TPB
11-09-2009, 05:06 AM
Eldridge Wayne Coleman (born June 7, 1943) better known by his ring name "Superstar" Billy Graham, is a former American professional wrestler. Graham is a former body builder and WWF Champion.
Graham's popularity was based principally on the basis of his character, rather than his wrestling skills. His bodybuilder's physique and flamboyant patter paved the way for wrestlers like Jesse Ventura, Hulk Hogan, Scott Steiner, and Triple H, who were all heavily influenced by Graham's example. Graham called his twenty-two inch arms "pythons," and often recited self-aggrandizing poetry during his interviews, a technique inspired by Muhammad Ali. A typical example: "I'm the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour. The women's pet, the men's regret. What you see is what you get. And what you don't see is better yet.
Career
A former football player and bodybuilder, Coleman selected his ring name as a tribute to the famous evangelist Billy Graham, at one of whose revival meetings he had converted to Christianity. The name was used to make him a kayfabe brother to the earlier Graham Brothers (Eddie Graham, Dr. Jerry Graham, and Luke Graham). Coleman added "Superstar" to his ring name after hearing the song "Jesus Christ Superstar." Sometimes he was simply referred to as Superstar Graham to avoid confusion with the evangelist.
In 1972, Superstar Graham's popularity rose significantly during his feud with Baron Von Raschke and Horst Hoffman in the American Wrestling Association.
Another of Graham’s opponents during this time frame was Ric Drasin, a bodybuilder and wrestler who was one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s weight training partners. Graham and Schwarzenegger were also weight training partners. Billy Graham was a world class powerlifter often bench pressing well in excess of 580 pounds and once came within 4 pounds of the 610lbs world record at the time.
World Wide Wrestling Federation (1975-1978)
Graham's first WWF stint was from 1975 to 1976. He then went to Japan and then to Florida. His first NWA Mid Atlantic stint was in 1975, and his 2nd was in 1985. His second stint in the WWF was from 1977 to 1978 and his 3rd WWF stint was from 1982 to 1983.
Graham defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship on April 30, 1977, in Baltimore, Maryland. This event set a precedent: when previous heels had won the WWWF/WWF title ("Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, and Stan "The Man" Stasiak, respectively), each almost immediately lost it, serving as a conduit (or "transitional champion") between face reigns. Graham, a "rulebreaker", would go on to hold the title for nine-and-a-half months; to this day, Graham's 296-day reign is the longest single world title reign of any heel in WWE history, with Yokozuna's second championship run in second-place at 280 days during 1993 and 1994 (although Randy Savage held the title longer, for 371 days, he didn't turn heel until almost the end of his title run).
Graham proved to be a much travelled WWWF World Heavyweight Champion. During Superstar's reign he wrestled not only across the WWWF territory, but also in Florida, St. Louis, Kansas, Georgia, Toronto, Detroit, Japan, and Los Angeles against a variety of foes: Bruno Sammartino, Dick the Bruiser, Billy White Wolf, Tony Garea, Chief Jay Strongbow, Gorilla Monsoon, Larry Zybszko, Jos LeDuc, Ken Patera (a fellow heel), NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race, Haystacks Calhoun, Dominic DeNucci, Bob (Sgt.) Slaughter, "Portugese Champion" Carlos Rocha, Ivan Putski, former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes, NWA Southern Champion (Florida) Ivan Koloff (a fellow heel), Bobo Brazil, Rocky Johnson, Peter Maivia, Stan Stasiak, Steve Keirn, Black Angus, Jimmy Valiant, former WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Pedro Morales, Don Muraco, Mil Mascaras, Raymond Rougeau, Strong Kobayashi, Riki Choshu, Seiji Sakaguchi, Chavo Guererro, Edouard Carpentier, Steve King, S. D. Jones, Mike Rivera, Ted Adams, Don Serrano, and former Missouri Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund, who dethroned Graham during his eighth shot at the title.
Graham suggested to Vincent K. McMahon that Ivan Koloff should turn on him, thus starting a feud that would make Graham a babyface. McMahon refused because of a handshake deal to make Bob Backlund the new babyface champ. He did not want to go back on his word. It was also unheard of for a character like Graham to be a face, because McMahon and many old promoters saw Graham as a heel. Fans were making Graham a popular figure on their own — even Roberta Morgan's 1979 kayfabe book Main Event had to admit that, "Although he is a rule bender, [Graham] has managed to stay very popular with the fans, probably because of his skill, strength, and colorful personality" — but the era of explicit and intentional "cool heels" did not come until the 1990s with the likes of D-Generation X, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and the nWo, and then later in the 2000s with Edge, Chris Jericho, and Randy Orton.
