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Bob Backlund
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bob Backlund  |
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| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | Bob Backlund Mr. Backlund |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Billed weight | 243 lb (110 kg) |
| Born | August 14, 1949 |
| Resides | Glastonbury, Connecticut |
| Billed from | Princeton, Minnesota |
| Trained by | Eddie Sharkey |
| Debut | 1973 |
| Retired | 2000 |
Robert Louis Backlund (born August 14, 1949) is a former American professional wrestler and minor politician. Currently performing in a non-wrestling role for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
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Backlund was an amateur wrestler at North Dakota State University, winning the Division II NCAA Championship at 190 pounds in 1971.
After spending the beginning of his career in the AWA, Georgia, Florida and Missouri, Backlund joined the WWF and became the WWF Champion on February 20, 1978, defeating "Superstar" Billy Graham in New York City's Madison Square Garden. According to Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor Dave Meltzer, Backlund was picked to be champion by Vincent J. McMahon, who was looking for a younger version of Jack Brisco as well as an "All-American" type. Backlund was recommended to McMahon by Eddie Graham and Sam Muchnick. Over a near six-year period, Backlund 'lost' the title on two occasions in matches with Antonio Inoki (November 30, 1979, in Tokushima, Japan) and Greg Valentine, although the WWE recognizes it as one constant title reign with Backlund defeating some of the most notorious heels in the sport, ranging from Pat Patterson to Don Muraco. Backlund's reign is officially considered to have been uninterrupted from 1978 through to 1983. Backlund's steel cage match against Jimmy Snuka on June 28, 1982 in Madison Square Garden is considered a classic to this day.
However, by the final months of his title reign, many fans had grown weary of "Howdy Doody," as the Grand Wizard had dubbed Backlund, due to his red hair and boyish features. Additionally, Vincent K. McMahon, who had taken over his father's wrestling promotion, wanted to put the title on the more charismatic and muscular Californian Hulk Hogan. On December 26, 1983 Backlund, recently "injured" in a TV angle where The Iron Sheik assaulted Backlund with his Persian Clubs, lost the title to the Sheik when Backlund's manager Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel while Backlund was locked in the Camel Clutch. It's worth noting that Backlund was not defeated via a pinfall or submission. Because Backlund was declared "injured," he was denied an automatic rematch with the Iron Sheik, and instead Hulk Hogan was given a match, which he won, making him the new Champion. Backlund asked for a match with Hogan, but the WWF refused, citing its rule about not putting two popular "faces" up against one another. As a solution, McMahon asked Backlund to become a "punk rock" heel, with dyed hair and face paint similar to that of "Exotic" Adrian Street, Backlund refused to do that and left the World Wrestling Federation.
After leaving the WWF, Backlund used his own money to purchase commercial airtime during one of the Federation's cable TV broadcasts, in which he asked fans to write to Vince McMahon and demand that the former champ be given a title match against Hulk Hogan. Backlund's apparent hope was that a massive groundswell of public support would pressure McMahon into giving him the match. There is no record of just how many fans did comply with Backlund's request and write in, but the fact remains that Backlund was not offered the match.
For several years afterward, both Backlund and McMahon were estranged, and both said some uncomplimentary things about the other.
Also of note were his title vs. title bouts against AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel and NWA World Champions Harley Race and Ric Flair. Backlund's no-nonsense attitude and superb scientific skill made him a durable champion and a favorite of many fans around the world. Bob Backlund's gimmick was wrestling.
After a run in the short-lived Pro Wrestling USA, a joint promotion between the NWA and the AWA in which he notably challenged AWA Champion Rick Martel, Backlund soon dropped off the pro wrestling scene. He later resurfaced in Herb Abrams' short-lived UWF in June 1991 for Beach Brawl, a pay-per-view event in which he defeated Ivan Koloff.
In late 1992, Backlund returned to a WWF very different from the one that he had left nearly a decade earlier. In his absence, the company had enjoyed a great deal of national success, with many new fans being drawn to the colorful wrestlers of the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection" era. Backlund, whose persona remained the same as it was in his heyday, may have been too bland to get over with the fans of the early 1990s. Many of these fans did not even remember him, as he had left just prior to Vince McMahon's national expansion.
