Posts Tagged ‘Bob Backlund’

Former Nexus Member Cleared For In Ring Return

Pro Wrestling Sheet has confirmed that former Nexus Member Darren Young has been cleared for an in ring return by WWE Medicals after staying out of action for almost 6 months.

Young was a part of the first season of NXT under the mentorship of CM Punk and he later became a part of the infamous Nexus stable lead by the winner of NXT season one Wade Barret.

He suffered an elbow injury back in January this year while competing in a match against Primo and Epico during an episode of WWE Main Event. He underwent a surgery in February to repair the injured elbow.

It was reported before that he is expected to be cleared this month and the site reports that he had his evaluation done this week in which he was found completely fit.

Yung who has previously won the Tag Team Championship with Titus O’Neil was involved in a storyline with Bob Backlund prior to his injury where he acted as a Protégé of the WWE Legend.

Though currently there is neither any news on when he will make his in ring return nor it’s known if his pairing with Backlund will continue when he returns to WWE Programming.

Possible Spoiler For Tonight’s WWE RAW

It looks like WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund may be bringing his “life coach” storyline with Darren Young to TV tonight for RAW from Columbus, OH. Vignettes between the two have been airing for months but Backlund was recording from WWE HQ in Stamford.

We noted before that Backlund was in Young’s corner at the WWE house show in Huntington, WV on Sunday. As revealed in the photo below from David Otunga, Backlund is also in attendance for tonight’s RAW.

Darren Young Paired With Bob Backlund (Video), Matches for Next Week’s SmackDown and NXT

– Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Alex Riley and Finn Balor’s return has been announced for next week’s WWE NXT episode. This will be Balor’s first TV appearance since dropping the NXT title to Samoa Joe.

– Goldust and R-Truth are finally getting in the ring together on next Thursday’s SmackDown – but on opposing teams. It will be Goldust and Fandango vs. Truth and Tyler Breeze.

– As seen on this week’s SmackDown, Darren Young’s new “life coach” was revealed to be WWE Legend Bob Backlund. It’s time to Make Darren Great Again.

Behind-The-Scenes Of Batista’s M&F Shoot, New Day Socks (Photo), Backlund/JR

– Featured above is a behind-the-scenes clip from Batista’s recent Muscle & Fitness shoot.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund is the guest on this week’s edition of Jim Ross’ “Ross Report” podcast. The official description for the show, which you can download at PodcastOne.com, reads as follows:

“WWE Hall of Famer & World Champ Bob Backlund has plenty of stories about his days in pro-wrestling – from his chance meeting with Superstar Billy Graham at a North Dakota YMCA to being mentored by the Funk Brothers to the one-minute long phone call with Vince McMahon, Sr that changed his pro-wrestling career! Hear about Bob’s early days in the territories living in his car, his 1982 match against Ric Flair, dropping the belt to the Iron Sheik at MSG, and his amazing philosophy on the benefits of a Positive Mental Attitude!”

– WWE Shop has finally released New Day socks for the WWE Tag-Team Champions, The New Day. Kofi Kingston tweeted the following about the product, which you can also see pictured below.

Bob Backlund: Hulk Hogan Took Drugs To Succeed & Embarrassed Us

Bob Backlund recently explained that he and Bruno Sammartino were embarrassed by Hulk Hogan’s success & how he attained it. Backlund, a WWE Hall of Famer, talked to Inquisitr.com to promote his new book and dished out a little more bad PR for The Hulkster along the way.

“Hulk Hogan told your children not to take drugs and cocaine and eat your vitamins and minerals. He talked the talk, but he didn’t walk the walk,” said Backlund. “It was very embarrassing for me and Bruno Sammartino to have a man like that to replace us because we believed doing the right was a very important element of a champion.”

“We don’t hate Hulk Hogan, we didn’t like what he did, what he did to improve. He cheated in life and took drugs to get ahead, and it’s not that you hate a person you just don’t like the things he did.”

This is more bad press for Hogan, who is currently going through a sex tape-related lawsuit, which also lead to him being fired from WWE for using the N-word on the tape.

Backlund did however have some kind things to say about another multi-time World Champion, Triple H.

“He’s done everything he said he would with me since I met him,” said Backlund. “I can’t say he’s Vince McMahon Sr, but you can’t judge somebody in a years time span. You gotta do business with them for quite a while before you could really know that he is that person you’re hoping that he is. So far, I believe he’s a very good person and I know he’s a good family man.”

Check out the full story where he speaks on John Cena, Vince McMahon, and more at Inquisitr.com.

