The Reason Bob Backlund Was Made Champion In The Late 1970s

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Backlind wasn't the most charismatic wrestler by any means and at the time he was made champion of the WWWF, he was still quite green. So what was the reason Vince Sr. made Backlund champ? The reason is Backlumd had an excellent amateur wrestling background in college and before, he was extremely strong despite not looking as string as he was, and he also had superb cardio conditioning. Nobody could blow him up and only a small handful of wrestlers would have been the favorite if a shoot match between Backlund and another pro wrestler had ever been sanctioned.

Who do you think are the wrestlers who comprise that small handful of wrestlers who could have taken the title from Backlund by shooting on him in the ring? The following is my list in order of how well I think they would have done against Backlund in a shoot with the biggest threat to Backlund in the number one position. Don't forget t keep i mind the time period when Backlund was champ. I think Danny Hodge and Lou Thesz would have been the two toughest competitors for Backlund and I believe they'd both have beaten him, possibly quite badly, but only of they had been younger and closer to their primes when Backlund became champion.

1. Dr Death Steve Williams
2. Jack Brisco
3. Harley Race
4. Billy Robinson
5. Andre The Giant
6. Dory Funk Jr.
7. Terry Funk Jr.
8. Blackjack Mulligan
9. Bruiser Brody
10. The Iron Sheik

Honorable Mention: Verne Gagne not only would have been on this list but he would have been near the top except for that fat that he was already in his 50s when Backlund became champ. Stu Hart is another who would have been right near the top of this list had he just been younger.
 
lol at dr death at number one. did you see him in brawl for all, that lay and pray artist couldn't finish his breakfast.
 
chubbman said:
lol at dr death at number one. did you see him in brawl for all, that lay and pray artist couldn't finish his breakfast.
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Did you see him 20 years earlier when he was at Oklahoma?
He was a monster
 
Dr. Death was a legit tough guy with a pedigree in amateur wrestling as good as anyone who didn't win a championship nor medal in the games. He was a legit athlete who played football and was an All Big 8 at OG and a legit 4 time All American (One of the 8 best wrestlers in his weight class in the US). He was tough as nails and in his younger days in the mid 80s to early 90s, his athleticism and wrestling ability led to his lore. But the Brawl-For-All didn't prove much for it didn't resemble a fight. Once you took someone down, you had to get back up so the person with the better boxing wins. Dr. Death took Bart Gunn down immediately and then they were stood up. If the rules allowed for GnP, it would've been good night for Gunn.

PS, with that said, Dr. Death DOES NOT QUALFY for this situation because when Backlund became champ, Dr. Death was still a freshman at OU. By the time Dr. Death got into wrestling, Backlund had already been champ for 4+ years.

Now if we are talking about a shootfight, if depends what the rules are. If it's that Brawl 4 All Junk, the better boxer wins. If it was a legit shoot where anything goes, it's all a toss up exception for the Funks, Mulligan, and Brody although Brody and Mulligan's only chance would be due to the fact that they had the size for they would not have been able to defend the takedown which would lead to GnP or submission.

Guys like Iron Sheik, Billy Robinson, Harley Race, Jack Brisco and Steve Williams were all true shooters, guys who could actually wrestle with the exception of Harley Race.

The thing with Backlund is he looks like a nerdy goof but that guy was strong as an ox, had cardio for days and just a supreme athlete. He was a legit collegiate football player and an All-American and D2 Wrestling champion. For what it's worth, Stan Hansen said of all the wrestlers he's ever met, not wrestled but met, Backlund was the most athletic wrestler he's ever met so that's saying something considering he worked with everyone in the US to Mexico to Japan.
 
Backlund was pushed because the New York landscape was changing from ethnic centric Burroughs to the gentrified haven't we see today. He was the all American boy who represented all of the New York, not just one specific Burroughs like the ones predating him.
 
GSPSAKU said:
Dr. Death was a legit tough guy with a pedigree in amateur wrestling as good as anyone who didn't win a championship nor medal in the games. He was a legit athlete who played football and was an All Big 8 at OG and a legit 4 time All American (One of the 8 best wrestlers in his weight class in the US). He was tough as nails and in his younger days in the mid 80s to early 90s, his athleticism and wrestling ability led to his lore. But the Brawl-For-All didn't prove much for it didn't resemble a fight. Once you took someone down, you had to get back up so the person with the better boxing wins. Dr. Death took Bart Gunn down immediately and then they were stood up. If the rules allowed for GnP, it would've been good night for Gunn.

PS, with that said, Dr. Death DOES NOT QUALFY for this situation because when Backlund became champ, Dr. Death was still a freshman at OU. By the time Dr. Death got into wrestling, Backlund had already been champ for 4+ years.

Now if we are talking about a shootfight, if depends what the rules are. If it's that Brawl 4 All Junk, the better boxer wins. If it was a legit shoot where anything goes, it's all a toss up exception for the Funks, Mulligan, and Brody although Brody and Mulligan's only chance would be due to the fact that they had the size for they would not have been able to defend the takedown which would lead to GnP or submission.

Guys like Iron Sheik, Billy Robinson, Harley Race, Jack Brisco and Steve Williams were all true shooters, guys who could actually wrestle with the exception of Harley Race.

