25 Great Wrestlers That EVERYBODY Turned Against

12. Bob Backlund

Bob Backlund was, at various points, a longstanding WWWF World Heavyweight Champion, signifiant draw, out-of-time babyface, intentionally out-of-time lunatic heel, and eventually just a wrestling eccentric occasionally used by the market leader and others to try and get acts over.

What he wasn't was a figure of hate. Not really, anyway. At worst, a lot of fans were indifferent to Bob during his 1992-94 babyface run, but even then would greet him with polite applause thanks to the power of the WWE Championship's prestige. As a heel, there was a charm to the elder statesmen of the New Generation roster losing the plot. It was entertaining, more than annoying. There was just no reason to really turn on somebody like a Bob Backlund...unless you were Dave Meltzer.

The Wrestling Observer creator was routinely brutal in his assessments of poor Bob, resulting in him winning Most Overrated Wrestler in 1983 and - hilariously - Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic in 1982 for...being booked to hold the belt. Readers agreed with Dave, despite Backlund drawing healthily for Vince McMahon Snr before Junior took the reins and took the product far beyond WWWF's North East loop and Madison Square Garden safety net.