Eye-Witness Account Of What Really Happened With Bob Backlund Incident At Verne Gagne’s Funeral

While there has been some conflicting reports regarding what went down with WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund at legendary AWA promoter Verne Gagne’s recent funeral, former AWA announcer Mick Karch, who was there, shared his side of the story in a new post published on his official Facebook page.

Karch wrote the following about the story:

“If you weren’t there, it is pretty absurd to say it didn’t go down as reported, even if you’re a fan of Backlund (and there is nothing wrong with that). I will say one more time, Greg Gagne was wrapping up his eulogy for Verne when Backlund stood up, made some shouting references to representing WWE, and then told Greg, `Don’t talk back to me!’ He smiled and sat back down. Greg’s response was, `Who was that?’ Someone said, `Bob Backlund,’ and Greg responded, ‘Who let him in here.’ Backlund hadn’t just spoken the words, he was shouting as if he was cutting a promo from his Mr. Backlund days.”

Update On Bob Backlund’s Antics At Verne Gagne’s Funeral

Robert Miller, the co-author of Bob Backlund’s upcoming biography, has issued a statement in response to reports that Backlund cut a “heel promo” at Verne Gagne’s funeral last week.

Miller wrote the following on the Kayfabe Memories message board this past weekend to tell his side of the story.

Okay folks, just got off the phone with Bob, and here’s the story straight from the horse’s mouth.

Bob DID NOT cut a heel promo, or anything resembling that, at Verne’s funeral. I’m not sure who came up with that story, but it is not accurate.

According to Bob, here’s what actually happened.

Bob and everyone else in attendance sat quietly through the solemn, ceremonial part of the service. When that was over, the ministers announced that the “church service” was over, but that Gene Okurlund and Greg Gagne were going to speak – and that others might speak also. Mean Gene went first, and apparently gave some pretty awesome remarks that had people in the crowd laughing and cheering. Apparently it ended with Gene making a ring announcement and the people rising in a standing ovation. So this was not the ordinary somber church experience that you and I know.

Anyway, then Greg got up and gave a “eulogy” that was more of the same. At one point, Greg was talking about the WWF/E and his father’s experiences with Vince Sr. and Vince Jr, and some of the stuff that he had read about that on the internet. At that point, Bob stood up, and said “Hey Greg – just wanted you to know that I’m here representing Vince McMahon and the WWE, and we all just wanted to pay our respects and express our condolences to you and to your family from everyone in the WWE.”

That was it.

Greg thanked Bob, Bob sat down, and then Greg continued. According to Bob, the whole thing lasted about 15 seconds, and was done because Greg’s remarks opened the door, and Bob wanted everyone in the building to understand that the WWE was paying its respects to Verne and the Gagne family.

When the service was over, Bob went up front, and he and Greg exchanged a hug and some pleasantries. There was no outrage, and no one was upset about what happened. While standing up and saying something in the middle of a church service might seem a little foreign to most of us, this was apparently not an ordinary church service, but a more loose and fun exchange, which, according to Bob, who had known Verne very well since all the way back to Bob’s high school days, was “just how Verne would have liked it.”

So anyway – it seems like someone has run a little fast and loose with things without understanding the full story. I wasn’t there, but the accounting above is Bob’s version of what happened – which he just shared with me on the phone. He was very concerned about anyone thinking that he had actually “disrupted” the funeral service of a man that he respected so much, and whose funeral he had traveled all the way back to Minnesota to attend.

You mileage may vary about whether or not Backlund was behaving appropriately even in his own version of the story. Regardless, he’s pretty insistent that he did not cut the type of ranting and raving “Mr. Backlund” promo that most people were imagining.”

DDP, Scott Hall & Jake Roberts At Film Festival (Video), Backlund’s Book, Ziggler/Mr. Perfect

– For the eighth time, WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund’s official autobiography has been delayed. The new release date for the project is now Tuesday, August 4th.

– As reported recently, Diamond Dallas Page, Scott Hall and Jake Roberts were in attendance at the Slamdance Film Festival for the premiere of the new “Resurrection of Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts” documentary. Below is additional footage of the trio at the film festival.

– The latest edition of WWE’s “Fantasy Match-Up” online series, which you can check out below, features a look at a fantasy match between Dolph Ziggler and Mr. Perfect.

