Billy Graham got a return match against Bob Backlund in Providence, RI on 7/15/78. This time, Graham won by count-out, but did not win the belt again. On 8/5/78 in Boston they battled in a steel cage which they also did in the classic match in Madison Square Garden where Graham got his leg caught in the cage and Backlund was able to exit the cage for the win. Graham moved on to concentrate on his feud with Dusty Rhodes and teaming with a "family" member., while Backlund moved on to newer challenges, including the "Russian Bear" Ivan Koloff, managed by Lou Albano.

Victor Rivera from Puerto Rico was also in the area over the spring, summer and fall, managed by Fred Blassie. On 8/12/78 he won a battle royal in Philadelphia to get a shot at Backlund. "Paramount High Chief" Peter Maivia faced "Crazy" Luke Graham in matches throughout August. Peter Maivia was Rocky Maivia's grandfather. His legs and torso were covered with Polynesian tribal tattoos. He was a big fan favorite, very over with the fans. His tag team with Chief Jay Strongbow should have received a run with the WWWF tag team belts, although that never came to pass, they definitely deserved it.

Maivia and WWWF champion Bob Backlund started a very successful tag team around this time. "Crazy" Luke Graham was billed as Billy Graham's brother and he was also managed by the Grand Wizard. Luke and Billy Graham teamed together in tag matches through the end of 1978.

Bob Backlund started off the month of October by defending the WWWF belt against Ivan Koloff on 10/2/78 in Boston. Two days before a big show in Madison Square Garden, Peter Maivia turned on Bob Backlund in a match against Spiros Arion and Victor Rivera, both of whom where former faces who turned heel on their tag team partners (Bruno in the case of Arion and Strongbow in the case of Rivera) and ended up being managed by "Classy" Freddie Blassie, who also, SURPRISE, ends up managing Peter Maivia. The fans were shocked at Maivia's heel turn. He and Blassie announced their intention to challenge Backlund for the WWWF title. This was a very big angle at the time as the WWWF did not switch workers from face to heel and vice versa as often as the promotions do these days. When it happened back then it was a big event.

Bob Backlund defended the WWWF title against former professional football player "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd, managed by the Grand Wizard, on the 10/78 Madison Square Garden card. Bruno Sammartino returned to New York that night after a year long absence and faced Billy Graham in what would be the "Superstar"s final MSG match until he returned in 1982. Bruno battered Graham, who bled heavily and the referee stopped the match. The Yukon Lumberjack's defended the WWWF tag team belts against Chief Jay Strongbow and High Chief Peter Maivia. Maivia had just turned heel two days earlier and ends up clocking his long time partner, Strongbow and leaving him to fight the Lumberjack's himself. Also on the card, Ivan Koloff defeated Tony Garea, Dino Bravo faced "Crazy" Luke Graham and Crusher Blackwell defeated Tony Russo.

As the year came to a close, Bob Backlund faced a tough challenge from Ivan Koloff. In Boston, in early November, Koloff beat Backlund by count-out. Also on that card, Andre the Giant teamed up with former co-holder of the WWWF tag team belts, Dino Bravo to face Crusher Blackwell and the team who beat Bravo and Denucci for the tag belts, the Yukon Lumberjack's, in a handicap match.

On 11/18/78 in Philadelphia, PA, Dusty Rhodes and Billy Graham heated up their feud in a bloody Bullrope match. The "Superstar" barely won and soon left the WWWF. Andre the Giant faced Ernie Ladd on the Philly card in a battle of the giants, won, of course, by Andre. Although, not before Ladd was able to do some damage with his taped thumb, an old football injury, or so Ernie claimed.

On 11/21/78 in Allentown, PA, Tony Garea and Larry Zybysko won the WWWF tag team belts from Lou Albano's Yukon Lumberjack's in a televised match.  Albano was so furious that he fired the Lumberjack's for losing the belts. 

Also on that TV card, Spiros Arion faced Chief Jay Strongbow, Crusher Blackwell beat Dave Darrow, an interview with NWA champion Harley Race, a promo with "Superstar" Billy Graham, Ernie Ladd beat Charlie Brown and "Polish Power" Ivan Putski beat Mark Pole. 

The following week's TV show, 11/28/78 saw Andre the Giant defeat Johnny Rodz and Frank Rodriguez in a handicap match, Ivan Koloff beat Frankie Williams, Ernie Ladd beat SD Jones, Chief Jay Strongbow beat Jose Estrada and Ivan Putski, singing his Polish song for the first time, beat Mark Masters. 

The following week's TV show, 12/5/78 had Greg Valentine, managed by the Grand Wizard, making his first appearance in the WWWF, beating Steve King with the Figure-Four Leglock. The tag team match where Peter Maivia turned on Bob Backlund was shown. Ivan Putski beat the Great Sabu (not Terry Brunk), Lou Albano brought in Jimmy and Johnny Valiant, making their first return since 1974, who defeated SD Jones and Frankie Williams in a tag team match. Ivan Koloff beat Tony Russo. Tony Garea and Larry Zybysko beat the "Unpredictable" Johnny Rodz and Silvano Sousa in a non-title tag team match.

The following week's TV show, 12/12/78 had WWWF rookie of the year Steve Travis defeating Frank Rodrigues, with boxer Jersey Joe Walcott introduced before the match. A flashback match between Bruno Sammartino and Ken Patera was joined in progress. Baron Mikel Scicluna, from the Isle of Malta, beat Freddy Marzino. Dusty Rhodes faced Ali Bey in a taped match from Florida. 

High Chief Peter Maivia, making his first appearance as a heel with manager Fred Blassie, defeated Pete Reeves with the hanging backbreaker submission.  Greg Valentine beat Frankie Williams with the Figure -Four Leglock. As the new year, 1979, loomed on the horizon, WWWF champion Bob Backlund was about to celebrate one year as champion, but some of his toughest challenges still lay ahead. The Grand Wizard was grooming Greg "The Hammer" Valentine as a contendor for the belt. Fred Blassie was managing the newly turned heel Peter Maivia to the number one contendor's spot. Lou Albano and the Valiant Brothers were aiming for Garea and Zybysko's WWWF tag belts, and a new title belt was about to be created.

NEXT MONTH:

We will look at the year of 1979 with newcomers such as Ted Dibiase, Pat Patterson, Hussein Arab (the Iron Sheik), Tito Santana and a young, blond, powerhouse named Hulk Hogan.