As a headliner in Madison Square Garden, which was the WWWF's primary arena throughout his heyday, Graham sold out 19 of 20 shows. Though other wrestlers such as Sammartino and Backlund had more career sellouts at Madison Square Garden, Graham's 95% percentage is easily the highest in company history.
National Wrestling Alliance (1977-1982)
One of Graham's most famous matches took place in 1977 in Miami, Florida at the famed Orange Bowl football stadium against then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race in a WWF Championship vs. NWA World Heavyweight Championship unification match which ended in a bloody one hour time-limit draw. He eventually lost the title to Bob Backlund on February 20, 1978. Graham competed in the 1980 world's strongest man competition and finished seventh despite being injured in one of the events.
World Wrestling Federation (1982-1983)
Graham returned to the WWWF, which had been renamed the World Wrestling Federation in 1982. Gone were the long bleached-blonde locks and colorful clothes. They were now replaced with a bald head, mustache, all-black outfit, and a newfound knowledge of the martial arts. Graham was billed as a "leaner, meaner Superstar."
Again, Graham unsuccessfully challenged Backlund, but in one incident he destroyed Backlund's championship belt ringside while Backlund wrestled Swede Hanson. Graham was unsuccessful in winning back the belt even after beating Backlund by DQ in Madison Square Garden losing in the Texas Death Match rematch later the next month.
National Wrestling Alliance (1983-1986)
After a run in the Florida territory, first as a member of Kevin Sullivan's Army of Darkness and later as the group's opponent, Graham spent some time in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions working for Paul Jones in his feud against Jimmy Valiant. It was during this time that the Superstar returned to the tie-dyed look, growing a full goatee and dyeing the mustache blond. Hulk Hogan copied elements of this look, with his heel "Hollywood Hogan" character in World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s (as did Scott Steiner with his "Big Poppa Pump" gimmick around the same period). Graham also spent some time in the AWA promotion, working with Wahoo McDaniel and Ken Patera. Graham also spent time in the ICW, feuding with Sullivan and his allies.
World Wrestling Federation (1986-1988)
Graham returned to the WWF one more time in 1986 as a face. After a few appearances, it was diagnosed that Graham required a hip replacement, the result of steroids deteriorating his body. The footage of Graham's hip replacement surgery was shown on WWF TV as a means to promote Graham's comeback. He returned in mid-1987 and feuded with Butch Reed for a few months, but the strain on his hip as well as his ankles also deteriorating proved to be too much. One Man Gang retired him from active competition permanently with a big splash maneuver on the concrete floor during a match against Reed. Don Muraco came to Graham's aid, and the Superstar became Muraco's manager. Graham was scheduled to wrestle in the main event in the first-ever Survivor Series, but Muraco took his place once Graham retired.
Graham had further medical complications in subsequent years, having to have his ankle fused in 1990 and a second hip replacement (on the same leg) in 1991.
In 1992 at the height of Vince McMahon's steroid allegations, Graham went on The Phil Donahue Show and revealed to the world that he was an avid user of steroids, and went on a tirade against Vince McMahon about it. This caused a rift between McMahon and Graham that lasted for over ten years before Graham was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004. However, five years after being inducted Graham was released from his consultancy position and reacted by selling his Hall of Fame ring on eBay after discovering McMahon had no intentions of building a physical hall
Retirement
After retiring, he returned to preaching. On November 18, 2005, Graham presided over the funeral service for wrestler Eddie Guerrero.
Graham received a liver transplant in 2002 from twenty-six year old donor Katie Gilroy, who died in a car crash, and said he would not be alive today without the transplant. Graham was hospitalized on May 24, 2006 due to a bowel obstruction from an earlier surgery.
Graham was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, the night before WrestleMania 20 in 2004 by then World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H. His body ravaged from years of steroid use, Graham now lectures high school athletes on the dangers of steroids. Graham's autobiography Tangled Ropes was released by the WWE on January 10, 2006. WWE also released a DVD about Graham's career titled 20 Years Too Soon: The Superstar Billy Graham Story.
