The wrestling world lost one of its pioneers earlier this month. “Superstar” Billy Graham passed away at the age of 79 on May 17th. This came after Graham had been put on life support following a recent surgery. Graham is championed as one of professional wrestling’s most influential talents, as his style and charisma paved the way for icons like Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan in the decades that followed. Both Flair and Hogan specifically have offered praise towards the WWE Hall of Famer for years, but have recently renewed their gratitude towards Graham following his passing.
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“His clothes were considered outlandish back then,” Flair told SI. “He had the earring. He gave those incredible interviews. He had that body that was second to none. ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham influenced a whole generation of wrestlers, myself included.”
“He was decades ahead of his time,” Hogan added. “When I saw him, he was a bad guy, yet he drew you to him like a magnet. He looked like a superhero, but when the good guy put his fist up and acted like he was going to punch him in the face, Billy Graham would drop to his knees and start begging and pleading. I modeled ‘Hollywood’ Hogan after that. Watch Hogan-Sting from WCW, and you’ll see a lot of the way Billy Graham carried himself in the ring. Even as a babyface, I did that, too. He was really something special.”
The love for Graham extends far beyond just Flair and Hogan. The Nature Boy pointed to the wrestling world’s reaction to Graham’s passing as evidence that his impact transcended the industry.
“Look at the reaction following his death and the outpouring of love, that’s because of the impact he had on people,” Flair continued. “He certainly had that impact on me. For me, I thought he was the greatest thing going. Him and Dusty Rhodes were my two favorites. His look changed the whole perspective of the business. ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham—often imitated, never duplicated.”
“He left a lasting footprint,” Hogan noted. “The rest of us, we’re putting our footprint after his. He’ll live on forever in wrestling.”
Graham’s funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 1st in Chandler, Arizona. For those who are unable to attend the funeral in person, the service will also be live streamed on the Full Life Church’s official website.
