Bob Backlund

At 75 years old, Bob Backlund has this physical status:

Robert Louis Backlund (born August 14, 1949) is an American retired professional wrestler with a 30-year career, most well-known as World Wrestling Federation/WWF's second stint in the sport (WWF/WWF's second longest tenure in the sport, behind Bruno Sammartino's first), as well as being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

He unsuccessfully attempted to seek a Connecticut seat in Congress on a Republican ticket in 2000.

Early life

In 1949, Backlund was born in Princeton, Minnesota. He is a graduate of Princeton High School, where he was a state champion in wrestling. Backlund, an All-American in both football and wrestling (191 lb [87 kg], finishing third) during his freshman year at Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. Backlund's sophomore campaign honed on wrestling and received All-American recognition (190 lb [86 kg] and national runner-up). Backlund, an amateur wrestler at North Dakota State University, won the Division II NCAA Championship at 190 pounds in 1971. Backlund made it to the NCAA DII Nationals in 1972, finishing fifth in the heavyweight class. He earned a degree in physical education from North Dakota State University.

Personal life

Carrie is Backlund's daughter. Corki, a high school physical education instructor, has a daughter named Carrie. They live in Glastonbury, Connecticut. He unsuccessfully attempted to secure a Connecticut seat in Congress on a Republican ticket in 2000.

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Professional wrestling career

Backlund was trained for professional wrestling by respected trainer Eddie Sharkey and made his American Wrestling Association (AWA) debut in 1973. Backlund's clean-cut appearance and technological approach made him a natural celebrity, and he quickly became popular with the fans. Backlund left the AWA and toured the United States, assisting with the National Wrestling Alliance in its various nations. Backlund wrestled in Texas for Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk's Amarillo, Texas-based Western States Sports Promotion in 1974. He defeated Terry Funk in the NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship in March (the promotion's top title). Backlund held it for two months before selling it to Karl Von Steiger in May.

Backlund began working for Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW) in mid-1975. In October 1975, he and Jerry Brisco won the NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship from Toru Tanaka and Mr. Fuji. They remained champion beltless for two months before losing to Les Thornton and Tony Charles. Backlund left Georgia for Championship Wrestling from Florida in 1976 (CWF, NWA Florida). Here he joined Steve Keirn to defeat Bob Orton, Jr., and Bob Roop for the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship. In October 1976, Backlund and Keirn lost the title to the Hollywood Blonds (Buddy Roberts and Jerry Brown). Backlund competed in St. Louis, Missouri, for Sam Muchnick's St. Louis Wrestling Club while working for NWA Florida. On April 23, 1976, he defeated Harley Race to win the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship, but Jack Brisco lost the title to Jack Brisco on November 26.

Backlund joined Vincent J. McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation in late 1976. "The Golden Boy" Arnold Skaaland had him in charge of his care. Backlund had his first shot at the WWF Heavyweight Championship against Superstar Billy Graham less than four months into his WWWF campaign, but he lost by count out. Backlund's fortunes began to change when they became a double count out in a single match, then Backlund defeated Graham, but not by countout (the title can only change hands via pinfall or submission). Despite Graham's leg being tied during the pinfall, Backlund won the title on February 20, 1978, at Madison Square Garden.

Spiros Arion, Mr. Fuji, Ivan Koloff, George "the Animal" Steele, and Ken Patera were among Backlund's early contenders for the title, competing against Antonio Inoki in Japan. He has also won a string of rematches against Graham, including one in April 1978, a steel cage match at Madison Square Garden.

Backlund met with the NWA World Heavyweight champion Harley Race in a rare "WWWF vs. NWA" championship match three days after winning the WWWF Heavyweight Championship. Both titles were on the line, but neither changed hands as the two teams fought to a 60-minute time limit draw. Backlund's time as the champions were defending themselves against other champions became a recurring theme. He met the AWA World Heavyweight Champion (Nick Bockwinkel) and two NWA World Heavyweight champions (Harley Race four times and Ric Flair once), as well as NWA World Heavyweight champion Don Muraco. Billy Robinson, the "international champion" of the 1980s, was defeated in Montreal to a 63-minute curfew draw.

