Greg Valentine - How Much Money I Was Paid in WWF
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.ค. 2024
- Greg "The Hammer" Valentine discusses how much money wrestlers made back in the WWF days (before WWE). Streaming now 📺 TitleMatchNetwork.com
Find out what pro wrestlers made before the days of guaranteed salaries. Today, the average WWE wrestler can make between 100-500k, with the elite superstars raking in 1 million dollars and beyond.
Hammer has a unique perspective because he was paid by Vince McMahon Sr & Jr in WWF/WWE as well as by Jim Crockett in NWA. We'll hear how much cash Valentine received in some of his bigger feuds like with Tito Santana.
Also, we talk about Greg's first Wrestlemania and how much money he was paid by Madison Square Garden. Was it better or worse than his payout from the first ever NWA Starrcade?
This clip answers a lot of questions regarding how WWE wrestlers are paid, based on their drawing power and position on the card.
For comparison purposes, Hulk Hogan was predominantly the heavyweight champion during Valentine's second WWF run. Hogan stated in his biography that he was brining in almost $10 Million a year at his peak in the late 1980s.
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. - บันเทิง
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Here's what makes Greg so great, so superior than all the guys doing podcasts, never-stop-talking guys: He's just honest. No agenda. He's not trying to convince us, has no underlying inspiration to tell stories selectively, no axes to grind. Just a guy who led an interesting life, with a long career on TV, sharing cool stories.
His daughter is big in the lockers. She has helped many newcomers.
"Am I your enemy because I tell you the Truth?"- Paul the Apostle
You are 💯 percent right!!!!!!!......I could listen to him tell his stories all day Long!!!!!!!......
He's actually someone you wouldn't mind your own son to aspire and be like. I think that says a lot considering we're dealing with wrestlers from the 70's, and 80's.
He does get political tho and doesn't have nice things to say about people he doesn't agree with. It's disappointing.
Jeezus this guy is such an icon. His name should be spoken more than it is.
No doubt about that !! He still looks great💪💪
You are so right
The guy is a grifter. He is notorious for taking an advance and then no-showing to an event.
Really ? So he deliberately messed an opponents leg up when he knew full well he had a history of breaks on that leg , you call that honorable do you? That man was trying to earn a living just like him and he deliberately destroyed that. He's nothing but a POS. Zero respect for the man.
There is no way possible to hate this guy! Great story teller and very humble. I bet he could talk for days. He was around during the best time. Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Ultimate Warrior, Junkyard Dog, Mr Perfect, Ric Flair, dude lived in the best era! Respect.
You have to respect a guy like Valentine. He is very straight forward, and nearly always has something good to say about whoever he is talking about. This guy is a class act.
I love the way Greg talks, and puts himself across. Honest, and a true gentleman. These are the kind of guys who you can sit with, day after day, year after year, and never grow tired of their company. Lovely, splendid guy. I love his stories, and the way he recollects events.
I TRULY AGREE WITH YOU. I LOVE HIS INTERVIEWS. TOTALLY HONEST!!!!
Greg Valentine holds the award for the nicest worker that constantly looks like all he wants to do is break your arms
Oh!🤣
Yeah I like how he nonchalantly mentioned that Tito had a bad leg and "I messed it up even more" then continous with his story on how he got paid for cash. Love this guy he's straight up sincere no matter what you ask him.
And can.... But prefers the leg LoL 😆
i met him once in the early 2000's and agree he is 1 big dude
He had the best elbows
There is not a Wrestler today who I could sit and listen to all day long like Valentine. He's Not Toxic like many of the others, doesn't bad mouth others, just tells the most fascinating stories and the way he tells them keeps you riveted !
I still remember having an action figure of Greg “The Hammer” Valentine
Me too,the 14" stiff rubber one,,I used them as weapons when fighting my cousins...like a pad lock in a sock...
I still have one with the red shorts
I could listen to the Hammer all day long, such a genuine guy.
$4k sounds great! I slapped the figure four leg lock on a co-worker to win the Cinema World Heavyweight title back in 1988, and all I got was the drink and popcorn cup belt we had made. And a reprimand from our boss for causing a commotion during work hours.
Classic 😂😂
Slobber-knocker ;)
You were drawing more than the movies BROTHER.
That doesn't work for me brother!
A true gentleman never belittle anyone and just what he is
I learn something new with every interview with Greg Valentine! He’s one of those few wrestlers that was successful in the 70’s and 80’s!
