My opinion they should of gave Superstar Billy graham Bob backlund spot to have the WWE championship 🏆 WWE had plenty of time later to give Bob backlund the WWE championship 🏆
For some reason I’m amazed how well spoken and articulate Billy Graham always is. He really is an intelligent guy and does such a good job with all the details and building the drama.
THE ultimate bad guy in wrestling. Nicest person ever outside the ring. Way back then I never knew he was a devout Christian, and he and Dusty Rhodes had a great rivalry. They tore each other apart. Best friends, and Dusty was godfather to Billy's child
Me too. Those of us who had the opportunity to really see him perform in the 70s and he came to the wwwf we're privileged to see an era that will never happen again. Before the mega pay-per-views. He paved the way for so many. I wish he had been given some better breaks. I guess life is always should have could have would have. Vince senior could have left him champion for years. But it didn't happen but we still have all those memories rest in peace superstar
The superstar just oooozes charisma. On the stick. His walk, he's ultimate cool!!!! Just sitting in the chair. With simple hand gestures says something.
My Dad took me to MSG on 2/20/78 when Backlund beat SuperStar. At the time, as a kid, it seemed like a good idea, but obviously, it was a Colossal mistake by Vince Sr. Graham was an enormous draw and was so over for a heel, he could have had a massive run as a baby face in the WWWF. SuperStar was 20 years ahead of his time. That was when WWWF was on Sat mornings after “Land of the Lost” lol and the NWA was on like Tuesday nights at 11pm. I kind of remember it being called “Florida Championship Wrestling.”
Backlund sold out the felt forum(msg overflow) many times. Backlund was pretty “over” for almost 6 years. It was toward the end of the run that they needed to change it up with hogan/sheik...
Graham was at the end of the road around the time of his title run. He had bad habits and was physically breaking down. He wouldn't have lasted if they had kept going with him.
@@iang8169 Vince McMahon Sr. vetoed Superstar's pitch to turn him babyface, and keep the title belt on him. The old man's explanation was that the Superstar character could never be a role model for children. That's a lame excuse. McMahon knew that kids were already following Superstar, because he was so damn cool. Why not embrace that, and turn him babyface? They could have done angles that sent a positive message to children, without being preachy.
Glad he explained the title change in detail. Never knew the back story. Not only the planned change for Bruno to give up the title but the future plan to have Backlund take it in 11 months
I WAS THERE THAT NIGHT, EVERYTHING WENT QUIET AND THEN THE CROWD STARTING SAYING NO, NO, NO, IT CAN'T BE, BUT IT HAPPENED . LIKE RACE RIOTS OF THE 60'S. IT WAS OFF THE HOOK. YOU DID A GREAT JOB, SUPERSTAR, WHAT AN ACT !
I remember buying all of the wrestling magazines (The Wrestler, Inside Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Illustrated) when I was a teenager and when Superstar beat Bruno for the belt every one of those publication had a story on it. Huge story. Huuuuugeee story.
Yep. I was about 7 rows back on the outside aisle seat that famous night in Baltimore. We got out of there in a hurry bcuz it started getting unruly. That's how much Sammartino was adored, but he couldn't have passed the belt to a better man than Graham.
@@tedcarey3637 There wasn't a riot that night, just this wierd eerie silence, but it freaked the hell out of everyone involved enough not to want to repeat the experience.
@@boboyankowskas7167 especially as this time round they were going to have Graham use the ropes to get the pin for extra controversy as he was going to have a somewhat longer run than Koloff or Stasiak.