Chris Jericho On Vince’s “Brass Ring” Speech, Savage/WWE HOF, His WWE Return

The following are highlights of a new U.K. Mirror interview with Chris Jericho:

On WWE inducting Randy Savage into the Hall Of Fame: “Well, absolutely it’s one of the guys that needed to go in there to make it a legitimate Hall of Fame. They’ve done a great job over the last few years, putting in those last few guys like Bob Backlund, Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart, and now Savage, those were the holdouts that needed to be in there to give that Hall some semblance of credibility. Now that Savage is going in, it’s kind of closing the book on the outstanding that needed to be in there – like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame needs to put Deep Purple in there before I can ever take it seriously. Until they do, it’s kind of a joke to me. The fact Savage is finally going in is great.”

On returning to WWE for the next two months, but not working TV or PPVs: “Just for January and February, working the live events – no TV matches, no pay-per-view matches. I happen to have January and February off because in March I’m going back to the UK with Fozzy, so it was a good time to go back to WWE for a few matches. It’s based around Fozzy’s schedule, and it’s been that way since 2010. You see me come and go for a month here, a month there, that’s why I didn’t want to do any TV this year in January or February because it’s too short of a timeframe. Considering it’s WrestleMania time, there’s really no reason to come back [on TV] because I’m not available for WrestleMania, nor do I want to be around just for a couple of months. It’d be too quick.”

On Vince McMahon’s “brass ring” speech: “I grabbed it so I don’t really have … he’s right, it’s all up to him, and whatever mood he’s in and whoever he decides has it at the moment will get a chance. It’s Vince, he says things and whatever is in his head. When I’m not in WWE, I don’t watch a lot of WWE. There’s guys there grabbing the brass ring and others will over time, and there’s people you never expected to make it huge that will make it huge – that’s the nature of the business. Look at Daniel Bryan, the company never expected him to get as big as he got and probably didn’t even want him to get as big as he got, but some guys just do.”

Check out the complete interview at Mirror.co.uk.

News On One Of Adam Rose’s “Rosebuds,” Backlund, RAW/SD! Slam Of The Week

– WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund will be appearing at Lisa Marie Varon’s “Squared Circle” restaurant in Chicago, Illinois on Monday, July 7th.

– As previously reported, NXT wrestler Jody Kristofferson, son of actor Kris Kristofferson, is the wrestler that has been portraying the “Captain Comic” character as part of Adam Rose’s “Rosebuds” group. Kristofferson actually worked as “Captain Comic” on the California independent scene a few years ago.

– The following are the latest “RAW Slam of the Week” and “SmackDown Slam of the Week” videos:

  • CM PUNK CONFIRMS Wedding Plans With AJ LEE + NEW Video Of Him SINGING!!
  • Vince Russo Reveals Top Ten Easiest Talents To Produce During His Career

    As previously reported, Vince Russo has opened up an official commentary-style website which covers music, movies, sports and pro wrestling. His latest pro wrestling piece is a top ten list of the easiest talents he ever produced during his years in the business.

    The top five reads as follows:

    5. Kurt Angle
    4. “Any Female Wrestler”
    3. Dustin Rhodes
    2. Paul Bearer
    1. “Mr.” Backlund

    You can check out the full top ten list here and here.

    Russo’s official website is also accepting writers and video specialists. You can apply for those positions at PyroAndBallyhoo.com/hiring.

  • MAJOR WWE Heel Turns Planned + *SPOILER* On Two HUGE SummerSlam Matches [>>]
  • Bob Backlund At Axxess (Photo), Stephanie At WrestleMania Reading Celebration

    – The following is a photo of WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund at WrestleMania Axxess in New Orleans:

    – WWE added the following video of Stephanie McMahon, AJ Lee and Cody Rhodes at a WrestleMania Reading Celebration in New Orleans:

  • If There’s ANYTHING Going On Related To WrestleMania XXX, I PROMISE You It’s HERE [>>]
  • Did Wyatt Appear At WWE Event In Philly As Scheduled?, Backlund/WWE Note

    -As a bit of an update on the Bray Wyatt injury situation, he did appear at the WWE live event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as scheduled. However, Wyatt did not actually wrestle in a match. Instead, he sat at ringside in his rocking chair as Luke Harper and Erick Rowan went on to defeat The Prime Time Players in a traditional tag-team match.

    -Also at the WWE live event in Philadelphia on Sunday night, WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund was in attendance. Backlund was spotted signing autographs and taking pictures with fans, all-the-while staying in character, during the intermission portion of the show.

    For a complete report from the WWE live event in Philly from Sunday night, check out the main page.

    Related News: Specific Details On The Severity Of Bray Wyatt’s Leg Injury

    Shawn Michaels Returning At Hell In A Cell As Special Guest Referee

    On Monday’s post-Battleground edition of WWE RAW, the main event for the October 27th WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view from Miami, Florida was announced.

