Remembering Superstar Billy Graham

[danieltx]

Given his prime physique and the age of members here I was surprised we didn't get a thread on Superstar Billy Graham with his passing last week.

Graham was one of the biggest professional wrestling stars of the 1970s. He was the first to bring bodybuilding into wrestling and also revolutionized the industry with his over the top interviews and persona. It's not an exaggeration to say without Graham we don't get Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Hulk Hogan, and all what the industry has become today.

Before getting into wrestling, Graham was a bodybuilder. He was a training partner of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbo in the late 1960s - there's a famous picture of Schwarzenegger watching as Graham flat bench presses 500lbs. At 6'3" he likely weighed in the 270s-280s during his prime with the first impressive bodybuilder physique in wrestling. He later went up to 320lbs. when he competed in the 1980 World's Strongest Man competition.

 

[xpoc]

I am impressed with the leg press. He is like 1% of the gym population that actually uses a full range of motion on the leg press. Typically you see 10 plates per side and a guy doing quarter reps. Billy gets deeep with these. But I have my doubts about that preacher curl with (assuming 2x45 per side). That is a crazy amount of weight...all I can think of is biceps tendons popping off the bone.

 

[Aikman56]

 

[angus62]

Some older ones.

 

[1bigun11]

I remember watching him wrestle Bruno Sammartino on TV in 1977 for the world championship. Bruno was a big strong ape. Superstar dwarfed him, had thirty pounds of muscle on him, and won the match. It was hard to fathom that anyone could be that much bigger than Bruno. Classic heel vs. face match. And when they allowed Superstar to win it, it was a changing of the guard so to speak.

 

[TheRoid]

View attachment 177265

Looked INCREDIBLE for that time

 

[lookslikesausage]

This man had some of the biggest arms of the day. Unfortunately, he blamed AAS for many of his health problems, of which he had many. He tried to sue the WWF/WWE unsuccessfully a few times. Superstar also had a problem with amphetamines back in the 70's. He looked incredible for the time though and in pro wrestling there was no one even close in terms of physiques.

He was the son of a pastor and was from Arizona. This is all from memory LOL. Many imitated his gimmick (Jesse Ventura, Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner, and even Hulk Hogan) but he was the original (flamboyant bodybuilder who could talk). The video from the 80's is him attempting a comeback in pro-wrestling where he went with a Hawaiian/Karate gimmick. It was unsuccessful as his body was shot by then. He then became a manager for a short time. Vince Sr. apparently loved Superstar enough to put the belt on him, which was a big deal since he had to go over Bruno Sammartino who was arguably the biggest name in wrestling at the time, or at least on the East Coast. By the time Vince Jr. took the helm, unfortunately for Superstar his body was on its way out. Sadly, the man lived half of his life with serious health problems. One could easily argue that Superstar ushered in the steroid era of pro-wrestling in the 80's although steroids weren't uncommon by that point in pro sports in the 70's (just that AAS use became exceedingly widespread in the 80's).

I often wonder what he would've said if someone asked him if it was worth it and I don't write this as a rhetorical question; he reached great heights in his profession but he paid a heavy heavy price.

 

[1bigun11]

This man had some of the biggest arms of the day. Unfortunately, he blamed AAS for many of his health problems, of which he had many. He tried to sue the WWF/WWE unsuccessfully a few times. Superstar also had a problem with amphetamines back in the 70's. He looked incredible for the time though and in pro wrestling there was no one even close in terms of physiques.

He was the son of a pastor and was from Arizona. This is all from memory LOL. Many imitated his gimmick (Jesse Ventura, Big Poppa Pump Scott Steiner, and even Hulk Hogan) but he was the original (flamboyant bodybuilder who could talk). The video from the 80's is him attempting a comeback in pro-wrestling where he went with a Hawaiian/Karate gimmick. It was unsuccessful as his body was shot by then. He then became a manager for a short time. Vince Sr. apparently loved Superstar enough to put the belt on him, which was a big deal since he had to go over Bruno Sammartino who was arguably the biggest name in wrestling at the time, or at least on the East Coast. By the time Vince Jr. took the helm, unfortunately for Superstar his body was on its way out. Sadly, the man lived half of his life with serious health problems. One could easily argue that Superstar ushered in the steroid era of pro-wrestling in the 80's although steroids weren't uncommon by that point in pro sports in the 70's (just that AAS use became exceedingly widespread in the 80's).

I often wonder what he would've said if someone asked him if it was worth it and I don't write this as a rhetorical question; he reached great heights in his profession but he paid a heavy heavy price.

Those wrestlers beat the shit out of themselves and each other in those days too. 3-5 days a week. I remember some of those matches between Superstar and Dusty Rhodes that were literal blood baths. Cutting each other, cutting themselves for the sell. Red for green. Worse thing you could say to any of them in those days was that wrestling was fake. Remember when that reporter taunted Dr D David Schultz, got in his face and told him that wrestling was all fake, and D David damn near knocked him out of his shoes with an open hand slap? Those guys were tough.

 

[Golden]

What age did he make it to?

 

[danieltx]

What age did he make it to?

79. Pretty impressive for 20+ years of nonstop heavy steroid use, the rough life of a professional wrestler, and the never-ending health issues he had over the last 30 years.

 

[marssel]

I opened this thinking it was a weird thread about that preacher

 

[danieltx]

I opened this thinking it was a weird thread about that preacher

That is where Graham took his name. As a teenager he became very involved with religion. When he got into wrestling he was teamed up with Dr. Jerry Graham and told to think of a name he could use as Graham's brother so he chose Billy.

 

[01dragonslayer]

Awesome documentary featuring 'The Superstar '.......also Brett Hart, Greg Valentine, George Steele..... this is a great watch.

 

[lookslikesausage]

Those wrestlers beat the shit out of themselves and each other in those days too. 3-5 days a week. I remember some of those matches between Superstar and Dusty Rhodes that were literal blood baths. Cutting each other, cutting themselves for the sell. Red for green. Worse thing you could say to any of them in those days was that wrestling was fake. Remember when that reporter taunted Dr D David Schultz, got in his face and told him that wrestling was all fake, and D David damn near knocked him out of his shoes with an open hand slap? Those guys were tough.

Dr. D was a legit badass. There has been a lot of talk in recent years about whether the Stossel slap was a work or not. What's not up for discussion is Dr D. David Schultz's reputation. Many wrestlers have gone on record saying that the guy was one of wrestling's legit tough guys and not someone you'd ever want to mess with and that he was feared backstage. Back then, the business's secrets and reputation had to be protected at all costs and anyone who threatened that, even other wrestlers, would be held liable if they threatened to expose the business. Also, back then, in a lot of territories it wasn't unheard of for wrestlers to strike fans if they were dumb enough to get into the ring or for wrestlers to get into fights in bars when some local felt like proving himself or felt like telling them their profession was "fake". Many of them got away with not going to jail or getting sued. Of course, that changed in the 80's. I know for a fact that both Haku and Rick Rude were both sued by non-wrestlers who were attacked by them. By the way, I was wrong about his father being a preacher. I don't know where I heard that one.

 

[marssel]

That is where Graham took his name. As a teenager he became very involved with religion. When he got into wrestling he was teamed up with Dr. Jerry Graham and told to think of a name he could use as Graham's brother so he chose Billy.

Oh how odd a super religious wrestler, every WWE guy I’ve met wanted roids, pills, and blow