{{short description|American professional wrestler (1955-1985)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox professional wrestler | name = Rick McGraw | birth_name = Richard Emmett McGraw Jr. | image = Rick McGraw.jpg | names = Rick McGraw | spouse = Lisa | height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}}<ref name="Encyclopedia"/> | weight = {{convert|235|lb|kg|abbr=on|lk=on}}<ref name="Encyclopedia"/> | birth_date = {{birth date|1955|3|19}} | birth_place = Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1985|11|1|1955|3|19|mf=y}} | death_place = Fair Haven East, Connecticut, U.S. | death_cause = Heart attack | billed = Charlotte, North Carolina<ref name="Encyclopedia"/> | trainer = Rip Hawk<br/>Bill Watts<ref name="Monthly"/><br/>Pat O'Connor<ref name="Monthly"/> | debut = 1975 }} '''Richard Emmett McGraw Jr.''' (March 19, 1955 – November 1, 1985) was an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) under the ring name '''"Quickdraw" Rick McGraw''' from 1980 until his death in 1985. He also wrestled for the World Wrestling Association (WWA), where he won the WWA World Tag Team Championship with The Dream Machine as The New York Dolls, and Southeastern Championship Wrestling (SECW), where he won the NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship.
== Early life == Richard Emmett McGraw Jr. was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on March 15, 1955.<ref>{{Cite news|date=November 3, 1985|title=Deaths And Funerals In Mecklenberg County|work=The Charlotte Observer|page=48|quote=Mr. Richard Emmett McGraw Jr., 30, of New Haven, Conn., formerly of Charlotte, died Friday in New Haven.}}</ref><ref name="EYE">{{Cite magazine|last=Adams|first=Joshua|date=May 1986|title=Rick ‘Quick Draw’ McGraw|magazine=Wrestling Eye|publisher=Jems, Inc.|page=50}}</ref> He graduated from North Mecklenburg High School in 1973,<ref name="Obit"/> where he was a state wrestling champion in the 185-pound division and chosen as his school's athlete of the year.<ref name="Monthly"/><ref name="EYE"/> He also played football as an All-County linebacker and running back.<ref name="Fame">{{Cite news|date=August 24, 1975|title=McGraw Grapples For Wrestling Fame|work=The Charlotte Observer|page=64}}</ref> McGraw then attended Elon College, where he also wrestled and played football.<ref name="Fame"/>
==Professional wrestling career== McGraw made his professional wrestling debut in 1975 in Florida after training under Rip Hawk, who knew him at a young age, at the gym in the basement of Hawk's house.<ref name="EYE"/><ref name="Fame"/> That same year, he made his debut for Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), working there until 1977.<ref name="Obit"/> He returned to North Mecklenburg High School in 1979 to serve as an assistant wrestling coach.<ref name="Obit"/>
In May 1980, McGraw made his debut for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as a face.<ref name="Encyclopedia">{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/239 239]|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0}}</ref> On August 9, he took part in the Showdown at Shea event, losing to Greg Gagne.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shields|first=Brian|title=Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s|publisher=Pocket Books|year=2006|isbn=978-1-4165-3257-6|edition=4th|page=146}}</ref> He defeated enhancement talent, but mostly lost to heels who were ready to challenge WWF Champion Bob Backlund.<ref name="WWF6389Book">{{cite book|first=Graham|last=Cawthon|title=the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 1: WWF 1963 - 1989|publisher=CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform|year=2013|isbn=978-1492825975}}</ref> In April 1981, McGraw appeared for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as part of the "NJPW WWF Big Fight Series II" tour, often teaming with Ken Patera, Backlund, Tiger Jeet Singh and Dynamite Kid against the likes of Antonio Inoki, Tatsumi Fujinami, Seiji Sakaguchi and Riki Choshu.<ref name="NJPW">{{Cite web|title=Rick McGraw >> Matches >> New Japan Pro Wrestling|url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=3323&view=&page=4&promotion=7|access-date=December 14, 2025|website=CageMatch}}</ref> Two months later, McGraw was involved in an angle where his neck was "broken" by Killer Khan in a match, sidelining him for six to nine weeks.