    In a move that should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody, it was announced that a rematch between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan would be held in a Hell In A Cell match, where a new WWE Champion was guaranteed to be determined on the night.

    Additionally, it was announced that the match would feature a special guest referee. RAW General Manager Brad Maddox announced that there would be three WWE Hall Of Fame candidates for the WWE Universe to vote for, with the man receiving the most votes being the official for the contest. The three options were Booker T, Bob Backlund and Shawn Michaels. The man who received the most votes, and will officially be the referee of the match, was Shawn Michaels.

    So there you have it. Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan in a Hell In A Cell match at the next pay-per-view, with special guest referee Shawn Michaels.

    WWE Hell In A Cell PPV *SPOILERS* + UPDATE On Undertaker’s WMXXX Opponent [>>]

    Cena Comments On Hell In A Cell Return, AJ Lee Update, Backlund Interview

    -WWE Superstar John Cena posted a tweet on his official Twitter account in reaction to the news that he will be facing Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship at the upcoming WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view on Sunday, October 27th in Miami, Florida. Cena wrote:

    You heard it on #RAW, @WWE Universe. Hell in a Cell vs. @VivaDelRio for the WHC. The Champ is… Back! #EvenStronger

    -As previously reported, WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee was sent home from RAW on Monday night due to concussion symptoms. According to one source, Lee was originally scheduled to face Kaitlyn at the show, but due to the fact that she was sent home, the match was changed to Kaitlyn vs. Tamina Snuka and moved over to the WWE Superstars taping, which was held prior to RAW.

    -The official WWE Tout website featured a backstage interview with WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund, who appeared on the show as one of three WWE Hall Of Fame candidates selected as potential special referee’s for the upcoming WWE Hell In A Cell main event between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan. You can check out the Tout interview with Backlund online at Tout.com.

    WWE Hell In A Cell PPV *SPOILERS* + UPDATE On Undertaker’s WMXXX Opponent [>>]

    [Partial Credit: PWInsider.com]

    Stephanie McMahon “Fires” Big Show From WWE, Bob Backlund Appears On RAW

    -Monday’s WWE RAW, the post-Battleground edition of the show, opened with Stephanie McMahon calling out Big Show to explain his actions in ruining the WWE Championship main event between Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton at Sunday’s pay-per-view. Big Show acted nonchalant about his actions and refused orders to beg the WWE Universe for forgiveness. Additionally, Big Show revealed that he knocked out Bryan per orders of Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, and knocked out Orton and the returning senior official, Scott Armstrong, because he had enough. As a result, Stephanie McMahon slapped Big Show in the face multiple times and then “fired” him from the company.

    -Also on Monday’s RAW, WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund made an appearance. As noted recently, Backlund appeared at some of the recent WWE non-televised live events, including Friday’s show in Syracuse, New York. Backlund appeared as one of three WWE Hall Of Famers who the WWE Universe could vote for as the special referee for the WWE Hell In A Cell main event between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan.

    WWE Hell In A Cell PPV *SPOILERS* + UPDATE On Undertaker’s WMXXX Opponent [>>]

    WWE Hall Of Famer At Syracuse Event, Reigns Blasts Goldust, Life In WWE

    -WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund was in attendance at the WWE live event in Syracuse, New York on Friday night. Fans interested in reading a full report from the WWE live event in Syracuse on Friday can do so on the main page.

    -Several WWE Superstars, including Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, Booker T, The Miz, Damien Sandow, Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Titus O’Neil and Brodus Clay, fielded questions about life in WWE during a recent interview with The National publication in the Middle East to promote next week’s WWE tour in Abu Dhabi. You can check that article out online at TheNational.ae.

    -WWE Superstar and member of The Shield, Roman Reigns, recently took a shot at Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes” in a WWE Battleground promotional tweet posted on his official Twitter account on Saturday afternoon. Reigns wrote:

    @DUSTIN_RHODES1: the poor fool isn’t familiar with how we do things. #WWEBattleground = #TheRhodesRetirementParty Believe That!

    SEVERAL WWE Battleground PPV *SPOILERS* Revealed [READ THEM HERE >>]

    WWE Cutting Back Live Event Expenses, Backlund/WWE, WWE 2K14 News, Otunga

    -WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund was on the WWE live event loop this weekend, taking photos with fans and signing autographs in the lobby for $30 a piece.

    -According to reports, with the reduced financial earnings outlook, there is talk of WWE cutting back on live events, such as taking managers and off the shows to save some money.

