RIP Superstar Billy Graham (1943-2023)

[Cobra Commander]

 

[odessasteps]

 

[odessasteps]

1974 in Japan

[Gordi the former AEW fan]

Hard to imagine how different pro wrestling would be without his influence. He was a true original. 

[Cobra Commander]

 

[BrianS81177]

Did anyone else ever see the "20 years too soon" DVD that WWE put out about Graham? Because boy was that on the money. I'd argue he was even 10 years too soon. You take the 1975 version from this video and drop him in 1985 and he's a nationwide star within a year.

When Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Jesse Ventura and Scott Steiner all copy from you, you're doing something right.

Edited May 18, 2023 by BrianS81177

[Cobra Commander]

I watched the SBG 20 years too soon documentary on Peacock months and months ago (the Peacock versions don't have the extras, or I haven't found a way to get to the extras, so it's all documentary)

also, WCW House Shows existing in the "it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission" land is always a fun thing

 

[J.T.]

1 hour ago, Gordlow said:

Hard to imagine how different pro wrestling would be without his influence. He was a true original. 

Undoubtedly one of the most imitated men in pro wrestling.  RIP.

[BloodyChamp]

39 minutes ago, BrianS81177 said:

Did anyone else ever see the "20 years too soon" DVD that WWE put out about Graham? Because boy was that on the money. I'd argue he was even 10 years too soon. You take the 1975 version from this video and drop him in 1985 and he's a nationwide star within a year.

When Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Jesse Ventura and Scott Steiner all copy from you, you're doing something right.

I might be imagining this but I think I remember reading that Vince produced this DVD hands on himself, George Lucas style, because Billy was his favorite wrestler. It was 1 of the few things that Vince made happen simply because he just wanted to, that didn’t involve flexing, gloating, etc.

[Cobra Commander]

3 minutes ago, BloodyChamp said:

because Billy was his favorite wrestler

Vince grew up as a Dr. Jerry Graham fan, but yeah, Vince's decision for a superman babyface champ essentially being very close to SBG is a bit of an indicator.

Also, going to Peacock and I don't know if it's just me with the algorithm but the first thing on the Featured row when you go to the WWE section is the SBG documentary. Not sure if that just went up or if they moved it up with the news from the last few days

[DreamBroken]

Sad to hear. RIP to an all time legend.

[Pete]

Death. Taxes. "Saddened."

[Wee Bey]

 

[odessasteps]

Will be curious to see if they do a video package on SD or not. Guess it will likely depend on Vinces mood that day. 

[Matt D]

Graham is a guy who never resonated with me when younger. I first encountered him (on tape) in the hippy tie-dye manager and then announcer phase and then as someone who popped up in the Observer and other places a lot as a general malcontent who seemed to be trying to milk and leverage his grievances however he could. Later on, I probably spent too much time in Houston, Mid-Atlantic, Japan footage trying to find some good Kung Fu Graham match (good luck with that). And I just never went back to his 70s performances. A lot of the reason for that was the mythos. When you talked to people about Kung Fu Graham, the conversation would be about how his body wasn't there anymore, or how he was obviously in pain, or how the steroids had messed him up, how everything that had made him special was the aura and the catch phrases and the body. 

It's only been in the last year that I've really looked at some of that 70s work, prompted by my old pal @elliottpwo and the GWE discord, and 70s Graham was an amazing heatseeker, bumper, stooge in the ring, just electric. You couldn't take your eye off of him. The promos transferred right into his ringwork. You can see why he was done, steroids or no, by the time 80 came around. I posted the Mil match the other day, which isn't 5 stars or anything, but it's an amazing Graham performance. There's a Monsoon match where you can see it too.

 

Hopefully, in remembering him, we can shift the conventional wisdom on him a bit. Yes, he was the body. Yes, he was the promos. Yes, he was the aura and star power. 

But he could go too.

[odessasteps]

Probably another person whose career has to be reevaluated after decades of Dave's talking points shaping the narrative. 

[Raziel]

For his size and gimmicks, You look at Graham's 70's stuff and dude was one of the most amazing sellers around, and a great worker.  

7 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

Probably another person whose career has to be reevaluated after decades of Dave's talking points shaping the narrative. 

There's so many guys this applies to.

[Web Conn]

 

[Dolphman 3000]

4 minutes ago, Web Conn said:

 

That's the MSG rematch from October 1977 - the September 1977 match was much better and is the one Cody always references (with Dusty holding up the title belt):

https://m.facebook.com/retroprowrestlingreviews/videos/253324499230440/?locale2=ms_MY

[Web Conn]

Here’s another Graham-Dusty match from Houston

 

[Raziel]

There's also a REALLY good Graham/Dusty Bullrope match from MSG that I can only find the end of on YouTube.

There's a clip I saw yesterday of a Graham/Putski match where Graham sells the Polish Hammer like he was hit with a howitzer.

[Web Conn]

I read Grahams book back in high school almost 20 years ago but I remember he’s writes as if he stopped wrestling the night he lost the title from Backlund to when he showed up in Florida as a Karate man in 82. But I found a return match Graham and Backlund had 7 months after Backlund won the title.

And it seems like he wrestled in Houston periodically from when he left the WWWF to when he became a karate man. I never knew about this part of his career. Houston seems like it almost operated in its own parallel universe in relation to the other Territories.

 

[Pete]

28 minutes ago, Web Conn said:

I read Grahams book back in high school almost 20 years ago but I remember he’s writes as if he stopped wrestling the night he lost the title from Backlund to when he showed up in Florida as a Karate man in 82. But I found a return match Graham and Backlund had 7 months after Backlund won the title.

And it seems like he wrestled in Houston periodically from when he left the WWWF to when he became a karate man. I never knew about this part of his career. Houston seems like it almost operated in its own parallel universe in relation to the other Territories.

 

He also had a short run in Georgia, including at least one match where he teamed with AUSTIN IDOL of all people. 

Quote

GCW @ Atlanta
19. Oktober 1979 @ The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia (United States of America)
Tony Atlas and Tommy Rich defeated Austin Idol and Billy Graham

One Sterling Golden was also in the territory, which makes it even funnier. Can you imagine those three in one ring at the same time?

[Cobra Commander]

Moline, Illinois. April 8th, 1975:

Quote

Six Man Tag Team Match

Andre The Giant, Dusty Rhodes & Superstar Billy Graham defeat Baron von Raschke, Bobby Heenan & Boris Breznikoff

Breznikoff would be Nikolai Volkoff.

[zendragon]

What if Jr convinced Sr to run with him as a face champ? What if Hogan doesn’t jump do we get a Face Billy Graham during the expansion?