Mike Graham (wrestler)
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2012) |
Mike Graham | |
---|---|
Yasuhiro Kojima Boris Malenko | |
Debut | 1972 |
Retired | March 31, 2012 |
Edward Michael Gossett
Amateur wrestling
Mike Graham was a Florida high school wrestling district champion his senior year in 1969 for Thomas Richard Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida.[3][failed verification] He became a three-time state AAU champion[3][4] and a Junior Olympics champion at 198 pounds.[3] Graham was a state champion in the 154-pound weight class and, as a sophomore, defeated senior Richard Blood (later to become Ricky Steamboat) in the finals of a district meet.[4] He left the University of Tampa to turn professional against the wishes of his mother Lucy.[3][5] Mike was also an accomplished powerlifter who set state records in the bench press.[5]
Professional wrestling career
Michael Gossett started wrestling in 1972
In 1981, Graham wrestled in the
Graham retired as an in-ring competitor in 1992.
Graham's father was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008, with Mike representing him at the ceremony and the following night at WrestleMania XXIV.[6] Graham then competed in a Legends Battle Royal won by Roddy Piper for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla on January 29, 2011.[6] He also held a weekly radio show called Talking Wrestling with Mike Graham.[4] His former tag team partner Kevin Sullivan was the last ever guest in his radio show, recalling a chilling phone call where Mike was emotional and told Kevin he loved him; he killed himself six days later.[5]
Boat racing career
In addition to his wrestling career, Graham also competed in offshore power boat racing. In 1993, Graham throttled Kiely Motorsports' 35' Offshore Class C catamaran to multiple championship finishes:
- 1st Place Finish: Sarasota, Florida
- 1st Place Finish: Marathon, Florida
- 3rd Place Finish: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Reserve Championship: APBA / UIM Offshore World Championship in Sanibel Island, Florida.
Graham maintained position as the throttle man for each finish.
Death
On October 19, 2012, Graham was found dead by his wife of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at their residence in Daytona Beach, Florida during Biketoberfest.[8] He was 61 years old.[9] His father and son had committed suicide in similar manners on January 21, 1985, and December 14, 2010 (some sources state the 15th),[4] respectively.[8][7] At the time of Graham's death, he was wearing his son's old work boots, and also frequently threatened committing suicide to his wife.[5] He was also intoxicated, and according to his toxicology report, his blood-alcohol concentration was at 0.259.[9]
Graham suffered business misfortunes years prior to his death, and a restaurant he owned in Florida closed in 2011 after about two years of operation.[3] He and his wife were also involved in real estate, which took a beating in Florida during the recession.[7] His friends also said that he had struggled with the death of his son Stephen.[7] He was also rejected by his daughter, blaming him for the deaths in some part for his father and his son.[4] In the final months in his life, Graham had felt responsible for the deaths of his father and son.[9] A celebration of life for Graham was held in Largo, Florida, where nearly 500 people, including a number of retired professional wrestlers, attended.[4]
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling Association
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- FCW Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Dustin Rhodes (1) and Joe Gomez (1)[6]
- NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[10]
- NWA Florida Global Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Scott McGhee[6]
- NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (16 times) - with Kevin Sullivan (3), Eddie Graham (1), Ken Lucas (1), Steve Keirn (9), Ray Stevens (1), and Barry Windham (1)[6][5]
- NWA Florida Television Championship (2 times)[6]
- NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[6]
- NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time) – with Steve Keirn[6]
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (3 times) - with Steve Keirn[6]
- PWF Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time)[6]
- Mid-South Sports
- NWA Mid-America
- 1 time) – with Kevin Sullivan
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him #100 of the 500 best singles wrestler of the year in the
- PWI ranked him #325 of the Top 500 Singles Wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003[12]
- Southeastern Championship Wrestling
- 1 time)
References
- ^ a b "Wrestlingdata.com – The World's Largest Wrestling Database". WrestlingData.
- ^ Callaway, J. D. (June 7, 1989). "Deputy's brawl with wrestler probed". The Tampa Tribune.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Johnson, Steven (October 20, 2012). "Mike Graham dead at 61". Slam! Wrestling. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mooneyham, Mike (November 10, 2012). "Mike Graham suicide leaves family, friends searching for answers". The Post and Courier. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g Ojst, Javier (December 22, 2018). "Eddie and Mike Graham – Triumph and Dark Tragedy". Pro Wrestling Stories. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Mike Graham profile". Online World Of Wrestling. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Harris, Keith (October 22, 2012). "Mike Graham tragedy - commits suicide like father and son before him". Cageside Seats. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ a b Johnson, Mike (October 19, 2012). "CAUSE OF DEATH FOR MIKE GRAHAM, WWE ISSUES STATEMENT". PWInsider. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c Harris, Keith (November 20, 2012). "Mike Graham's autopsy reveals intoxication at the time of his suicide". Cageside Seats. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ Hoops, Brian (January 15, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/15): Big John Studd wins 1989 Royal Rumble". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
- ^ "PWI Awards". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Kappa Publishing Group. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ a b Wrestling Information Archive - Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years Retrieved on January 13, 2019
External links
- Media related to Michael Gossett at Wikimedia Commons
- Mike Graham's profile at Cagematch.net , Internet Wrestling Database