Vince Sr's Booking of Superstar Graham as Champ

[JerryvonKramer]

Over the past couple of years, I've become increasingly fascinated with Vince Sr's formula booking and with the way he was able to keep such a large area selling out shows consistently for so long while keeping things kinda lukewarm and with a lot of sub-par talent on his roster.

 

There was an old-school mentality that you shouldn't let a territory become too hot or else business might drop off once it cooled down. Vince Sr was a master at controlling the "hotness level" of the promotion at any given time. When things needed something, he might throw in a storyline -- which seem to have been expertly done -- but if things were doing alright, he'd mostly let things remain in his standard formula.

 

Of course, a key part of that formula was the standard babyface champion (typically Bruno, but also Pedro and Backlund) vs. heel challenger of the month: typically this heel would be a big territorial star coming in from outside managed by one of the three wise men, most often The Grand Wizard. A heel would come in, go over on tv once or twice, go over a gatekeeper (Strongbow, Putski, Denucci, Garea, sometimes Monsoon) at MSG and then have three matches with the champ. First two with screwy finishes like a count out or blood stoppage, third a clean loss to the champ.

 

Vince Sr only departed from this formula once in 30-odd years. It was when Superstar Graham became champ in April 1977 and -- basically unheard of for a heel in WWF at that time -- held onto the title till Februray 1978.

 

I was interested to see how Graham was booked as champ. Whether Vince Sr would try to bring in outside babyfaces or rely on his core crew of mid-card "gatekeeper" babyfaces who homesteaded in the territory for years.

 

I've gone through the results. I've taken out TV squash matches and only included angle-stuff from the TV. My comments are in bold. General observations at the end.

 

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WWWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - April 30, 1977

Superstar Billy Graham pinned WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino (w/ Arnold Skaaland) to win the title at 13:43 with a leg pick up and putting both feet on the top rope for leverage

 

St. Louis, MO - Kiel Auditorium - May 6, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham fought Dick the Bruiser to a no contest in a non-title match at 10:00

 

Works this outside date for St. Louis. This wasn't just a Graham thing, Bruno often worked St. Louis as champ. The WWWF Champion would be brought in for the all-star cards. Larry Matysik argued that they never saw a pop in the gate for the WWWF Champion because St. Louis was a wrestling town and their fans expected wrestling and not BS or "big men". But then he'd say that and put Dick the Bruiser over as a legend in the next breath.

 

WWWF @ New Haven, CT - Coliseum - May 7, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned WWWF Tag Team Champion Billy Whitewolf

 

Smaller show, but his first challenger is a midcarder.

 

WWWF @ Portland, ME - Exposition Building - May 10, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea; Tony Altimore was the guest referee for the bout

 

WWWF @ Albany, NY - May 13, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea

 

Garea as a placeholder challenger for these next two shows. Seems like a firm policy of using homesteading "gatekeeper" type faces as stop-gap challengers.

 

WWWF @ Springfield, MA - Civic Center - May 14, 1977

WWWF Tag Team Champion Chief Jay Strongbow vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham (Best 2 out of 3 falls)

 

The "biggest name" and arguably most over of those gatekeepers was Chief Shithead Strongbow. The analogy I'd make would be to Jim Duggan during Hogan's time as champ circa 1987-9. We're going to see a lot of Strongbow challenging for the title.

 

WWWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - May 15, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned Tony Garea at 8:43 after Garea missed a charge and hit the corner; one of the challenger's feet was outside the ring during the cover but the referee failed to notice

 

Garea filled in as the opponent at Boston Garden. Probably the third biggest show they ran after MSG and Philly. Graham has been champ for only a couple of weeks here and he's already looking short on credible challengers. Garea was a tag guy and associated with that division. I don't think any fans would have given him much of a hope of winning the title. If I'd make the analogy to late 80s WWF again, Garea was kind of like a Strike-Force-era Tito Santana.

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - May 16, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham (w/ the Grand Wizard) pinned Gorilla Monsoon with a knee drop off the top after repeatedly ramming the challenger into the steel barrier on the floor (History of the WWF Heavyweight Championship)

 

Interesting that for the first MSG defence they brought in Monsoon as the challenger. Andre was right there, but Vince Sr. never once used him as a Graham opponent, which seems a bit weird. I guess he figured that in the title match he had one draw, and in the Andre match he had a second draw, but why not combine that for a mega-draw? This is what I mean about sometimes "controlling the level of the hotness". No doubt Graham vs. Andre would have been a mega money feud, but Vince Sr. didn't want to blow his load and spunk it up the wall, so to speak. Slow and steady wins the day.

 

WWWF @ Worcester, MA - Memorial Auditorium - May 19, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko

 

Larry Z was Bruno's protege and another homesteading stop-gap contender. He'd tagged with Garea and been a tag champ by this time -- but, honestly, it was hard to name someone on the roster who hadn't been tag champ at some point or other. If I'm going to keep going with the analogies, Larry Z in 77 was kinda of a Brutus Beefcake level.

 

St. Petersburg, FL - Bayfront Center - May 21, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Jos LeDuc

 

These trips to Florida would be a regular hallmark of Graham's run, as we're going to see.

 

WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - May 23, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated WWWF Tag Team Champion Billy Whitewolf

 

St. Louis, MO - Kiel Auditorium - May 27, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Bob Backlund via count-out

 

WWWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - May 28, 1977

Bruno Sammartino fought WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham to a double disqualification; there was no time limit for the bout and two referees

 

First Bruno rematch.

 

Houston, TX - May 29, 1977

Jimmy Snuka defeated Muhammad Farouk

Big John Studd defeated Gino Hernandez

The Fabulous Moolah defeated Susan Green

Cyclone Negro defeated Chavo Guerrero

Jose Lothario fought AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel to a draw

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Mike York

Fritz Von Erich fought Bruiser Brody to a draw

Terry Funk fought AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel (sub. for NWA World Champion Harley Race) to a draw

 

Look at this fucking stacked Houston card. If Bruce Tharpe has this on tape, it would be cool to see. Interesting to see Graham work this outside date.

 

WWWF @ Portland, ME - Exposition Building - May 31, 1977 (1,900)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham fought Ken Patera to a double disqualification after hitting each other over the head with a chair

 

Uber-duber RARE heel vs heel match in WWWF at this time. I'd need Kelly or Zellner or someone to look, but I can't think of a single other example of a heel vs. heel match in this promotion during this time frame. Maybe Dylan might know the context for this match, considering it's Patera. They might have been testing the waters for a Graham babyface run, since he was apparently getting some cheers at live shows.

 

WWWF @ Bangor, ME - Municipal Auditorium - June 1, 1977

WWWF Tag Team Champion Chief Jay Strongbow defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification after the champion punched guest referee Haystacks Calhoun

 

WWWF @ North Attleboro, MA - Witschi's Sports Arena - June 3, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated WWWF Tag Team Champion Chief Jay Strongbow in a non-title match

 

When it doubt, stick Strongbow in there.

 

Tampa, FL - June 3, 1977

Jack & Jerry Brisco defeated Florida Tag Team Champions - WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham & Ox Baker to win the titles

 

WWWF @ Philadelphia, PA - Spectrum - June 4, 1977 (13,797)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned WWWF Tag Team Champion Chief Jay Strongbow at 10:07

 

WWWF @ New Haven, CT - June 5, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea

 

WWWF @ Poughkeepsie, NY - Mid-Hudson Civic Center - June 6, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Haystacks Calhoun via count-out

 

WWWF @ Scranton, PA - CYC - June 7, 1977 (986)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea at 15:36

 

WWWF @ Pittsburgh, PA - Civic Arena - June 10, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Dominic DeNucci

 

Getting a bit desparate here. Haystacks Calhoun is a special attraction outside guy coming in as a stop-gap challanger, but clearly they can't book him against Haystacks around the horn, so back to Garea and Strongbow. Pittsburgh was Bruno country and always a good town for Denucci, so perhaps that's why Dominic comes in as the challenger there. Still, Dominic in 77 is quite mid-card-y to be facing the champion. Apparently that match only went 9 seconds.

