Mike Graham on Dusty Rhodes leaving for Crockett

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[@rritter72]

He was full of it Magnum went to Mid South before going to Crockett. Did he expect Dusty to stay in Florida his entire career?

[@mikes.4136]

It’s difficult to describe how popular Dusty was in Florida. He was a blend of a charismatic, southern preacher, a rockstar, and a superhero. Dusty leaving CWF, was really the beginning of the end for the promotion.

[@abooooff]

I always Like to hear Mike talk but him saying Magnum T.A.'s horrible car accident is Karma because he left Florida is gross.I would have left Florida,it's about money & business.

[@dtogo4286]

Mike was always in his fathers huge shadow and makes a case for depression and self inflicted harm being passed on. I don’t hate on Mike; he saw a lot in his life. Prayers for the family left

[@steveschmidt4063]

Magnum left before 84. He was in mid-south in 83

[@michaelvaughn8864]

As North American Heavyweight Champion, Mr. Schmidt

[@jaywilson4520]

That comment about Magnum and karma was unduly harsh. It's kind of amazing that he could still have such hard feelings about Magnum making his decision to leave, and not have similar feelings about Dusty. That decision by Dusty to leave was for the same kind of motivations, but was far more damaging to Florida than Magnum up and leaving. And also, didn't Magnum go to Mid-South first before ending up in Crockett?

[@bradw3153]

I by no means am defending his comments on Mag TA , but it was more personal because he discovered and started him , unlikely Dusty who had earned his notoriety

[@rafeeqturner1458]

I was agreeing with him until he mentioned the car accident incident, the context he presented it in

[@boscopappas234]

Mike’s comment about Magnum’s car accident was awful. But then again, it’s always been said that bad things await those who revel in the tragedies of others. And that definitely happened to Mike. I can’t believe they haven’t done a “Dark Side of the Ring” about the suicide of three generations of Grahams.

[@gregorylevi1826]

I can, outside of Florida the Grahams weren't really all that famous nationally.

[@gregorylevi1826]

Plus there is probably A genetic mental illness trait of some kind in the family.

[@boscopappas234]

@@gregorylevi1826 The Grahams were much more well known than Gino Hernandez or Nic Gage and they did episodes on them.

[@gregorylevi1826]

@Bosco Pappas I highly doubt they were more famous than Geno Hernandez, remember WCCW was seen nation wide when Geno was wrestling there. Geno was seen in all 50 states where the Grahams were only seen in Florida(An maybe A couple other states) but that was it. Geno Hernandez will always be known as the guy who got "Gentleman" Chris Adams to betray the Von Erichs. Folks saw that happen in all 50 states too. As for Nick Gage well, he became more famous than the Grahams for the wrong reason. Me and almost everyone else became aware of him when he robbed that bank in New Jersey. He became known nationally as the wrestler who robbed A bank. Than he became famous nationally again for having that Death Match with that actor David Arquette. TMZ reported that nationally. Both guys are more famous than the Grahams.

[@boscopappas234]

@@gregorylevi1826 In terms of notoriety, you are correct. But I think it could definitely be said that FCW was a precursor to ECW. A small promotion known for its violence which produced many of the biggest stars in wrestling. Without Eddie Graham there’s no Dusty Rhodes. If they can do an episode on Onita then they can do one on the Grahams. Even if the name recognition is not there is more than enough controversy and salacious content on their lives for a 60 min show. The life and death of Eddie Graham was larger than life on its own.

[@grawakendream8980]

what a great segment. rip mike

[@Hippityhop-13]

Disconboobalized 😂 goddamnit wish I thought of that one

[@brianconnelly1238]

Sean Oliver looks so young here!

[@trueaspect5888]

Cable TV killed the wrestling territories, Vince McMahon is a genius because he capitalized on national television exposure.

[@sylvesterstanton7488]

But he also killed wrestling in the long run. Just look at the numbers compared to back in the 80"s and 90's. Once he let everyone know it was phony the fans left little by little.

