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Revision as of 13:15, 24 October 2013

Michael Gossett (September 20, 1951 - October 19, 2012) was a professional wrestler better known as Mike Graham. He was the son of wrestler and promoter Eddie Graham.

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Career

1970s

Michael Gossett started wrestling in 1972 in his father's Championship Wrestling from Florida, which was a National Wrestling Alliance territory. He was trained by his father, Boris Malenko and Hiro Matsuda.

He teamed with his father upon his arrival but also formed a successful team with Kevin Sullivan. Sullivan eventually turned on him to form his "Satanic cult", The Army of Darkness. Graham then teamed with Steve Keirn and Barry Windham to feud with them and to capture several tag team titles over the years.

1980s

In 1981, Graham wrestled in the American Wrestling Association and feuded with Buck Zumhofe over the AWA Light Heavyweight Championship over the next two years.

Graham headed back to Florida in 1983 primarily as a singles wrestlers. He started teaming with Keirn again in the late 1980s and wrestled in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions with Keirn briefly around this time.

He then went back to the AWA in 1988 where he won the Light Heavyweight Title again.

In 1989, he went back to Florida to the newly renamed Florida Championship Wrestling and teamed briefly with Dustin Rhodes.

1990s

By 1990, he was an infrequent in-ring competitor and he became a road agent for World Championship Wrestling. Along with Paul Orndorff, Pez Whatley, and Dwayne Bruce, Graham worked as a trainer in WCW as part of the WCW Power Plant. At Slamboree 1993, Mike represented his father when he was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame.

2000s

In the early 2000s, he was a road agent for the short-lived Xcitement Wrestling Federation and for Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling. He now makes occasional appearances for the revived Florida Championship Wrestling.

Mike Graham worked with World Wrestling Entertainment in early 2006 on a DVD about Dusty Rhodes, which was released on June 6, 2006. He has appeared on WWE 24/7 as part of a panel (along with Pat Patterson, Rhodes and Michael P.S. Hayes) which discussed famous pro wrestlers of the 1980s. Mike's famous quote is "I did." He currently hosts classic episodes of Championship Wrestling from Florida on WWE 24/7 Classics.

Mike's father was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008. Mike represented his late father at the ceremony and the following night at WrestleMania XXIV.

Mike has obtained many real estate investments and has opened a restaurant called "Waters Edge" in Weeki Wachee Florida. He also does live autograph signings with FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling). These signings are accompanied by Dusty Rhodes.

Death

Mike Graham was found dead by his wife on October 19, 2012 in Daytona Beach, Florida at age 61. The cause of death was revealed to be suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.[1]

Championships and accomplishments

Championship Wrestling from Florida

  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time) - with Kevin Sullivan
  • NWA Southeast United States Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

References

  1. ↑ Cause of death for Mike Graham, WWE issues statement


External links

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