories so please keep them coming.

[@johngallagher72]

Love that pic . .pretty sure its from Maple Leaf Gardens and if so I was prob at that house show in 85 or 86. ❤

[@InnocentFurryCat-we6yz]

I saw an interview where they said Big John Stud said right to Andres face I'm going to be the next giant I was shocked to hear that 😮

[@user-ou2yn1ye8h]

All Day long yeah Greg's the best 🎉

[@stalinzambrana5755]

Wow this is one of the very few times I’ve seen a video talking about Big John Studd… feels like he has been overlooked a lot … anytime he’s mentioned is when it’s a story about Andre The Giant

[@CelebznbodysuitNeckMaskz]

2 of my all time favs with shieky

[@davida1977]

I know Andre got angry about the top rope entrance from Studd, but honestly it made his rivalry with Andre bigger. He was one of the few that could match Andre with size.

[@glennarcher6]

I was petrified of Studd & Bundy as a 10/ 11 year old. Together they were extremely intimidating

[@joshuapaladini1507]

Andre was a big baby. Studd got major heat by calling himself the True Giant, and Andre marked out and took it personally.

[@KillaCommieFerMommie]

Big John Stud and King Kong Bundy were my favorite tag team.

[@1sotheary]

Imagine hanging out at a house with Greg and Ric.

[@mringram]

Informative

[@breal1183]

I think the battle of the giants was the right move. Its nice 2 wrestlers had real heat. Studd did the right thing!

[@tritchie6272]

I'm starting to think that Andra had issues with other guys who could be considered giants as well. I think Andra and Kamala had problems once to.

[@coyote311]

Yes you could say they had "problems". Kamala ended up pulling a gun on Andre and that put an end to those "problems" when Andre backed down very quickly in the face of the great equalizer known as a .38 special.

[@txmetalhead82xk]

Amazing!

[@tritchie6272]

@@coyote311 And that was probably a wise move on the part of Andra.

[@dwade6322]

Theres footage of Andre letting Kamala slam Andre..im guessing about 1983?

[@cjbarnette5726]

Andre also disliked Bam Bam Bigelow and was very stiff with him during a MSG match in 1988.

[@TD_JR]

Big John's health issues at the end were a horror story - and like Greg says it was a very sad ending not just for his career but his life.

[@teller1290]

Patera said he was all over the HGH, that actually made him taller.

[@TD_JR]

@@teller1290 Whatever Big John was on - he paid for it dearly. Hearing how he went out is a gut punch. He suffered tremendously.

[@teller1290]

@@TD_JR yeh, pretty terrible. I'm sorry he had to go through that. It wasn't like he was a murderer or molester. Very sad.

[@brianowen9380]

It's the Giant John Studd

[@cavemanlawyer5608]

The hammer was one of my favorite dudes back in the day.

[@JayPark-gz3cj]

Back in the day I thought the Mr. Big chocolate bar was named after Big John Studd! LOL!

[@DW-nb2zc]

You'd think by John walking over the top rope like Andre it would make for a decade long feud with these guys vying for the title

[@carlozabbia1157]

I was a big fan of Greg Valentine when he wrestled at the Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas. He would occasionally come down to my home town of Ennis and attend some of the dances there. I wonder if he remembers that.

[@larrybone4349]

I was a 17 year old dishwasher. The 2 cook's said come here . They said that's Big John Stud. Sure enough they sent me out to ask . He was with his mother eating a nice meal. Super nice guy very quiet and humble. Thanks to Greg The Hammer for the memory.

[@kenterminateddq5311]

It seems a lot of guys really like John Studd. The only person who didn't like John was Andre because he stepped over the top rope like Andre does. I understand it's Andre's trademark but Studd is a big dude too so, just because Andre is a top guy, I don't see a big deal.

[@bumblebeemoi]

Regarding the “trademark” of walking over the top rope, Ernie Ladd was doing that long before Andre as Ernie wrestled in the off season in the early 60s. But Andre was touchy.

[@txmetalhead82xk]

He would have been pissed off at Baby Giant and Kevin Nash, too.

[@kevinkelly1529]

All right then, I'll be sure to mark you down that way.

[@aaronroyal9449]

I've always thought this was petty of Andre. He's the heel. Andre always proved him wrong about his claims. It's good heel heat. And did he get pisses when Piper went over the top ropes ? (Seen it at least twice) .Talk about killing the move.

[@aliamjon4423]

Greg valentine is the best at telling his history