Returning to the WWF in 1992, Bob Backlund was a million miles away from what young wrestling fans expected of 'Superstars' during that era. Looking like he'd just stepped out of a time capsule after being cryogenically frozen, the pasty-white Backlund failed to get over as a babyface. His performance during the 1993 Royal Rumble was admirable, but fans didn't want to see him as champion. That's exactly what happened over a year later. In the lead-up to the 1994 Survivor Series, Backlund's character had changed drastically. Now an out-of-touch heel, Bob reasoned that the youth of North America needed a champion they could be proud of, not a phony like Bret Hart. The storyline had legs, but the match between both men on Pay-Per-View was dull and lengthy. Making matters worse, Bob Backlund won the WWF Heavyweight Title. Helen Hart, Bret's mother, threw in a towel on behalf of her son. All of a sudden, Backlund was in possession of the WWF's biggest prize. Keep in mind this happened during the whole 'New WWF Generation' advertising campaign, which made the company look silly for crowning an aging star on one of their biggest shows of the year.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
