Greg Valentine - What Bruno Sammartino Was Like to Wrestle in WWF

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine discusses what Bruno Sammartino was like to wrestle in WWF. Streaming now 📺 TitleMatchNetwo...
No one tells it like it is better than the Hammer! Valentine offers a unique perspective, wrestling Sammartino in both the early 70s (Spectator Sports in Pittsburgh) and in the late 80s in WWF.
Their first encounter was a tag match when Greg was still known as Johnny Fargo, half of the Fargo Brothers. Later on in WWF, Sammartino was winding down his career while Valentine was still riding high.
Did you know that Johnny Valentine was not a fan of Bruno? Hear about the issues behind the scenes involving the WWF (then WWWF) Championship under Vince McMahon Sr.
We also go into the psychology behind wrestling some of the veterans and legends in the World Wrestling Federation at the time.
Watch More Valentine Shoot Interviews
• Greg Valentine - What ...
Produced by Title Match Network this past weekend in Las Vegas. Enjoy our brand new exclusive shoot interview from Greg "The Hammer" Valentine.

[@TitleMatchWrestling]

Full Playlist 📲 bit.ly/3fMmvW8 Stream Now 📺TitleMatchNetwork.com Leave your questions for Hammer below 🔨

[@richardcampbell2261]

I am from Pittsburgh and I do remember the Fargo brothers. So great to hear any more stories about them.

[@danburnette7674]

In 1982 or so Greg you were announced on some Verne Gagne AWA Towns but you never came to The AWA. What Happened to Cause u not to come into The AWA ?

[@goldenagenut]

I've heard about Andre's horrific farts, but I've never noticed a wrestler sneeze, or get the hiccups, etc - any funny 'bodily functions gone awry' stories?

[@raymondgoerke5519]

I love hearing Greg "the hammer" Valentine's stories. He was a great performer and entertainer. Much respect.

[@corygreen3713]

Valentine is a killer heel. So good. Glad to hear his shoot interviews.

[@TheSportsfan35]

Greg's right though, his Dad SHOULD'VE been given a world title run either for Vince Sr or for the NWA, Johnny was way better as a worker than either Buddy Rogers or Bruno.

[@NoFeeRE]

I love Greg Valentine's interviews because, unlike many wrestlers, if he says something negative about another wrestler, he pays a compliment first then states his gripe respectfully as well. This guy has class. .

[@terrencedeagle4429]

Absolutely. He knows them all and wrestled them all.

[@mvjr7758]

Greg, seems 💯 legit cool guy. He did his thing & now can come and talk about it openly. Seems humbled speaking to.

[@swmita]

Greg Valentine is a better man than most. Not just as a wrestler but as a person. He simply doesn't dwell on the negative side of people, which in the wrestling business was probably even more difficult than what many of us deal with on a work site. He's genuine. Many successful people have that trait they look at the positive side of things. I couldn't do it even if I had great wrestling talent I would get irritated with some of them who were in fact genuine assholes. In contrast with The Hammer he deals with like another pleasant day at the office. We can learn from people sometimes in more ways than one. Hats off to The Hammer.

[@jamesm3657]

Great comment!!

[@rodmunch4879]

My co workers annoy the fuck outta me. I wish they’d just shut the fuck up. Don’t care about your lives, kids, family, fantasy football team. Please leave me alone. Ok thanks everyone.

[@swmita]

@@rodmunch4879 👍me too. Lol

[@djpuplex]

Total gem like having the night off. Before I even watch it

[@rgtitan3467]

Greg Valentine is a great interview. Good story teller.

[@bloodlegion4874]

I met Greg Valentine in NYC a few years ago he was a super nice and funny guy

[@kahn289]

Who knew? The Hammer is a natural face! So nice. This is something else.

[@user-cr4pz5yg7y]

I hung out with hammer on some shows back in the day. He was just like this. I found him honest, pleasant, and very respectful of the guys, even though none of us were anywhere near his level. Great guy.

