Ric Flair remembers Superstar Billy Graham.
Graham passed away last weekend at the age of 79 after a battle with multiple health problems that had the Hall of Famer on Life Support for his final days. The Nature Boy spoke about the influence Graham had on the wrestling business during a recent interview with Sports Illustrated.
His clothes were considered outlandish back then. He had the earring. He gave those incredible interviews. He had that body that was second to none. ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham influenced a whole generation of wrestlers, myself included.
Flair then brings up the reaction Graham got to his death, a point he believes proves how respected Graham was in the industry.
Look at the reaction following his death and the outpouring of love, that’s because of the impact he had on people. He certainly had that impact on me. For me, I thought he was the greatest thing going. Him and Dusty Rhodes were my two favorites.
The former 16-time world champion then shares some memories of Graham, including when he was the “Superstars” chauffeur.
I tried to be just like Billy, but there’s only one Billy. I have so many fond memories. I was his chauffeur, driving him around in that white El Dorado with red interior. I loved that. His wife was the first woman to ever bleach my hair. He and Dusty were the two biggest influences on me, ever, in this business. They were so damn charismatic. It was a gift.His look changed the whole perspective of the business. ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham—often imitated, never duplicated.
A funeral for Superstar Billy Graham will be held on June 1st. Full details can be found here.