    -Over the next week, 2K Sports will reveal the 45 matches for their “30 Years Of WrestleMania” mode in the new WWE 2K14 video game.

    -According to one source, WWE Superstar David Otunga and his family were spotted at the Disney On Ice show in Chicago this weekend.

    WWE Night Of Champions Results

    [Credit: PWInsider.com]

    Complete Details On WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund’s Upcoming Autobiography

    Former multiple-time WWE Champion and WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund will be releasing his autobiography, “The All-American Kid: Lessons And Stories On Life From Wrestling Legend Bob Backlund” on March 4, 2014. The book will be co-written by Robert H. Miller.

    The official description for the book reads as follows:

    Bob Backlund began life as a poor farm boy in the little village of Princeton, Minnesota, with a population of just over 2,000 people. He was a below-average student with a lackluster work ethic and a bad attitude, who hung with the wrong crowd and made a lot of bad choices. He was a kid whose life was headed for disaster—until a local coach took interest in him, suggested that he take up amateur wrestling, and offered to work with him if he promised to stay out of trouble.

    It was in North Dakota that Bob Backlund had the first of several chance encounters that would shape his destiny. While working out at the YMCA gymnasium in Fargo, North Dakota, where he wrestled for North Dakota State, Backlund met a well-known professional wrestler, “Superstar” Billy Graham. The men talked, and at Graham’s suggestion, Backlund was inspired to pursue a career in professional wrestling.

    Less than five years from that day, on February 20, 1978, Backlund would find himself halfway across the country, standing in the middle of the ring at Madison Square Garden with his hand raised in victory as the newly crowned World Wide Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion. The man Backlund pinned for the championship that night was none other than Superstar Billy Graham.

    With interviews from “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, and The Iron Sheik, as well as Vince McMahon, the president and CEO of the WWE, The All-American Kid tells the incredible story and career of Bob Backlund, one of the most famous wrestlers since the inception of the sport. From his rough upbringing and rise to fame to his failed run for Congress and revived career, Bob Backlund has traveled the world, learning and seeing more than most people will in a lifetime.

    Details On Possible 2014 WWE Hall Of Fame Inductees — CLICK HERE!

    Jericho Says Bryan Is The Best Performer In The Business, Hall Of Famer At RAW

    – WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund was spotted backstage at Raw tonight signing autographs.

    – WWE Studios’ 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded starring Randy Orton has officially been released an is available at Amazon.com on Blu-Ray and DVD.

    – Chris Jericho tweeted the following praise for Daniel Bryan after his strong performances on Monday’s RAW:

    The Rock Hypes His Upcoming Role In “Hercules”, WWE Profiles Former Women’s Champion

    – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will begin filming the big-budgeted comic-book adaptation/war film Hercules: The Thracian Wars next month. The movie, which is being directed by Bret Ratner, is based on the graphic novel by Steve Moore and Cris Bolsin of the same name and is believed to be a similar account of the wars Hercules participated in.

    Hyping his role in the film on Twitter, Johnson wrote Wednesday, “2 weeks away from shooting HERCULES. Intense workouts w/ my strength coach Dave Rienzi (future IFBB Pro). Lets Shoot. #UpperBodyViolence.”

    Johnson revealed last month in an interview with Access Hollywood that he is getting lean for the role, stating, “It is not about getting big as much as it is about having really lean, dense muscle. Because anybody can get just big. You see actors and athletes out there, they just get big but there’s also a difference between getting big and having really defined, deeply grainy muscle. And that only comes, by the way, with muscle maturity.”

    – Former WWE Women’s and Cruiserweight Champion Jacqueline is this week’s addition to the Alumni section on WWE.com. The website says of the Dallas, Texas native, “Jacqueline was, perhaps, the toughest woman to ever step foot in the ring. Unafraid to stand up to woman, or man for that matter, in the squared circle, the tenacious Diva had no problem breaking down both opponents and barriers.”

    To view her profile, click here.

    – WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund recently paid a visit to the Connecticut State Veterans Home to meet with military veterans. The official WWE website has released this video highlighting his visit.

    Maria Menounos Addresses The Negative Reaction She Got At The WWE HOF Ceremony

    Television personality Maria Menounos issued the following open letter regarding the negative crowd reaction she got while introducing Bob Backlund at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, as well as her full speech:

    Dear fellow WWE fans and members of the wrestling press,

    As you know, I had the honor of inducting my friend, Bob Backlund, into the WWE Hall of Fame. The fans were a little rough as another inductee and friend, Donald Trump, would likewise experience. It’s understandable as we are not pro wrestlers and the honesty of the WWE fans is what makes it fun. However, I did the speech mainly to tell the world all the amazing things about Bob and I fear some of those things were not heard.

