"Your movie career will be over when I expose your face..."

[@MichaelSimmons.]

" Under the Managerial Managementship of the Grand Wizard." Classic Superstar Billy Graham. He was the best.

[@robbyled]

They were both good at different things: In the ring, it was hard to find a person with better moves than Mil, outside the ring, it was hard to find someone with a better persona than Superstar.

[@Greener316]

The wrestling world moves so fast that one forgets just how good on the stick Superstar Billy Graham really was. The scary part was the Wizard was every bit as good.

[@RPenta]

I know Cactus Jack (like him), Billy Graham (used to respect him), and Chris Jericho (used to respect him to) all have dissed Mil for his "lack of cooperation" but hey, I think the guy was magic in the ring, one of my all time favorites.

[@markelliott8183]

This is one of the best series of promos ever. Boom boom boom...

[@mayorarce]

awesome video! this is beyond rare. great to see Mil Mascaras!

[@aitraining]

Their first match is on WWE 24/7 this month (Sep). It's great to see the whole thing. None of us had cable back in these days, so we really only saw the promos - not the title matches. You'd watch these promos and then have no idea what happened until the following week! I hated that. TV was all squash matches and promos. I loved Billy Graham but he never wrestled on TV, so I really never saw him wrestle when he was champ.

[@robbyled]

Superstar and the Wizard were great at cutting promos! Surprised to see him praise Mascaras. I didn't realize he praised opponents. My memory must be bad!

[@aitraining]

Graham has said he was slowly trying to go face towards the end and he was getting some cheers in the arenas. He knew he was dropping to Backlund the next month and he was trying to hold on. In his book he said he was hoping that Vince Sr. would give him a good-guy run. Unfortunetly, Vince Senior stuck to his guns to go with Backlund. The amazing thing was Vince told Graham when he won the belt that he would lose to Backlund in the garden 10 months later in February 1978 - it was that specific.

[@studioLH1]

Too funny! Great dichotomy from 2 very different and very great wrestlers. SS: the man (Mil) has more moves than a bowl of jello. SS: he (Mil) put a hurtin on my head, I still have a headache...boom, boom, boom.

[@CoachMike87]

The man has got more moves...than a bowl a jello! LOL

[@OaktownABQ]

Graham was great under the "managerial managership" of the Grand Wizard!

[@juleez73]

Where di you get this?? incredible, by chance do you have the match??? it would be great to see it. Thanks for sharing such great moments...

[@TheLuscious]

Now this is some sweet wrestling lineage and history right here.

[@aitraining]

Late 1977. Dec. for the first match and Jan 78' for the rematch I think. Mascaras was his last defense before Graham dropped to Backlund in Feb 78', so those dates make sense.

[@juleez73]

Hey man, thanks for the response; about the pic from you an Mil, that's something else; Mil was my favorite wrestler back in the days... where did you took it? The first time that i saw him wrestle was in LA, they used play wrestling matches from the olympic auditorium during the late 70's and early 80's, it was channel 34 in spanish; very rare material by the way. I only saw him wrestle one or twice live.

[@juleez73]

Who has this match in the Garden?? it will be great to see it...

[@frelvis77]

This should be required viewing for all current WWE wrestlers, maybe then they can learn how to give a decent promo.

[@Rightsideup]

Mascaras never stayed in a territory long enough to be a champ. He was just a guy that floated a lot.

[@Dietpepsivanilla]

"The varicose veins in your eyes!" God, Supastar was the best with the mic. Only the Crusher with his "200-lbs. Go-Go girl" was funnier. And with The Grand Wizard as his sidekick, they were the BEST!

[@RPenta]

Another man to be into the HOF; I wonder if he will be ever inducted--a great and versitle performer who was a legend in US, Mexico, and Japan. Don't think he and Stone Cold would sit down with a brewski.

[@haroof]

Mick Foley has also stated that Mil Mascaras was horrible to work with. Sold no moves, was lazy in the ring & didn't care about anyone but himself. For being a legend, he sure did piss off a lot of his co-workers.

[@js560000]

I was figuring that. I am figuring late December of 1977. I am trying to find what show it was like Championship wrestling or was it a MSG Network promos or what, you know?

[@aitraining]

Graham in his book said the same thing. He hated Mascaras and Graham loved almost everyone in the business according to him.

[@aitraining]

The show for the promos was after TV tapings - not sure where. NY or Philly probably. It aired in NY on WOR CH 9 Saturday Nights at midnight. The show that got me into wrestling! Being a kid and thinking this was all real was great and being a Superstar Graham super-mark didn't hurt. I was crushed when he lost.

[@js560000]

If it weren't for Billy Graham, there wouldn't have been a Hogan, there wouldn't have been a Ventura. There probably wouldn't have been half of us. I make no bones about it.

