Bob started off working for several independent companies in Missouri and Georgia, winning several titles including a tag team reign with the legendary Jerry Brisco and another with Steve Keirn in the Florida branch of the NWA. However, true talent could not be held back for long. In 1978 Bob got a call that would change his life forever. Vince McMahon Sr. got in touch with Bob and not long after, Bob was wrestling in the WWWF, the fastest growing and most well known company in the world. Bob can still recall the memory of traveling to New York City for the first time and being very intimidated. He was leaving his small town of Princeton and moving up to the "big time" where all his hard work would pay off.

      It wasn't long before the fans were completely in love with Bobby Backlund. He brought forth a personal that appealed to fans across the country. He was an ideal American with the "boy next-door" looks. Backlund was the ultimate "good guy" and the fans loved everything about Bob, and McMahon realized it. On February 20, 1978, Backlund defeated "Superstar" Billy Graham to win the biggest prize in wrestling. Bob was crowned the WWWF Heavyweight Champion, perhaps the greatest and most memorable night in his illustrious career. Over the next 5+ years, Backlund defended the title night after night. Backlund set a tremendous streak by holding the title for approximately six years without being pinned. He defeated challengers such as Jimmy Snuka, Killer Khan, Adrian Adonis, and Jesse Ventura. Backlund was at the top of his game.

      But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and that time came for Bob in December of 1983. Vince McMahon Jr. had taken over the company and decided it was time for a change. He wanted to take the WWF in a different direction, and the men who would lead it would be Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, and others. It was quickly becoming a "big man's" sport where the bigger and badder you were, the better. Backlund preferred to stick with his good-guy image and quickly found that he didn't have a place anymore. He lost the title in controversial fashion to the Iron Sheik at Madison Square Garden. With the camel clutch applied, Backlund's manager, Arnold Skaaland threw in the towel which resulted in victory for the Iron Sheik. The fans were stunned, and so was Backlund. It wasn't long before he disappeared from the wrestling world.

      But nearly 10 years after his departure, the fans were stunned once more when Backlund, at the age of 43, decided it was time to make one more run at the business he loved so much. Backlund returned to the ring with the same ethic he had from the previous decade. He worked hard to please the fans and did it without any gimmick or silly cartoon character persona that many other wrestlers of the time had. He proved he was in great shape when he broke a record and lasted over 1 hour in the 1993 Royal Rumble. Bob competed in his first Wrestlemania that year as well, facing off against Razor Ramon. Bob competed against the likes of Doink the Clown, Rick Martel, and Shawn Michaels, doing very well and getting victories over them all. Bob competed in the 1994 Royal Rumble as well, but it wasn't long after that he disappeared from the scenes. He was actually training hard that spring for the match of his life against then World Champion, Bret Hart. The match took place in the summer of 1994, and it was a tremendous contest....easily a match of the year candidate. After the referee made a mistake, Hart managed to wrap up Backlund for the 3 count. Backlund appeared very frustrated after the match, and for the first time in his career, he snapped! He applied his patented "chicken wing" submission maneuver and refused to release Hart. Afterwards, Backlund looked at his hands in astonishment, apparently pleased at what he had done. After that, Backlund became the most hated heel the WWF had seen since Sgt. Slaughter earlier in the 90's.

      And Backlund loved every minute of it. What pleased him the most was that he could get a tremendous crowd reaction and still preach the things he believed in so much. He told the fans to stand up straight, not to use swear words, and to carry their own dictionary around with them so they could understand the complex words he used in his speeches. The fans basically despised Backlund because he was telling them how they should behave, but not how they wanted to behave. The gimmick proved so successful that Backlund received a World Title shot against Hart at the 1994 Survivor Series. In one of the most memorable nights in his career, he defeated Hart with the chicken wing, capturing the WWF title at the age of 45....the same title that had been taken away from him a decade earlier. Fans were in shock as the man they loved to hate was now their heavyweight champion!

      Although the title reign didn't last long, Backlund had once again made his mark in the wrestling world and attained his goal of reaching the top once again. Backlund remained active in the next year, competing at the 1995 Royal Rumble and facing Bret Hart in a classic match at Wrestlemania 11 in Hartford, CT. However, the WWF had other plans for "psycho" Bob as some called him. He began a campaign in late 1995 where he announced he would be running for the presidency of the United States the following year. The angle was perfect for Backlund, as the WWF made him out to be a lunatic running for the nation's highest office. He had campaign rallies and buttons all around the arenas.

      The presidency angle ran its course the next year, which is when Bob went back to the drawing board. The WWF was in the process of repackaging Fatu, former Headshrinker. They shaved his head and called him the Sultan. Who would get the job of managing this madman? Who else but Bob Backlund and the same man who defeated Backlund in late 1983 for the World Title....the Iron Sheik! The trio didn't have any chemistry which made them entertaining to watch. Backlund and the Sheik tried to communicate to each other while at the same time barking out orders to the Sultan. He received an Intercontinental Title shot against Rocky Maivia at Wrestlemania 13, but was defeated and fell out of prominence afterwards. Backlund finally disappeared from the WWF scene after a solid 6 year comeback run.

      As many fans know by now, Bob Backlund spent the following2 years brushing up on his education while preparing a run for a seat in the United States Congress. He went from coast to coast, campaigning and raising funds for his run in the First District of Connecticut. He even managed to squeeze in a quick WWF return as he helped Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle on his way to stardom. His hard work paid off as he ran in November of 2000 as a Republican. Despite strong opposition from the press and the heavily Democratic population, Backlund managed to garner 30% of the popular vote. Pretty impressive for a man with no previous political experience and who received very little press in newspapers. Bob is currently relaxing and enjoying some much needed time off at home with his wife and daughter. However, you can rest assured that it won't be long before Mr. Backlund is out making a difference. Whether it be in the wrestling ring, a television show, or your local elementary school, Bob Backlund attracts attention wherever he goes.