Graham's popularity was based principally on the basis of his character, rather than his wrestling skills. His bodybuilder's physique and flamboyant patter paved the way for wrestlers like Jesse Ventura, Hulk Hogan, Scott Steiner, and Triple H, who were all heavily influenced by Graham's example. Graham called his twenty-two inch arms "pythons," and often recited self-aggrandizing poetry during his interviews, a technique inspired by Muhammad Ali. A typical example: "I'm the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour. The women's pet, the men's regret. What you see is what you get. And what you don't see is better yet.
Career
A former football player and bodybuilder, Coleman selected his ring name as a tribute to the famous evangelist Billy Graham, at one of whose revival meetings he had converted to Christianity. The name was used to make him a kayfabe brother to the earlier Graham Brothers (Eddie Graham, Dr. Jerry Graham, and Luke Graham). Coleman added "Superstar" to his ring name after hearing the song "Jesus Christ Superstar." Sometimes he was simply referred to as Superstar Graham to avoid confusion with the evangelist.
In 1972, Superstar Graham's popularity rose significantly during his feud with Baron Von Raschke and Horst Hoffman in the American Wrestling Association.
Another of Graham’s opponents during this time frame was Ric Drasin, a bodybuilder and wrestler who was one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s weight training partners. Graham and Schwarzenegger were also weight training partners. Billy Graham was a world class powerlifter often bench pressing well in excess of 580 pounds and once came within 4 pounds of the 610lbs world record at the time.
World Wide Wrestling Federation (1975-1978)
Graham's first WWF stint was from 1975 to 1976. He then went to Japan and then to Florida. His first NWA Mid Atlantic stint was in 1975, and his 2nd was in 1985. His second stint in the WWF was from 1977 to 1978 and his 3rd WWF stint was from 1982 to 1983.
Graham defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship on April 30, 1977, in Baltimore, Maryland. This event set a precedent: when previous heels had won the WWWF/WWF title ("Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, "The Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, and Stan "The Man" Stasiak, respectively), each almost immediately lost it, serving as a conduit (or "transitional champion") between face reigns. Graham, a "rulebreaker", would go on to hold the title for nine-and-a-half months; to this day, Graham's 296-day reign is the longest single world title reign of any heel in WWE history, with Yokozuna's second championship run in second-place at 280 days during 1993 and 1994 (although Randy Savage held the title longer, for 371 days, he didn't turn heel until almost the end of his title run).
Graham proved to be a much travelled WWWF World Heavyweight Champion. During Superstar's reign he wrestled not only across the WWWF territory, but also in Florida, St. Louis, Kansas, Georgia, Toronto, Detroit, Japan, and Los Angeles against a variety of foes: Bruno Sammartino, Dick the Bruiser, Billy White Wolf, Tony Garea, Chief Jay Strongbow, Gorilla Monsoon, Larry Zybszko, Jos LeDuc, Ken Patera (a fellow heel), NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race, Haystacks Calhoun, Dominic DeNucci, Bob (Sgt.) Slaughter, "Portugese Champion" Carlos Rocha, Ivan Putski, former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes, NWA Southern Champion (Florida) Ivan Koloff (a fellow heel), Bobo Brazil, Rocky Johnson, Peter Maivia, Stan Stasiak, Steve Keirn, Black Angus, Jimmy Valiant, former WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Pedro Morales, Don Muraco, Mil Mascaras, Raymond Rougeau, Strong Kobayashi, Riki Choshu, Seiji Sakaguchi, Chavo Guererro, Edouard Carpentier, Steve King, S. D. Jones, Mike Rivera, Ted Adams, Don Serrano, and former Missouri Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund, who dethroned Graham during his eighth shot at the title.
Graham suggested to Vincent K. McMahon that Ivan Koloff should turn on him, thus starting a feud that would make Graham a babyface. McMahon refused because of a handshake deal to make Bob Backlund the new babyface champ. He did not want to go back on his word. It was also unheard of for a character like Graham to be a face, because McMahon and many old promoters saw Graham as a heel. Fans were making Graham a popular figure on their own — even Roberta Morgan's 1979 kayfabe book Main Event had to admit that, "Although he is a rule bender, [Graham] has managed to stay very popular with the fans, probably because of his skill, strength, and colorful personality" — but the era of explicit and intentional "cool heels" did not come until the 1990s with the likes of D-Generation X, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and the nWo, and then later in the 2000s with Edge, Chris Jericho, and Randy Orton.