[@rsinghny]

Under the 'managerial managership' of the Grand Wizard, haha, Superstar cut some the best promos around and was far ahead of his time. Hogan admitted in an interview that he wanted to become a pro wrestler after seeing Superstar Graham as a boy and that he wanted to be just like him.

[@aitraining]

Graham in his book (which is great btw - no kidding) basically said Mascaras was actually a prima donna who wouldn't sell any moves for him or anyone. Not a popular guy in the dressing room. Sad time as these last 2 matches with Mascaras were Graham's last 2 garden matches before he knew he was dropping the belt to Backlund.

[@Rightsideup]

Mascaras was, according to Graham's book, no fun to work with. Apparently Mascaras even showered with his mask on, he was so serious. Graham also mentions Mil not selling the moves.

[@Tito74]

Thanks for the info, im gonna get the book.

[@aitraining]

Good call. Yes, Warner Wolf and I think Jerry Girard were the only NY guys that showed MSG wrestling highlights and racing results too. Warner pretty much goofed on it though and rarely gave you match by match results. Mostly midget wrestling highlights and stuff like that mostly.

[@Tarantulisimo]

Gorgeous George is the granddaddy of every arrogant, bleached-blonde persona that came after him...Buddy Rogers, Graham, Flair, Ventura, Hogan, Steve Austin's original persona, Ken Patera's original persona, all the way down thru Dirk Ziggler, & on & on. And Ali is the granddaddy of every over-the-top-on-the-mike persona: Flair, Graham, The Rock, etc. etc...

[@juleez73]

how come Mil Mascaras never wrestled in the WWF during the late 80's? i believe he only appeared once during a battle royal...

[@rsinghny]

that man was on me like a rash, lol

[@aitraining]

@Hulkamania4eva Well said bro. It pisses me off how people trash Hogan or Steiner when they see a Graham (who i loved) promo. Wrestling is an evolution. Yes - Falir took ALOT from Buddy Rogers and I agree - who cares? Enjoy it all :)

[@juleez73]

By the way, why dont you scan the pic and put in your profile... just an idea. cheers...

[@aitraining]

They weren't going to put the belt on a masked wrestler.

[@aitraining]

@chavmex Agree. Graham and many others thought Mascaras was a no selling prima donna shit. He hated this guy for real where he LOVED Bruno and Peter Maivia. This is real heat though. Graham hated this loser. Read his book.

[@australl]

People always talk about how Hogan, Ventura et al stole Billy Graham's gimmick. But Billy Graham completely stole Muhammad Ali's talking style.

[@razoramon989]

Vince looks like Bolo from Enter The Dragon.

[@Dqalex]

Graham was great!!! That was funny

[@RPenta]

He definitely stole Ali's talking style but the Body and especially the Huckster stole everything else lock stock and barrell--brotha!

[@nellbowie7986]

Mil me no sell Mascaras

[@juleez73]

I do know what i am talking about, i do accept that Graham was a great wrestler, one of the best of the world, but he used to talk a lot, it was show business. Mil was far better than him, super star also mentioned about the headache that mil left him. period.

[@Danimal77]

December 1977

[@zishanc]

When Vince kept up Kayfabe

[@js560000]

when was this?

[@mfbinc]

Mil would never wrestle in Pittsburgh which was always a disappointment. The one time he was announced on the card, they announced during the matches that he missed his plane. I think he was the only wrestler i didn't see in Pittsburgh during the 70's

[@bdegrande]

The job of a professional wrestler is to make your opponent look good. Mascaras wouldn't sell at all. Graham sold as well as anyone ever.

[@Hulkamania4eva]

If people want to play this game of, how stole what form who, you can name every single wrestler. Flair stole Buddy Rogers gimmick, who was the first person to throw a punch, who was the first person to go to the top rope, blah, blah, blah.

[@bigt84015]

the way graham flows his promo is the way hogan did it too. hogan so riped graham off!!

[@melbz1266]

does any one ever seen mil without the mask?

[@Weston30]

Piss Poor Ali impression

[@biged004552]

The Grand Wizard=Awsome They need to give somebody a manager with that gimmick probly Randy Orton since he is dull as a butter knife.

[@juleez73]

Who won that match, honestly Mil was far better that this phony...

[@oleold]

hogan stole from graham.

[@Dietpepsivanilla]

Mascaras was great, but he wasn't as charismatic as Pedro Morales was (IMO).

[@draganryo]

Hogan wasn't influenced...he DIRECTLY ripped Superstar off. HHH was INFLUENCED by Superstar...Hogan went so far as to copy even the facial hair and physique from the 80s days for his nWo shit. Poses, speaking style, catchphrases. He didn't even improve on them. It's just that Vince Jr. pushed HOGAN and was a genius while his father was very old school and couldn't see the potential of Superstar.