My Uncle and my Dad at the Milwaukee Exposition Convention Center 1975. Jumped in the ring with this guy. There's a old saying "The bigger they are the harder they fall". TIMBER. Choose Love Everyone
Without Superstar,...WITHOUT QUESTION,.. you don't get to "Hulkamania". When it came to promos/mic drops, there was NO ONE who did it better! And quite frankly, in my humble opinion...no one ever WILL!! #1 is Superstar #2 is Hogan. (and I grew up,...a "Hulkamaniac")
Rest in peace superstar!!! Thank you for bringing us so much entertainment and joy into our lives watching you perform was truly a privileged! You were and always will be 'the man of the hour the man with the power to Sweet to be sour* Vince senior made a big mistake bringing Bob backlund over. I wish you could have been champion for several years but it was Vinces company so everybody goes by his rules. And like Vince junior or not he has created one of the most successful companies imaginable. backlund was a good champion don't get me wrong he was the wholesome All-American and he was definitely a truly talented wrestler I just thought that you were peeking then and something could have been done Rest in peace my friend
I was there when Backlund took the title. The Spanish guy next to my 12 yr old friend hoisted him up overhead and started yelling " rice and beans! Rice and beans!"
You have to remember.....it was Vince Jr's DAD who made the mistake to take the Strap from Superstar and put it on Bob Backland. The ONLY thing that Vince did correctly was to pull the switch from Bruno to Superstar in Baltimore....but NOT running with Superstar as Champion was insanely asinine.
Long term planning gone wrong? Graham was over more than Vince Sr. expected and Backlund didn’t develop a personality. An audible would have been a good idea but Sr. stuck with the plan. Wrestling would certainly be different if Graham didn’t drop the strap to Backlund. Probably a face turn (the WWF rarely used heel champs for long, Graham’s nearly year reign was an anomaly) but it’s cloudy after that. Depends on if the fans would have accepted Graham as a hero and what changes they would have made (or not made) to his character. And if the Graham experiment didn’t work (or if it didn’t get cut off abruptly as it happened) does Vince Jr. put the strap on Hogan as a type of Graham 2.0?
He needs to read his own book and remember what he wrote. He was in Florida at the time and he was half of the Fl tag team champions when he was given the strap.
Yeppir I was there. Where have the years gone? I don't watch this "sport" anymore, but I don't think there was a single soul at the Civic Center that night who thought Bruno might lose.
"This priceless belt" .... key fucking word! "Priceless" People can joke all they want about pro-wrestling being "fake" but mother fucker back then it was real! Holding that strap had meaning! It was prized like a boxing title. Nowadays that belt don't mean shit. Back then, you held that belt, you were legit.
always wondered how superstar billy graham would've been as a champion for a long period time had he not given the belt tobacklund in Feb of 78'thought he could've been a great champion loved his charisma and arrogance .
True. I had just gotten into wrestling as a kid right around when Billy won it. Was mad when he lost, but in retrospect, 10 months (esp compared to later years) was not a bad length of time to be champion. Esp a heel and a transitional holder. It's not like it was 3 weeks.
There weren't TV cameras and scaffolding everywhere for the Graham title win over Bruno. It was just one single hard-cam shooting 16mm film from the back of the arena.
Wow Thats quite a story! Wish I was there. Yes the fans took it very seriously. Most would fight you if you tried to say wrestling was fake! I mean they would get fighting mad except they were more like insane! Lol
Billy Graham it's full of shit Billy Graham was wrestling in Florida before he became WWF Champion he was the Florida heavyweight champion Billy Graham he wrestled in Florida in January and February and March of 1977 lost Florida title to Dusty Rhodes then went on to the WWF where he won the world title
@@jmb01550 What I recall was that there wasn't much publicity, and it was a dark match. And there aren't many photos of him with the belt. Checking the net. I see 2, they both look like publicity photos.
I looked at that footage, and CLEARLY it was doctored. The WWF was trying to protect the image of the invincible Bruno by making it seem like The Super Star cheated!!!!!
They should have gave Billy a 5 year run as Champ he was on another level
@spaceace1006Quit being a teacher 😂😂😂😂😂Just teasing with ya.
My opinion they should of gave Superstar Billy graham Bob backlund spot to have the WWE championship 🏆 WWE had plenty of time later to give Bob backlund the WWE championship 🏆
Fans of the 70’s were the best!
For some reason I’m amazed how well spoken and articulate Billy Graham always is. He really is an intelligent guy and does such a good job with all the details and building the drama.
Back in the 70's when wrestling was real good.
I LOVE this guy. I can listen to him tell stories all day.
I was saying the same thing.