 

Kansas City, MO - Memorial Hall - June 16, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned Bob Slaughter (Sgt. Slaughter) with an elbowsmash (Graham's local debut)

 

St. Louis, MO - Kiel Auditorium - June 17, 1977

Randy Tyler defeated Wolf Wiskoski at 11:12

Bob Sweetan defeated Ron Starr at 15:13

Pat O'Conner defeated Bobby Jaggers at 9:57

Bulldog Brown & Ivan Koloff fought Rufus R. Jones & Billy Robinson to a 30-minute time-limit draw

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Bob Slaughter at 11:23

AWA Tag Team Champions Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell defeated Blackjack Lanza & Bobby Duncum (w/ Bobby Heenan)

NWA World Champion Harley Race defeated Missouri Champion Jack Brisco

 

Another stacked card. You'll note Graham dropping into Kansas to do the date for Central States as well as St. Louis.

 

WWWF @ Providence, RI - Civic Center - June 18, 1977 (7,500)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Carlos Rocha in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match at 11:06, 2-1; fall #1: Rocha won via a sleeper; fall #2: Graham won; fall #3: Graham won

 

Well this is an interesting one. Rocha was in his 50s at this point, but presumably was being used as an ethnic draw. Apparently there was a large Portugese population in Providence at this time, which is why Rocha was brought in and billed as "The Champion of Portugal". Some more info here

 

WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - June 20, 1977

Haystacks Calhoun vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

WWWF @ Bangor, ME - Municipal Auditorium - June 22, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Haystacks Calhoun

 

Some more dates for Calhoun

 

WWWF @ Foxcroft, ME - Dover Foxcroft, ME - Academy - June 23, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Tony Garea

 

WWWF @ Albany, NY - Washington Ave. Armory - June 24, 1977

Ivan Putski vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

Putski, there's a new challenger. So if Strongbow was like your Jim Duggan, Garea like your Tito Santana, and Larry Z like your Brutus Beefcake, Putski was like your post-86 JYD. He was very over too.

 

WWWF @ Springfield, MA - Civic Center - June 25, 1977 (4,000)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyszko

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - June 27, 1977 (22,090; 4,000 in Felt Forum)

Televised on the MSG Network - included Vince McMahon on commentary:

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham fought Bruno Sammartino to a double disqualification at 18:39; prior to the bout, Graham was escorted to the ring by the Grand Wizard while Sammartino was escorted by Arnold Skaaland

 

Another Bruno rematch, naturally a sellout.

 

Tampa, FL - Ft. Hesterly Armory - June 28, 1977

Dusty Rhodes & Steve Keirn defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham & Ernie Ladd

 

CWF @ Miami Beach, FL - Convention Hall South - June 29, 1977

Dusty Rhodes & Steve Keirn defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham & Ernie Ladd

 

CWF @ Sarasota, FL - Robarts Arena - July 2, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Koloff via count-out

 

Graham starts his big feud with Dusty Rhodes down in Florida. I don't know for sure, but I want to say that this was part of the deal Vince Sr made with Eddie Graham when he took Backlund as his new champ-to-be. There's a lot of cooperation with the Florida office around this time and of course Vince Sr and Eddie Graham were great buddies. What is interesting to me though, is that Graham seemed to have a lot stuff for Graham to do than Vince Sr. did. In WWF, Graham is just stuck in a holding pattern, in CWF he's feuding with Dusty.

 

WWWF @ Albany, NY - Washington Avenue Armory - July 8, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski after the 23-minute mark

 

WWWF @ Philadelphia, PA - Spectrum - July 9, 1977 (15,602)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned Tony Garea at 18:52

 

That crowd might look huge for Graham vs. Garea, but the gate was surely helped out by this: Bruno Sammartino defeated Ken Patera when guest referee Gorilla Monsoon stopped the bout at 15:27 due to loss of blood

 

Toronto, Ontario - Exhibition Stadium - July 10, 1977

Farmer Pete defeated Little Bruiser

The Wildman defeated Pat Kelly

Tony Parisi defeated the Mongol

Haystacks Calhoun defeated Bulldog Kent via disqualification

Stan Stasiak defeated Al Costello

International Tag Team Champions Billy Red Lyons & Dewey Robertson defeated Reginald Love & Chris Tolos

Andre the Giant fought Ken Patera to a double disqualification

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned Chief Jay Strongbow

NWA World Champion Harley Race defeated the Sheik via disqualification at 8:56

 

Another outside date. This was part of the ongoing deal whereby WWF sent talent up to Toronto once in a whle. Not nearly as stacked as the St. Louis or Houston cards, but still three pretty big matches on top. Sheik was a big star in Toronto.

 

WWWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - July 11, 1977 (6,205)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko

 

WWWF @ Portland, ME - Civic Center - July 12, 1977 (1,984)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ken Patera via disqualification; Gorilla Monsoon was guest referee for the bout

 

Another heel vs. heel match with Patera!

 

WWWF @ Bangor, ME - Municipal Auditorium - July 13, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko

 

WWWF @ Rockland, ME - July 14, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko

 

WWWF @ Pittsburgh, PA - Civic Arena - July 15, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham fought Ivan Putski to a double disqualification

 

WWWF @ New Haven, CT - Coliseum - July 17, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow via count-out

 

WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - July 18, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham fought Chief Jay Strongbow to a double disqualification

 

The summer of holding pattern

 

CWF @ Tampa, FL - Ft. Hesterly Armory - July 19, 1977

Don Serrano defeated the Great Mephisto

Charlie Cook defeated Dutch Mantel

Mike York fought Scott Casey to a draw

Jerry Brisco defeated Tony Marino

Buddy Roberts defeated Tony Rocco

Ernie Ladd defeated Steve Keirn

Rocky Johnson defeated Ivan Koloff

Jack Brisco defeated Pat Patterson via disqualification

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

Look at this card from Tampa. Ladd vs. Keirn, Jonhson vs. Koloff, Brisco vs. Patterson, Rhodes vs. Graham ... pretty stellar!! Dusty vs. Graham feud rocking now.

 

CWF @ Miami, FL - Convention Hall - July 20, 1977 (4,372)

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham in a non-title match

 

CWF @ Jacksonville, FL - Coliseum - July 21, 1977

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

Orlando, FL - Sports Stadium - July 24, 1977

Rocky Johnson defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - August 1, 1977

Bruno Sammartino (w/ Arnold Skaaland) fought WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham (w/ the Grand Wizard) to a draw at 13:05 when both men were too bloody to continue; Gorilla Monsoon was the special referee for the bout; after the match, Bruno continued to attack the champion, despite Monsoon trying to hold him back

 

Another Bruno rematch.

 

WWWF @ New Bedford, MA - Hetland Skating Arena - August 2, 1977

Peter Maivia defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out in a non-title match

 

WWWF @ Bangor, ME - Bass Park Race Track - August 3, 1977

Held as part of the state fair

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea

 

WWWF @ Rockland, ME - District High School August 4, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Billy White Wolf

 

WWWF @ Springfield, MA - Civic Center - August 6, 1977

Tony Garea vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - August 8, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko

 

Tampa, FL - August 9, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Steve Keirn

Dusty Rhodes & Rocky Johnson defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham & Ernie Ladd

 

Miami, FL - Convention Hall - August 10, 1977 (4,354)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned Jack Brisco

 

Kansas City, MO - Memorial Hall - August 11, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Black Angus

 

St. Louis, MO - Kiel Auditorium - August 12, 1977

Black Angus & Ron Starr defeated Bob Sweetan & Randy Tyler in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match

Dick Slater defeated Missouri State Champion Jack Brisco to win the title

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Jimmy Valiant

NWA World Champion Harley Race fought Dory Funk Jr. to a draw in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match; after trading one fall apiece, the time limit expired expired

Rufus R. Jones & Dick the Bruiser defeated Ivan Koloff & Bobby Jaggers

 

A run of outside dates here for Florida and St. Louis / Central States. St. Louis card with Slater vs. Brisco and Race vs. Dory Jr looks pretty good. Note how they stuck Graham with Jimmy Valiant.