[@Mleanos17]

@@sylvesterstanton7488 yes and no. He lost viewership in the US but gained it worldwide that’s how he is able to make more money now

[@Charsi_Escobar]

@@sylvesterstanton7488pro wrestling as we knew it is dead we now have sports entertainment

[@lovemissle]

​@@Charsi_Escobar They have since joined with the UFC, that's not fake

[@juanalopez9313]

A great interview. Mike Graham had such a great mind for the wrestling business.

[@joshhendryx5028]

The mind he blew out the back of his head?

[@beeaveragegaming3482]

@@joshhendryx5028 lmaoo you're so funny to use suicide as joke 🤣 that joke burned me up just like your families home in the future ❤️

[@VeinySausage]

Key word there “had”

[@lovemissle]

​@@joshhendryx5028yes Not the first wrestler to do it.

[@bonzijones007]

Great mind for the regional wrestling business maybe. No clue what to do with a real wrestling company.

[@springer90]

I'm convinced that Mike Graham's "shoot interviews" were a work!🤣

[@desmondcastro3679]

Dusty Rhodes was a great showman & a very intelligent promotor. I certainly do miss him.😁👍

[@robintaylor485]

Fascinating interview

[@masterj4777]

Mike your dad was a genius in wrestling like Vince's dad was 👨‍🏫🧠

[@VeinySausage]

He’s not gonna see this lol

[@masterj4777]

@@VeinySausage well not anymore of course 🙄 Goodbye 👋👋

[@lovemissle]

I'm so old I remember Vince McMahon senior. I remember Mike and Kevin Sullivan being tag teams

[@lovemissle]

Miami Beach convention center every Thursday night. There was wrestling live!

[@josephmiller9424]

This us why they need to bring back the territories that's where stars of tomorrow will come from and help them get over work more time in the rings a better worker

[@gregorylevi1826]

I thought Lex Luger was the first one to get A guaranteed contract from Crockett. Everyone kept saying Luger was the first but Mike said Magnum T.A. was the first one.

[@Batony]

Mike is wrong

[@rabidsalvation9021]

Dusty retired in 1988? Swore I saw him in 1989-90 with polka-dots

[@gregorylevi1826]

Dusty has said "Vince lucky I didn't save my money or I wouldn't be here" he blew away millions like Flair.

[@ethanbradley2089]

@@gregorylevi1826 what's the relevance?

[@HMSL86]

Never happened, Mike Graham's word is gospel.😅

[@billysikes1374]

He wrestled into the 90s with polka dots lol

[@Rob78169]

He retired until Vince came calling with the cash and polka dots!!

[@g7721]

“And then I told that young short French kid to keep growing and use the name Andre” - Mike Graham

[@Charsi_Escobar]

Laughing out loud at 3am 💀🤣🤣🤣

[@reynaldoreyes9927]

Jim Crockett took Lex Luger from CWF Jan 1987, CWF Magnum TA wasn't take by Dusty Rhodes, Magnum TA left to Mid South Wrestling for Bill Watts..

[@Pillar5770]

Mike Graham is off on some of his dates (i.e Dusty's retirement, Magnum in Florida), however, he was right about pro wrestling and the direction it was taking.

[@Sargebri]

Luger didn't arrive in Florida until after the exodus. Luger's career began in late '85 and he didn't arrive in Crockett until early '87. Also, Windham didn't leave with Bass and Black Bart. I think he left Florida in early fall 1984 to work for Crockett. Ironically, Windham wound up leaving Crockett just prior to Starrcade 84 to go work for the WWF.

[@madbrowniac7871]

Terry "Magnum T.A." Allen and Gordon Solie looked on in helpless disgust at the Broadcast Table one 1982 Saturday afternoon in Tampa as Jake Roberts collected an $1100 Bounty on Barry Windham. Roberts sidelined Windham with a kneesmash to the nose and then revealed that he was hired by a nefarious guy named "Bonebuster." Bonebuster was known to be "Nivek Navillus" a short while after. And then of course he was known to be Kevin Sullivan! Thus encouraging the Angle that changed the direction of Pro Wrestling in Florida and pretty much elsewhere.🤔😏🎤🌊☀️🍊🌴💸🤼‍♂️B.W.