THE ultimate bad guy in wrestling. Nicest person ever outside the ring. Way back then I never knew he was a devout Christian, and he and Dusty Rhodes had a great rivalry. They tore each other apart. Best friends, and Dusty was godfather to Billy's child
I think this guy is a really great guy. I love listening to his stories
@@gillrowley I saw Superstar and Dusty in a Bullrope match at the Spectrum. Great action!!!
Me too. Those of us who had the opportunity to really see him perform in the 70s and he came to the wwwf we're privileged to see an era that will never happen again.
Before the mega pay-per-views. He paved the way for so many. I wish he had been given some better breaks.
I guess life is always should have could have would have. Vince senior could have left him champion for years.
But it didn't happen but we still have all those memories rest in peace superstar
The superstar just oooozes charisma. On the stick. His walk, he's ultimate cool!!!! Just sitting in the chair. With simple hand gestures says something.
He is an All Time Great!!!!!
⚡️The Reflection of Perfection⚡️
My Dad took me to MSG on 2/20/78 when Backlund beat SuperStar. At the time, as a kid, it seemed like a good idea, but obviously, it was a Colossal mistake by Vince Sr. Graham was an enormous draw and was so over for a heel, he could have had a massive run as a baby face in the WWWF. SuperStar was 20 years ahead of his time. That was when WWWF was on Sat mornings after “Land of the Lost” lol and the NWA was on like Tuesday nights at 11pm. I kind of remember it being called “Florida Championship Wrestling.”
Backlund sold out the felt forum(msg overflow) many times. Backlund was pretty “over” for almost 6 years. It was toward the end of the run that they needed to change it up with hogan/sheik...
Graham was at the end of the road around the time of his title run. He had bad habits and was physically breaking down. He wouldn't have lasted if they had kept going with him.
Graham sold out msg the 7 times he wrestled as champ, while backland sold around 14 to 15 k tickets at the garden during his first year as champ
@@iang8169 Vince McMahon Sr. vetoed Superstar's pitch to turn him babyface, and keep the title belt on him. The old man's explanation was that the Superstar character could never be a role model for children. That's a lame excuse.
McMahon knew that kids were already following Superstar, because he was so damn cool. Why not embrace that, and turn him babyface? They could have done angles that sent a positive message to children, without being preachy.
HE MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE UR RIGHT THERE WITH HIM IN THE STORY
His stories great... he said I cut half my head open to show gratitude LOL
Glad he explained the title change in detail. Never knew the back story. Not only the planned change for Bruno to give up the title but the future plan to have Backlund take it in 11 months
When I believed, it was real blood. Bruno still the greatest.
i like how the guys had tremendous respect for each other back then
+blaknyte08 Agrees....The "Territories" and the respect from The workers BOTH Headliner and jobbers was awesome to witness!
The best moment in Baltimore wrestling history
Somebody should make a movie about him!!!
Agreed. I would love to see it.
Bring back this kind of wrestling please!
I could listen to this guy all day.
Love hearing about the behind the scene decisions. What a cool story, thanks for posting
Amazingly candid...nice to hear the real story.
Superstar was the guy that got me into wrestling. So great on the mic.
I WAS THERE THAT NIGHT, EVERYTHING WENT QUIET AND THEN THE CROWD STARTING SAYING NO, NO, NO, IT CAN'T BE, BUT IT HAPPENED . LIKE RACE RIOTS OF THE 60'S. IT WAS OFF THE HOOK. YOU DID A GREAT JOB, SUPERSTAR, WHAT AN ACT !
I remember buying all of the wrestling magazines (The Wrestler, Inside Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Illustrated) when I was a teenager and when Superstar beat Bruno for the belt every one of those publication had a story on it. Huge story. Huuuuugeee story.
Yup
Yep. I was about 7 rows back on the outside aisle seat that famous night in Baltimore. We got out of there in a hurry bcuz it started getting unruly.
That's how much Sammartino was adored, but he couldn't have passed the belt to a better man than Graham.
There would have been a riot had Bruno dropped the belt at MSG as he was a hero. Baltimore was a better place.
There was one when Ivan Koloff won the title at MSG. Vince Sr. definitely didn’t want another one.