Backlund and Peter Maivia formed a winning tag team and qualified for the WWWF World Tag Team Championship, a challenge to the Yukon Lumberjacks, early in his career. During a television taping in October 1978, Maivia became outraged and assaulted him and Skaaland. For the first time, fans got to see another face of Backlund's personality: one of a raving, ranting maniac if enraged or pressurized hard enough; in the post-match interview, he screamed at interviewer Vince McMahon that he would "kill the son of a bitch." Backlund eventually won a string of matches against Maivia, including a steel cage match in January 1979 at Madison Square Garden, but he was unable to save Maivia's life. The World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWF) was founded in 1979, becoming the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Antonio Inoki, the NWF Heavyweight champion, defeated Backlund in Tokushima, Japan, on November 30, 1979. Backlund then won a rematch on December 6, a repeat of what happened on Dec. 6. However, WWF President Hisashi Shinma declared the re-match a no contest due to Tiger Jeet Singh's interference, and Inoki remained champion. Inoki renounced the title on the same day, and it was declared vacant. Backlund regained the title on December 17 after defeating Bobby Duncum in a Texas death match. Inoki's reign has not been acknowledged by WWE in its WWF/WWE championship history.

Backlund and Pedro Morales teamed up with Pedro Morales on August 9, 1980 to capture the WWF Tag Team Championship from the Wild Samoans at Showdown at Shea. Backlund and Morales were forced to abandon the competition due to a then-extent WWF rule that no one can hold two championships at the same time. Backlund had more tag team success when he (along with Antonio Inoki) won the "1980 MSG Tag Team League Tournament," the final loss to Hulk Hogan and Stan Hansen on December 10 in Osaka, Japan. With seven victories and two double-countout decisions, Backlund and Inoki finished the tournament.

Backlund and Hogan were also involved in a series of highly televised matches in 1980; although he won numerous countout victories over Hogan, Backlund never was able to win a decisive victory over his charismatic young adversary, and Hogan, who was flashing glimpses of his future superstardom, was one of Backlund's most feared opponents. Backlund was also able to defeat Ken Patera, who fought on-and-off from 1978 to early 1981, including during Patera's tenure as the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight champion.

The WWF Heavyweight Championship in Backlund was postponed after a match in New York City against Greg "the Hammer" Valentine on October 19, 1981, when a dazed referee "accidentally" gave the championship belt to Valentine as part of the storyline, it was an interruption of Backlund's title reign. However, Backlund was branded as the WWF Heavyweight champion in other towns in the days leading up to the scandal. It was not unusual to "hold" the title in one place (to spark anticipation in a rematch that the "former" champion would win), but not in other areas of the territory. Backlund pinned Valentine for the "vacant in New York only" in the WWF Heavyweight Championship on November 23, 2014. Backlund emerged the champion after striking a piledriver on Valentine, bringing the trophy back to the table after a rematch for the title, which was held inside a steel cage at the Philadelphia Spectrum in January 1982. Despite being locked out against Inoki and Valentine, Backlund is regarded as the WWE's first reign as WWE champion from 1978 to 1983.

Backlund continued to prosper throughout 1982 and 1983, winning against a number of rivals, ranging from Adrian Adonis, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Big John Studd, Ivan Koloff, Magnificent Muraco, and Sgt. Slaughter. In mid-1982, he won a steel cage match against Jimmy Snuka; in that match, Snuka scaled the roof of the cage, intending to incapacitate him, but Backlund moved forward after Snuka started to fly through the air and disappeared the cage. Billy Graham, a veteran of the WWF in late 1982, also turned down a challenge from Superstar Billy Graham, who returned to the WWF in late 1982 to try to regain the title.

Backlund redesigned his image, reducing his mop hair into a crew cut, wearing amateur wrestling singlets, and losing muscle mass and definition after being popular with the fans from early on in his title reign. Fans became cynical of this "Howdy Doody" character (as the Grand Wizard had dubbed him). He was named the Most Overrated Wrestler in 1983 by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Most Overrated Wrestler. Vince McMahon, who had bought the WWF from his father, wanted to bring the award to the more charismatic and muscular Hulk Hogan. Backlund's initial plan was for Backlund to bow out and lose to Hogan, but Backlund refused, and a transitional champion was needed between Backlund and Hogan. Backlund sustained a (kayfabe) arm injury when the Iron Sheik attacked him with his Persian clubs on December 26, 1983, when Backlund's boss, Arnold Skaaland, threw in the towel, but Backlund was still stuck in the camel clutch.