    Below is my speech. I’m hoping you’ll print it for a good friend, a great champion and one of the most incredible human beings I know.

    Thanks and God Bless,
    Maria Menounos

    To induct anyone into the WWE Hall of Fame puts you in the company of the greatest artists, athletes and performers in the entire world. I CHALLENGE ANYONE who disagrees to show me another kind of entertainer who can recite monologues, in character, without the use of teleprompters and before world audiences, performing improv drama and comedy while flying through the air and taking bumps, 300 nights a year.

    But for me tonight is even more special for I am not just inducting anyone into the WWE Hall of Fame. I’m inducting someone who encapsulates the word champion. Someone whom I’m a great fan of…Someone whom is my friend.

    Growing up Greek and not speaking English, wrestling was one of the few things on TV I’d watch and be able to understand. I was five when Bob Backlund lost his title to the Sheik. I was fourteen when “Mr. Backlund” returned. I was eighteen when I met Bob in person and I remember being in awe. It was on the set of my first movie and Bob was literally the most positive and striking force I have ever encountered. He was funny when we needed laughter – the man has an incredible and underrated sense of comedic timing – strong when we needed support and sensitive when we needed a friend.

    While Working on Bob’s congressional campaign, a story came up about the Iron Shiek and his Persian Clubs. the Iron Shiek apparently had an exercise where he would swing these heavy wooden “Persian Clubs”behind his back. He had toured the nation’s gyms with the clubs and, apparently, no other strong man in the country could perform the exercise, nor could anyone on the WWF roster – except Bob, who did it….on his FIRST TRY. When I asked Bob how, he told me ‘when you believe you can do something…you can.’ The very next day, bob said he was going to perform an exercise of his own-the harvard step test in front of city hall on his election day. Twenty years earlier bob set a personal record doing the step test for two straight hours. The goal was to match that. we all thought he was crazy as he was well into his 50’s by that time. Bob was not able to match that record. He made a new one. It wasn’t 3 hours. It wasn’t four hours. He did his harvard step test for 8 hours straight!!! Once again reminding us all, if you believe you can do something, you can.

    Speaking of Hollywood, one of the first days I was hosting the Today Show, John Cena and Vince McMahon happened to be guests. Of course, I’m huge fans of theirs, too, but I couldn’t help but threaten John that Bob would one day come back to put him in the chicken wing! They both had great things to say about Bob but I’m sure they thought I was a little nuts, as people have thought Bob was a little nuts. But along with everything else Bob taught me, its okay to be a little nuts.

    I’m sure people thought Bob was more than a little nuts, when after an unprecedented 5 year run with the title, he refused to turn heel. He
    believed it would let down his fans which included many troubled youth who had looked up to him and in those days, it would have. In so doing he surrendered millions of dollars from the new age of rock and wrestling as well as the career he loved most.

    Not only did Bob Backlund hold the title for almost 6 consecutive years – he did something perhaps even greater when he came back a
    decade later. He completely reinvented himself and his character. When you think of performers who’ve been able to successfully reinvent
    their characters , even in Hollywood, few names come to mind. Bob not only created an entire new persona he also went on to become wrestling’s number one heel and regained his title in one of the most successful comebacks in sports entertainment history.

    But most people know that. Like the greatest champions Bob Backlund carries himself with humility – which is why many of the facts I’m about to reveal are not known.

    In a Pennsylvania match against Hulk Hogan, whom he pinned on several occasions, Bob Backlund picked Hulk up over his head with one arm.
    It’s a feat Hulk, and his own late father, often reflected on in astonishment.

    Bob Backlund has only been to the doctor twice since 1973

    Bob Backlund has never done a drug. As he says and I quote “I wouldn’t know what to do with them.”

    Bob Backlund, within a three month span, won the NCAA wrestling championship and the National college football championship. He is
    perhaps the only man in history to hold that distinction.

    In that championship football game, Bob Backlund recorded 22 tackles and 2 fumble recoveries. To give perspective, a team averages about 65 plays in an entire game.

    Bob Backlund was a top shoot fighter if not THE top shoot fighter in the world of professional wrestling.

    Bob Backlund intentionally NEVER squashed his opponents as he believed it would harm their future earnings.

    Bob Backlund is in better condition than 99% of men…a third his age.