Also why they had Stan Stasiak take the title from Pedro Morales at the Philadelphia Spectrum instead of MSG.
@@tedcarey3637 There wasn't a riot that night, just this wierd eerie silence, but it freaked the hell out of everyone involved enough not to want to repeat the experience.
@@boboyankowskas7167 especially as this time round they were going to have Graham use the ropes to get the pin for extra controversy as he was going to have a somewhat longer run than Koloff or Stasiak.
@@boboyankowskas7167 however with Bob Backlund they felt safe enough to have him lose to the Iron Sheik at MSG.
When backlund pinned graham I noticed That billy put his foot on the rope before the count of three.
Yes you did
I saw it too.😅
People took their rasslin' real serious back then!
Superstar Billy Graham you were the man before Hogan was the man I love your style back in the day you were the man
My Uncle and my Dad at the Milwaukee Exposition Convention Center 1975. Jumped in the ring with this guy. There's a old saying "The bigger they are the harder they fall". TIMBER. Choose Love Everyone
Wow it's almost 39 years since Billy Graham beat Bruno!
You mean scripted to win it, right?
@@justafanintexas7913 c'mon you know wrestling is fake !
Without Superstar,...WITHOUT QUESTION,.. you don't get to "Hulkamania". When it came to promos/mic drops, there was NO ONE who did it better! And quite frankly, in my humble opinion...no one ever WILL!! #1 is Superstar #2 is Hogan. (and I grew up,...a "Hulkamaniac")
Rest in peace superstar!!! Thank you for bringing us so much entertainment and joy into our lives watching you perform was truly a privileged!
You were and always will be 'the man of the hour the man with the power to Sweet to be sour*
Vince senior made a big mistake bringing Bob backlund over. I wish you could have been champion for several years but it was Vinces company so everybody goes by his rules. And like Vince junior or not he has created one of the most successful companies imaginable. backlund was a good champion don't get me wrong he was the wholesome All-American and he was definitely a truly talented wrestler I just thought that you were peeking then and something could have been done
Rest in peace my friend
Love the official back story awesome interview
If the Bruno/Superstar title switch happened at MSG or the Spectrum things would've been much worse.
Utter chaos
Thank you, Superstar, for a great run Wrestling is the only venue where the Fans really have input into how long a wrestler's reign lasts
Superstar Billy Graham is a very good interview 🎤 and hailed a cab 🚕
I wanted to be just like superstar...i love this guy
Superstar Billy Graham = good old boy. He would have been a great US president.
Love the Superstar!!!
Love The Superstar.
Vince should be helping the Superstar with his medical. He helped make Vince.
Exactly right!!!
Agreed
what a champion title story i felt like i am in the ring back that time this Bsg is the best who talking like a real wrestler
Also he said Vince senior was on his boat in Ft Lauderdale and he and Eddie Graham flew from Tampa to see him and be told that he was the chosen one.
I was there when Backlund took the title. The Spanish guy next to my 12 yr old friend hoisted him up overhead and started yelling " rice and beans! Rice and beans!"
I WAS THERE AND WERE PEOPLE WAS IN DISBEIVE!!!
Hello Daryl
The Superstar didn't have any security to help him back after the match?
Imagine coming on tv with the belt. Lots of fans didnt know!!
Superstar got over big time . Vince screwed up .
Kind of wondered if Vince modeled his evil promoter persona on his Father. Of course Vince is pretty evil in his own right.
leo powers ALL promoters.
You have to remember.....it was Vince Jr's DAD who made the mistake to take the Strap from Superstar and put it on Bob Backland. The ONLY thing that Vince did correctly was to pull the switch from Bruno to Superstar in Baltimore....but NOT running with Superstar as Champion was insanely asinine.
The Stuport I would have had Rocky Johnson trade the belt with Superstar. That would have gotten over huge.
Long term planning gone wrong? Graham was over more than Vince Sr. expected and Backlund didn’t develop a personality. An audible would have been a good idea but Sr. stuck with the plan.