As a headliner in Madison Square Garden, which was the WWWF's primary arena throughout his heyday, Graham sold out 19 of 20 shows. Though other wrestlers such as Sammartino and Backlund had more career sellouts at Madison Square Garden, Graham's 95% percentage is easily the highest in company history.
National Wrestling Alliance (1977-1982)
One of Graham's most famous matches took place in 1977 in Miami, Florida at the famed Orange Bowl football stadium against then NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race in a WWF Championship vs. NWA World Heavyweight Championship unification match which ended in a bloody one hour time-limit draw. He eventually lost the title to Bob Backlund on February 20, 1978. Graham competed in the 1980 world's strongest man competition and finished seventh despite being injured in one of the events.
World Wrestling Federation (1982-1983)
Graham returned to the WWWF, which had been renamed the World Wrestling Federation in 1982. Gone were the long bleached-blonde locks and colorful clothes. They were now replaced with a bald head, mustache, all-black outfit, and a newfound knowledge of the martial arts. Graham was billed as a "leaner, meaner Superstar."
Again, Graham unsuccessfully challenged Backlund, but in one incident he destroyed Backlund's championship belt ringside while Backlund wrestled Swede Hanson. Graham was unsuccessful in winning back the belt even after beating Backlund by DQ in Madison Square Garden losing in the Texas Death Match rematch later the next month.
National Wrestling Alliance (1983-1986)
After a run in the Florida territory, first as a member of Kevin Sullivan's Army of Darkness and later as the group's opponent, Graham spent some time in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions working for Paul Jones in his feud against Jimmy Valiant. It was during this time that the Superstar returned to the tie-dyed look, growing a full goatee and dyeing the mustache blond. Hulk Hogan copied elements of this look, with his heel "Hollywood Hogan" character in World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s (as did Scott Steiner with his "Big Poppa Pump" gimmick around the same period). Graham also spent some time in the AWA promotion, working with Wahoo McDaniel and Ken Patera. Graham also spent time in the ICW, feuding with Sullivan and his allies.
World Wrestling Federation (1986-1988)
Graham returned to the WWF one more time in 1986 as a face. After a few appearances, it was diagnosed that Graham required a hip replacement, the result of steroids deteriorating his body. The footage of Graham's hip replacement surgery was shown on WWF TV as a means to promote Graham's comeback. He returned in mid-1987 and feuded with Butch Reed for a few months, but the strain on his hip as well as his ankles also deteriorating proved to be too much. One Man Gang retired him from active competition permanently with a big splash maneuver on the concrete floor during a match against Reed. Don Muraco came to Graham's aid, and the Superstar became Muraco's manager. Graham was scheduled to wrestle in the main event in the first-ever Survivor Series, but Muraco took his place once Graham retired.
Graham had further medical complications in subsequent years, having to have his ankle fused in 1990 and a second hip replacement (on the same leg) in 1991.
In 1992 at the height of Vince McMahon's steroid allegations, Graham went on The Phil Donahue Show and revealed to the world that he was an avid user of steroids, and went on a tirade against Vince McMahon about it. This caused a rift between McMahon and Graham that lasted for over ten years before Graham was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004. However, five years after being inducted Graham was released from his consultancy position and reacted by selling his Hall of Fame ring on eBay after discovering McMahon had no intentions of building a physical hall
Retirement
After retiring, he returned to preaching. On November 18, 2005, Graham presided over the funeral service for wrestler Eddie Guerrero.
Graham received a liver transplant in 2002 from twenty-six year old donor Katie Gilroy, who died in a car crash, and said he would not be alive today without the transplant. Graham was hospitalized on May 24, 2006 due to a bowel obstruction from an earlier surgery.
Graham was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, the night before WrestleMania 20 in 2004 by then World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H. His body ravaged from years of steroid use, Graham now lectures high school athletes on the dangers of steroids. Graham's autobiography Tangled Ropes was released by the WWE on January 10, 2006. WWE also released a DVD about Graham's career titled 20 Years Too Soon: The Superstar Billy Graham Story.