<ref name="WWF6389Book"/> In the interim, he wrestled for Promotions Varoussac, where he and Gino Brito defeated Swede Hanson and Le Bourreau to win the Canadian International Tag Team Championship on November 9. They lost the titles on December 30 to Gilles Poisson and Sailor White.<ref name="InternationalTag"/> McGraw returned in January 1982 with Arnold Skaaland as his manager, and formed a tag team with Steve Travis the following month.<ref name="WWF6389Book"/> They were known as the "Carolina Connection" due to both men being from the Carolinas and having similar backgrounds playing football in college.<ref name="Carolina">{{Cite magazine|last=Cunliffe|first=Joe|last2=Cunliffe|first2=Ron|date=July 1982|title=The Wrestling News® interviews the Carolina Connection (McGraw & Travis)|magazine=Wrestling Revue|pages=14–15|issn=0049-8181}}</ref> At the same time, he teamed with André the Giant, and both teams unsuccessfully challenged Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito for the WWF Tag Team Championship.<ref name="WWF6389Book"/> McGraw left the WWF in July and briefly returned to NJPW that month as part of the "Summer Fight Series II" tour.<ref name="NJPW"/>
On September 6, McGraw debuted for the World Wrestling Association (WWA), where he and Giant Kimala challenged Spike Huber and Steve Regal for the WWA World Tag Team Championship, but lost the match via disqualification.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 7, 1982|title=Lawler triumphs to keep title|work=Memphis Press-Scimitar|page=23}}</ref> Shortly after, he formed a heel tag team with The Dream Machine known as The New York Dolls, incorporating tuxedos and bow ties as part of their ring gear and Jimmy Hart as their manager. They were brought to Memphis to feud with the Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane and Steve Keirn).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Oliver|first=Greg|author-link=Greg Oliver|title=The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Tag Teams|last2=Johnson|first2=Steven|publisher=ECW Press|year=2005|isbn=978-1-55022-683-6|page=262|chapter=Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Hoops|first=Brian|date=October 18, 2022|title=Daily Pro Wrestling History (10/18): The Dudleys win IWGP Tag Team titles|url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-the-dudleys-win-iwgp-tag-team-titles/|access-date=December 17, 2025|website=Wrestling Observer Newsletter}}</ref> On September 25, they defeated Huber and Regal to win the WWA World Tag Team Championship. However, they lost the titles in a rematch in December.<ref name="WWATag"/> In 1984, he began appearing for Southeastern Championship Wrestling (SECW), winning the NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship from Vic Rain on May 28. He lost the title in August to Boris Zhukov.<ref name="AlabamaTitle"/> Later that month, McGraw returned to the WWF full-time.<ref name="WWF6389Book"/>
On the October 26, 1985 episode of ''WWF Championship Wrestling'', McGraw was a guest on Roddy Piper's "Piper's Pit" segment and got on his case about always shooting his mouth off and not wrestling on television, prompting Piper to accept a challenge to wrestle him on the following week's show, which would be McGraw's final televised appearance.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nedeff|first=Adam|date=July 31, 2014|title=The Name on the Marquee: WWF Championship Wrestling (10.26.1985)|url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-name-on-the-marquee-wwf-championship-wrestling-10-26-1985/|access-date=December 14, 2025|website=411Mania}}</ref> At the start of the match, Piper threw McGraw out of the ring and twice into the guardrail. After no-selling several punches and kicks in McGraw's comeback, Piper hit him with a swinging neckbreaker and two DDTs, the second prompting the referee to stop the match, declaring McGraw unable to continue. Coincidentally, the match aired the day after McGraw's death.<ref name="WWF6389Book"/> Off TV, McGraw faced Mike Sharpe in his final match on October 28.<ref name="EYE"/>