[@Pillar5770]

​@@SargebriYou're right. Luger didn't start working until '85. I think Mike mentioned Luger in this clip because he simply doesn't like him. However, Luger had nothing to do with the fall of CWF.

[@snoplau9994]

He was going in on Mangum T.A. for leaving for better pay and exposure. But when it comes to Crockett and Rhodes, he starts doing the ol' soft shoe.

[@mustaffa1611]

In the mid 80's we got most every wrestling show in pittsburgh; wwe, nwa, world class, awa, uwf. wwf would come every month on a friday and then nwa started coming here like 3 times a year. world class was the best when it was hot. saturdays at 4pm on wptt. all my friends and me all hated the von erichs. when kerry beat flair I cheered for kerry. that was a touching moment. then kerry lost the title a couple weeks later and looked like an idiot. they shoulda played that up, like kerry let down all the people of texas and that he was a loser, yet they pretty much ignored they loss and made up their own world title which reeked of pathetic.

[@maturanita]

Luger wasn’t snatched by Vince, but by JCP

[@dwightsimpsonjr.7636]

Correct!💯

[@murrayparks3270]

Mike Graham is awesome RIP

[@robintaylor680]

11:04 Rule number one father and son should never be best friends that is your father not your friend big big mistake right there

[@GenGamesUniverse]

Yep.

[@BeeBumper]

He isn't 10 they are grown men lol. You treat adults like adults, your kids or not. They will never grow up if you treat them like children throughout their adult life or you will have no relationship

[@americandiablo]

That's for sure

[@TheEWFX29]

Such a sad story.

[@nickbizic3215]

If anyone don't think he had prob;ems after this interview I pray for you

[@Charsi_Escobar]

Lost his son and dad to self-harm…anyone with a heart would be messed up from that

[@asoncalledvoonch2210]

If Ned Flanders was real, he'd be Mike Graham.

[@BeeBumper]

Ned Flanders was never so tough

[@asoncalledvoonch2210]

@@BeeBumper Neither was Mike. I don't mean any disrespect towards Mike Graham because he's not with us anymore unfortunately... But it's the truth.

[@greenonions7492]

"He never drew a dum-didley-dime"

[@ronniemacdonald2768]

Hey at least Mike only killed himself and didn't kill a woman and child on the way down like your hero.

[@Charsi_Escobar]

Whoa whose hero 💀

[@jodyturner8099]

Mike never drew a dime Graham

[@PJPSHELBY]

He didn’t draw a dime. I remember him blading himself with the Freebirds right after his dad’s suicide. Petty.

[@1980Triumph]

2:26

[@charlesbukowski9836]

to da pay winda baby

[@billysikes1374]

Lol HTM sounds just like Dusty lol to da psy winda

[@cravenmoorehead6479]

Magnum didn't go to JCP from CFW. He went to JCP after Watts. This guy is a bitter miserable jagoff. He's jealous of Crockett JR and McMahon JR. Petty jealousy. That Magnum reference was harsh. That car wreck may have gotten Magnum but being born screwed him. Wah Wah Wah.. Poor pitiful me.

[@BeeBumper]

Yep and in the end the dream chose to move on. Your dad was short sighted and should have paid them to stay with a contract. You should have created that star earlier and had them on contract

[@michaelrood2751]

“Sold them out 15 years every night” lol!! So 5,475 consecutive sellouts per Mike.

[@mazzb305]

Mike Graham on Dusty: “Funked a lot of Monkeys, Drew A Lot of Dimes.”

[@davidgraham8299]

Ok, Mike's comment that his dad could have created another Dusty Rhodes just shows how delusional he is. You don't just create a Dusty. Talents like that are rare and exceptional.