 

WWWF @ Pittsburgh, PA - Civic Arena - August 13, 1977

Ivan Putski defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via referee's decision when the bout was stopped due to blood

 

WWWF @ Wildwood, NJ - Convention Hall - August 15, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow via count-out in a non-title match

 

WWWF @ North Attleboro, MA - Witschi's Sports Arena - August 19, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Peter Maivia

 

Here's another opponent. Peter Maivia, who kind of came and went. He'd show up for a few months here and there, but he'd also work LA and Hawaii of course. Still, it's a breakt from the gatekeeper-holding-pattern-city of endless Garea / Strongbow / Putksi / Larry Z defences.

 

WWWF @ Philadelphia, PA - Spectrum - August 20, 1977 (16,600)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned Larry Zbyzsko at 11:33

 

WWWF @ New Haven, CT - Coliseum - August 21, 1977

Peter Maivia defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

WWWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - August 22, 1977

Chief Jay Strongbow defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham when the bout was stopped due to blood; after the bout, Strongbow continued to attack the champion

 

Tampa, FL - Ft. Hesterly Armory - August 23, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Rocky Johnson

 

Miami, FL - Convention Hall - August 24, 1977

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification

 

Jacksonville, FL - Coliseum - August 25, 1977

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification

 

Tallahassee, FL - Convention Hall - August 26, 1977

Rocky Johnson vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

He'd work Rocky Johnson as well as Dusty, which made sense since Rocky would tag with Dusty

 

WWWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - August 27, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow via count-out at 11:42

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - August 29, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski via count-out at 18:01 after the challenger was backdropped to the floor; prior to the bout, McMahon interviewed the champion inside the ring; the Grand Wizard escorted the champion to the ring before the match

 

MSG main event for Putski.

 

WWWF @ Scranton, PA - CYC - August 30, 1977 (939)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow via count-out at 17:12

 

WWWF @ Worcester, MA - Memorial Auditorium - September 1, 1977

Ivan Putski defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification

Included 3 other bouts

 

 

WWWF @ Albany, NY - Washington Avenue Armory - September 2, 1977

Chief Jay Strongbow defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham in a non-title match

 

WWWF @ Bangor, ME - September 3, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea

 

Orlando, FL - September 4, 1977

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification

 

WWWF @ Wildwood, NJ - September 5, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Peter Maivia via count-out

 

WWWF @ Pittsburgh, PA - Civic Arena - September 9, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko

 

St. Petersburg, FL - Bayfront Center - September 10, 1977 (sell out)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Rocky Johnson

 

Orlando, FL - Sports Stadium - September 11, 1977

Dusty Rhodes & Don Muraco defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham & Ivan Koloff

 

WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - September 12, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea

 

WWWF @ Portland, ME - Exposition Building - September 13, 1977

Peter Maivia pinned WWWF World Champion Superstar Superstar Billy Graham in a non-title match

 

WWWF @ Bangor, ME - Municipal Auditorium - September 14, 1977

Ivan Putski defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Superstar Billy Graham via count-out

 

WWWF @ Albany, NY - Washington Avenue Armory - September 16, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow after the 23-minute mark

 

WWWF @ Phildephia, PA - Spectrum - September 17, 1977 (19,000; sell out)

Bruno Sammartino defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via referee's decision when the match was stopped due to blood at 13:55

 

Bruno rematch in Philly. You get the impression that 99% of Graham's other matches were just treading water for another Bruno rematch.

 

WWWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - September 19, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow in a steel cage match after Strongbow threw the champion against the fence near the door and turned away just long enough for Graham to slide out the door

 

I've always wanted to see a heel pull off this finish.

 

Miami, FL - Jai Alai Fronton - September 21, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Pedro Morales

 

CWF @ Jacksonville, FL - Coliseum - September 22, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Rocky Johnson

 

Pedro was working down in Florida at this time and made sense as a Graham opponent

 

WWWF @ Providence, RI - Civic Center - September 24, 1977

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - September 26, 1977 (22,102, which included 3,000 in Felt Forum)

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out at 15:55 after Graham was backdropped over the top to the floor; prior to the bout, Graham was escorted to the ring by the Grand Wizard; after the match, Rhodes celebrated with the title belt and put it around his waist until it was taken away by the referee; after the decision was announced, the crowd chanted "Bullshit" until Rhodes grabbed the mic and said "Superstar, I came a long way to whip your ass. Now come out here, baby!"WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Peter Maivia via count-out

 

This sounds cool and I love the idea of Dusty "following" Graham up to New York. And look at that gate. Huge drawing match in NYC. I wonder if the New Yorkers had all been down to Florida and caught the feud down there during the summer, or heard about it from their grandparents? Or if they'd got Florida TV somehow. Either way, this is the closest thing that Graham in WWWF has had to a non-Bruno feud and them bringing in a outside star to face him.

 

WWWF @ Asbury Park, NJ - Convention Hall - September 29, 1977

Chief Jay Strongbow vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

WWWF @ Philadelphia, PA - Arena - October 18, 1977

Championship Wrestling taping:

10/22/77 - hosted by Vince McMahon; featured a repeat of the Ken Patera vs. Juan Lopez and aftermath from the 10/1/77 Championship Wrestling; following the footage, Vince McMahon conducted a live interview with WWWF President Willie Gilzenberg & Capt. Lou Albano, where Gilzenberg announced that Ken Patera would now be reinstated after he and Albano each pay a $5,000 fine, which Albano said would be paid tomorrow:

Mil Mascaras pinned Jose Estrada at 4:13 with a flying tackle

Peter Maivia fought Baron Mikel Scicluna to a no contest when WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham attacked Maivia before the bout began, bloodied him, and broke his ukelele; Graham had been introuced to the crowd by ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta prior to the bout beginning, and while he claimed he was the greatest champion of all time on the overheard microphone, Maiva ignored him and played his ukelele; Chief Jay Strongbow came out and helped Maivia after Graham had left ringside as Maivia tried to pick up the pieces of his ukelele

 

I HAVE to see this. First of all footage of Willie Gilzenberg!!! Second, Peter Maivia has a ... ukelele?!!! This sound so bizarre that I must watch it. Or I could wait 14 years until we get there will Titans.

 

WWWF @ Worcester, MA - October 20, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko

 

WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - October 21, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski via disqualification

 

WWWF @ Binghamton, NY - Broome County Arena - October 22, 1977

Chief Jay Strongbow defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - October 24, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned Dusty Rhodes in a Texas Death Match at 9:12 by placing one hand on the challenger’s chest after both men collided; prior to the bout, Vince McMahon interviewed Rhodes inside the ring; the Grand Wizard escorted the champion to the ring before the match; after the contest, Rhodes hit three Bionic Elbows on Graham and threw him to the floor, not realizing the match had ended

 

Natrual return match.