The thing with Backlund is he looks like a nerdy goof but that guy was strong as an ox, had cardio for days and just a supreme athlete. He was a legit collegiate football player and an All-American and D2 Wrestling champion. For what it's worth, Stan Hansen said of all the wrestlers he's ever met, not wrestled but met, Backlund was the most athletic wrestler he's ever met so that's saying something considering he worked with everyone in the US to Mexico to Japan.
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How does that disqualify Dr Death?
TS wasnt looking for someone to take Backlunds place as champ, just someone who couldve shot on him during his reign and taken the title
 
Backlund had the amateur background and was Vince Sr's chosen one. People begged him to keep the belt on Superstar but he was too stubborn.
I've always felt bad for Superstar because he would've been Vince Jr's Hogan but he was just too old by then.
 
chubbman said:
lol at dr death at number one. did you see him in brawl for all, that lay and pray artist couldn't finish his breakfast.
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Yeah, in freaking 1998. Dr Death was a multiple time All American in both football (under Barry Switzer) and wrestling at Oklahoma.
 
GSPSAKU said:
Dr. Death was a legit tough guy with a pedigree in amateur wrestling as good as anyone who didn't win a championship nor medal in the games. He was a legit athlete who played football and was an All Big 8 at OG and a legit 4 time All American (One of the 8 best wrestlers in his weight class in the US). He was tough as nails and in his younger days in the mid 80s to early 90s, his athleticism and wrestling ability led to his lore. But the Brawl-For-All didn't prove much for it didn't resemble a fight. Once you took someone down, you had to get back up so the person with the better boxing wins. Dr. Death took Bart Gunn down immediately and then they were stood up. If the rules allowed for GnP, it would've been good night for Gunn.

PS, with that said, Dr. Death DOES NOT QUALFY for this situation because when Backlund became champ, Dr. Death was still a freshman at OU. By the time Dr. Death got into wrestling, Backlund had already been champ for 4+ years.

Now if we are talking about a shootfight, if depends what the rules are. If it's that Brawl 4 All Junk, the better boxer wins. If it was a legit shoot where anything goes, it's all a toss up exception for the Funks, Mulligan, and Brody although Brody and Mulligan's only chance would be due to the fact that they had the size for they would not have been able to defend the takedown which would lead to GnP or submission.

Guys like Iron Sheik, Billy Robinson, Harley Race, Jack Brisco and Steve Williams were all true shooters, guys who could actually wrestle with the exception of Harley Race.

The thing with Backlund is he looks like a nerdy goof but that guy was strong as an ox, had cardio for days and just a supreme athlete. He was a legit collegiate football player and an All-American and D2 Wrestling champion. For what it's worth, Stan Hansen said of all the wrestlers he's ever met, not wrestled but met, Backlund was the most athletic wrestler he's ever met so that's saying something considering he worked with everyone in the US to Mexico to Japan.
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Gerald Brisco was no joke either and people still respected him in the late 90s. Bruce Pritchard told a story about Chris Candido (an accomplished wrestler in his own right) threatening to attack Paul Bearer for calling Sunny a cunt backstage. Brisco grabbed him and escorted him out of the area and Candido started freaking out in his trademark high pitched voice. "Don't hook me, Jerry! Don't hook me!" Brisco replied in his classic southern drawl, "Chris...if I wanted to hook you, you'd already be hooked."
 
The Higher Power said:
Gerald Brisco was no joke either and people still respected him in the late 90s. Bruce Pritchard told a story about Chris Candido (an accomplished wrestler in his own right) threatening to attack Paul Bearer for calling Sunny a cunt backstage. Brisco grabbed him and escorted him out of the area and Candido started freaking out in his trademark high pitched voice. "Don't hook me, Jerry! Don't hook me!" Brisco replied in his classic southern drawl, "Chris...if I wanted to hook you, you'd already be hooked."
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Did you hear the story that Prichard told on his podcast about Brisco being ready to rock n roll when the ECW guys invaded the PPV in Philly?
Good story
 
deezy said:
Backlund was pushed because the New York landscape was changing from ethnic centric Burroughs to the gentrified haven't we see today. He was the all American boy who represented all of the New York, not just one specific Burroughs like the ones predating him.
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Senior wanted an All American boy and Backlund filled the bill perfectly. He even spoke to other promoters in the country and told them what he was looking for and Backlund was everyone's choice. Superstar was so over though that Sr. had some second thoughts but had promised Backlund the title when he signed him and wouldn't go back on his word.
I do not believe that Backlund was chosen because of his prowess as a shootfighter at all. Although Sr. liked legitimite athletes and wrestlers neither Bruno nor Morales were known for being legit fighters Bruno was strong and tough but as Johnny Walker will tell you, he wasn't a hooker.
As far as Backlund goes, there is the famous story where he lost a bar fight while working for Leroy McGuirk and his fellow wrestlers told him to go back in the bar to restart the fight and win or else McGuirk would fire him for losing.
 
Ric Flair would have made Backlund ride Space Mountain.
 
Backlund was a great worker. The notion that he was a snooze-fest is in my opinion, way, way, WAY exaggerated.
 
I think Superstar and Backlund were great foils for one another, a perfect contrast, but it didn't seem to work out as well as it could've between them.
 
Kforcer said:
I think Superstar and Backlund were great foils for one another, a perfect contrast, but it didn't seem to work out as well as it could've between them.
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Superstar being a mark for himself chose to take drugs for about a year instead of making money trying to chase the title didn't help the matter.
 
deezy said:
Superstar being a mark for himself chose to take drugs for about a year instead of making money trying to chase the title didn't help the matter.
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Yeah, I honestly got the idea that Superstar, in spite of having such a great heel character, didn't want to be anyone's foil. My impression was that he thought there was something wrong if he wasn't top dog. It's too bad because they were such a potentially perfect yin-yang fit for one another.
 
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