While this period of his career was largely uneventful, it was highlighted by his performance at the 1993 Royal Rumble, in which he lasted sixty-one minutes and ten seconds, a record that would not be broken until 2004 (by Chris Benoit). Backlund's first appearance at a WrestleMania event, at WrestleMania IX, consisted of a quick match, which he lost to Razor Ramon.
Backlund was rumored to start a storyline involving Papa Shango in which Shango was using his voodoo powers to cause Backlund to lose control of himself. Backlund would suddenly snap in a match, go into a blind rage, and would viciously attack his opponent with a crossface chickenwing. Afterward, Backlund would seemingly snap out of his trance and be horrified by what he had done. The voodoo angle was dropped, but Backlund's odd, violent behavior started generating attention among the fans, and it was continued.
In the summer of 1994, Backlund took part in what was billed as an "old generation vs. new generation" match with Bret Hart, with Hart's WWF Championship on the line. Over a number of weeks, viewers of WWF Superstars were treated to vignettes of Backlund working out and training for his match with Hart. Hart won the match, after Backlund misconceived his own victory and helped Bret to his feet, but afterwards Backlund "snapped", slapping Hart in the face and placing him in the crossface chickenwing submission hold, laughing hysterically. When he finally released the hold, Backlund stared at his hands in shock.
Shortly after his match with Hart, on an episode of Monday Night RAW, a changed Backlund explained that he should still be considered the legitimate WWF Champion, as the Iron Sheik had never pinned him, nor had he submitted to the Camel Clutch. Backlund continued wrestling under the new gimmick of an out of touch, yet highly dangerous, maniac out to teach the new generation a lesson. He often appeared in business suits, had a hyperactive personality, and used (or, often, misused) large words to sound important. He also demanded that he be addressed as "Mr. Backlund". On several instances, he attacked wrestlers and other WWF employees and placed them in the crossface chickenwing. These victims included Duke "The Dumpster" Droese, WWF Magazine writer Lou "The Count" Gianfriddo, and his former manager Skaaland, whom he blamed for costing him the WWF Title eleven years before. The gimmick worked, as fans, especially the younger crowd, disliked him highly. Many fans, however, enjoyed seeing Backlund, who had spent most of his career as a clean-cut babyface, dive into his new heel role with such zeal.
On November 23, 1994 at the 1994 Survivor Series PPV in San Antonio, Texas, Backlund faced Bret Hart in a "Throw in the Towel" submission match, with Bret's brother Owen Hart in his corner (carrying what Backlund claimed to be the same towel Skaaland threw into the ring in 1983) and The British Bulldog in Hart's. The object of the match was to make your opponent's cornerman throw in the towel while you were in a submission hold. During a late point in the match, Backlund took advantage of a mistake by Hart and locked the crossface chickenwing in. Hart was locked in the hold for seven minutes, but refused to give up. Finally, Owen went over to his mother Helen, who was at ringside, and pleaded (not meaning it) with her to throw Bret's towel in (Bulldog had become incapacitated during the course of the match). After several minutes, Helen Hart threw the towel in, giving the match and the championship to Backlund.
Backlund's second reign as WWF Champion was short-lived, however, as he lost the title on November 26 to Diesel at Madison Square Garden, home of many of Backlund's victories in the 1970s and 1980s. This match was one of the most famous WWE matches of all time, as the towering Diesel simply kicked Backlund in the stomach and hit him with a Jackknife Powerbomb, pinning him a mere eight seconds after the bell rang. For weeks afterwards, fans jeered Backlund with chants of "Eight seconds! Eight seconds!" In a 2005 interview for the Pro Wrestling Torch, Nash fondly remembered how Backlund sold his Jackknife Powerbomb by crawling up the aisleway back to the dressing room area of the Garden. Nash said, "He couldn't have put me over any stronger."