 

WWWF @ Portland, ME - Expo Building - October 25, 1977

Chief Jay Strongbow vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

WWWF @ Bangor, ME - October 26, 1977

Peter Maivia defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification

 

WWWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - October 29, 1977

Ivan Putski defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via referee's decision at 12:18 when the match was stopped due to blood; Larry Zbyszko was the guest referee for the match; after the bout, Graham attacked Zbyszko

 

WWWF @ Scranton, PA - CYC - November 1, 1977 (822)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko via disqualification at 7:22

 

WWWF @ Poughkeepsie, NY - Mid Hudson Civic Center - November 3, 1977

Chief Jay Strongbow vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

WWWF @ North Attleboro, MA - Witschi's Sports Arena - November 4, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow

 

WWWF @ Lowell, MA - November 5, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea (sub. for Ivan Putski)

 

WWWF @ New Haven, CT - November 6, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski via count-out

 

WWWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - November 7, 1977

Ivan Putski (sub. for Bruno Sammartino) defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out after applying a lengthy bearhug and using the Polish Hammer to send the champion to the floor

 

WWWF @ Worcester, MA - November 10, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow

 

WWWF @ North Attleboro, MA - Witschi's Sports Arena - November 11, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow

 

WWWF @ Albany, NY - Washington Avenue Armory - November 11, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham pinned Larry Zbyszko after the 17-minute mark

 

WWWF @ Springfield, MA - Civic Center - November 12, 1977 (7,000)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski via disqualification

 

WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - November 14, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski via count-out

 

WWWF @ Portland, ME - November 15, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow

 

WWWF @ Rockland, ME - November 17, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow

 

WWWF @ Pittsburgh, PA - Civic Arena - November 18, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Peter Maivia via count-out

 

WWWF @ Greensburg, PA - Hempfield Senior High School Gym - November 19, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko via count-out

 

Holy holding pattern. 7,000 for Graham vs. Putski in Springfield, MA is pretty good though.

 

Toronto, Ontario - Maple Leaf Gardens - November 20, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superster Billy Graham defeated Stan Stasiak at 10:24

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - November 21, 1977 (17,914)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Peter Maivia via count-out

 

Pretty good crowd for Graham vs. Maivia. Mid-range sort of opponent. No Bruno on the card.

 

Tampa, FL - Ft. Hesterly Armory - November 22, 1977

Pedro Morales defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification

 

Miami, FL - Jai Alai Fronton - November 23, 1977

Dusty Rhodes vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

Jacksonville, FL - November 24, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Dusty Rhodes

 

Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Dillard High School - November 25, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Don Muraco

 

WWWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - November 26, 1977 (8,800)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyzsko (w/ Tony Garea) via disqualification at 19:10 when Garea interfered

 

Detroit, MI - Cobo Arena - November 27, 1977

Don Ross fought Luis Martinez to a draw

Prince Maivia defeated the Medic

Don Ken & Ox Baker defeated the Butcher & Tony Parisi

Jimmy Valiant & Duke George defeated Luis Martinez & Jim Oliver

Ed George defeated Nelson Royal via forfeit

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea

The Sheik defeated Crusher Verdu

 

A shot in Detroit here. If I had to guess this was the NWA or just Vince Sr helping out The Sheik vs. outside competition. It's still a lousy looking card as Garea got his 67th shot at Graham's title. Crusher Verdu was ancient and fat-as-fuck in 1977, odds on that Sheik match going less than 5 minutes? 100%.

 

Miami, FL - December 1, 1977

Jos LeDuc defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification

 

WWWF @ New Haven, CT - Coliseum - December 4, 1977

Ivan Putski defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification; Larry Zbyzsko was the guest referee for the bout

 

WWWF @ Landover, MD - Capital Centre - December 5, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow at 13:47

 

WWWF @ Portland, ME - Expo Building - December 6, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham fought Bob Backlund to a double count-out

 

First Backlund match.

 

WWWF @ Bangor, ME - Municipal Auditorium - December 7, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Peter Maivia

 

WWWF @ Worcester, MA - December 8, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea via count-out

 

WWWF @ Albany, NY - Washington Avenue Armory - December 9, 1977

Bob Backlund defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification

 

WWWF @ Phildelphia, PA - Spectrum - December 10, 1977 (19,500; sell out)

Bruno Sammartino defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out at 18:31 when Graham left ringside

 

Toronto, Ontario - Maple Leaf Gardens - December 11, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow

 

WWWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - December 12, 1977 (7,716)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski in a steel cage match by escaping out the door after the challenger hit the cage while attempting a second Polish Hammer

 

WWWF @ Midland, PA - high School Gym - December 15, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Gorilla Monsoon

 

WWWF @ Pittsburgh, PA - Civic Arena - December 16, 1977

Ivan Putski defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out

 

WWWF @ Binghamton, NY - Broome County Arena - December 17, 1977

Chief Jay Strongbow defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out

 

Detroit, MI - Cobo Arena - December 18, 1977 (4,897)

Capt. Ed George fought Abdullah the Butcher to a draw

Bobo Brazil defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification

The Sheik defeated Peter Maivia via count-out

 

Slightly better looking Detroit card. But Bobo Brazil was a spring chicken at 53 here same age as The Sheik incidentally. Just under 5,000 is pretty dismal for Cobo Arena.

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - December 19, 1977 (22,085)

Televised on the MSG Network - featured Vince McMahon on commentary; Debra Harry of Blondie and Andy Kauffman were in attendance for the card

Mil Mascaras (w/ Bob Backlund) defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via referee's decision at 16:24 when referee John Stanley stopped the match due to a cut on the champion's forehead

 

Have always thought Debbie Harry is cool as hell. Great eyebrows. Has that distant coked-out look. Sexy as fuck. I wonder if she sat next to Andy Kaufman and what they talked about. I picture Kaufman in the neck brace, lol. I've always put Debbie Harry and Michelle Pfeiffer together for some reason as having a similar look.

 

Here, Vince Sr. brings in another travelling star to take on Graham, Mil Mascaras. And the gate is impressive. No Bruno on this card either.

 

Miami, FL - Convention Hall - December 21, 1977

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via disqualification; Don Curtis was the referee for the bout

 

WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - December 26, 1977

WWWF World Champion Supertar Billy Graham defeated Gorilla Monsoon via count-out

 

WWWF @ Augusta, ME - December 27, 1977

Bob Backlund defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out

 

WWWF @ Pittsfield, MA - Boys Club Gym - December 28, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Bob Backlund

 

WWWF @ Asbury Park, NJ - Convention Hall - December 29, 1977

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski via count-out

 

WWWF @ West Orange, NJ - South Mountain Arena - January 5, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow via count-out at 20:45

 

WWWF @ Albany, NY - January 6, 1978

Peter Maivia & Chief Jay Strongbow vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham & Ken Patera

 

Graham and Patera tagging now after their matches in 77.

 

WWWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - January 7, 1978 (9,600)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea at 17:42

 

WWWF @ New Haven, CT - Coliseum - January 8, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Larry Zbyszko

 

WWWF @ Philadelphia, PA - Arena - January 10, 1978

Championship Wrestling taping:

1/14/78:

Bob Backlund defeated the Golden Terror via count-out at 7:41 after hitting the atomic drop, which knocked Terror out to the floor; prior to the bout, Gary Michael Cappetta introduced WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham to the crowd, who came to the ring and shooks hands with Terror, Cappetta, and the referee, and then took his hand back when offering to shake Backlund's hand before leaving ringside

 

Little angle here to set up the title match.

 

CWF @ Miami, FL - Marine Stadium - January 11, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Don Muraco via submission with a backbreaker

 

CWF @ Jacksonville, FL - January 12, 1978

Don Muraco vs. WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham

 

Atlanta, GA - City Auditorium - January 13, 1978

Tommy Rich defeated the Invader

Bob Armstrong & Tony Atlas defeated Randy Savage & Jacques Goulet

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Raymond Rougeau in a non-title match

Pak Song defeated Abdullah the Butcher via disqualification

Dick Slater defeated Ole Anderson

Tony Atlas defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham in a physique contest

Dusty Rhodes defeated Georgia Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen via disqualification in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match

 

Graham drops in for a date in Atlanta. Look at THAT card. Stacked! Although many of the better known names were quite young at this point. I didn't know Randy Savage worked GCW as a youngster.

