I recently reported to you a few weeks back that Mick Foley was the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame, Class of 2013. While Foley was certainly a major announcement (and a deserved one at that), the second name may be considered even more deserving, especially by fans of the old school style of wrestling and wrestling purists alike.
This year, the second name to join the illustrious Hall of Fame is none other than former 2-time WWWF/WWF Champion Bob Backlund.
For you newer fans, Backlund may not be that familiar of a name. For older fans, however, Backlund’s resume speaks for itself. In 1978, Bob Backlund dethroned then-WWWF Champion and fellow Hall of Famer “Superstar” Billy Graham (who still holds the record for longest single reign as a heel champion) for the championship in what many considered to be a huge upset. Anyone who thought that Backlund might be a flash-in-the-pan or a paper champion were silenced when all was said and done as Backlund, using a combination of All-American good looks and unbelievable skills in the ring thanks to an extensive collegiate background, would go on to hold that very same championship for just under six years, giving him the second-longest single championship reign in company history, as well as one of the longest single reigns for a World Champion in any company.
In the 1980s, as the now-named WWF began to move away from the old school territory formula, Backlund was pushed aside in favor of flashy muscle men like Hulk Hogan. He would more or less disappear from wrestling during this time, pretty much staying absent until the early ’90s.
In 1992, Backlund made a surprise return to WWF, competing in that year’s Royal Rumble match and being one of the “iron men” in the match, staying in for a good portion of the 30-man spectacular. While this could have been a one-off (which is common in the Rumble), Backlund stayed around and once again became a regular member of the roster.
In 1994, after a surprise heel turn that saw him “snap”, Backlund once again shocked the world by winning the WWF Championship for a second time, just over 10 years after his first reign ended. This time, he upset fellow Hall of Famer Bret “Hitman” Hart in a Submission Match at the Survivor Series. Although his reign would only last a few days (he was dethroned by Kevin “Diesel” Nash in 9 seconds), it was still considered a major win in many old school eyes.
Backlund stuck around for a little while longer, and has made sporadic appearances for promotions all across the world, occasionally still lacing up the boots for a match here and there.
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