Hogan took over Backlund's rematch and became the new WWF World Heavyweight Champion due to Backlund's injury. Backlund only competed the Iron Sheik at house shows (including once at the Boston Garden, winning by disqualification), and also wrestled the Magnificent Muraco for the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, although not at a non-televised house show;

Backlund continued to work for the WWF after the title change, but after Hogan's triumph, he did not get another championship shot for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. Backlund defeated Salvatore Bellomo in his last WWF match in eight years on August 4, 1984.

Backlund was in the Pro Wrestling USA, a short-lived revival of the NWA and the AWA, aimed at combating the WWF's national expansion. Backlund was unsuccessfully defeated by AWA World Heavyweight champion Rick Martel in Pro Wrestling USA. He dropped out of pro wrestling in 1985, but Herb Abrams' short-lived Universal Wrestling Federation made a dramatic return in 1991 (UWF). He defeated Ivan Koloff at Beach Brawl (the UWF's only pay-per-view function). Backlund competed for Newborn UWF and UWF International in Japan in 1988 and 1989 in a series of matches with Nobuhiko Takada. He coached amateur wrestling at Bacon Academy and Rocky Hill High School in Connecticut during his time away from the ring.

Backlund returned to the WWF in 1992. During his absence, the WWF had developed into an international wrestling festival, thanks in large part to the colorful characters of the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection Era," which Hulk Hogan helped to get the WWF off the ground eight years ago. Backlund, whose persona remained the same as it had been in his heyday, seemed to be out of synch with the WWF's transition. Many fans didn't remember him because he had left right before Vince McMahon's national expansion. His first return to the WWF was largely uneventful, and he mainly competed in mid-card matches. However, the number one entrant lasted sixty-one minutes and ten seconds at the 1993 Royal Rumble, Backlund, a record that stood up until 2004, when Chris Benoit broken it. Backlund's first WrestleMania appearance was at WrestleMania IX, where Razor Ramon had pinned him down in a few seconds. Backlund was shot several times at the Intercontinental Championship, which was then hosted by Shawn Michaels.

Backlund fought what was billed as an "Old Generation vs. New Generation" match with Bret Hart on July 30, 1994, with Hart's WWF Championship on the line. During the previous weeks, the WWF aired vignettes of Backlund's preparations for this match. Hart dominated the game, claiming after Backlund mistakenly thought he had won and helped Hart to his feet. After Hart continued to try to give a sportsmanlike handshake after the game, Backlund "snapped." When screaming hysterically, he slapped Hart in the chest and enslaved him in the crossface chickenwing submission hold. Backlund leaned his hands in apparent shock after finally releasing the hold. Backlund began to "snap" regularly during his matches, viciously attacking his opponent with the crossface chickenwing and refusing to reveal it after the opponent was informed. He would then return to normal and look horrified by what he had done.

Backlund said he should still be deemed the legitimate WWF champion on a Monday Night Raw episode, shortly after his match with Hart, because he had not been pinned by The Iron Sheik nor submitted to the camel clutch. Backlund continued wrestling under the new gimmick of an out of touch and highly temperamental, and it was out to teach "The New Generation" a lesson. During his interviews, he dressed in business suits (complete with a bow tie), had a vivacious personality, and often mistook (and often misappropriated for comedic effect) large words. He ordered that he be named Mr. Backlund, and that wrestling fans would only sign autographs if they were to recite the names of all of the United States Presidents in chronological order. He assaulted wrestlers and other WWF workers and tossed them in the crossface chickenwing in several instances. Jim Ross, Duke "The Dumpster" Droese, WWF Magazine writer Lou Gianfriddo, and his former boss Arnold Skaaland, who was charged with the WWF World Heavyweight Championship in 1983, are among the victims.

Backlund defeated Bret Hart in a special submission match for the WWF Championship on November 23, 1994, where the only way for a wrestler to win was to have the opponent's valet, as Arnold Skaaland did for Backlund over a decade ago. Backlund began wearing a white towel that he said was the same one that had been thrown into the ring the night he lost to The Iron Sheik. Backlund teamed up with Owen Hart, the brother and chief rival of the reigning champion who had tried and failed multiple times this year to wrestle the belt from Bret.

Owen stepped forward in the match, when Backlund was still draped in Hart's trademark Sharpshooter submission, causing him to break the lock. Davey Boy Smith, Bret's cornerman, chased Owen around the ring only to collide head first on the ring stairs. Backlund took advantage of Bret's niggling brother's niggling and locked the crossface chickenwing on the champion. Hart fought for eight and a half minutes, but he refused to give up.