 

WWWF @ Landover, MD - Capital Centre - January 14, 1978 (matinee)

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham when the match was stopped due to blood

 

WWWF @ Harrisburg, PA - Zembo Mosque - January 14, 1978

Bob Backlund defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out when the champion left ringside at 18:42

 

WWWF @ Boston, MA - Boston Garden - January 16, 1978 (10,400)

Dusty Rhodes defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham at 14:45 when the match was stopped due to blood

 

Milking the last drops of the Dusty feud at this point

 

WWWF @ Staten Island, NY - Wagner College - January 17, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Chief Jay Strongbow

 

WWWF @ Fort Dix, NJ - January 18, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Peter Maivia via count-out

 

WWWF @ Wheeling, WV - January 22, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Dominic DeNucci

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - January 23, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham (w/ the Grand Wizard) defeated Mil Mascaras (w/ Bob Backlund) via disqualification at 13:19 when Backlund and the champion began brawling after Backlund twice prevented Graham from getting the pin with his feet on the ropes

 

Return match for Mil and it's used to advance the Backlund feud.

 

WWWF @ Worcester, MA - Memorial Auditorium - January 26, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham vs. Peter Maivia

 

WWWF @ Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum - January 27, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Peter Maivia

 

WWWF @ Binghamton, NY - Arena - January 28, 1978

Bob Backlund defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out

 

Morioka, Japan – February 6, 1978

Satoshi Sayama fought Shoji Kai to a draw

Daigoro Oshiro pinned Kuniaki Kobayashi

Bad News Allen pinned Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Kengo Kimura defeated Makoto Arakawa via submission

Billy & Benny McGuire defeated Haruka Eigen & Masanobu Kurisu when Billy pinned Kurisu

Osamu Kido defeated Buddy Roberts via disqualification

Riki Choshu defeated Jerry Brown via submission with the Scorpion Death Lock

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Strong Kobayashi in a non-title match via submission with the backbreaker

Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi defeated Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match; fall #1 - both teams fought to a double count-out; fall #2 - Inoki & Sakaguchi won via disqualification

 

Otawara, Japan – February 7, 1978

Daigoro Oshiro pinned Satoshi Sayama

Kengo Kimura defeated Kuniaki Kobayashi via submission

Makoto Arakawa pinned Masanobu Kurisu

Bad News Allen defeated Haruka Eigen via submission with an arm bar

Billy & Benny McGuire defeated Kantaro Hoshino & Yoshiaki Fujiwara when Billy pinned Fujiwara

Strong Kobayashi defeated Jerry Brown via submission with a Boston Crab

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Riki Choshu in a non-title match via submission with the backbreaker

Seiji Sakaguchi defeated Umanosuke Ueda via disqualification

Tiger Jeet Singh & Buddy Roberts defeated Antonio Inoki & Osamu Kido in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match; fall #1 - Singh defeated Kido via submission with a cobra claw; fall #2 - Kido pinned Roberts; fall #3 - Singh & Roberts won via disqualification

 

Tokyo, Japan - Budokan Hall - February 8, 1978

Kuniaki Kobayashi fought Satoshi Sayama to a draw

Yoshiaki Fujiwara fought Kengo Kimura to a draw

Bad News Allen pinned Makoto Arakawa

Kotetsu Yamamoto, & Kantaro Hoshino, & Haruka Eigen defeated Billy & Benny McGuire in a handicap match when Yamamoto pinned Billy

Riki Choshu & Osamu Kido defeated Jerry Brown & Buddy Roberts when Choshu pinned Roberts

Tiger Jeet Singh pinned Strong Kobayashi

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Seiji Sakaguchi via count-out at 19:33

Antonio Inoki defeated Umanosuke Ueda via KO at 11:02 in a Nail Death Match

 

Grahm works these dates for New Japan. I wonder what a "Nail Death Match" is. Note that Graham made Riki Choshu tap on one of these shows.

 

Los Angeles, CA - Olympic Auditorium - February 10, 1978

Chavo Guerrero defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham when the match was stopped due to blood

 

Dropping in on the way back from Japan. Graham was reputedly over in LA.

 

WWWF @ Baltimore, MD - Civic Center - February 11, 1978

Bob Backlund defeated WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham via count-out

 

WWWF @ Highland Park, NJ - February 13, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Peter Maivia via count-out

 

WWWF @ Scranton, PA - CYC - February 14, 1978 (1,199)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Peter Maivia at 16:42

 

WWWF @ Poughkeepsie, NY - Mid-Hudson Civic Center - February 16, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Tony Garea

 

WWWF @ Pittsburgh, PA - Civic Arena - February 17, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Ivan Putski in a steel cage match

 

WWWF @ Philadelphia, PA - Spectrum - February 18, 1978 (19,500; sell out)

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Bruno Sammartino (w/ Arnold Skaaland) in a steel cage match at 7:43 after the challenger gave Superstar a running kick, which sent the champion falling between the ropes and out the door

 

Can't say that Bruno didn't put Graham over to set up Backlund's run, even if this is a banana peel sort of win for the champ.

 

Toronto, Ontario - Maple Leaf Gardens - February 19, 1978

WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham defeated Eduard Carpentier

 

WWWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - February 20, 1978 (22,092; sell out)

Televised on the MSG Network - featured Vince McMahon on commentary; the first MSG show to allow children under 14 to attend; children ages 8 to 14 were admitted with an adult

Bob Backlund pinned WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham to win the title at 14:51 with the atomic drop, even though the champion's foot was on the bottom rope during the pinfall; voted Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Match of the Year

 

Clear evidence of what I've been saying for a long time .... Backlund had paid off the refs!! Never in history has there been a guy who had more refereeing decisions go his way than Backlund.

 

---------

 

So I guess there isn't much left to say other than that Graham was booked in such a way that he was only ever keeping the belt warm for Bob.

 

Even though Vince Sr. mostly didn't put his gatekeeper crew (Strongbow, Putski, Garea, Larry Z, later Maivia) in the top spots at MSG or even in Philly, the vast majority of his defences at the smaller house shows were against those guys. After Bruno, his only hot feud was with Dusty, which was great for Florida, and in New York resulted in two huge gates at MSG. But when he's taking DQ or CO results against Putski and Strongbow around the horn, I wonder how strongly he was ever booked.

 

It all smacks of a lack of conviction. Vince Sr was patient and biding his time until the annointed date where he'd said that Bob would be champ, but in all of that time Graham only really faced Bruno, Dusty and Mil Mascaras as top challengers. You might include Monsoon and Calhoun as solid second-tier names, and Strongbow and Putski were at least over, but I think what it all goes to show is that the promotions wasn't geared up for a heel champion.

 

You can bring in villains week per week, but you can't do the same with heros. Heroes by nature have to homestead. And so you're essentially stuck with Graham vs. Strongbow / Putski / Garea etc. night after night. That couldn't be sustained and draw over a long period.

 

I am now going to see about watching the 1977-8 Timeline with Billy Graham to see his memory of the run and if he complains about a lack of credible challengers.

[shoe]

Have u read Superstar's book Parv?

[Mad Dog]

His MSG title defense against Mil Mascaras is surprisingly one of the best Mil matches I've ever seen.

[Johnny Sorrow]

So, all that research to basically come to the point that everyone already knew, the fact that Graham was planned to be champ for one year and that Backlund was going to beat him.

Congrats, bro. 😃

[KrisZ]

Graham was told the day he won the title that Backlund was going to beat him and the exact day that was going to happen....so SBG knew the deal and made the best out of the situation. SBG tried to get over as big as he could as a babyface though to try and change VJM's mind but that wasn't going to happen.

[Jimmy Redman]

If we can use this to make a wider point about the WWF philosophy of booking long term babyface champs...to be honest, I prefer it to the opposite of having a perennial heel champ with babyfaces chasing, and I've figured out why. This may sound a little girly...but it's just a nicer way to live.

 

Living with a long-term heel champ is living with perpetual disappointment, as the babyface challenger gets screwed or simply loses month after month. Sure you get small victories like non-title wins, countouts or DQs, and the babyface beating everyone up in the end, but still they're hollow victories. It all builds up to a babyface finally knocking him off, and sometimes that pays everything off, but sometimes it doesn't, certainly not in a way that makes months of disappointment worth it.