== Other media == McGraw appeared on an episode of ''The A-Team'' in 1985 alongside Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, Ricky Steamboat, The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid) and Corporal Kirchner.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stroud|first=Brandon|date=August 30, 2018|title=The Wrestling Episode: A-Team, A-Team, Go Go Go!|url=https://uproxx.com/prowrestling/a-team-body-slam-hulk-hogan-the-wrestling-episode/|access-date=December 14, 2025|website=Uproxx}}</ref>
== Personal life and death == McGraw enjoyed boating, bowling, ice hockey and swimming.<ref name="Monthly">{{Cite magazine|last=Gordon|first=Gene|date=January 1978|title=Rick McGraw: A Soaring Star In The Grappling Galaxy|magazine=Wrestling Monthly|publisher=Kietzer Publishing|pages=36–38}}</ref>
On November 1, 1985, McGraw died of a heart attack at the age of 30.<ref name="Obit">{{Cite news|date=November 3, 1985|title=Wrestler Dies|work=The Charlotte Observer|page=28}}</ref> His body was found at his home in New Haven, Connecticut, by friends who grew concerned after being unable to contact him.<ref>{{Cite news|date=November 5, 1985|title=Pro wrestler McGraw found dead|work=Austin American-Statesman|page=28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=November 6, 1985|title=Rick McGraw, 30; professional wrestler|work=The Morning Call|page=42}}</ref> Fellow professional wrestler Bret Hart noted in his autobiography that McGraw regularly consumed Placidyl and suggested this resulted in his heart failing.<ref>{{cite book|author=Hart|first=Bret|author-link=Bret Hart|title=Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling|publisher=Ebury Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1-4070-2931-3|pages=130, 156}}</ref> He was survived by his wife, Lisa.<ref name="Benefit">{{Cite news|last=Sorensen|first=Tom|date=December 17, 1985|title=Hulkamania With A Very Soft Touch|work=The Charlotte Observer|page=48}}</ref> On December 16, the WWF held an event to benefit McGraw's family, which was headlined by Roddy Piper.<ref name="Benefit"/><ref>{{Cite book|last=Piper|first=Roddy|author-link=Roddy Piper|title=In the Pit with Piper|title-link=In the Pit with Piper|last2=Picarello|first2=Robert|publisher=Berkley Books|year=2002|isbn=978-0425187210|page=138}}</ref>
== Championships and accomplishments == *'''Continental Championship Wrestling''' **NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name="AlabamaTitle">{{Cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|title=Wrestling Title Histories|last2=Duncan|first2=Royal|publisher=Archeus Communications|year=2000|isbn=0-9698161-5-4|edition=4th|page=185|chapter=Alabama: Alabama Title}}</ref> *'''Lutte Internationale''' **Canadian International Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Gino Brito<ref name="InternationalTag">{{Cite web|title=International Tag Team Title (Québéc)|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/qc/pv/pv-int-t.html|access-date=December 14, 2025|website=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref> *'''''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''''' **Ranked #'''485''' of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm|title=Wrestling Information Archive - Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years|date=June 16, 2008|access-date=September 26, 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616064424/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm|archivedate=June 16, 2008}}</ref> *'''World Wrestling Association''' **WWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Troy Graham<ref name="WWATag">{{Cite book|last=Will|first=Gary|title=Wrestling Title Histories|last2=Duncan|first2=Royal|publisher=Archeus Communications|year=2000|isbn=0-9698161-5-4|edition=4th|pages=97–98|chapter=Indianapolis: WWA Tag Team Title}}</ref>
==See also== * List of premature professional wrestling deaths
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|6726831|Rick McGraw}} * {{professional wrestling profiles}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGraw, Rick}} Category:1955 births Category:1985 deaths Category:20th-century American male actors Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers Category:20th-century American professional wrestlers Category:American male professional wrestlers Category:First Family (professional wrestling) members Category:Professional wrestlers from North Carolina Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni