Billy Graham, 79, died on Wednesday following a series of health challenges, leaving the wrestling world in sadness.
Ric Flair, another professional wrestler, first confirmed Graham’s death on Twitter, writing, “The Superstar Billy Graham Just Left Us THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INFLUENCE ON MY CAREER!”
Graham had been hospitalized and was on life support, according to a message posted on his Facebook page by his wife Valerie on Monday.
“I need urgent prayers for my husband.” The doctors wanted to turn off his life support tonight, but I refused. He’s a fighter, and his will is as powerful as his physique. “God is our only hope,” the declaration says.
Graham was dealing with “very serious health issues,” according to a GoFundMe campaign attached to the post, including “a major infection in his ears and skull that may require six months of intravenous IVs, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and hearing loss as a result of the infection.”
“Due to ongoing issues from his lack of appetite, he has now lost 80 pounds and subsequently continues to struggle with extreme weakness,” the campaign said in an April 26 update.
Graham’s wrestling career began in the 1970s.
According to Comic Book Resources, he wrestled under his legal name, Eldridge Wayne Coleman, before changing his stage name to Billy Graham when he made his National Wrestling Alliance debut in 1970. Graham wrestled for the American Wrestling Association from 1972 to 1975 before joining the WWWF in 1975, according to the news source.
While he left the company momentarily in 1976, he returned and won the WWWF world championship from Bruno Sammartino, which he held from April 1977 to February 1978, according to Sports Illustrated. Graham’s time with WWE included stints as a manager and broadcaster, according to his biography on the WWE website, before his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.
According to a statement distributed to The WWE stated in this piece, “Graham’s flashy fashion style, over-the-top interviews, and bodybuilder physique created the archetype for a generation of Superstars that followed in his footsteps.”
“In his interviews, Graham began emulating boxing icon Muhammad Ali, coining the iconic line, ‘I’m the man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour,’” the WWE said, adding that “Graham spouted that kind of poetic prose weekly on television, using his gift of gab to make himself a box-office attraction who would sell out every arena he main-evented.”
On Wednesday, several paid tribute to Graham, including The Iron Sheik Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, who remembered him as “one of my very first teachers of the heat.”
“The real legend Bubba,” says the post. “He loves me, and I love him.” We’re going to the gym together to shock the world. I’ll always like you, brother. RIP”
WWE wrestler Sean Waltman paid tribute to Graham on Twitter, along with a vintage photo of him: “This is the Superstar Billy Graham I saw in Florida.” I loved it when he came out to Kung Fu Fighting! RIP to the most imitated man in Pro Wrestling history.”