 

The current Rollins reign and Authority storyline is a good example, in that it's a bad example. The Authority never fucking dies, they always have the last laugh, and so every month with each defense you know going into the title match that Rollins is going to retain via bullshit. It's so hard to invest in the program because you know The Authority always wins, and it's so hard to invest in the matches because you know they won't end until a million people run in and the face gets screwed. Which makes you feel like you've wasted your time, unless it's done super dooper well. It's just a very depressing way to be a fan.

 

Compare that with a face champ, where you get the feel-good babyface victory most of the time, unless there's some bullshit to set up a rematch or he's losing the belt. You can send the fans home happy every month without constantly running cheap finishes. You don't feel like title matches are bullshit. And when the heel DOES win, especially via bullshit, it doesn't feel routine and you can generate heat on the heel and the finish.

 

I dunno. At least in terms of a mainstream US promotion, I feel like this is the safer and more customer-satisfying way to go, and I think the Vinces realised this too. One problem I have with Hunter compared to his predecessors is that between his own run as a town-killing heel champ and now his proxy in Rollins, he seems to favour heel champs constantly screwing people, and I really don't like that as a long-term direction for WWE.

[JerryvonKramer]

So, all that research to basically come to the point that everyone already knew, the fact that Graham was planned to be champ for one year and that Backlund was going to beat him.

Congrats, bro. 😃

Graham was told the day he won the title that Backlund was going to beat him and the exact day that was going to happen....so SBG knew the deal and made the best out of the situation. SBG tried to get over as big as he could as a babyface though to try and change VJM's mind but that wasn't going to happen.

Obviously I'm aware of this, as the post does make clear. I was more interested in what ideas VJM had for Graham while he had the belt.

 

In some ways, I see him as a lazy and predictable booker who lacks imagination, and I half expected this to be an endless string of Garea and Strongbow matches, which it turned out to be. But sometimes the journey can be more interesting than the payoff. That Houston card for example. I found out about a Graha, vs Ivan Koloff heel vs heel match and those Patera matches. Carlos Rocha.

 

Very snarky Johnny.

[JerryvonKramer]

If we can use this to make a wider point about the WWF philosophy of booking long term babyface champs...to be honest, I prefer it to the opposite of having a perennial heel champ with babyfaces chasing, and I've figured out why. This may sound a little girly...but it's just a nicer way to live.

 

Living with a long-term heel champ is living with perpetual disappointment, as the babyface challenger gets screwed or simply loses month after month. Sure you get small victories like non-title wins, countouts or DQs, and the babyface beating everyone up in the end, but still they're hollow victories. It all builds up to a babyface finally knocking him off, and sometimes that pays everything off, but sometimes it doesn't, certainly not in a way that makes months of disappointment worth it.

 

The current Rollins reign and Authority storyline is a good example, in that it's a bad example. The Authority never fucking dies, they always have the last laugh, and so every month with each defense you know going into the title match that Rollins is going to retain via bullshit. It's so hard to invest in the program because you know The Authority always wins, and it's so hard to invest in the matches because you know they won't end until a million people run in and the face gets screwed. Which makes you feel like you've wasted your time, unless it's done super dooper well. It's just a very depressing way to be a fan.

 

Compare that with a face champ, where you get the feel-good babyface victory most of the time, unless there's some bullshit to set up a rematch or he's losing the belt. You can send the fans home happy every month without constantly running cheap finishes. You don't feel like title matches are bullshit. And when the heel DOES win, especially via bullshit, it doesn't feel routine and you can generate heat on the heel and the finish.

 

I dunno. At least in terms of a mainstream US promotion, I feel like this is the safer and more customer-satisfying way to go, and I think the Vinces realised this too. One problem I have with Hunter compared to his predecessors is that between his own run as a town-killing heel champ and now his proxy in Rollins, he seems to favour heel champs constantly screwing people, and I really don't like that as a long-term direction for WWE.

Well the thing is, that most territories did have a babyface ace champion who anchored the promotion and the world champ would only turn up a few times a year, as a special attraction. So the heel champ idea only works if he's travelling and you don't see him that often. In the situation where it is champ vs. static roster, over any sustained period it pretty much has to be a babyface. The WWF title was basically just a regional title, only that region was larger than most other territories.

 

Maybe Dylan or Matt D could speak to how Buddy Rose was booked in Portland, but to me the heel champion only has legs if he's travelling.

 

It's one of the issues with JCP towards the end, Flair needed to work babyface or they needed to give the belt to a face because fans get burnt out on disappointment.

 

I think looking at Graham's run here is a good illustration of another issue with the heel champ: there's nowhere to go with it. After he's run through every face on the roster, what is there left for him to do but drop it? These are all things I think HHH never understood.

[sek69]

I would have thought a Bruno rematch would have been a big MSG match. I realize Graham won the belt in Baltimore but it seems like it should have been a no brainer to do the rematch in NYC.

 

Also it seems like VJM actively worked to make sure SBG didn't have much chance to get super over. All the appearances in the actual WWWF territory proper were either against guys who were mainly tag team guys or people like Bruno and Gorilla who were nearing (or at) the end of their times as major players.

 

I kind of understand why SBG was so upset now, guy was clearly the most charismatic person in New York by far and the guy had to go outside the territory to get booked like a proper world champ. Considering the era he was in, it probably would have been too much of a kayfabe break to come out and say that so we ended up with the bizarrely bitter guy we know today.

[Ricky Jackson]

I would have thought a Bruno rematch would have been a big MSG match. I realize Graham won the belt in Baltimore but it seems like it should have been a no brainer to do the rematch in NYC.

 

Also it seems like VJM actively worked to make sure SBG didn't have much chance to get super over. All the appearances in the actual WWWF territory proper were either against guys who were mainly tag team guys or people like Bruno and Gorilla who were nearing (or at) the end of their times as major players.

 

I kind of understand why SBG was so upset now, guy was clearly the most charismatic person in New York by far and the guy had to go outside the territory to get booked like a proper world champ. Considering the era he was in, it probably would have been too much of a kayfabe break to come out and say that so we ended up with the bizarrely bitter guy we know today.

 

1.You can't look at Graham's reign through modern eyes as someone who was pushed to the title and was expected to be the face of the company but was undone by "bad booking". 6-7 months before he beat Bruno, Graham was told exactly when he would win the strap and exactly when he would lose it and who he would lose it to. He was never meant to have an extended run with the belt. Backlund going over on Feb 20 1978 in MSG was the plan, set in stone, 1 1/2 years before. Vince Sr wanted Bob to be truly over and accepted by the fans as the potential next big champ when the switch went down and figured it would take a year plus for that to happen organically (Bob debuted in the territory Dec 76)

 

2. Each major town in the territory had its own schedule as far as when programs were run. The TV in each town promoted different matches and feuds at different times. So Baltimore was its own universe, NYC its own, Boston, Philly, etc. The rematch in Baltimore was just the rematch in Baltimore, not the territory - wide rematch. Each town had its own cycle of Bruno - Graham matches that existed independently of each other

[KrisZ]

Kelly is exactly right.....the big towns weren't always running the same title matches which was smart because I'm sure there were fans that would travel around so it was a way to keep it fresh.

[JerryvonKramer]

 

I would have thought a Bruno rematch would have been a big MSG match. I realize Graham won the belt in Baltimore but it seems like it should have been a no brainer to do the rematch in NYC.

 

Also it seems like VJM actively worked to make sure SBG didn't have much chance to get super over. All the appearances in the actual WWWF territory proper were either against guys who were mainly tag team guys or people like Bruno and Gorilla who were nearing (or at) the end of their times as major players.

 

I kind of understand why SBG was so upset now, guy was clearly the most charismatic person in New York by far and the guy had to go outside the territory to get booked like a proper world champ. Considering the era he was in, it probably would have been too much of a kayfabe break to come out and say that so we ended up with the bizarrely bitter guy we know today.

