Bob Backlund

Bob Backlund is an American retired amateur and professional wrestler, born Robert Louis Backlund in 1949 in Princeton, Minnesota. He wrestled at Waldorf College and North Dakota State University, where he won the NCAA Division II title at 190 pounds in 1971, before training under Eddie Sharkey and turning professional in 1973 with the American Wrestling Association. After a spell in the National Wrestling Alliance territories he joined the World Wide Wrestling Federation and beat Superstar Billy Graham for its heavyweight championship in 1978. He held that title until the Iron Sheik beat him in 1983, a reign of 2,135 days that is the second longest in the championship history. He returned in the 1990s, won the title a second time from Bret Hart in 1994, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.