    Bob Backlund has a diverse portfolio of stocks and real estate and has NEVER IN HIS LIFE PAID A DIME OF INTEREST!

    Bob Backlund has a beautiful wife and daughter

    And at the end of the day, Bob Backlund justs want to help others in need

    Bob Backlund is simply one of, if not, THE greatest personal success stories for wrestlers, fans and people in general.

    I know it wasn’t always easy in your career, Bob. But, in the face of shortcomings and disappointments, you never gave up or succumbed like so many of us understandably would. Instead, you continued working out, educating yourself and, always, helping others and donating your time to charity. Through it all you kept your faith and your resolve and here you are on the greatest stage being honored by your greatest peers. I’m excited for tonight, your book being published and all the amazing things you remain to accomplish in your journey. And, I believe there’s one more WWE run in that journey for you Bob, because ‘When u believe you can do something, you can.’

    Some know you as Bob Backlund. Others as Mr. Backlund. I just know you as my champion, my hero and my friend. Thank you to the WWE Universe for allowing me to welcome to the stage, Mr. Bob Backlund!

    Maria Menounos to Induct Bob Backlund into WWE Hall of Fame

    WWE sent out the following announcement today:

    Maria Menounos to Induct Bob Backlund into WWE® Hall of Fame

    WWE (NYSE:WWE) announced today that Extra Host Maria Menounos will induct Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, April 6, 2013 as part of WrestleMania® Week.

    Maria Menounos competed at WrestleMania 28 in Miami, FL on April 1, 2012. She will induct Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall Of Fame Class of 2013 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, April 6, 2013. (Photo: Business Wire)

    Menounos has made multiple appearances on WWE programming dating back to 2009 when she made her in-ring debut and co-hosted Monday Night Raw with Nancy O’Dell. In 2011, Menounos appeared at WWE Tribute to the Troops where she teamed with Eve Torres, Kelly Kelly and Alicia Fox to defeat the team of The Bella Twins and WWE Divas Natalya and Beth Phoenix. Menounos continued her feud after Phoenix and Eve Torres interrupted an interview segment with Kelly Kelly on Extra. This led to a tag team match at WrestleMania 28 where she teamed with Kelly Kelly to defeat Torres and Phoenix.

    Menounos, a lifelong WWE fan, idolized Backlund while growing up and met him through partner Keven Undergaro, who as Head Writer of MTV’s Singled Out, cast Backlund to guest star alongside Jenny McCarthy and Chris Hardwick. Menounos then worked with Backlund on the comedy feature, In the Land of Merry Misfits, and the two have been close ever since. Backlund was present at Menounos Miss Massachusetts USA competition and ran alongside her at the Nike Celebrity Road Race.

    “It is an honor to induct my good friend Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame,” said Maria Menounos. “Watching him carry the title for a since unmatched five years and then stage such an incredible comeback with a reinvented persona puts him in a class all his own. Add in his incredible work ethic and high moral caliber, and you have everything that defines the word champion. And astonishingly, he can still wrestle with guys a third his age! He’s my hero and my friend. I can’t wait for the ceremony on April 6.”

    “I am truly humbled to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame,” said Bob Backlund. “Maria has been a friend for years and I can’t think of someone I would rather have induct me at Madison Square Garden.”

    A one-hour Hall of Fame special will air on Tuesday, April 9 at 10:00 p.m. ET on USA Network. WrestleMania 29 airs live on pay-per-view Sunday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. ET from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

    Superstar Billy Graham Talks About His Health, Backlund’s Title Run, Rock Not Mentioning WWE & More

    WWE Hall of Famer Superstar Billy Graham appeared as a guest on Busted Open Radio, hosted by Doug Mortman and Dave LaGreca (Busted Open Radio airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sirius 94 and XM 208), where he addressed such topics as his strained relationship with WWE and Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino agreeing to enter the WWE Hall of Fame after having slamming the company’s product for years, and even WWE Champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson not mentioning WWE during his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last week. Highlights from the interview are as follows:

    His Health:

    “I’m feeling very good thanks to modern medicine and the advances in medicine. I was in the hospital here for double pneumonia, pneumonia in each lung, and then I was admitted for the flu and then the flu turned into double pneumonia and the lungs got infected, then I got some fluid around the heart and they call that congestive heart failure. So I had four things going at the same time. They were very serious issues and thank god for modern medicine and antibiotics that rid the infection in my system. I was in dire straits. I spent five days at the world famous Mayo Hospital here in Phoenix where I had my liver transplant, they’re one of the worlds greatest hospitals, as I’m sure you know, along with John Hopkins in Baltimore. Long story short, I’m doing excellent. I’m in the gym training every day and I’m very happy about that.