Though Backlund still wrestled on an occasional basis after his title loss, he never again reached main event status. His final noteworthy WWF match was an "I Quit" Match against Bret Hart at WrestleMania XI on April 2, 1995. He lost, though many viewers have noted that Backlund never actually said, "I Quit." He screamed unintelligibly into the microphone, which special guest referee Roddy Piper seemed to interpret as "I Quit."
Following WrestleMania, the WWF ran an angle where Backlund declared his candidacy for President of the United States. Several vignettes were shown on television, including one depicting Backlund campaigning at a beach. However, this angle was dropped without fanfare, possibly due to lack of fan interest and because the U.S. presidential election would not be held for another year and a half.
For a brief time in 1996 and 1997, Backlund joined forces with his old nemesis the Iron Sheik to manage the Sultan in the WWF.
He later returned to wrestle in the 2000 Royal Rumble. After that, he became a brief-time manager for the then-Intercontinental and European Champion Kurt Angle. During his run, he taught his crossface chickenwing submission to Angle, but later on, Angle fired Backlund (and gave Backlund a crossface chickenwing) after he (Angle) discovered that Backlund booked Angle in a Two Falls Match with Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho, with both of his titles on the line, at WrestleMania 2000.
Possibly inspired by his fake presidential candidacy in 1995, Backlund also unsuccessfully ran for a Connecticut seat in Congress as a Republican in 2000. He went on to operate a bail bond company in Connecticut.
After many references to Backlund by Kevin Nash, Backlund debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in January 2007, at the Final Resolution pay-per-view, judging the finals of the Paparazzi Championship Series (PCS) between Alex Shelley and Austin Starr. Given the tie breaking vote, Backlund launched a long explanation before declaring his decision a draw, and the match was restarted by PCS director Kevin Nash. After the match was won by Shelly, Starr pie faced Backlund due to the former's belief that Backlund cost him the fight, in which Backlund responded by putting Starr in the cross face chicken wing.
It was recently reported on TNA Wrestling's home page that Backlund would begin to make regular appearances on TNA iMPACT!. During his recent appearances on iMPACT! he has been seen as crazy and weird by announcers Don West and Mike Tenay. He is scheduled to be the guest referee for the Austin Starr vs. Senshi match at TNA Lockdown.
- Managers: Arnold Skaaland
- Wrestlers He Managed: The Sultan & Kurt Angle
- Finishing and signature moves:
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- Crossface chickenwing
- Atomic Knee Drop (Diving knee drop) - Original finisher; later replaced with the Crossface chickenwing
- Atomic Spinecrusher (Atomic drop)
- National Wrestling Alliance
- Regional
- NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Steve Keirn
- NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jack Brisco
- NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked #7 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" (2003)
- PWI Rookie of the Year (1976)
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1977)
- PWI Match of the Year (1978) - vs. Superstar Billy Graham
- PWI Wrestler of the Year (1980)
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1981)
- PWI Wrestler of the Year (1982)
- PWI Match of the Year (1982) - vs. Jimmy Snuka
- PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1994)
- Wrestle Association R
- WAR Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Scott Putski and The Warlord
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- He is a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (inducted in 2004).
- 1980 Best Technical Wrestler
- 1980 Match of the Year (vs. Ken Patera)
- 1983 Most Overrated Wrestler
- Backlund replaced his Atomic Knee Drop finisher with the crossface chickenwing to avoid wear and tear on his knees.
- Backlund competed in title unification matches with NWA Champions Harley Race and Ric Flair, and AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel.
- In his autobiography Mick Foley stated that Backlund was dyslexic and only learned to read at a later age, and even then not very well. Foley claimed he would often read highly intellectual books and use big words to try and make himself sound smarter. The only problem was Backlund didn't know the meaning of the words and would use them in the wrong context.
- Mr. Backlund is known to deny autograph requests unless the fans can name all 43 United States Presidents. Whether or not this is a legitimate demand on his part, or simply an extension of his ring persona for publicity purposes, is unknown.