I feel so fortunate to have grown up in Central Florida and followed Championship Wrestling from Florida way back in the 60's and 70's. Kevin Sullivan and Mike Graham were a solid team, but their matches against each other were as close to watching a real street fight as any I recall. Sullivan and Buddy Colt were such fantastic heels and generated amazing heat, so it was very cool later in life when I got to meet them in person and discovered they were genuinely nice men, not the monsters who had scared the bejeezus out of me as a kid.
@wewin032 жыл бұрын
It’s weird how the heels turn out to be the coolest guys.
@jeffstrom389 Жыл бұрын
Very accurate Statement......Florida Championship Wrestling was awesome......they made it real.......and yes....Buddy Colt was a great guy......and what a great heel wrestler.
@LBlucher13 Жыл бұрын
@@jeffstrom389 For a couple of years, in the mid-70's, I would head to the Orlando Sports Stadium with some friends every Monday night where Milo Steinborn promoted the wrestling shows (later it became the Eddie Graham Sports Complex and the shows moved to Sundays). Every once in awhile, we'd venture out and catch a show in Lakeland, St Pete, etc. And, I agree, they did a great job of making it real. The crowds absolutely hated both Colt and Sullivan.
@robertbishop53572 жыл бұрын
I saw Mike and Kevin wrestle as a tag team at the National guard armory in ft.lauderdale. They also wrestled with Steve Kiern. Great memories.
@brandi332 жыл бұрын
Serious living legend right here. Sullivan worked everywhere and knows everything and then some.
@longd Жыл бұрын
You are the BEST James. Kevin has always been one of my favorite people from back in the day ....
@markchapin7502 жыл бұрын
I've been so excited for your Kevin Sullivan interview, great work as always, James.
@jyesucevitz2 жыл бұрын
Haystack's was a 'huge' attraction in his debut! thank you! I'm here all week!
@xjp1998 Жыл бұрын
I grew up living next door to Haystacks Calhoun. This was in the 70s, and it was just him and his daughter. My father was his pastor, and he was living in texas at the time. Had the biggest heart of gold ever. Everyone loved him. But sadly, we lost him way too soon. I saw him a few weeks before he died as I was heading to Korea, for I was in the army at the time. It was a hard loss when he died.
@takerdust Жыл бұрын
I heard his daughter ended up donating a lot of his memorabilia to the local museum.
@xjp1998 Жыл бұрын
@@takerdust yes that is true I know that for a fact
@widowmaker13152 жыл бұрын
Mike Graham did work outside of FL in Southwest Championship Wrestling in San Antonio, and also the AWA as well. Graham was actually world junior heavyweight champion at one point. Mike was a 3 time AAU state champion and had a very solid amateur background. The guy could actually work. Admittedly, he was also charismatically deficient, and failed to really captivate fans outside of his home state of Florida.
@MrNWA4Life Жыл бұрын
He was the AWA World Light Heavyweight Champion.
@JackBarrett78 ай бұрын
You sound like the kids who squeak "hogan could work...in japan'. because what he did in japan impressed THEM but to an informed fan was just poor.. Also, an amateur background means nothing in pro wrestling, esp when youre a five foot eight, one hundred eighty pound alcoholic and cocaine addict..unless your fathers the booker and has friends in other territories. You ever hear of Greg Gagne? He was a 'champion' in awa, too.
@michaelcalero11192 жыл бұрын
I attended Kevin's first match in Tampa when he teamed with Mike Graham in the early 70's, than he became the Prince of Darkness, what a gimmick, he blew the roof off of Florida,that was the Last of the good times in Florida, after Eddie Graham passed it went into the toilet.
@johnsawh84592 жыл бұрын
I remember when Kevin hit Mike Graham in the face with the Belt, even my cynical brother was concerned for Mike
@_partsunknown_ Жыл бұрын
I saw Kevin Sullivan vs Mongolian Stomper in Smokey Mountain Wrestling at Memorial Gym in Hazard, KY in the early 1990's
@needsaride151262 жыл бұрын
It's such a pleasure to hear Kevin Sullivan on a podcast.
@johnsawh84592 жыл бұрын
I have been a fan of Kevin since I first saw him in CWF, always pushing the envelope
@ElimGarakSpoonHead2 жыл бұрын
Bruh I like Kevin Sullivan. Always seemed like a fair guy and straight shooter with a few booking exceptions.
