WWE Hall of Famer and former World Champion—during the WWWF Era–”Superstar” Billy Graham has passed after a long battle with multiple health issues, according to WWE.
WWE Hall of Famer and Former World Champion “Superstar” Billy Graham Dead at 79
In addition to weightlifting, Graham pursued other sports such as shot-put, boxing, and in 1961, he entered bodybuilding where he won several awards. He remained a fixture in bodybuilding throughout the 1960s and 1970s and rubbed elbows with a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in the late 1960s.
Bodybuilding led to the world of pro wrestling where he was one of the early “body guys” in the business thanks to his unique, impressive physique at a time when physique was on par with skill, charisma, and marketability but not necessarily as important.
After training in the Hart Dungeon under Stu Hart, Billy Graham made his debut in January 1970 under his real name of (Eldridge) Wayne Coleman in Hart’s Stampede Wrestling promotion. He would start his career with an impressive winning streak before experiencing his first singles loss to the team of Stu Hart and Bob Luebeck, the man who encouraged him to become a wrestler.
During that period, Graham formed a regular tag team with fellow future Hall of Famer and five-time Grey Cup champion Angelo Mosca. He was also embroiled in a feud with Luebeck. Later in his rookie year, Billy Graham had several unsuccessful shots at the International Tag Team and North American Heavyweight titles via a feud with the Christy Brothers.
Later that year, he took on the name “Billy Graham” and formed a successful tag team with Dr. Jerry Graham after taking his talents to NWA Hollywood. He claimed his first championship—the NWA Pacific19 Coast title—in September 1970 defeating Pantera Negra in a Best 2/3 Falls affair.
Graham Goes National
After five years of mostly NWA action, Graham began wrestling for Vincent J. McMahon’s WWWF, now known as WWE. By this time, he’d become a main event heel draw which saw him face World Champ Bruno Sammartino in WWWF and Harley Race in the NWA. In June 1977, he won his first and only World championship in the WWWF, ending Sammartino’s second reign at 1,237 days to become the promotion’s seventh champion. He would also be the last pre-WWF champion.
Following his loss of the title to Bob Backlund, which was the start of Graham vs. the McMahons on creative, he would be in and out of the company as an active competitor. His in-ring career ended in 1987 following complications from hip surgery. He remained onboard with the WWF until 1989 in a color commentator role before leaving in 1989.
Billy Graham remained in the public eye for years speaking out about his own use of steroids as well as a culture of steroid and drug use in the WWF. He also discussed some of the alleged seedy dealings and actions of the company. Despite this, “Superstar” would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004 and was occasionally involved in storylines.
At the time of his induction, he had just received a liver transplant, a necessary procedure as a result cirrhosis of the liver. This was later followed with other health problems including a constant battle with a failing liver, heart issues, hepatitis C, and internal bleeding.
In January 2023, he went into the hospital as a result of an infection of the skull and ear. His condition became worse in April with issues to his heart, lungs, and kidneys as well as extreme weight loss in those three months. Graham was placed on life support days before passing on May 17, 2023.
He was 79 at the time of his death.
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