Wrestling would certainly be different if Graham didn’t drop the strap to Backlund. Probably a face turn (the WWF rarely used heel champs for long, Graham’s nearly year reign was an anomaly) but it’s cloudy after that. Depends on if the fans would have accepted Graham as a hero and what changes they would have made (or not made) to his character. And if the Graham experiment didn’t work (or if it didn’t get cut off abruptly as it happened) does Vince Jr. put the strap on Hogan as a type of Graham 2.0?
Wow! Talk about storytelling ability. I could pretty much visualise everything he was saying.
I was there
What a story!!
He needs to read his own book and remember what he wrote. He was in Florida at the time and he was half of the Fl tag team champions when he was given the strap.
He went home to Arizona for a while but he was definitely in Florida. He actually took the championship down there from Dusty Rhodes.
Great story..Im surprised even in 77 that he had to take a cab out...
YOU SHOULD HAVE RECIEVED AN OSCAR ! BILLY GRAHAM.
Cool guy great athlete
SEEN THAT ONE AT BALTIMORE CIVIC CENTER WHEN GRAHAM WON THE BELT BY USING THE ROPES. "THAT'S ENTERTAINENT" "
Yeppir I was there. Where have the years gone? I don't watch this "sport" anymore, but I don't think there was a single soul at the Civic Center that night who thought Bruno might lose.
Special guest referee: John C. Reilly
Where is the footage, Superstar said there was camera's there?
The match is on you tube
"This priceless belt" .... key fucking word! "Priceless"
People can joke all they want about pro-wrestling being "fake" but mother fucker back then it was real! Holding that strap had meaning! It was prized like a boxing title. Nowadays that belt don't mean shit. Back then, you held that belt, you were legit.
Saw a few interviews with him away from the WWWF in the 70s. Came across as very polite. Not like the villain in the ring.
Unlike most heels in the day Billy was open and engaging with fans outside the ring.
Hogan was wrestling's Carlos Mencia. He ripped off Superstar to a T
always wondered how superstar billy graham would've been as a champion for a long period time had he not given the belt tobacklund in Feb of 78'thought he could've been a great champion loved his charisma and arrogance .
True. I had just gotten into wrestling as a kid right around when Billy won it. Was mad when he lost, but in retrospect, 10 months (esp compared to later years) was not a bad length of time to be champion. Esp a heel and a transitional holder. It's not like it was 3 weeks.
There weren't TV cameras and scaffolding everywhere for the Graham title win over Bruno. It was just one single hard-cam shooting 16mm film from the back of the arena.
foot on the top rope, aw I see where Jericho & Christian got it from
If I had another father you would be him I pray for you every day
Great heel
Wow Thats quite a story! Wish I was there. Yes the fans took it very seriously. Most would fight you if you tried to say wrestling was fake! I mean they would get fighting mad except they were more like insane! Lol
Happy 43rd anniversary of winning your title
W😮W!!!
Are Superstar Billy Grahams stories mostly fact or fiction? Regardless the Superstar is a really great story teller!
mostly fact
That refery look like shamus
Winning it or scheduled to have it given to him?
Billy Graham it's full of shit Billy Graham was wrestling in Florida before he became WWF Champion he was the Florida heavyweight champion Billy Graham he wrestled in Florida in January and February and March of 1977 lost Florida title to Dusty Rhodes then went on to the WWF where he won the world title
They should have left the belt on Superstar. He could’ve dropped it here and there but always get it back. Backland should have chased it.
👍
So he didn't win the belt it was given to him I mean whaaaat!!!.
Stassiak didn't win it in the Garden.
You are right. It was in the Philly Arena.
@@jmb01550 What I recall was that there wasn't much publicity, and it was a dark match. And there aren't many photos of him with the belt. Checking the net. I see 2, they both look like publicity photos.
There is only one super. Star
👍
Backlund was Boring seen him defend against Greg Valentine Superstar should have gotten Longer as champ
superstar agrees to drop the belt to backlund!
Haaa ! He admitted it. I told Ya. I was rite all along. He Cheated his way to the Title. 😂
I looked at that footage, and CLEARLY it was doctored. The WWF was trying to protect the image of the invincible Bruno by making it seem like The Super Star cheated!!!!!