[Survival Project] Superstar Billy Graham Ready to Prove He's a Survivor

Superstar Billy Graham has had a long and storied history in Legends Championship Wrestling. Graham has held the LCW International Championship three times, was the very first LCW Heritage Champion, and subsequently won that title two more times after his inaugural run as champion, and has even reached the pinnacle in LCW: winning the LCW Universal Championship twice. But it's his second run as the LCW Universal Champion that has the former WWWF World Heavyweight Champion the most soured and determined for another run at the gold.

It was in 2007, during his time with the LCW Chairman of the Board Christian Calaway-led group, the Entourage, that Graham won the title from his Entourage teammate Nikita Koloff. Moments after winning the title, Calaway demanded that Graham return the belt to Koloff as he felt it was what was best for the group and the company. Graham reluctantly returned the title to Koloff, but always felt uneasy about the situation.

Graham sat down with LegendsWrestling.com yesterday for an interview shortly after he drew number 38 in the drawing for the LCW Survival Project 50-man Gauntlet Tournament and said, "Yeah, that one still bothers me, brother. I was a part of that group, but I never really felt like I belonged, man. Calaway had Koloff as his hand picked champion, his monster that he brainwashed or whatever, brother, and just released on the world. Blanchard was the technical guy, the respected tactician, and was used to being in groups like that, and Baby Doll was there because Calaway was sweet on her or something, and she and Tully were kind of a package deal. But I was there to back them up if they ever needed me. I was kind of like the utility player, man. I guess I was a little brainwashed, too, at the time. I was drinking the Kool Aid as well, man."

When asked why he joined the group, Graham said, "I was promised gold, brother, and that's really all I care about. That's all I've ever really cared about: being the best and being the best in this business means being champion. But I guess Calaway didn't think I should have been the champion, the Universal Champion. I guess he didn't want me at the top and I don't really know why."

Asked about his relationship with the Chairman today, Graham said, "We've rebuilt any bridges that were burned, brother. Life's too short to just let that stuff fester and eat away at you. He respects me and values me as a Legend in his business and that's really all I can ask for."

About his drawing number 38 in the drawing for the LCW Survival Project, his chances in the Survival Project on September 6th, and making another run at the LCW Universal Championship, Graham said, "Man, that's a great number, isn't it? I think I'm going to do good this year. I've got a strong number. I feel strong and I'm ready to go. I'm not settling for second best. I don't want to be the LCW International Champion. I want to be number one. I want to be the LCW Universal Champion, brother. I want to be on top again. I want to prove to myself, to my critics, and to my fans that I can do it one more time. Man, last year I went to a time-limit draw with the "Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez and that caused some heat between us because he was on such a roll eliminating all those guys and I kind of spoiled that for him. And then the year before that, in 2007, man, I came out at number 47, brother, but came up against Stone Cold Steve Austin who was almost as fresh as I was. Austin had only faced one guy, Scott Hall, I think, and I gave him a fight. If he was going to win that tournament, and I think he did that year, I was going to make him earn it. And I can't say anything about that because he's the guy on top right now. He's the LCW Universal Champion. He's the guy everyone wants to win this thing for to earn the shot at his title."

In 2006, Graham was eliminated by Magnum TA, who went on to eliminate the most Legends in that year's gauntlet tournament, nine, to become the number one contender for the LCW International Championship. At the inaugural Survival Project in 2005, Graham drew number 18 and was eliminated by Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

While Graham has mixed emotions about his performances in past Survival Projects, he doesn't deny the uniqueness of the event and what it brings out of the Legends who compete in it every year.

"It the single longest event in pro wrestling history, brother," Graham said of the tournament. "The event, in theory, can last up to 12 hours. It's an all day event, but it's such an awesome day. We're all there. We're all having fun backstage, but we're also focused and we're aware that the guy we're eating with and laughing with one moment might be the guy we have to go through when it's our time in the tournament. It forces you to prove that you really want to be there, man, and that you want to be the man. And this year, I want to be the man."