[@jcmartin1978]

Greg doesn’t bad mouth anyone even when they were assholes to him.

[@areacharlottejukebox]

It's funny how difficult guys personalities are compared to their gimmick. I would never have expected him to be this humble, nice guy. I always hated him as a kid. I'm gonna have to go watch his stuff again with my new understanding of him.

[@elc1960]

As a huge Bruno fan back in the day, I can look at this in a way where I can understand Greg's being pissed at Bruno controlling the match, but Bruno had worked that style for years. He was limited in what he could do, not as much as Hogan because Bruno had at least a decent knowledge of holds, but to a certain extent Hogan stole his "hulking up" routine from Bruno. Maybe the guys backstage should have clued Greg in as far as what to expect from Bruno in a match.

[@ichabod0391]

I am truly amazed that Greg Valentine can remember such detail with his past matches.

[@nightstalker2217]

pain will do that LOL

[@RepublicConstitution]

I was born in 1978 and as a kid I was terrified of The Hammer 🔨. Later my best friend told me he met him in an HG Hills and got his autograph on a Greg Valentine action figure. Said he was so nice to him as a kid. Changed my view. These interviews confirm my friends view.

[@Paul-qo1hb]

Greg is cool. Seen him wrestle as a member of the Fargo Brothers here in Albuquerque

[@M1tjakaramazov]

Greg sounds like a guy who knows where the bodies are buried, but prefers to keep them in the ground so he just strews flowers all over...

[@jrbr549]

I can't believe how much I've enjoyed listening to Hammer's interviews. His interviews with Beefcake weren't very good. I think with those there may have been liquor involved.

[@bdpopeye]

When The Hammer was wrestling as a heel I could not stand him..but now oh so many years later..I really enjoy these interviews with this great HEEL wrestler. Excellent stuff! The insight is tremendous!

[@outlawi132]

Those are my thoughts exactly

[@dustin2185]

Greg is a class act .

[@eugene1926]

I have a dvd with the Bruno match from MSG! I always thought Bruno was shooting on Valentine! He admits Bruno dominated him! I think Bruno got pissed after Valentine delivered a stiff elbow.

[@oldb-1kenobi]

I grew up watching and loving wrestling in the very early 80s, before everything sort of went commercial, and hated Greg Valentine. That just goes to show how good he was at what he did and if not for these series of interviews with him, I would probably still dislike him. I have watched several of these interviews now and I have never heard him say a bad thing about anyone, outside of referring to Kurt Henning's dad as a 'mean bastard'...and then follows it up by saying 'but he was a nice guy in the locker room '. So, to Mr. Valentine, I say sir, you are a class act and thank you for being such a good memory from my childhood.

[@clintjohnson2245]

Well said mate! The hammer wrestled the old school and then when it went worldwide 83/ 84? He was still big, hope your still healthy hammer!

[@Zekefromcabincreek]

Greg. What a cool guy. Gives a look back at the old and new generations. It’d be great sitting next to him on a long plane ride.

[@michaelvolgare4454]

Greg was an awesome worker and he is a really cool guy. A true legend. His dad the great Johnny Valentine should have been NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

[@apostasiaelegcho5612]

He's seems like a really good man.

[@mkeysou812]

I don't think I've heard a more fair and balanced assessment of wrestling than Valentine. The fact he's willing to even question the judgement of his old man (whom he idolizes) says a lot about the balanced view he takes. And he's right - Bruno could be FUCKING boring when he wrestled like that

[@bdpopeye]

Bruno Sanmartino Was boring. He was what they use to call a "Scientific wrestler"..kinda boring. I grew up in Ohio in the 50s & 60s. We use to watch "Big Time Wrestling"..Their territory was Michigan, Ohio and maybe eastern Indians. We were use to guys like Flying Fred Curry, The Shiek, Haystacks Calhoun, Dick the Bruiser and Bobo Brazil & Leaping Larry Chane. Exciting wrestlers. These men were not boring. In the summer my dad would send us off to NYC ..my stepbrother actually like the MSG style of BORING wrestling. When He came to visit us in Ohio. He,a native New Yorker, really liked Big Time Wrestling. It was a better style. I stopped watching wrestling in the 90s. Toooo cartoonish. Thanks Vice McMahon....meh...But really I want to thank Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, a man from my generation, for these great interviews!!

