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Billy Graham (wrestler)

Eldridge Wayne Coleman (born September 10, 1943) better known by his ring name "Superstar" Billy Graham, is an American retired professional wrestler.

Graham was one of the first professional wrestlers to achieve popularity principally on the basis of his character rather than his wrestling skills. His appearance paved the way for wrestlers like Jesse Ventura, Hulk Hogan, Scott Steiner and Triple H, who were all heavily influenced by Graham's career. His twenty-two inch arms were called "pythons."

Graham is a former WWE Champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.

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: The First Stint (1975-1978)

Graham defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWF Championship on April 30, 1977 in Baltimore, MD. When other heels had won the WWWF/WWF title, they had almost immediately lost it, serving as a conduit between face reigns. Graham, a "rulebreaker," held the title for almost a year, with wins over Ivan Putski, Gorilla Monsoon, Bruno Sammartino, Peter Maivia, Chief Jay Strongbow, and Bob Backlund. To this day, Graham's 296-day reign is the longest single world title reign of any heel in WWE history (although Randy Savage held the title longer, for 371 days, he didn't turn heel until halfway through his title run).

Graham suggested to Vincent J. 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 rulebender, [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 Triple H, Chris Jericho and Evolution.

National Wrestling Alliance: The First Stint (1977-1982)

One of Graham's most famous matches took place in 1977 in Miami, FL 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: The Second Stint (1982-1983)

Graham returned to the WWWF, now 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: The Second Stint (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. Graham also spent some time in the AWA promotion, working with Wahoo McDaniel and Ken Patera.

World Wrestling Federation: The Third Stint (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 aide, 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.

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 XX 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.

Personal life

As stated in his autobiography Tangled Ropes, Graham and his wife Valerie were never able to have children due to his massive steroid abuse rendering him sterile.

However Graham does have two children from a previous marriage, a son Joey and a daughter Capella.

Legacy

"Superstar" Billy Graham is credited for changing how American professional wrestling is portrayed. The WWE describes all of its competitors as "WWE Superstars;" a direct tribute to Billy Graham. Many wrestlers have claimed to have based their looks and styles on Billy Graham. Some famous examples are Paul Ellering, Scott Steiner, Triple H, Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Jesse "The Body" Ventura. Former WWE Champion John Cena called Graham "The Original Doctor of Thuganomics" in an interview about his biography Tangled Ropes.