wrestling / News

WWE Hall of Famer Superstar Billy Graham Passes Away

May 17, 2023 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
Madison Square Garden Championship Wrestling 10-24-1977 Superstar Billy Graham Image Credit: WWE

One of the most influential professional wrestlers of all time is gone, as Superstar Billy Graham has passed away. TMZ has confirmed that Graham passed away today, which was originally announced by Ric Flair. Graham had been battling a series of serious health issues as of late, and his wife Valerie Coleman had said earlier this week that doctors wanted to take him off life support but she had refused. Graham was 79 years old.

Graham, real name Wayne Coleman, was one of the most legendary men in the wrestling business. Known for his physique and his ability to cut promos, Graham began his wrestling career in 1969 after a successful stint as a bodybuilder. He trained under Stu Hart and debuted in January of 1970, initially under his real name before he changed his name to the name we know today. Graham was working with Jerry Graham in Mike LaBell’s Los Angeles brand of the National Wrestling Alliance at the time. He continued to work the territories and eventually moved to the AWA in 1972, where he added the “Superstar” to his name and had memorable feuds with Verne Gagne, The Crusher, The Bruiser, Wahoo McDaniel, Billy Robinson, Ken Patera, Ivan Koloff, and more. He also eventually ended up teaming with Koloff.

Graham eventually took a hiatus from the AWA in 1974 and went on a tour of Japan, then returned to form a tag team with Dusty Rhodes. He would exit the AWA and returned to the NWA in 1975, which included a stint in Mid Atlantic promotion where he worked while Ric Flair was recovering from the plane crash he was in.

He eventually made his way to the WWWF, where he worked for a brief stint and then returned in 1977. His 1977 run saw him hold the WWWF Championship when he defeated Bruno Sammartino in April of that year. He held it for almost a year before he lost it to Bob Backlund. He would leave the company at the end of 1978 and returned to the NWA, bouncing back and forth between the WWF, the AWA and NWA for various runs before he eventually retired in November of 1987.

Graham was as vocal outside the ring as he was inside it, and had many public spats with WWE over the years. He famously sued WWF claiming that the company required him to take steroids to maintain his position, though he later acknowledged that was due to his bitterness toward the company. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.

On behalf of 411, our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Billy Graham. Without him, the industry would not be the same.

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