[@jg3000]

Bruno could be entertaining. But wrestlers were hit and miss back then. Antonino Rocca and Bobo Brazil were exceptions.

[@donovanredmond8050]

That spoked volumes and it says a lot about his character as a wrestler and a man!

[@Jim-Tuner]

Bruno was like alot of guys in that era. He could do a great match or he could just go through the motions. Bruno was so over that alot of nights he could get away with just about anything.

[@RepublicConstitution]

The internal politics of wrestling are endlessly fascinating to me.

[@timburr4453]

it's weird...you hear about some absolute sacred wrestlers sometimes being dicks to each other. Guys who you would think hate each other were friends (Savage and Warrior). Great all time matches that some wrestlers actually hate (George Steele disliking Savage/Steamboat) sometimes I feel guys will feel threatened and try to snuff out other wrestlers because they feel they will take their spot or diminish their standing (Andre and how he disliked any other tall/big guys)

[@robertpearlman6089]

Greg was always on my top 10 list. This man could do it all. He is still working, and he's as tough as ever. A real pro, and a nice Dude. I'm a huge Greg Valentine mark.

[@dougfredricks2017]

Cool. I remember seeing Johnny Valentine on 📺 wrestling growing up.

[@Inequities]

Not a very discerning top 10 list lol

[@karlschneider9479]

So Valentine is hurting for money now.

[@nicklasvoncloust5001]

I seen Greg Valentine wrestle 3 times; once at the Philadelphia Spectrum against Intercontinental Champion Pedro Morales in 1981; once at Lake Riviera High School against Ivan Putski also in 1981 and one more time against Pedro Morales at Toms River, NJ High School South in 1981 and he lost all 3 times LOL. But the "Hammer" is one tough sonofabitch let me tell you.

[@ADrunkBassist]

Bruno is from Pittsburgh. I'm pretty sure Dominic lived near Pittsburgh too. Baron Mikel Scicluna lives nearby too.

[@joeblow7407]

The Baron lived in NYC for a long time. I believed he drove a delivery truck for the New York Post.....The great ole dayz!

[@ssdj04]

From the Isle of Malta!

[@streetbob101]

Definitely scared me as a kid. I'd love to hang with him now

[@justindelaney4142]

I knew a guy who ran into Greg Valentine and Dino Bravo in a hotel bar around 1986. He said they were both nice guys

[@pulsarlights2825]

I go to wrestling conventions, usually once or twice a year, that was before Covid. Greg is always hanging at the hotel bar, and he is a very cool dude. Buy him a beer and he will talk your ear off

[@justindelaney4142]

Yes. He did say Greg was drunk.....

[@anthonydrosos8679]

I was at the Boston Gardens match when Bruno fought The Hammer. Greg was disqualified for not taking the figure four off Bruno.

[@rict5878]

It was a good thing he went to the WWF during the 80s . Crockett would not have known what to do with him during the Four Horsemen era. He would’ve ended up in the Clown Circus known as Paul Jones Army.

[@leifskjoldal8042]

When the Greg the hammer Valentine dropped an elbow on you I felt it threw the TV seems like a real nice guy

[@felixbigly]

He's so good at this! Where's he been?! Comes off as likeable and genuine

[@charleshawtrey5636]

Very nice guy..no big ego...straight ahead humble man ..had no idea he was like this

[@BigDemz]

I seen Bruno every Sunday at St. Sebastians church in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. Super nice guy. God status around here. I love hearing stories about him, especially from The Hammer

[@kevinkelly1529]

*saw

[@MrJohnnyDistortion]

@@kevinkelly1529 E-bonics. Deal with it🤭

[@MrJohnnyDistortion]

I have,,,,,,,

[@MrMferg240]

@@kevinkelly1529 see, saw. hi lee high lo high lee high ho ... boop boop. 3 stooges.