1.You can't look at Graham's reign through modern eyes as someone who was pushed to the title and was expected to be the face of the company but was undone by "bad booking". 6-7 months before he beat Bruno, Graham was told exactly when he would win the strap and exactly when and who he would lose it. He was never meant to have an extended run with the belt. Backlund going over on Feb 20 1978 in MSG was the plan, set in stone, 1 1/2 years before. Vince Sr wanted Bob to be truly over and accepted by the fans as the potential next big champ when the switch went done and figured it would take a year plus for that to happen organically (Bob debuted in the territory Dec 76)

 

2. Each major town in the territory had its own schedule as far as when programs were run. The TV in each town promoted different matches and feuds at different times. So Baltimore was it's own universe, NYC it's own, Boston, Philly, etc. The rematch in Baltimore was just the rematch in Baltimore, not the territory - wide rematch. Each town had its own cycle of Bruno - Graham matches that existed independently of each other

 

Both of these points spot on, Kelly, but I guess my point was that even within that paradigm VJM wasn't exactly pushing Graham to be "hot".

 

He was programmed with Garea, Strongbow and Putski which is very different from the steady diet of Koloff, Hansen, Brody, Patera that Bruno was getting fed not long before this, or the diet of Patterson, Patera, Valentine, Koloff etc. that Backlund was fed. Bruno and Bob both dined out as champs being fed top stars, whereas Graham was feeding off scraps for the main part. Strongbow, Garea, Putski etc. where the guys who most challengers would come in and beat en route to Bruno / Bob. So him having them as his main challengers and barely beating them isn't exactly putting him over strong as champ.

 

A guy on KM said that Putski beat him to a bloody pulp in one match and he squeaked out with a draw or narrow win. Another one said he saw him vs. Strongbow in various matches and Graham got in zero offense, it was all Strongbow. Yes, granted, he was a heel, but most big heels would come in and beat Strongbow. But the champion can't?

 

Even looking through a lens that understands the context and that understands that Backlund was getting that belt no matter what come the date, Graham wasn't booked strongly over the summer.

 

It looks like things were allowed to get hot when Dusty came up to MSG and the Mascaras gates across Decemeber are huge -- and that's probably a case of him allowing Graham to get hot at the right time for Backlund to gobble him.

 

I just thought it might be interesting to look at what he did when he couldn't go to his standard formula. And the answer was "huh, not a lot".

[JerryvonKramer]

Apparently even Carlos Rocha dominated in their match ...

[Ricky Jackson]

I think you underestimate how appealing it was for fans in the Northeast to see long-time babyface stars challenging for the WWWF title for the first time, after years and years of only heel challengers. Also, fans in the territory were so conditioned to having babyfaces triumph that there was an intrigue to Graham's defenses that had not existed with Bruno. A lot of fans were sure Dusty was going to win, and Mascaras, and Strongbow, and of course Bruno. Even to an extent Putski. And the intrigue was even greater when you factor in the cage setting, where babyfaces NEVER lost.

 

Point is Graham's run was very successful, even if some of the challengers do not look impressive outside of the context of 1977 NYC

[KrisZ]

They were over in that territory at that time which is all that mattered

[JerryvonKramer]

I think you underestimate how appealing it was for fans in the Northeast to see long-time babyface stars challenging for the WWWF title for the first time, after years and years of only heel challengers. Also, fans in the territory were so conditioned to having babyfaces triumph that there was an intrigue to Graham's defenses that had not existed with Bruno. A lot of fans were sure Dusty was going to win, and Mascaras, and Strongbow, and of course Bruno. Even to an extent Putski. And the intrigue was even greater when you factor in the cage setting, where babyfaces NEVER lost.

 

Point is Graham's run was very successful, even if some of the challengers do not look impressive outside of the context of 1977 NYC

Don't you at least think VJM put a cap on it though and to an extent controlled the how hot the Graham run could be?

 

This will be interesting if we ever get to it in the alternative universe timeline on Titans.

 

I can see the arguement you're making and it's interesting. There is a guy on KM saying that he thought that the contenders might win as a fan. But much longer than 10 months and I guess that would start to get old, so switching at the point he did was a good idea. It worked as a once off short term thing..

 

I think maybe Putski at this time was a little bit above the others because I recall reading somewhere that the guy didn't lose clean until something stupid like 1983.

[Ricky Jackson]

I don't think Vince Sr in any way held back Graham. The matches against guys like Garea and Larry Z happened mostly in the small towns, where huge matches weren't really needed to draw fans. Otherwise Strongbow and Putski were top faces, and Dusty, Mil and Bruno were magastars. Also, remember the strong support many of these cards had from Bruno, where his match was the real main event and draw, such as the MSG card where Graham took on Putski but the draw was Bruno - Patera in a Texas Death Match.

Basically, Graham was red hot at the time, both with the fans and at the box office, so I'm not sure how much hotter he could have been

[Mad Dog]

I would argue that booking faces to dominate the match and Graham still walks away with the belt would garner more heat and make more fans come out to see him lose.

[goc]

I would argue that booking faces to dominate the match and Graham still walks away with the belt would garner more heat and make more fans come out to see him lose.

This. I'm not sure what the point of giving him more definitive wins would have been except just some boilerplate idea of "must make champion look strong"

[jdw]

I always thought that Vince Sr. (or his management team) show a massive amount of long term planning in the period. It's not just the stuff people talk about like the "when Billy wins and when Billy jobs" stuff. There are other obvious things such as how they left the Bruno-Patera, Graham-Superstar and Bruno-Graham stuff open ended to use are major non-title matches in support of the new(ish) champs that followed. They also progressed Dusty and Mil up the cards prior to facing Billy, rather than just bringing them in off television.

 

The Maivia match was odd, but Bruno would have some singletons in the 70s: Karl Kovacs, Bulldog Brower, Don Leo Jonathon, John Tolos, and the wacky combo of Buggsy McGraw & Lou Albano. That's setting aside any of the regulars like Volkoff who may have gotten a return singleton. Some of those guys were stars like DLJ. Tolos was more a LA star who was marginal in New York. Brower is funny since he also got a singleton in the 60s. Seems like Vince knew he couldn't go twice with the chump.

 

There are times when one sees a singleton and wonders if some other plan fell through.

 

Anyway, pretty brilliant booking. One scratches your head on why they didn't try something similar in 1981 or so, even for 6 months, to break up Backlund's run. But they made money hand over fist off dynastic face champs from the 60s on through the late 80s that it was just the way the did things, allowing them to forget the business they did with Buddy in the 60s and Billy in the 70s.

[JerryvonKramer]

Just out of interest, where would people rate Vince Sr. as one of the all-time great promoters / bookers?

 

As a guy who had near-complete control of his territory and who knew his audience and how to book to them exactly, he seems phenomenal to me.

 

But then the same might be said of Don Owen in Portlant and Sam Muchnick in St. Louis, among others.

 

At times, however, I feel almost like he might be put beyond criticism. And I wonder about that. How many times was Vince Sr. put to the test? And what did he do to overcome those challenges? I'm genuinely interested in him as a figure in wrestling history. He seems to have known exactly when to pull certain triggers, but I don't know if forcing through his plan with Backlund at the detrimenent of a red-hot Billy Graham was necessarily the right move. He had to prop up cards with Andre and Bruno in 80, for example. I just get the slight impression sometimes that people speak like everything Vince Sr did turned to gold, wasn't he lazy and unimaginative in places?

[Ricky Jackson]

As far as running a territory that was almost consistently hot the entire time he promoted it, Vince Sr has to be top 5 all-time. The only real lull he experienced from when he first started booking MSG in 1956 (he temporarily lost control in late 59/early 1960) up to 1982 when Jr bought the company was in the late-60s when, coupled with a general drop off in hot challengers for Bruno, he briefly lost TV in the New York area and had to rely on print advertising to draw. Otherwise business in his major cities was always healthy and often very strong.

 

Yes, Vince Sr could have run with Graham on top longer, and likely eventually turned him face and had even more success, like Verne did with him earlier in the AWA. But Vince Sr believed the long-term success of his company rested in a dominant babyface turning back heel challengers, and the track record of Rocca, Sammartino and Morales was the proof this was the way to go.

