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You wouldn't know it by looking at him, but Bob Backlund is an absolute legend in the annals of professional wrestling. He wasn't the biggest or most intimidating guy, but he was one of the top stars for Vince McMahon Sr.'s World Wide Wrestling Federation, and during the early days of Vince Jr.'s WWE. Many fans remember Backlund for winning the WWE Championship from Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1995 after Owen Hart forced their mother Helen to throw in the towel, or his time spent "Making Darren Young Great Again" as Young's manager in 2016. However, Backlund is actually one of the most decorated WWE Champions in history that nobody talks about. While Bruno Sammartino had the longest WWE Championship reign at 2803 days, Backlund has the second-longest reign in WWE Championship history at 2135 days -- nearly six years.
Bob Backlund Defeated Superstar Billy Graham In 1978 To Win The WWE Championship
Backlund had an amateur wrestling background -- attending North Dakota State University -- and winning the Division II NCAA Championship at 190 pounds in 1971. He debuted in 1973 for the AWA, before competing for several NWA territories and winning multiple singles and tag team championships. He joined Vince McMahon Sr.'s WWWF in 1976, and with his clean-cut look and technical skill, Backlund was pushed as one of the company's top babyfaces.
Just a few months into his time with WWWF, Backlund would challenge for Superstar Billy Graham's WWWF Championship but lose by countout. He would challenge Graham multiple times throughout 1977, and while failing to capture the championship, the two wrestled to a double countout once, and Backlund even scored a countout victory of his own -- although the title did not change hands. Backlund finally defeated Graham for the title on February 20, 1978, at Madison Square Garden to begin his legendary reign.
Bob Backlund Defended The Title Successfully 876 Times
Three days after winning the championship, Backlund had a huge title-for-title match with NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race in a best two-out-of-three falls match in Championship Wrestling in Florida. The two battled to a time limit draw, as was often the case when champions from different promotions wrestled. He also had matches against other world champions from different promotions, including Nick Bockwinkel (AWA), Ric Flair (NWA) and Billy Robinson (international). Additionally, he would defend the title a number of times in Japan, including against the legend Antonio Inoki. According to cagematch.net, Backlund had a total of 876 successful title defenses throughout his nearly six-year title reign.
While world champion, Backlund also had a successful tag team run with Peter Maivia (grandfather of The Rock), before Maivia turned on him in late 1978, allowing Backlund to show a more maniacal, angry side of his character. Backlund would win a series of matches between the two, highlighted by a steel cage match in early 1979 at MSG. He won his only WWE Tag Team Championship with Pedro Morales in 1980, although they vacated the title the following day due to a silly WWE rule at the time stating that nobody could hold two championships simultaneously. Backlund also had a number of title defenses in 1980 over a young Hulk Hogan, although he never got a decisive pinfall victory over Hogan. It would be Hogan's meteoric rise that would ultimately be the catalyst for ending Backlund's championship reign.
Bob Backlund Dropped The Title To The Iron Sheik on December 26, 1983
Backlund also had great title matches and rivalries with the likes of Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, Don Muraco, Sgt. Slaughter, and "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka during the latter part of his reign. After Vince McMahon Jr. took control of WWE from his father, he wanted to put the title on the younger, bigger, and more charismatic Hogan. Vince wanted Backlund to turn heel and drop the title to Hogan, but he refused, and a transitional champ was needed.
The Iron Sheik would attack Backlund with his Persian club, with Backlund suffering a storyline arm injury. Iron Sheik challenged a weakened Backlund on December 26, 1983 for the WWE Championship and defeated him after Backlund's manager, Arnold Skaaland, threw in the towel while Backlund was locked in Sheik's camel clutch. Iron Sheik held the title for just 28 days before dropping it to Hogan, who would hold it for 1474 days himself. While Backlund did get some non-televised rematches against the Iron Sheik, he never challenged Hogan for the WWE Championship, before departing the company in late 1984.
Backlund would get one more moment of WWE Championship glory more than a decade later at Survivor Series 1994, defeating Bret Hart for the WWE Championship in controversial fashion, after Owen Hart essentially forced their mother Helen to throw the towel in on Bret's behalf, just as Backlund's manager Skaaland did for him in 1983. Backlund's second reign would only last three days, as he dropped the title to Diesel three days later at an MSG house show.