Career Retrospective - "Superstar" Billy Graham

Image © WWE

When people talk about Superstar Billy Graham, one phrase is always uttered - 'Ahead of his time'. It's easy to see that when you look at him too - the blonde hair, the tan, the muscles, the charisma - Superstar Billy Graham had everything it took to be a star in professional wrestling the level of Hulk Hogan or 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, and he should have been. But why is it then, that whenever you look at the career of the Superstar, there is but one highlight - he beat Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Championship in 1977. And that's really all there is to it.

But please, don't get me wrong. Superstar Billy Graham is one of my ALL TIME favourite wrestlers. (I'm often seen wearing my Superstar Billy Graham T-shirt with pride) Which really, is the whole purpose of this retrospective - sure, the Superstar's career on paper hasn't got many bragging rights, but what rights he has got sure are better than anyone else's!

Billy Graham with his manager The Grand Wizard

Born Eldridge Wayne Coleman in Phoenix Arizona, the superstar was initially attracted to bodybuilding from a young age, before becoming a devout christian in his teens. Despite his faith, he continued his passion for bodybuilding, and it was in 1968 that he met future bodybuilding and movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger  Despite having only been in America for 1 week, the future Governator and the Superstar hit it off, becoming workout partners in Gold's Gym.

In 1970, after tearing his Achilles tendon, he moved to Calgary, where he trained to become a professional wrestler under the name 'Big' Wayne Coleman. Later that year, he began touring the mainland US, and adopted the ring name Billy Graham as a tribute to his religious past, after the preacher of the same name. 

A young Billy Graham with Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1968

After forming a tag team with Dr Jerry Graham and wrestling around Los Angeles and Florida, Graham then went to the San Francisco territory, where he formed a tag team with fellow WWE hall of famer Pat Patterson, where he would stay until 1972.

It was at this time that Graham would begin to add a new routine to his matches, taking on all comers for his 'Arm Wrestling Championship of the World' before bouts.

Billy Graham with tag team partner Pat Patterson

During October 1972, Billy Graham would join the American Wrestling Association, better known as the AWA, where he would further develop his persona. Adding the "Superstar" prefix, Graham would begin wearing colourful outfits to the ring, as well as adding bandanas and sunglasses to his ring attire.

As well as upgrading his visual appeal, the Superstar would also upgrade his pre-match routine, adding Posing and Weightlifting competitions to his ritual in addition to his arm wrestling prowess.

Graham left the AWA in 1974 to join a tour of Japan, where after returning in 1975, he was a stand-in replacement for many of Ric Flair's matches, following his near-fatal aeroplane crash.

Billy Graham & Baron Von Raschke in the AWA

It was in 1975 that he would get the call from Vince McMahon Sr. to travel to New York for the WWWF, where in his debut he would defeat Bruno Sammartino & Dominic DeNucci in a tag team bout with his partner, Spiros Arion. Soon after, he would join forces with his colourful manager, the Grand Wizard of Wrestling, and it was at this point that his career would really start to take off.

After unsuccessfully challenging champion Bruno Sammartino for his championship multiple times while in the WWWF, it was on April 30th 1977, a mere 18 months after his debut, that Superstar Billy Graham defeated Bruno Sammartino via pinfall. Although the circumstances were controversial, the decision was upheld - Superstar Billy Graham was the new WWWF Heavyweight Champion.

Superstar poses with the WWWF Championship

At this point, Billy Graham's career really took off, he had it all - the looks, the body, the charisma, the mouthpiece in The Grand Wizard, and, most importantly, the belt to prove it. He was on top of the world in every respect - and it showed. During this time, he sold out 19 out of 20 appearances at Madison Square Garden, a percentage which has never been beaten to this day. And it was at a time, his wrestling matches were at their best, and his Muhammed Ali-like promo's were even better. It seemed as though nothing could top the Superstar, and despite fans initially being against him for him beating Sammartino, they were beginning to be drawn in by his exuberant personality, and were before long starting to cheer the champion.

Superstar cuts a promo before a match against Ivan Putski - 29th August 1977

During his time as champion, the Superstar had a feud with 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes over the WWWF Championship, which culminated in a 'Texas Death Match' between the two. Unfortunately, it wasn't to last, and in March 1978, against relative newcomer Bob Backlund, the Superstar lost his belt, despite having his foot on the ropes. Like the controversy that surrounded his win against Sammartino, a similar controversy was to surround his defeat at the hands of Backlund.

Despite attempts to regain his championship, Graham was unsuccessful even after a brutal cage match between the two. Following this, he fell into a depression and quietly left the WWWF before the years end.

Bob Backlund challenges Superstar Billy Graham for the WWWF Championship

Following his departure from the WWWF, Superstar went back to Japan in 1979, where he ditched the colourful tie-dye for plain black pants, shaved his head bald and grew a moustache in an attempt to re-invent himself, whilst at the same time incorporating martial arts moves into his repertoire, before returning to the US full time in 1981.

In 1982, he returned to the now WWF, barely recognisable from his earlier stint as champion. He once again teamed up with The Grand Wizard, and together they once again challenged Bob Backlund for the title, but again, coming up short.

Whilst his campaign to become champion once again may have failed, Graham decided to smash up Backlund's WWF Championship belt - paving the way for the now-iconic 'Big Green' belt, that was held by Bob Backlund, The Iron Shiek and Hulk Hogan.

Graham in Japan competing under his new persona

After also (albeit unsuccessfully) challenging for Pedro Morales' Intercontinental Championship, Graham once again left the WWF in 1983. During this time, he would once again start touring the US, including a brief return in the AWA. He would use this time to rebuild his ring persona, regaining muscle mass and returning to wearing tie-die clothes, while at the same time growing a goatee and wearing large earrings to the ring.

In 1986, he once again returned to the WWF. By this time, the company had really started its national takeover of the US wrestling scene, and many new fans were not aware of his history as a former champion, but his revitalised persona once again captured fan's imagination, who cheered him.

However, at this time, Graham's many years in the ring had begun to catch up on him. In 1987 he underwent hip-replacement surgery, but returned later that year and began feuding with Butch Reed, but it proved to be too much for Graham's body to handle, and he retired from the ring after receiving a splash by The One Man Gang onto concrete.

Instead, the Superstar transitioned into a managerial role, managing Don 'The Rock' Muraco whilst also working for the company as a commentator, until retiring all together in 1988.

Superstar Billy Graham shows off his new look

Superstar Billy Graham was inducted into the WWE hall of fame in 2004, the night before Wrestlemania XX by one of the people he had inspired to become a professional wrestler, Triple H.
Today, Billy Graham remains part of the WWE family, having recently signed a legends deal in November 2015.

Had Superstar Billy Graham not lost the Championship to Bob Backlund, or had he not gone to Japan and re-invented himself, the wrestling landscape would be completely different than it is today; we could have had a Hulk Hogan and Hulkamania a whole 7 years early, but with the man who inspired him and countless others instead.

He may have inspired countless others - Hulk Hogan, Jesse 'The Body' Ventura, and Scott Steiner to name but a few - but none really came close to capturing the magic that Superstar Billy Graham created at that time, for a brief few months, and that's why the Superstar remains - in my mind - one of the greatest champions of all time.

Liam Wilson