[@brobsty1856]

If his dad was a visionary he'd be on top now

[@Charsi_Escobar]

Should’ve just sold to McMahon and taken a job in his inner circle

[@ethanbradley2089]

So his father created national wrestling tours, and he created live TV and the nWo?

[@GameTime-yj6qv]

And pay per views and a wrestling streaming channel

[@johnwade7963]

Greg Gagne says his dad did all of that first

[@ethanbradley2089]

@@johnwade7963 yeah I know and he was full of shit. Bischoff is a Liar. Bischoff lies about business and backstage politics. But he's been honest about what influenced the NWO. As for Nitro: RAW started a year prior and WCW was WWF's only competitor. So why wouldn't Turner want a show of his own? If Bischoff hadn't suggested it Turner would've done it anyways.

[@Charsi_Escobar]

@@johnwade7963Greg invented the iPhone but that mark Steve Jobs kicked him out😂

[@josephmiller9424]

Mike is mad at Magnum TA for leaving but not Dusty the guy who told them to take TA but no but to be happy he got in a car wreck like he said earlier in the interview they all got into to make money well that's what he did.

[@josephmiller9424]

Did Mike ever think Magnum T.A was thinking about his family and I think anybody for that money would have signed think we see it in football. Baseball NBA so why not wrestling were in a moment your career could end

[@kashmere7980]

#discomboobulised

[@jessiepalermo7234]

I was waiting for him to say that somebody didn't draw a dime.

[@bonzijones007]

Andre drew more money

[@robintaylor680]

How long was this before Mikes suicide?

[@avb6100]

Probably 2-3 years before. This was around I think 2009-10.

[@dirty.dan.69]

I think this was after.

[@dennisrowan9700]

Mike Graham studied art in college but he couldn't draw a dime and so dropped out

[@VeinySausage]

Who cares lmao

[@Charsi_Escobar]

@@dennisrowan9700laughing out loud at 3am 💀

[@emelioj69]

I still got Mike Graham phone no and he was gonna take me to meet Dusty Rhodes I was working so much and I finally got a day off and I called Mike to go but it was to late .he had committed suicide and I never got to meet the Dream

[@bigolebot]

Mike Graham lying 😂

[@VeinySausage]

Say what you want about this guy but he’s been able to keep himself relevant after shooting himself in the brain…pretty crazy talent

[@grawakendream8980]

have a care

[@TomBerishaj]

Mike "Suicide Is Karma for Never Drawing a Dime" Graham.

[@americandiablo]

You never drew a dime either,now get your gun.

[@TomBerishaj]

@@americandiablo Sorry to offend you Ms. Graham.

[@americandiablo]

@@TomBerishaj Why would I be offended? You're a true nobody. Miss Tommie

[@gavinreid8937]

10.30 Asset strippers?

[@samiam7342]

Eddie graham was NOT a good "payoff man" as they say in the business.......I guarantee that the amount he was paying dusty was not what he should have been getting.......especially considering that Eddie only owned a % of the territory.........

[@bigglilwayne7050]

Guys like Mike Graham and Jamie Dundee should've been managers from day 1 rather than wrestling

[@americandiablo]

Jamie was a manager at first. Do you expect him to just manage his father's shadow? Jamie's ego wouldn't allow that,plus Jamie has charisma, no matter what people think of him

[@acgarner3107]

Mike Graham sucks

[@bb-gc2tx]

what an angry little man you can just tell mike was an angry drunk. also apparently mike didnt read the tag that came with that tank top muscles not included 😂

[@robintaylor485]

Ha ha dusty used you all up.

[@reynaldoreyes9927]

Super Bowl Sunday,1/20/1985 Eddie Graham (CWF Promoter) shoots himself twice in the head,put on Life Support Monday ,1/21/1985 His Wife plugs the plug on life support, Eddie Graham dies!!!

[@m.jeffreyanderson8737]

If I was that delusional, I'd od too

[@ZAPAT1STA49]

Mike was a pos who never made it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@americandiablo]

You're any different?