Backlund was an amateur wrestler at North Dakota State University, winning the Division II NCAA Championship at 190 pounds in 1971. On November 23, 1994, at the Survivor Series pay-per-view in San Antonio, Texas, Backlund faced Bret Hart in a special submission match for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship where the only way for a wrestler to win was to have the opponent's valet, like Arnold Skaaland did for Backlund over a decade earlier, stop the match by throwing a towel into the ring. [26] During his absence, the WWF had expanded into an international wrestling promotion, due in part to the colorful characters of the "Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection Era", which Hulk Hogan helped to kickstart eight years prior. [34] After leaving WWF in 1997, Backlund continued in the indies. Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund is the former three-time World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion with an in-ring career that has spanned nearly forty years.

During a television taping in October 1978, Maivia turned on and attacked him and Skaaland. Backlund … Backlund's early challengers for the title included Spiros Arion, Mr. Fuji, Ivan Koloff, George "the Animal" Steele, and Ken Patera, and had his first high-profile title match in Japan, defending against Antonio Inoki. [6], World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation (1976 - 1984), Road to the title and early successes (1976−1978), After the WWF and semi-retirement (1984–1992), Japan and Independent circuit (1994-2001), Return to Independent Circuit (2009, 2011), WWWF/WWF Heavyweight Champion/WWF World Heavyweight Champion, NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion, George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation/WWE, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, "Bob Backlund announces run for Congress", "Matches « Bob Backlund « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database", "FORGET VENTURE: CONNECTICUT PRO WRESTLER HOPES TO TAKE DOWN CONGRESSMAN LARSON", "WWF Monday Night RAW #139 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database", "Matches « Bob Backlund « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - the Internet Wrestling Database", "PWTorch.com - CALDWELL'S WWE WRESTLEMANIA 29 PPV RESULTS: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live PPV from MetLife Stadium - Rock-Cena II, Taker-Punk, Lesnar-Hunter, more", "WWE NEWS: Raw script leak - several roster updates, including injuries, time off, heel or face?, Zayn call-up?, more", "Bob Backlund possible coach of Darren Young", "7/24 WWE Battleground Results – Caldwell's Complete Report", "The Official Destination for WWE Superstars - WWE", "Dradition Back To The New York Tour In Tokyo « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database", "Dradition Back To The New York Tour In Osaka « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database", "The All-American Boy: Lessons and Stories on Life from Wrestling Legend Bob Backlund", at Amazon.com, "Men Who Put Foes in Headlocks Now Try to Get a Grip on Politics", "Bob Backlund announced for 2016 Tragos/Thesz Hall of Fame", Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Inductees, NWA Western States Heavyweight Title history, WWWF/WWF/WWE World Heavyweight Title history, WWWF/WWF/WWE World Tag Team Title history, MSG Tag/IWGP Tag Title/Japan Cup Tag/Super Grade Tag/G1 Tag/World Tag League, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Backlund&oldid=978374870, Articles with dead external links from April 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from July 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Ranked No.