[@christopherbako]

I've never seen Brunos appeal.

[@b.msabol8551]

The Hammer is one hell of a guy. One of the first wrestlers I remember watching as a boy. Sick figure four... Breaks legs like toothpicks 👌

[@BruceMusto]

Greg is a class guy. Seriously. He seems like a very nice man. Glad to see that he looks to be in good health. Passed him in the hallway of Canandaigua Academy in Canandaigua, NY when we were coming back in from freshman football practice, 1972. He wrestled as a Fargo back then. He said hello to all of us. Have always remembered that.

[@jamesm3657]

The Hammer seems like a likeable and respectful guy who certainly could have had the "My dad's a legend" so I'll take the paved road attitude but didn't. Got to respect that!

[@dwade6322]

Greg....you're a good son, u always take up for your dad...GOAT.

[@kevinkelly1529]

*you're

[@dwade6322]

@@kevinkelly1529 thx.

[@joeblow7407]

Johnny Valentine was one of the all time greats!.........He was so in demand he never wanted to be locked into any territorial championships. Ernie Ladd was similar.......Greg was outstanding, but not his Dad!

[@popwayne677]

This is so cool. I have a different respect for his ring work after listening to "The Hammer."

[@JerichoMile4]

Interviews with Greg Valentine are so good !!

[@ozvander]

Lol at 2:37 the way Greg described the arm lock.

[@rsuriyop]

It's interesting how he mentions how pissed off he was about how his one and only match with Bruno went. But then later goes on to say that at least he got to fight "the great Bruno Sammartino" as if with a lot of pride.

[@k1e1n1t1o]

One of the earliest names I remember watching wrestling as a kid was Johnny and Don Fargo. Great heels. I guess it was a Pittsburgh promotion. I was watching out of Buffalo. I couldn't believe in later years that Valentine and Johnny were one and the same. Don Fargo would do the talking while Johnny would flex.

[@robgrano6814]

Yep, and after that he had a good heel tag-team with The Executioner (Donn Lewin) in the same territory while he was still "Johnny Fargo." They ended up splitting up and feuding with each other, neither of them taking a real face turn, which was unusual back in those days when you didn't see many heel-heel feuds.

[@kylorenkardashian79]

Greg the Hammer. Great in the Ring & Great out of the Ring. thank you Champ

[@briancenti5423]

always thought the world of Greg Valentine. first time i met him i was backstage at MSG as a photographer. he was there with Debbie Harry, he was her favorite. she was sitting ringside. they had to be the two coolest people to talk with and get pictures of. he was so upbeat, and always had time for us. Thanks for this great interview with the Legend, inside and outside the ring, a true class act.

[@Ori0n1975]

Yeah he was Debbie’s favorite. She sat ringside with Vince Jr. while he was commentating at a ‘79 MSG show. When he interviewed her, she said Greg Valentine was her favorite.

[@carolcanuso8636]

Johnny Valentine and his son Greg Valentine were Polish.

[@jcmartin1978]

Of all of the shoot interviews I’ve seen, Greg is the nicest, most likable guy. Funny he was a career heel.

[@nazgul12000]

Greg Valentine seems very happy . Seems like he's enjoying his life.

[@williamredding333]

The Hammer was not good as a Babyface.

[@lanceblinent7909]

Bruno's matches were all boring.

[@carolcanuso8636]

To you Yes but the people in Madison square garden no! 🇮🇹👍

[@paulgrossi60]

Bruno used that hold all the time when he was champion. Sure it wasn't personal.

[@MisterBeauJanGels]

Johnny Valentine gave interviews in the 1960s griping about how Bruno's stature was manufactured because he was the "New York champion" and media outlets were clustered in New York. There's something to be said about that. Valentine certainly drew in a lot of different places. It's questionable how much Bruno drew in places lacking significant populations of Italian immigrants or descendants.

