10 WWE Legends Who Came Back And Ruined Everything

Bob Backlund is one of WWE's biggest success stories. After Bruno Sammartino carried the company in the 1960s and 70s, Backlund took the reins and held the WWE Championship for 2,135 days.

After a long career in the northeast, Backlund left WWE in 1984, just as the business started to go international. He didn't get up to much wrestling for almost a decade, then expectedly made his WWE return in 1992 to a lukewarm reception.

Let's reiterate here that Backlund's place in wrestling history can't be understated, but the game had changed by the 90s. His biggest problem was that people didn't know who he was. He'd left just before WWE spread its wings and went global; there'd been eight WrestleManias since his last match with the company.

Times had changed. He carried the same squeaky clean babyface gimmick from decades before and it didn't fit with the modern era. Even a heel turn couldn't save this run.

So, why is he on this list?

Survivor Series 1994.

Bret "Hitman" Hart walked in as WWE Champion and after a convoluted storyline, he was facing old man Backlund in a match that wasn't even the main event. After nearly 10 minutes in a Crossface Chickenwing, Hart's mother Helen, with encouragement from brother Owen, threw in the towel and Backlund was the WWE Champion again.

He lost the belt to Diesel at a house show three days later, but the damage was done. The "Hitman" would have to wait over year to see the top strap again.