@nigel18232 жыл бұрын
“Never drew a dime” Love that Mike Graham shoot interview
@rondoughhowell64422 жыл бұрын
At least people knew who Double J was
@nigel18232 жыл бұрын
@@rondoughhowell6442 he broke 100s of guitars and never drew a dime
@kienpaulspicer11732 жыл бұрын
@@nigel1823 Mike never drew a dime not a dime
@nigel18232 жыл бұрын
@@corybowman9583 you remember his tattoos of flames on his arms? They never drew a dime
@nigel18232 жыл бұрын
@@corybowman9583 I just love that shoot interview he did and it’s still on KZbin. He says HE got hogan to sign with WCW and got them the universal studio gig 😂 saying he practically gave Bischoff the keys to the kingdom. So he definitely drew a dime in that shoot. It’s up there in my top 5
@reynaldoreyes99272 жыл бұрын
My first time seeing Kevin Sullivan ( swcw hw champion)with falling angel(nancy) was in swcw ( San Antonio- joe Blanchard) in Chicago tv,fueding with Scott casey.kevin was with common wealth army Johnathan Boyd, fabulous blondes and more.
@tubby63392 жыл бұрын
Cad carrying member! Haha love the taskmaster
@Iamatiger38 Жыл бұрын
You need Kevin on more!
@catyear752 жыл бұрын
Please ask Mr Sullivan about his early days breaking in the old WWWF ...!
@georgeelmerdenbrough6906 Жыл бұрын
Mike Graham was a solid talent but at 5'7" he was too small to headline .
@jyesucevitz2 жыл бұрын
my 2nd hometown boxing hero Marvin Hagler got a mention. nice.
@patrickheath50112 ай бұрын
Eddie brought Sullivan to Florida because he was the same height as Mike. They were tag partners for a long time for that reason.
@garageguy8792 жыл бұрын
I saw Don Wright at an Indy event in Atkins Va this past spring taking some lumps in the ring.
@Maestrohbill Жыл бұрын
Mike Graham (14:33) is at the end. Never drew a dime.
@thack57 Жыл бұрын
For a guy who played it so evil, the comments about this guy is almost always very positive. When nobody would give the Original Sheik any work if Kevin was booking somewhere he would give The Sheik work and a good payoff. This spoke even more to his character considering The Sheik, Ed Farhat, was known for low payoffs. Though Kevin says Farhat was always good to him - even letting Kevin live with him at his compound in Michigan.
@thack57 Жыл бұрын
I used to read all about CWF and wish their shows would air in Ct. I didn't understand the business. While I dug WCCW from Texas, I couldn't understand why Fla. which was on the same coast as me, wasn't airing in my area but Tx. was. Even now Peacock has several old territories but as of Sept. of 2022, they don't have CWF. but Ironically I can watch them here, on the home of the looney Commies of Google, KZbin.
@suzannemazur2989 ай бұрын
14:33
@mitchseinfeld24642 жыл бұрын
I went with Kevin and George Napolitano to the Red Sox game the afternoon of the Boston Garden show. ( I don't remember if Nancy went with us it was over over 30 years ago ) I do remember Marvin Hagler that night. Good Times
@Dnddy56172 жыл бұрын
I was there that night , best night of wrestling in my life, Im a huge Gordy fan, hun n dr death fought at our feet in crowd, two steroid kids were starting shit n one sat next to my girl till me n my friend seen them , the night was crazy , we square off w the 2 kids n a guy sitting there says u guys can take them , it was killer kowaslki, im like wtf I got a manager. The 2 kids-in there 20s (kids to me now) went down ringside n either the stieners or doom smack the kid and he got thrown out
@dimedraweriv2582 жыл бұрын
Mike Graham never drew a dime.
@michaelrood27512 жыл бұрын
He’s mistaken about the mulligan story. Kendall wasn’t in the promotion yet. He came about 3 years after Sullivan turned heel
@paulsmith91922 жыл бұрын
Where's the full?
@user-dc1dr9kr8x2 жыл бұрын
If Ben Affleck makes yet another boston movie he should put kevin in it
@rondoughhowell64422 жыл бұрын
The Town 2 would probably be awesome
@paulsmith91922 жыл бұрын
Is this new?
@jethro19632 жыл бұрын
What does James say at 11:02? How big a what? Sullivan answers 21
@cavemangrind10 ай бұрын
Mike Graham was over in Florida. The rest of the territories were inferior and it doesn't really matter what their fans think.
@axisgarm2 жыл бұрын
James you want some stories about the steiners? Hit me up…. Scott lived right behind me growing up and Rick lived less than a mile up the street…. We lived right on the lake….. we use to mess with them so bad when they were home and not on the road…. They were like big kids sometimes, it was fun
@JackBarrett78 ай бұрын
Again, Mike Graham could NOT have made it anywhere else where he had to get by on talent or charisma,. he was only in Fla bc his father was the boss. Yes, I know, some misguided trolls say he was successful elsewhere, but that was his fathers influence, too.
@billysikes13742 жыл бұрын
Mike never drew a dime!!!
@blade8989 Жыл бұрын
N
@KofCFrank06511 Жыл бұрын
I wonder why he never succeeded in the WW(W)F
@Commenter0072 жыл бұрын
Good to see Mr. Sullivan somewhere other than on Hannibal's channel. I had to stop watching that egomaniac.