[@MrMferg240]

i dont know of too many italians in JAPAN. bruno sold out the arena all the time there. same thing in AUSTRALIA. sold out a 35,000 bull fighting arena believe it or not. not too many italians were in the seats.

[@bulldogbrower6732]

Wrong, Sammartino drew everywhere he wrestled. He was a top hit in Baltimore and Washington. DC where black audiences were dominant. He drew at the Jersey shore with all types of vacationers. He drew in the coal mining towns of northern Pennsylvania. The man was the top paid athlete along with Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle in the 1960’s.

[@abc456f]

​@@bulldogbrower6732Never saw his appeal.

[@btipton6899]

F'n legend! Love the Hammer!

[@maxpuppy96]

Bruno had no ring skills at all, he was so over.

[@tribeshift]

Looking at Greg, you’d expect him to be bitter and disrespectful of everybody in the wrestling business. But it actually seems as if he doesn’t have a bad word to say about anybody!

[@photonicus]

Can't find this match with Bruno! I like to listen to Greg talk about a match, explain what was done (or sometimes not done) and then watch the match. I respect Bruno, but keeping Greg's nose on the mat the whole time DOES seem like leftover beef with his dad.

[@julielee6176]

Not true at all.he loved & respected his Father more than anything

[@jeffreysamartino8238]

Greg valentine is awesome that hulk hogan and valentine match was great valentine nows how to sell!! Really dig the valentine interviews never has a bad thing to say about anybody!! Cool dude!!

[@richardl3720]

Strange fact few people know: Barry O was the most talented and physically gifted wrestlers of all time.

[@baymaxc1647]

Total Class Guy! He alway finds the good in People, never heard anything bad come out of Valentines mouth about anyone. God bless you and yours, thanks for all the wonderful memories

[@davidbermudez7704]

The expression on Valentine’s face says it all

[@brunopaolucci6594]

Bruno was Eye Talian 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@phillyd4874]

Straight shooter

[@ralphcolerick4939]

the hammer was all about respect. you respect him he respected you great wrestler

[@CatsClaw44]

Bruno did the same thing with Randy Savage and Honky Tonk Man when they had the I-C belt and it made the match so boring.

[@ddewittfulton]

It seems like strong talent in the territories would be de-promoted in the WWF of the late 70s and through the 80s. Valentine was top-shelf as far as I'm concerned and he was better than mid-card. BUT... the name of the game is to get paid, and I'm sure "The Hammer" saw some great, great paydays as IC champion feuding with Tito Santana. Man, back then, to me the IC was a significant belt! There was a period where the WWF was smart about limiting the number of titles to basically three - the World title, the Intercontinental title, and the Tag Team title. Wow...compare that to the inflation of the modern WWE... although to be fair, if you break it down into the "Brands" then they still essentially have a top championship, a secondary, and a tag belt. That being said... I mean, WTF is UP with having MULTIPLE top titles???

[@pauls9844]

Could listen to him talk about the business all day. Two sell outs in Pittsburgh has never been so interesting.

[@theultimatemale6820]

THE MASTER OF THE FIGURE FOUR LEG LOCK. I WENT TO SEE HIM WRESTLE BACK IN 1981 AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. I PAID $10 FOR THE BEST SEATS, NOW THEY'RE PERHAPS $100😂

[@ibdaffy]

I have so much respect for the Hammer, what a wrestler, what a tough guy and what a decent man! Truly, one of the best of all time!

[@gabrielgraves7369]

I love hearing these stories so great

[@markantony3875]

LOL. 4:25 Those two look like two wiseguys in the Pittsburgh mafia.

[@williamchick]

I’ve been watching wrestling since the early 70’s when I was a kid I’ve seen and heard a lot of these guys Greg was a great heel one of the best there was . I will say I’ve listened to a lot of interviews over the years and I would have to say if everyone speaking he is in the top 3 I’ve listened to because he speaks the truth others have “ their “ versions of what’s happened. Billy jack Hayes , hulk hogan and many others are those half truth people. Greg is so legit so is jessse Ventura.