And 90's! I just googled it......I am from Buffalo and never knew he was a Fargo Brother! They were awesome!
Read "The Hard Way" by Don Fargo for some CRAZY stories, including a few of his time with Valentine.
Love him and black Bart
@@highsociety7677 I will! When I was about 12, my dad got me front row seats for wrestling in Buffalo, we had a polaroid camera and I got a great photo of Abdullah the Butcher with a pencil, with a yellow eraser, being jammed into a guys throat, hidden from the referee.'
After the match I showed it to the ref as he left the arena and he just looked at me like I was a jerk who had no life. LOL!
Greg Valentine was super smart with his money, invested it wisely, it's sad nobody really followed in his footsteps when it came to their finances
A lot of those guys spent their money like they would always be making as much as they were during their peak.
Wrestling takes its toll on the body and a lot of those guys didn't have a long career like the Hammer. In any sport or profession like wrestling you need to realize it ain't an office job where you can steadily work for 45 years and the big pay days would end at some point. They were living for today.
He's broke and has been for years.
I often wonder about Greg & his money? Still Living in Vegas I guess? He wearing now more gold than any ghetto king of the pimps. He is 1 great gambler or Vince took very well care of him or he needs to be a Financial Superstar. 1 of the 3. Or it's all a work. 1 of the 4.
@@signoresantinoburnett1169 He is far from broke and lives a comfortable lifestyle in Vegas. Are you his accountant?
He had a super cool life
Real man
25,000 back then in the 80s worth 62k in todays money!!!!
If take it !!! 😯
Ex wives were more expensive back then though, no pre nups. 😫 How many does Valentine have?
@@jaysonb.6669 Oh my mistake, I had thought he had said in another interview he had ex wives.
He was great in Mid-Atlantic. He and Flair were a monster tag team.
Greg the Hammer was one of my favorites back in the 80s. Even though he was a heel.
Same here! I remember wanting his LJN figure so bad, when I was a kid. I never was able to get one back then, but I finally was able to get one, as part of a 15 LJN figure lot, in '17.
He was a heel but never one that a lot of people hated or anything. He didn't have much of a gimmick and was just a straight forward, hard nosed old school wrestler.
He made a mistake by not leaving WWF though at one point when he had a chance to join the Four Horsemen in WCW. Vince talked him into staying and he wasn't utilizing him much anymore anyway.
He seems like such a nice guy.
...as long as you don't make him mad! If anyone did that, I can only imagine that he'd still whoop up on the person that made him mad.
He is
He is. He thought me how to to an arm ringer and control the wrists.
I met him and he’s a real good dude
I never really hear bad stories about him and I watch a lot of shoots.
In the 80's. I knew a guy who was friends with a local jobber Sandy "Sunny" Beach. He told my friend when WWF had him work the NY loop, he would make 1500 just at MSG, then 1000 the LI and NJ shows. Basically, 2500 dollars for a weekend opening the card, wrestling 8-10 minutes...
Greg Valentine was my fav wrestler virtually throughout his entire career.. I never saw him get beat, he knew all of the moves and holds and did everything how it should be done, it's great to see him lookin' so well :)
Greg "The Hammer" Valentine one of the most underrated wrestlers, definitely a HOF. There's a whole lot of money made in the 80's, the true meaning of cash being king. Great video commentary.
@Energetic Coach Most definitely can agree. At times, Valentine doesn't get the recognition he deserves from my observations over the years he was in WWF was definitely doing his thing back to back matches and can take it's toll but it's part of the game.
he gives the most info. the way other wrestlers spoke they made no money back then.
@@chanevazquez3046 ive always loved Hammer and always will but McMahon treated him as a mid carder damn near always, I mean his Dream Team run, Rugged Ronnie Garvin&Dino Bravo feuds were probably the most push he seen working for Vince Jr. All those feuds were classic btw!!
He really does seem to speak without sounding broken or bitter. Played a great heel, I hated him when I was a kid.
@@chanevazquez3046 Absolutely right friend ! His resume and pedigree, coupled with his great talent made him a top draw for all his prime years and beyond. Until the late 80's, early 90's when he started to decline...Hammer was the MAN ! 🔨
The Ugandan Giant said he made no money ,and he's been wrestling for years.
@@musseia Same as all lives matter, some people matter more. Doesn’t matter if Kamala brought in the crowds and money. Master Vince perceived him lower class than others.
The Hammer is one of the more honest guys in the business talking about the business side of things. He doesn't embellish or gloss over anything. I like it. Met him once but he was loaded. Man does he have a firm handshake though.