 

And wasn't going with non-ethnic, All-American Boy Bob a non-conservative, departure from the norm idea for him? He took a big risk with Bob, who was an unproven draw in 1978. True, it was Bruno who decided his run as champ was over and not Vince Sr, and he was forced to go with a new top star. Still, his choice of Backlund was no guarantee of success, and I believe the booking of Bob on the road to the belt and immediately following his win actually displays pretty good imagination. We've gone over this before on Titans, but Vince Sr booked Backlund masterfully in 1977-78. He was booked super strong in 77, with an undefeated streak, and was treated like a special attraction from day one, only appearing on TV and in MSG sporadically. He beat Graham first time out (Yes, Graham's foot was on the bottom rope, but Bruno had never beat Superstar decisively) and then tore through Bruno's old foes, Arion, Patera, Koloff, Ladd, and gained decisive wins over them in his first few months as champ. THIS is what made Bob a big deal in the Northeast. He was looked at as the BEST, someone who couldn't be beaten. And as we know, New York loves a winner.

 

One thing I would like to know more about is this: how much actual booking did Vince Sr actually do, as far as coming up with angles, gimmick matches, feuds, etc.? Was he heavily involved creatively like his son? I've never really seen anymore document who the actual booker was in the 60s and 70s. I think Monsoon had a lot of input. Anyway, if anyone knows more let me know.

[JerryvonKramer]

Watching Billy Graham 77-8 timeline with Kayfabe Commentaries and Sean Oliver.

 

- Bruno wore a hairpiece, a weave. Said Bruno told him that so many of his opponents were so psyched and nervous to be at MSG that they'd often pull at his hair or work stiff with the stress.

 

- says Vince Sr was an incredibly successful promoter and a gentleman, respected and admired by all. Tells the story of fans having homemade t-shirts of SBG and going to Vince Sr to ask about turning babyface and merchandise -- wow, he got that in early, less than five minutes in! Vince Sr said "Well Superstar, I'm really not into marketing ... I I'm just into wrestling and the product." Interesting comment if true.

 

- Eddie Graham and Vince Sr were almost joined at the hip. Talks about the Graham vs. Race title vs title match at the Orange Bowl. It was Graham's idea, because Vince Sr didn't think in those terms, he thought strictly in terms of the North East. But Eddie being a genius could foresee things of this nature. And convinced Senior to pull this thing off.

 

- Vince Sr called him in 1976. Bruno wanted to retire. Says the hard boxing rings had took their toll on him. He wanted Graham to become the interim champion and en for Backlund to be champ. Graham aside him "who is Bob Backlund?" because at that point he was quite unknown. Senior said: "he's an up and coming kid that we believe will be the next Bruno Sammatino" -- I am not calling BS on this on Graham's part, but I struggle to believe that Vince Sr deep down really thought that. Or how anyone could think it.

 

- he had the exact dates already down in 1976 of the day he'd win and day he'd lose. Already set out. Handshake. No contracts or signature. He said of course he'd do it.

 

- why was he brought in to do a TV taping in WWF when he was still in Florida? It was to expose him to the NY market while staying busy and not being idle by continuing to work for Eddie.

 

- Vince Sr introduced him to the Grand Wizard, which caught him off guard because he could do his own promos. Graham immediately flagged this up as a problem. Senior said, "Billy, just do it for me. Just try it." Second time meeting him! Ha ha. Graham made a practical decision to do it because this was such a big deal. He sat down with the Wizard. "We'll share our interviews, but you will also be like a valet for me. Take my sunglasses off. Comb my hair. Primp me. Take my t-shirt off." So it was actually a perfect fit, a match made in heaven.

 

- did he have to change his style for New York? No, because he was never skilled as a worker. He was more of a strength guy. Eddie saw him limitations, and there was never a need for him to become a skilled Ric Flair type technician.

 

They run through some names:

 

- Willie Gilzenberg: wow, I'm excited to hear this! Graham says it's hard to remember because they were so old-school that the office, which was in the Edison Hotel, rat infested on Times Square. Tiny room. They went in there and did the booking. Rows of older gentlemen, who'd previously been in the business who Senior would give a couple of hundred dollars to as a favour. Graham says first time he went in there and saw Senior, Arnold Skaaland and all of these old guys sitting there, it was the most surreal thing he'd ever seen. Those guys booking Madison Square Garden in this little bitty office. He asked Skaaland for two tickets to the main event, and he stingily can barely peel off two tickets, even though he (Graham) was the one selling the building out. He didn't really say much about Gilzenberg.

 

Phil Zacko: he got paid every three weeks by Zacko. When he was champion he signed a contract that said they would take one third of his pay check and set it aside to ensure he got the belt back. In Philly, they'd go into a back room with one lightbulb hanging over head. Senior would be there with Phil Zacko and a book. And he'd cut him a pay check. And Graham says, of course, they were skimming tremendous amounts of money from everyone including himself. He would question Zacko's accuracy as an accountant. But he didn't want to make too big of an issue because of how much he was making (for that era). Graham says that little room in the Phillu Arena with Zacko and the lightbulb was also surreal. Extremely surreal.

 

Vince Jr: personally he was fine with him. Was not pushy, didn't appear to be arrogant. His father ran things, ran the book so he could do the erasing. Claims Senior once told him "always keep your book with a pencil, so you can rub something out". Ha ha. "put the names in ink, but the phone number in pencil so you can erase it!" Words of wisdom from Vince Sr and he saw him use that eraser in that ledger that looked like the tablets that Moses brought down from the Mount. Ha ha ha. Graham has so much charisma. Says it was like a holy book too. But Vince Jr was fine. Other than doing the announcing, at one point Senior gave him the city of Bangor, Maine to run. And they'd have lunch with him there. It was a dark old arena. His father told him that if he can make Bangor, Maine work, he'd consider handing the company over to him, but he had to prove himself. At that time Vince Jr was a very nice person.

 

- Did the tag titles become unpopular? Yes. But the reason why the world title match was in the middle of the card because of a time when Pedro was facing Blackjack Mulligan and a Puerto Rican fan cut his leg from the knee to his hip! That was on last that match, so from that point on they had to protect the main event from the Puerto Rican fans. So they put the title match in third or fourth. I didn't know that.

 

- the tag titles did not draw.

 

- Baron Mikel Scicluna ... Graham says he was one of his dearest friends and tears up at this point. He's legit crying. He remembers It was freezing in the winter time and Scicluna didn't have the money to buy a coat. Graham had just bought a $500-600 leather jacket. Scicluna was broke. They were paying him nothing. Graham took off the jacket and gave it to him, "here brother". Then he went and bought another jacket. He said that always stayed with him. Graham is very very cut up over this and keeps breaking down crying. He said he apologises, because this was humanity. A man who was real and who being treated disrespectfully and not being paid for his earnings. He gave him a ride and Scicluna said "Billy I hate to do this to you, but we have to get the because I'm the first match." I had absolutely no idea Scicluna was so hard up. Makes me feel a bit guilty for all the dozens of times we've laughed at him on Titans.

 

I must pause here, 29 mins in, about 90 left.

[sek69]

I realize Sr had Billy's run planned out to the day, but it seems like he kind of had the mindset that since he was a placeholder champion there wasn't a reason to try to maximize the money he could draw during that time. Reading the list of matches in the OP made it clear to me other territories had him in more interesting and money drawing positions than Sr did.

 

Of course this could me being blinded by my own biases here since I find that era's booking terribly bland overall. I mean, obviously it worked for them since they ended up building the foundation of the largest wrestling promotion in the world today, but watching 60s-70s era WWWF (with a few exceptions) is not my idea of fun times.

[Ricky Jackson]

I really don't see how being booked against Bruno, Dusty, Mascaras and Strongbow weren't strong money drawing positions. Each one DREW HUGE MONEY in the territory. It's like people are choosing to focus on his matches against Garea and Larry Z and ignoring all the sellouts he drew month after month after month in the Northeast against huge stars.