{"id":2754,"date":"2023-05-23T18:48:28","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T18:48:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/?p=2754"},"modified":"2023-05-24T15:35:41","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T15:35:41","slug":"superstar-billy-graham-christian-wrestler-dies-at-79","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/2023\/05\/superstar-billy-graham-christian-wrestler-dies-at-79.html","title":{"rendered":"\u201cSuperstar Billy Graham,\u201d Christian Wrestler, Dies at 79"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The family of Christian wrestling superstar Eldridge Wayne Coleman, who went by the professional wrestling name of Superstar Billy Graham, <\/span>confirmed<\/span><\/a>\u00a0he had died last Wednesday due to complications of sepsis and multiple organ failure. He began wrestling in the 70s, taking on the name Superstar Billy Graham to\u00a0<\/span>honor his mentor<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Dr. Jerry Graham as well as the Reverend Billy Graham, whom he admired. He came to fame wrestling for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), now the WWE. His sculpted physique and braggadocios personality would go on to influence other wrestlers like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. Graham retired from wrestling in 1987 at the age of 44. The wrestler had used steroids, which would go on to permanently damage his body. He had his first of at least 6 hip replacement surgeries in 1987.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite having grown up in a broken home with a father who beat him, Graham found his way to faith in 1961 and began preaching. He pursued numerous other careers, such as football, being a bouncer, and a debt collector, before finding his way into wrestling. After his wrestling career was over, he spent his life as a staunch opponent of steroid use. In 1991, he testified against George Zahorian III, an osteopath and surgeon, who Graham stated had sold him illegal anabolic steroids in the 70s and 80s. \u201cThey\u2019ve ruined my life. They\u2019ve ruined my wrestling career,\u201d he testified. \u201cI was addicted to it. When you go off steroids, you get tremendous depression. Steroids make you feel so good so confident and make you feel like you can conquer the world. It\u2019s almost a plague in wrestling today.\u201d Zahorian would eventually be convicted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Graham would also go on to criticize the WWE as it became more sensual and graphic. In 2011, he asked to be <\/span>removed<\/span><\/a>\u00a0from their Hall of Fame due to his objections to their programming. He also objected to the addition of Abdullah the Butcher into the Hall of Fame, criticizing the wrestler for \u201cblading,\u201d which involves the wrestler actually cutting themselves to make them appear more injured during a fight. \u201cAbdullah actually is a butcher in a disturbingly real sense. In my view, the \u2018Butcher\u2019 has blotted his copybook big time by becoming a suspected spreader of Hepatitis C through his negligence when blading in the ring,\u201d Graham said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many former pro wrestlers paid tribute to Graham and acknowledged his influence on their careers. \u201cThere wouldn\u2019t be a Jesse \u2018The Body\u2019 Ventura without the in-ring success and trailblazing showmanship of Superstar Billy Graham,\u201d <\/span>wrote<\/span><\/a>\u00a0former pro wrestler Jesse Ventura. \u201cOne of my proudest wrestling memories was having the honor of being inducted into the same WWE Hall of Fame class as Graham. Rest In Power, Superstar.\u201d Speaking to\u00a0<\/span>TMZ<\/span><\/a>, former wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin highlighted Graham\u2019s influence. \u201cHe was great. He was all about the showmanship of it and the physique, and he was a different vibe and a helluva promo. He influenced a whole lot of people,\u201d he said. Graham is survived by his wife, Valerie (Belkas) Coleman; his daughter, Capella Flaherty; his son, Joe Miluso; and four grandchildren.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The family of Christian wrestling superstar Eldridge Wayne Coleman, who went by the professional wrestling name of Superstar Billy Graham, confirmed\u00a0he had died last Wednesday due to complications of sepsis and multiple organ failure. He began wrestling in the 70s, taking on the name Superstar Billy Graham to\u00a0honor his mentor\u00a0Dr. Jerry Graham as well as…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":664,"featured_media":2787,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n\u201cSuperstar Billy Graham,\u201d Christian Wrestler, Dies at 79<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Christian wrestler, Wayne Coleman, who went by "Superstar Billy Graham" passes away at age 79.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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