How tall was he?
@@ClassicKrusty average. 6 foot. He has big hands though and like I said a strong grip.
I grew up watching The Hammer in the late 70's and 80's, watched it with my grandpa. Great memories.
OG The Hammer Looking Good ! Big Fan of WWF
A true legend! One of me and my uncle's favorite wrestlers! Thanks for all the childhood memories
I really like Greg Valentine's interviews. He seems like a straight-shooters and doesn't gripe. I'm about a year older, but considering how much physical abuse he must have taken over the years, he is extremely lucid.
You can tell Greg Valentine is a good rock solid honest person and I always watch his videos and I really think he is a class act with a really good heart.
Greg Valentine a true legend. 👍
I like and appreciate Valentine more now from these shoots than I ever did back when he was wrestling
The 'Hammer' was so entertaining. Mid 80s to 90 seemed to be the best years. I was going to University then and most students, friends where so into wrestling ha ha. We used to have nights where we all got together and watched wrestling. At my bachelor party, some one's head went through the ceiling just getting carried away. No injuries but the credits rolled after that lol. Talked about that for years after when visiting the guy in the hospital. Just Joking.
Greg seems like a real nice guy and tells his story so well
I luv the Hammer! He was friends with my dad in 78 ish and my dad had nothing but good things to say, and this was B4 WM1 . So it wasn't biased. My dad didn't even know much about wrestling... He just liked hanging out with Greg Valentine!
"Just liked hanging out with him" says it all about "The Hammer", a "Regular Joe", true gentlemen.
The more I hear this man's shoots the more I adore him.
They deserved every dollar they got. They risked their health every night. Plus they entertained not just USA, these shows were droadcast in the whole World. For example I watched these shows in Hungary (Middle Europe) as a child. So the owners got much much more money from the TV stations than from the tickets in stadiums. It was a huge business.
wwe is still a huge business they're making more money than ever now
@@PAPITOFLOW6969 Right, with the explosion of the internet and PPV events the money now must be insane. Plus, guys like The Rock and Stone Cold made an absolute killing off of their merchandise. I have not watched wrestling in about 35 years but I am sure the money today dwarfs the paydays of the 80s and 90s.
@@MafiaKingfishNOLA That's Right
Really like The Hamner as a wrestler but even more as a human being. Could listen to him all day
Greg Valentine was great he made it look so realistic God-bless your brother
The Hammer. The figure 4 leg lock Legend
Greg! What a genuine guy.
Greg Valentine was always a favorite of mine. These shoot interviews are amazing because of his honesty. Wrestling royalty.
Man...all the insides in his stories are awesome...the details keep coming. Awesome interview.
Valentine and Garvin Feud was so good , so underrated.
Greg the Hamner Valentine such a gangster name😆😆😆
Greg the a hammer Valentine was the wrestler that I most loved to hate in the late 70s 80s so glad he is still around God bless him!
I’ve seen Mr. Valentine wrestle in Pittsburgh, Wheeling, W.Va. And Steubenville, Ohio.He always put on a great show.
I used to see Greg all time at Hamburg early 80s. Good times
Mr Hammer, you are still a Class Act. wish you the best of health stay safe. Corey Goodrich
He seems like such a humble guy. The Hammer!
Hammer and Tito had a great feud back then.
Best interview in game. A true Pro
This man knows how to tell a story for sure
according to his net worth in 2021, it's 15 million dollars. He invested his money very well indeed
Who the hell truly knows Greg Valentines net worth in 2021? Some internet site?
Lol. U really believe that????
Not a chance he has 15 million dollars…he wouldn’t bother doing conventions if he had 15 million.
I didn't say it to be 100% fact. But this was based on some information I found online
@@gooniemarky Stallone does conventions, look how much he has.
Greg seems to love the life, so yes he would do conventions even with millions.
Nice interview. They got paid pretty well back in the day. Especially getting cash.
So interesting to listen to Greg , you can tell he is sincere..,. Awesome wwf legend
I 💕 listening to The ⚒️ grew up in Fla watching him as a kid
One of the best in the ring and one of the best history tellers
I was told by someone who worked for WWF back in the 80s that Hulk Hogan was making $10,000 to $15,000 a match. He was wrestling over 200 nights a year.
Hulk Hogan was one of the richest wrestlers ever.
I love this guy. A true wrestling leagend
I liked how Greg wore the metal thing on his leg for the figure four
Baseball Catcher's Shin Guard
I see the 🔨, I watch. 🤘🏼
Some people don't like to tell how much money they make Greg valentine was discussing how much money he was making in 70s and 80s that was alot of money back then especially making $4200 dollars per day every week that's a total of $25,200 dollars per week every month that's $100,800 and one year that's $1,209,600 dollars that's good money back then great video
Greg would have been a great heavyweight champion for both wwf and wcw.
Those dudes earned every penny. Wrestle 5 times in 3 days in 3 different states on a regular basis with absolutely no offseason. And arenas coast to coast border to border were jam packed turning people away in some towns for big cards. Always blew me away when people would talk about wrestlers unionizing...not that they couldn't use one for benefits and protection but from a financial standpoint why they hell would anyone near the top of the card especially the half dozen top guys ever even dream of unionizing back in those days. Not that the money isn't great now but guys that think all the wrestlers should be paid equally don't grasp the idea of who the fans are paying to see
They wanted to unionize so they could acquire health insurance and fill prescriptions. Back then, there was nothing offered; and wrestlers were considered too much of a liability. Plus, flights, hotels and rental cars were on your own; but with a union, a company could provide those.
I worked the Indy circuit as a referee from 1994-2000. I remember JYD telling the boys in the locker room that he made $18,000 for Wrestlemania 1. He worked Valentine at WM1 so Valentine either got more than JYD, or he got the same thing JYD got and can't remember now 36 years later. I can't remember what I did 36 minutes ago, so I'm guessing Greg probably got the same 18k JYD did. Unless they gave Greg a little more since he was the I.C. Champ at the time.
kudos to him for being so open and honest
Of all the wrestlers out there, this guy is one I would like to meet. Just a humble, down to earth nice guy it seems. He would be super cool to listen to wrestling stories from. Just sit, listen and take it all in. Hammer may be my new favorite post career wrestler! 💪😎👍 Greg Valentine “We like cash”…. Yes, yes we do Mr. Valentine! I feel the same way when I have concert or tour stops and see $1-2K a show! 😁
Met him at 2 indy shows @ 20 years ago. Spent time chatting, really nice guy.
How can ya not like The Hammer..
Greg's sounds like a good guy. You don't hear him bitching about people or the business like many other wrestlers do.
Absolutely believable because A shows often only had about 6 or 7 matches. So let's say a 15,000 seat venue with ticket prices on average around $15 in the mid 80's is soldout, common place back then. That's $225,000. If you're paying...let's say seven matches and we'll even say one of them is a tag match. That's 16 wrestlers. Hell, I'll add four managers too (Heenan, Blassie, Albano, Hart). 20 people total. If the average is around even $5000 per wrestler and manager, that's $100,000. So the WWF and venue are splitting $125,000 easy and we haven't sold a single concession, piece of merch, or parking yet. And that's me being generous for payouts AND ticket prices, which were likely higher in NYC, Boston, Philly, and Washington DC, four main staples of the WWF. These guys were making a killing. And this is PRECISELY why all of you who talk about Hogan needing to cede his spot, that is why all those guys speak GLOWINGLY of him. To keep THAT train running for six years, taking away Savage's run in 88 and Warrior's in 90...remarkable.
You explain it well, thanks . Yes Hulk Hogan was the pergect guy for the run and even losing to Andre he still gets it back 13 months later for another run because Hulkamania was running wild
That feud started in 84. $4500 in 1984 is like $11K today. He said you could make $20K a weekend, thats $50K today.
Met him out in Vegas. Hammer is an awesome guy. Really cool to talk to. One of the greatest heels of all time.
Not too many wrestlers tell how much money they made.
He barely did. And I think he was lying mostly.
@@thorvalentinehatesytalgori2632 I doubt it, wwf was smashing it in the 80s, probably at their peak. if you were a semi main event heel back then or near to it you would be earning very gd every night.
@@powerking23 They are so truthful usually.
@@thorvalentinehatesytalgori2632 What has he said that is not true?.
@@thorvalentinehatesytalgori2632 he doesnt lie
Greg is one of the all time greats an who he is today only makes you like him more
GV was one of those wrestlers that made it look real he wasn't over the top, he was mean but also a good performer and looked legit
Greg made you believe he was real, watched him his whole career as I am 60. Would love to meet the man but never will.
Absolute must after church on Sunday watching these guys in the 70's when wrestling WAS GREAT!!!!! NO LIGHTS HUGE EXPLOSIONS JUST RAW WRESTLING!!!!! AND AT WRESTLING AT THE CHASE IN ST.LOUIS!!!! SAM MUCHNIK!!!! WAS FANTASTIC 🤙💥
Greg only paid cash when he returned his rental car.Greg is class act. good guy,now I know why he paid cash all the time.
It sounds insane that they would be going around with that kind of cash but back then no sober and/or sane person would have tried to rob Greg Valentine. It'd be the same result as trying to mug Mike Tyson... only guys like him were trained to dislocate joints.
Although, two guys did try to mug Chuck Norris at knife point thinking all that fancy stuff on TV wasn't real.
I remember his feud with The Rock Don Muraco that was bad ass!
25,000 in the 1980's for 1 day of work. Most guys in blue collar jobs were making that much a year.
My Brother used to kill me with that figure four leg lock😂,god bless the Hammer!
Haha I still use that one and I’m 44. That and the perfect plex I think it was called from MR Perfect.
I love his interviews it's so great
The Hammer is a legend and a gentleman.
Hammer was blessed w a great head of hair for it to still be intact
The Hammer is a great interview
Greg was getting Nash Hall sign up money before Nash and Hall even knew they were just going to get "checks" for signing the paper. Guy is a blessing hope hes around for mang more years
Cash on hand - IRS loves it! No wonder he was introduced to WWF. ;)
Haha
Love the video ty
I was in the Boston Garden...sold-out...mid 80's...Hulk Vs Boss Man Steel cage Main Event...lifer Mark after that
I remember that match on snme I'll never forget that super plex from the top as a kid
@@krlm2280 Man, that suplex from the cage was sick! I also vividly remember insane amounts of flashbulbs going off during that spot also.
@@justafanofnerdculture7602 facts
Hulk Hogan got boss man his $12k that night.
Glad to see Greg did well for himself between this and royalties and didn't end up broke. Seems Vince for all his faults did good for a lot of his guys before wrestling became a billion dollar business.
RIP Jim Crockett, Jr.!
I love Valentine,he's a true wrestler.
Can I pay to meet you? You are my favorite with all the stories etc. you the man
i'm pretty old at 61 now, but started watching pro wrestling at about the age of 10 watching the likes of bobo brazil, johnny powers, the mighty igor and countless others of the era. it sure had evolved over the years. until i was about 20 years old if someone were to tell me it was scripted id have been ready to fight them. but that all changed after i went to a show and in one match one wrestler went to drop kick another wrestler. i was ring side so i could easily see the drop kick missed by at least 3 feet, bt the receiving wrestler still flew over the top rope as if he had been hit by a truck. in another match in the same show one wrestler was apparently beat to a bloody pulp and had to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher, he was screaming and hollering in pain, or so it appeared. then after the show when the wrestlers were signing autographs the same so called victim of the terrible beating was up walking around laughing and joking with fans without a mark on him like nothing happened. i still appreciate pro wrestling for what it is, good entertainment but i'm a realist
The hammer hasn't aged much and he still has a full head of hair
His hair is still fantastic
He looks younger than me and I am not even 50 yet
One of the top tier wrestlers back in the day who always put 210 percent in every match or promo.
Wow another amazing super great video info and analysis from absolutely the best channel on TH-cam. The hammer is 1000% right on WHO DOESN'T LIKE CASH! !!!
Listening to Greg the hammer valentine talk is very calming
This room looks like a suite at the Venetian in Vegas.
The Rock N Wrestling connection got me into pro wrestling but the Greg Valentine vs Tito Santana feud kept me watching pro wrestling. Have a soft spot in my heart for that rivalry.
Same ..Vince got my attention with Mr.T jumping over the guardrail ...but here is the link to the match that hooked me and made me a lifelong fan.
th-cam.com/video/pCV4An7clIQ/w-d-xo.html
One of my favorite wrestlers of all time. The figure four leg lock actually works, I found out the hard way lol.
It really does , I found out the hard way aswell 😂
One of my favorites as a kid the hammer was the real deal
True : WWF Legend the 🔨Hammer
billy jack said he was making 500k a year at that time...so yeah they were doing great- glad greg took care of his money
Imagine 25 grand for maybe an hrs work 😳. In the 80 s that’s like 100 grand now if I remember right at 13 I was making 3.35 an hr in 85.
Imagine having to do that kind of work. Dude earned every penny.
@Jon Knipfing Plus travel, hotels, food on the road, time away from family, etc.
@Jon Knipfing your right totally brain farted the training regime.