[@mrgreenbaypacker929]

I never liked Bruno Sammartino He never really excited me period . Just a well know name and that’s it

[@deadeyedarwin]

All I can focus on in these videos in the action figure on the table, I want to play with it.

[@CoalMinersGlove92]

Greg.. that's ironically called a Hammer Lock

[@coolguy54life99]

Greg seems like a generally nice dude. Which I always suspected

[@mauricegilliam7102]

Love hearing about the old timers.

[@goldenagenut]

It's so fun listening to these shoot interviews with the old heels because they are to a man, the nicest guys that have so many great stories to tell - what insane lives they must have lived back in the old days!

[@billybadtoes]

Im thinking that he was scared of being made to look bad by the hammer if he didn't keep him on the mat

[@protochris]

Bruno didn't have many moves, mostly just his kick and an armbar.

[@ranielalmaria6612]

Bear hug, and over the shoulder backbreaker.

[@MrAitraining]

He could wrestle more scientifically. If you watch the tv match with larry z, before larry turned on him. Lots of good moves. I think bruno played to the crowd at the big shows and they wanted him to just kill the heel so bruno would just kick and stomp to pop the crowd.

[@Millwall77]

@@MrAitraining Kind of like Hogan.

[@MrAitraining]

@@Millwall77 def. Early hogan mat wrestled some.

[@Millwall77]

@@MrAitraining Yes, I remember seeing, many moons ago-Hogan wrestle Muta in Japan. At first I didnt believe this was the same guy. Must have been in 93 and I saw it on Eurosport.

[@glennbrown9960]

I met him in 1987 in a hotel lobby Vancouver, we had a nice conversation, he was so nice and considerate.

[@InsufferableBastardsPodcast]

this is great. Valentine is the man. Every professsion can learn from that work ethic, right?

[@capacola262743]

pappy valentine was RIGHT about sanmartina.

[@pepperj]

I want to see Greg give some chops to Bruno Mars

[@someparts]

They say there are natural heels but maybe just telling the truth is heel behavior, haha.

[@ggaa111100]

One of my favorites. I miss those times but alas time waits for no one.

[@southie3177]

Always loved the Hammer. Seems like a good guy too 😁

[@Parlimant_Strifey]

Bruno was probably in the best shape of his life at the time.

[@abunikko1556]

Greg Valentine great super wrestler❤❤❤❤❤⚘⚘⚘❤

[@sexyloloferrari2645]

JÜLI 8 2000 MICHÄEL CHÄRLES FIELD HIS HÖÜSE CÖLLEGE 101 YEÄRS FÖÖD

[@johnnyssik]

Great interview.

[@jamesrboyle]

holy shit i remember when Bruno Sammartino and Dominic Denucci was in Pittsburgh PA fighting i was 16 years old i wanted Bruno's autograph in the worst way i jumped up on the turn buckle there was many of us trying to get up there then i felt some body grab my leg and i kicked with all i had to get lose to look back and see ring security i was like feet don't fell me now LMAO GOOD TIMES INDEED

[@FordPickUPRed]

Greg is a class act..

[@donnieb5937]

Hay big D shouting out to u hammer! I watched your dad! he was the best an injoyed watching u an the wrestlers like king Kong Brody! I miss watching whrestlyn at the chase in st Louis mo.every Sunday with my gramps in my home town! Luv you hall of fame.ers godbless you all

[@GeorgeD1965]

Dominic, yeah, I remember him, never saw him when he was a top guy, in the late 70's, he become mostly a jobber

[@glenkrinkle8043]

Shows like a chicken wing, that is painful

[@srd767]

GV is one of my favorites to listen to talk about the business

[@onedeadcat]

I thought he got arrested at the end of the Goonies?

[@wrericdog]

Johnny Valentine then Greg,,beat that fans