Since Smith was unconscious on the ground, he was unable to save Hart. Owen profited by picking up Smith's pink and black towels, and when feigning fear for his brother's wellbeing, he approached his father, Stu and his mother Helen, who were seated at ringside. Owen pleaded for his parents to excuse the match as Backlund cinch in the crossface chickenwing in the ring. Owen refused, not sure of his motives. Helen, on the other hand, refused to see Bret hurt any more, so she grabbed the towel and threw it into the ring. Backlund was voted the title and praised in the ring, but Owen was ecstatic to learn that his brother was no longer paying him the championship. Backlund did a short interview after the match, after which he ended by yelling how he felt "like God."

Backlund's second appearance as a WWF Champion came to an end three days later to Diesel at a non-televised display in Madison Square Garden, the site of many of Backlund's victories in the 1970s and 1980s. Diesel kicked Backlund in the stomach, pinning him in eight seconds with a Jackknife Powerbomb. Fans erupted Backlund with chants of "Eight seconds!" for weeks after. "It's only eight seconds." Kevin Nash (a.k.a.) conducteds a 2005 interview with Pro Wrestling Torch. Diesel (Bobb) recalled how Backlund sold his Jackknife Powerbomb by crawling up the aisleway, back to the Garden's dressing room. "He couldn't have put me over any stronger," Nash said. This match was the last time (today) the WWF Championship changed hands at a non-televised event, and aside from Money in the Bank, Daniel Bryan's quick victory over Kofi Kingston at SmackDown's 20th Anniversary in 2019's SmackDown's 20th Anniversary was the shortest WWF championship match ever; in reality, it will be tied by Randy Orton cashing in his Money in the Bank's money; in fact, it will beti

Backlund continued to wrestle less often after losing the title, but not before being ranked as a main event. Backlund's last WWF match against Bret Hart was a "I Quit" match against Bret Hart on April 2, 1995, which he never regretted," but instead yelled unintelligibly into the microphone, which special guest referee Roddy Piper said as "I quit."

The WWF had an opportunity after WrestleMania, in which Backlund declared his candidacy for President of the United States. Several vignettes aired, with Backlund's preaching socially conservative ideals, while another showed him campaigning at a beach. Bill Clinton impersonator who was seated at ringside at the 1995 Survivor Series, Backlund was also confronted by him. This angle was lennily deleted before it came to an end.

Backlund went from mid-to-low card status from 1995 to 1996. On Monday Night Raw, he disqualified Bret Hart by disqualification. It will be his last television appearance. He continued to appear in house shows. He lost in a dark match at In Your House 5 to Savio Vega and competed in the Royal Rumble before being disqualified by Yokozuna. This will be his last pay-per-view appearance. On May 19 at Madison Square Garden, his last match was a loss to Savio Vega.

Backlund, his childhood adversary, The Iron Sheik, was sent by the WWF to help The Sultan from late 1996 to early 1997. He left the WWF shortly after In Your House 14: The Revenge of the 'Taker,' where he led The Sultan in his victory over Flash Funk on April 20.

Backlund appeared on a Sunday Night Heat skit in which himself, The Iron Sheik, and Dominic Denucci gave Mankind comedic advice before his WWF Championship match with The Rock.

In the 2000 Royal Rumble, Backlund returned to the WWF. Kurt Angle, the Intercontinental and European Champion, was briefly in charge of Angle's crossface chickenwing submission hold. At WrestleMania 2000, Angle fired Backlund and put him in lockout after discovering Backlund had booked him in a two-fall triple threat match against Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho (with both of his titles on the line).

Backlund teamed with Angle on SmackDown!

By disqualification on March 16, they lost to Jericho and Tazz.

Backlund, who was under WWF service in 1994, served for Genichiro Tentryu's Wrestle Association R in Japan. Scott Putski and former WWF wrestler The Warlord defeated Fuyuki-Gun members Hiromichi Fuyuki, Gedo, and Jado on August 26, defeating Fuyuki Fuyuki Fuyuki Fuyuki, Gedo, and Jado on August 26. A few days later, they returned the titles to Fuyuki, Gedo, and Jado.

Backlund began wrestling on the independent circuit in 1995, although still working for the WWF. He competed for Windy City Wrestling from 1995 to 1998. At a Trans World Wrestling Federation match, he lost to Jimmy Snuka on February 27, 1996. Backlund continued in the indies after leaving WWF in 1997. Lance Diamond lost to Lance Diamond at the NWA New Jersey event on November 11, 1998.

