In the golden era of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the mid-1980s, few rivalries ignited the passion of fans quite like the one between Tito Santana and Greg Valentine.
This feud wasn’t just about championships—it was a bitter personal war that spanned over a year and helped define the Intercontinental Championship’s importance in wrestling history between Santana and The Hammer.
Their encounters were physical, brutal, and psychological. Santana’s fiery Latino pride clashed violently with Valentine’s cold, calculating ruthlessness. This wasn’t just face vs. heel—it was heart vs. hammer.
[Photo: The Wrestling Insomniac]
Origins of War:
Clashing Styles and Ideals
The Emergence of the Rivalry between Tito Santana and Greg Valentine
By 1984, Tito Santana had become a fan favorite in the WWF. Known for his athleticism, speed, and technical prowess, Santana embodied resilience and work ethic.
A former football player turned wrestling standout, Santana brought pride to Latino wrestling fans and was quickly rising as one of the WWF’s most beloved babyfaces.
In contrast, Greg Valentine, a second-generation wrestler and protégé of Ric Flair and Johnny Valentine, was the embodiment of slow, methodical brutality.
Known for his devastating elbows, stiff chops, and punishing Figure-Four Leglock, Valentine was as calculating as he was cruel.
Their collision course was inevitable. The Intercontinental Championship, a title that had gained significant prestige under Pedro Morales, Don Muraco, and Pat Patterson, became the epicenter of their bitter rivalry.
First Blows THE Stolen Title
On September 24, 1984, in London, Ontario, Canada, Greg Valentine defeated Tito Santana to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship. The match wasn’t televised, but its impact rippled across the wrestling world.
“I was in pain for weeks. My knee had been targeted, and when I lost that match, it felt like I had been robbed.”
– Tito Santana
The victory didn’t come clean. Valentine focused ruthlessly on Santana’s knee throughout the match, softening him up before locking in his signature Figure-Four Leglock, causing serious injury and forcing Santana off television for several weeks.
This angle allowed WWF to push Valentine as a dominant heel champion while building sympathy for Santana.
“I didn’t just want to beat Tito. I wanted to break him. He was all heart, but heart only gets you so far when your legs don’t work.”
– Greg Valentine:
The first title win would signal the first step in Valentine gaining the upper hand in his feud with Santana. But that first step wouldn’t be the final one.
It was what would come after that would showcase how both men would be vigilant in their desire to do more than win and lose titles.
An injury suffered by Santana led to something more in his feud with Valentine. It was incorporated into a storyline. The WWF capitalized on Santana’s real and kayfabe injury by airing hospital vignettes.
Fans saw Tito recovering from surgery, training, and limping—always with a steely gaze that promised vengeance. When Santana returned in early 1985, it was to thunderous applause. The war had just begun.
[Photo: 25yearslatersite]
Tito Santana and Greg Valentine –
The Rematch: Madison Square Garden ERUPTS
On July 6, 1985, in Madison Square Garden, Santana and Valentine clashed in what many consider one of the greatest matches for the Intercontinental Championship.
In a 20-minute war that showcased Tito Santana’s speed and resilience against Greg Valentine’s relentless targeting of the leg.
At one point, Santana managed to reverse the Figure-Four into a small package, nearly winning the match. Valentine, incensed, snapped. He grabbed the ring bell and struck Santana’s leg, causing a disqualification.
Howard Finkel: “The winner of the match… by disqualification… Tito Santana! But still Intercontinental Champion… Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine.”
The fans were livid. Santana lay writhing, and Valentine walked out smugly. The belt was still his—but only just.
[Photo: WWE]
Tito Santana and Greg Valentine –
The Culmination in The Cage:
FEBRUARY 1985
Everything was built to one of the most memorable matches in Intercontinental Championship history—February 18, 1985, in Baltimore, Maryland, broadcast on Prime Time Wrestling. On this night, it was Tito Santana vs. Greg Valentine in a Steel Cage Match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
This match was not only a payoff to months of grueling storytelling—it was a technical and emotional masterpiece. Throughout the match, Tito Santana was limping and refused to quit.
Greg Valentine repeatedly slammed Tito’s knee against the steel to re-aggravate the injury. During the match, Tito Santana countered with high-flying attacks and brawling tactics—uncharacteristic but effective.
The finish came when Santana smashed Valentine’s head against the cage repeatedly, climbed over the top, and escaped the structure for the win. After the match, Santana would share what the win and title would mean to him.
“That title means everything. But tonight wasn’t just about gold—it was about heart. El corazón de un luchador!”
– Tito Santana (Post-Match Interview)
Even one of Santana’s biggest, longstanding critics on commentary would have to give him his due, as on this night, he showed heart and determination, and even the Body would be hard pressed to deny his achievement.
“I’ve gotta hand it to Santana—he fought like a madman in there. Valentine might need a few months in traction.” – Jesse Ventura (WWF Commentary)
The victory marked Santana’s second reign as Intercontinental Champion and a full-circle moment of redemption.
Tito Santana and Greg Valentine: The Aftermath and The Legacy of Their Rivalry
The feud didn’t end entirely after the steel cage match. Santana and Valentine continued to cross paths in six-man tags and house shows through 1986.
However, with the rise of new stars like Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, and The Honky Tonk Man, the Intercontinental scene shifted.
Santana would later find tag team success with Strike Force alongside Rick Martel, while Valentine formed The Dream Team with Brutus Beefcake, winning the WWF Tag Team Titles.
Yet, no feud either man had quite matched the intensity and crowd investment of their war over the Intercontinental gold.
“Greg Valentine brought the best out of me. I don’t think I ever had a tougher opponent. Our styles clashed perfectly—his stiffness against my fire.”
– Tito Santana (Shoot Interview, 2008)
[Photo: WWE]
Valentine would also go on to ‘shoot’ in his thoughts of his feud with Tito Santana. Both men walked out of this feud with something any talent can hope for, and that’s the respect from their opposition.
Greg Valentine knew that this feud wasn’t just important as it related to their storytelling, but what this feud did for both of these men once the feud was over.
“That feud made both of us. People still talk to me about that cage match. It’s one of the few times people cheered louder for Tito escaping than for Hogan slamming Andre.”
– Greg Valentine (RF Video Interview)
After his career drew to a close, Tito Santana would claim that, above all, one moment that stood out to him throughout his career was against none other than The Hammer.
“It was probably when I wrestled Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine in Baltimore. I had been chasing him for the Intercontinental Championship, and finally I beat him in a cage match and there were maybe only 18,000 people at capacity, but it was sold out. The ‘pop’ that we got when I won the match was just unbelievable.”
Throughout their rivalry, a series of different moments and memories are tied to this rivalry. The first was the infamous ‘title theft’ in September 1984, which saw Greg Valentine injure Tito Santana’s leg and steal the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
This was followed by a series of segments in the hospital in late 1984, where Tito Santana’s baby face sympathy skyrocketed with intense rehab vignettes.
This was followed by the Madison Square Garden Controversy in February 1985, where Tito Santana won by DQ in a series of matches where fans demanded justice.
This was met with their culminating match in a cage as Tito would seek redemption in July 1985. It was at this time that Tito Santana would regain the title.
With the camera not rolling, their feud came to a close with final house show matches taking place between mid-1985 and late 1986. It had continued in smaller markets, solidifying its legend.
Throughout their feud, both men held the title a combined three times for nearly three years. Tito Santana was a 2-time Champion, once in 1984 and once in 1985, eventually losing to Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage. Greg Valentine, on the other hand, was 1-time Champion, holding the title from 1984–1985 for a remarkable 285 days
The Santana vs. Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine feud is a masterclass in mid-80s wrestling storytelling: a tale of injury, revenge, honor, and redemption. It helped establish the Intercontinental Championship as more than a midcard belt—it became a trophy of warriors.
Even today, fans regard their matches as hidden gems of psychology and realism, especially in an era before five-star ratings were a Twitter topic.
In many ways, Tito Santana and Greg Valentine walked so that Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect or Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboatcould run.
They were old-school. They were real. And most of all, they made you believe.
“Arriba always meant more than a catchphrase. Against Greg, it became a battle cry.”
– Tito Santana:
As a wrestling enthusiast for over 30 years, my fondness for professional wrestling explores the irrational in a rational way. I will explore the details inside and outside the ring and hopefully have a laugh with you in the process. I've had the fortune to interview wrestlers from Lucha Underground, TNA, Ring of Honor, GFW, and former WWE talent as well. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @TheMarcMadison
