Robert Louis Backlund is a renowned American retired amateur and professional wrestler, whose illustrious career spanned from the 1970s to the 1990s. He is most famously recognized for his appearances in the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation, a professional wrestling promotion that he was affiliated with from 1976 to 1984 and again in the 1990s. During his time in the WWF, Backlund held the coveted WWWF Championship/WWF Championship on two separate occasions, with his first reign being the second longest in the promotion's history. His impressive accomplishments have earned him a place in the WWE Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2013.
Before embarking on his professional wrestling career, Backlund began his journey in amateur wrestling, competing for the North Dakota State University Bison from the late 1960s to early 1970s. He then transitioned to professional wrestling, training under the guidance of Eddie Sharkey in 1973 and competing for the American Wrestling Federation. His success in the ring led him to join the National Wrestling Alliance, where he won the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship in 1976. Later that year, he joined the World Wide Wrestling Federation, defeating the formidable Superstar Billy Graham for the WWWF Heavyweight Championship in 1978. Backlund went on to hold the championship for nearly five years, losing it to the Iron Sheik in 1983. Following his departure from the WWF, Backlund made a triumphant return in 1992, participating in the 1993 Royal Rumble match for over an hour, a record that stood until the 2004 Royal Rumble. At the 1994 Survivor Series, Backlund won his second WWF Championship, defeating the legendary Bret Hart. Although his second reign was short-lived, lasting only three days, he lost the title to Diesel at a house show in Madison Square Garden.
In addition to his achievements in the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation, Backlund has also enjoyed success in other prominent professional wrestling promotions, including Wrestling and Romance, Championship Wrestling from Florida, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. His impressive career has been recognized with numerous accolades, including his induction into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.