He wrestled in Battlarts in Japan from 1998 to 1999. He returned to Tatsumi Fujinami's New Japan Pro-Wrestling squad for a few matches in October 2001. He had recently withdrawn from wrestling.

After several references to Bob Backlund were made by Kevin Nash, he officially debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in January 2007, judging the finals of the Paparazzi Championship Series (PCS) between Alex Shelley and Austin Starr. Backlund gave a long explanation before announcing his result as a draw, and PCS director Kevin Nash revived the match. Backlund was charged with the match after Shelley defeated him in the backlund match because he felt it had cost him the match, so Backlund responded by inserting Starr in the crossface chickenwing. Backlund came out and put his own chickenwing on Starr before dragging him to the back after Senshi defeated Austin Starr at Against All Odds.

Backlund's first appearance on Impact! During this period, Don West and Mike Tenay's commentators described him as strange and strange, much like the "Mr. Backlund" gimmick of his second WWF tenure. Backlund was in the corner of Austin Starr who lost to Senshi in a Crossface Chickenwing match at Destination X. Backlund was the special guest referee in a Six Sides of Steel match, where Senshi defeated Austin Starr at Lockdown.

Backlund made his in-ring return at Slammiversary, where he defeated Alex Shelley. He then joined Jerry Lynn at Victory Road to lose to Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin (managed by Kevin Nash). Backlund's profile was taken down from TNA's website when it was redesigned, indicating the end of his relationship with the company.

Backlund and 14 other wrestlers from Raw's 15-year history appeared on the 15th Anniversary of Raw's 15th Anniversary battle royal on December 10, 2007. Backlund was kicked out of the match by Skinner.

Slater declared a challenge to any "past champion" on a weekly series of Legend appearances on July 9, 2012, on a new episode of Raw. Backlund rose from backstage to answer this challenge, and Slater kicked him in the stomach and mocked him; Backlund responded by placing Slater in the crossface chicken wings, which he did not break for 20 seconds after Slater had tapped out. He appeared on Raw 1000 with all of the other Legends who had clashed with Slater over the past weeks, helping Lita lure Slater back to the ring when he attempted to run away from Lita and the APA.

Backlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his companion Maria Menounos on April 6, 2013 and was honoured on stage with the year's other inductees at WrestleMania 29.

Backlund appeared on Raw's episode on October 7, 2013 unsuccessfully trying to canvass votes in order to become the special guest referee for the WWE Championship match in a Cell; Shawn Michaels later won a public vote and was named as the special guest referee. However, Backlund appeared in a Cell segment with The Prime Time Players, where they appeared in WWE 2K14. Since April 2014, he has been working as a WWE ambassador.

Backlund was asked by Darren Young to be his life coach on May 5, 2016, and Backlund agreed, promising to "Make Darren Young Great Again." Various vignettes starring Young and Backlund aired over the next several months, with Backlund taking over the role of Young's life coach. Young gained a battle royal on July 11 to become the top contender for the Intercontinental Championship. Young battled The Miz in a match that culminated in a double-countout after he used the Crossface Chickenwing to shield Miz and Maryse from Miz and Maryse. Backlund and Young were drafted to Raw on July 19, 2016 at the WWE draft. Backlund's television appearances stopped in early 2017, after Young was wounded, and it appeared on television. Young was rescued from WWE on October 29, 2017, putting an end to the storyline. Backlund's profile on WWE.com was then transferred to the Hall of Fame page shortly after.

Backlund defeated Jason Rumble at NWA On Fire in Springvale, Maine, on September 21, 2009. On August 12, 2011, he would compete in the Juggalo Championship Wrestling Legends & Icons contest, defeating Ken Patera.

At 68 years old, Backlund returned to Japan. Two events in April 2018 were scheduled for Dradition Pro Wrestling. He teamed with Riki Choshu and Tatsumi Fujinami to defeat Jinsei Shinzaki, Kazma Sakamoto, and Tajiri on the 20th. He teamed with Hiro Saito and Yoshiaki Fujiwara as they lost to Fujinami, Choshu, and Masakatsu Funaki on the next day.

Acting career

Backlund appeared in sketches with hosts Jenny McCarthy and Chris Hardwick on MTV's Singled Out, where he appeared in sketches with hosts Jenny McCarthy and Chris Hardwick. In the film comedy In the Land of Merry Misfits, Friar Chuck appeared alongside Maria Menounos and John Waters. Backlund appeared and signed autographs at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.

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