In 1977, Graham, who was actually Eldridge Wayne Coleman, put an end to Bruno Sammartino's second championship run.
He defended the title against opponents including Dusty Rhodes, Gorilla Monsoon, and "High Chief" Peter Maivia for over a year until losing it to Bob Backlund.
Graham was a pioneer of the garish promos that came to characterise professional wrestling, and he also had the type of bulky body that served as the model for WWE champions.
As champion, Graham was a dependable draw for the WWWF at the time, able to fill venues.
"The Superstar Billy Graham just left us," WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair tweeted.
"Thank you for all your influence on my career."
Graham spent years battling health problems. He had a liver transplant in 2002, and in the years before his passing, he struggled with organ failure, diabetes, and other problems. He was also on life support.
At the age of 44, he stopped competing in the ring and transitioned to managing on-screen athletes.
In 2004, Triple H gave Graham his place in the WWE Hall of Fame.
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