10 Unlikely WWE Champions With Hugely Memorable Title Runs
7. Bob Backlund
When Bob Backlund returned to the WWF in the early '90s, it seemed as though the ex-champion had carved out a comfortable groove on the undercard as the veteran nostalgia act. However, that would all change in '94 when he entered into a feud with WWF Champion, Bret Hart.
After an unlucky loss to 'The Hitman' on WWF Superstars, Backlund "snapped" and 'The All American Boy' became the crazed 'Mr Backlund' character we know today. As a heel, Backlund defeated Bret Hart at Survivor Series '94 and once again became the WWF Champion, 11 years after he last held it.
The shocking win was one of the biggest upsets in WWF history and is still hard to comprehend even looking back on it today. Nevertheless, Backlund's return to the main event scene made him a household name with an entirely new generation of fans and gave his career untold longevity as a result.
Ultimately, the reign itself would only last three days and the new champ was defeated in just eight seconds by Diesel in MSG. The rapid loss was the shortest WWF Championship bout ever at the time, a record that stood for an impressive 23 years. The ignominious feat was eventually broken by Baron Corbin's six second loss to Jinder Mahal in August this year.