    “I was down for about thirty days after they released me from the shock to my system and of being so dehydrated and I was actually near death when they admitted me. I didn’t know this, but they had taken my wife aside and said, ‘you know, your husband may not come out of this thing.’ Which freaked her out, naturally. But thanks to modern medicine and the doctors being some of the world’s greatest physicians here at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. They jumped right on everything and got all the IVs, three different types of antibiotics going at the same time and I pulled through.

    “I think I have also good genes to help me survive and I’m very thankful and I’m really excited about being at Wrestlecon and everything; the weekend and then a few days before the weekend, actually coming in on the 3rd and doing some things. Visiting some local indie shows and stuff like that. I’m really excited about this trip. I think it’s going to be a great chance to meet a lot of new fans. This will be my last east coast run because travelling is just getting too hard for me; I’m out here in the desert, 3000 miles away and I’m kind of worn out from all the trips back east.

    Making His Final East Coast Appearance:

    “The east coast fans, New York fans all the way up from Boston and Philly, there’s no fans like these folks, there’s no question about it. They really put their heart and their soul into the matches, they did anyway, but they’re really fantastic fans and I’m really looking forward to having a good time with the fans and being really fan friendly, which I’ve always actually been, and really excited about the event the overall event. It’s so nice to have an option for the fans to go to other the events that WWE is putting on, to have another option to go to, so its great for the fans as well.

    The WWE Hall of Fame:

    “Well, I sold my HOF ring. I sold it on eBay because I was really having some liver problems from my liver transplant. The medication just skyrocketed for some reason and since the WWE or any other wrestling organization, you cant put all the heat on WWE, but pro wrestling, even territorial days never had health insurance for the performers. So you’re on your own as far as that goes. I had to get this expensive anti rejection medication for my liver, so I just put my ring up on eBay.

    “I got over $10,000 for the ring from a fan in England and that really helped me tremendously through this bad period of having to take extra amounts of anti liver rejection medication and everything. So that’s where the ring went. I would choose life any day over a ring on a finger, if you know what I mean as opposed to just hanging onto the ring. I would definitely choose to use the ring to help me live and continue my pursuit of happiness as opposed to simply wearing a ring on a finger and dying and being buried with the ring on my finger.

    “I enjoyed the HOF and at the time I was unaware of and I really wasn’t paying attention to people like Pete Rose, who had been inducted, and with all of his income tax and betting on baseball and all of these things that he had done illegally, and I think he served about 5 months in federal penitentiary for income tax evasion and had to pay a $500,000 fine, but to induct somebody like that, even in the celebrity wing, which I’m fully aware of has nothing to do with the wrestlers, I really think that was a bad call. And my real problem these days are of course inducting Abdullah the Butcher where every match he has to cut himself or cut his opponent and he’s just obsessed with it and for a company that has a no blood policy to induct an Abdullah the Butcher, especially ahead of a Randy Macho Man Savage, is really deplorable. Maybe they’re saving Randy for next year or the year after because they’re running out of people to induct.”

    Bruno Sammartino and the WWE Hall of Fame:

    “I don’t know if that’s the point or not because the point that I see and I put it in my new DVD Face to Face that’s going to be released at Wrestlecon in that whole weekend, that he has been so bitter against Vince for so many years and has hated anything to do with the WWE and the programming of the WWE that he has been so bitter against any connection with them for almost 30 years. For almost 30 years he’s been very outspoken against the WWE and to all of a sudden embrace the WWE and the programming that he now says is very family friendly and has changed, its just a very odd situation for me to accept the sincerity of his so called ‘receiving only $5,000 to be inducted into the HOF.’

    “I must be honest with you guys; I do have inside knowledge that I’ve revealed in my Face-to-Face DVD that he’s received a huge amount of money to go in. He was calling a personal friend of mine telling him that he was actually having trouble, now currently, deceiving his fans about only receiving $5,000 for going into the HOF when in fact he’s receiving a small fortune to go in. It’s very sad to have Bruno Sanmartino of all people who have always been honored and respected and held in such high esteem be so deceptive to his loyal fans. It’s really, I think, a major tragedy that all of a sudden he’s embraced [WWE].

    “It’s just so bizarre for a man who had so much bitter hatred for Vince and the WWE to all of a sudden have a love affair with them. I’ve written and talked about that exclusively in my DVD Face to Face and gave some real insight into that. It just saddens me because I respected Bruno tremendously and I don’t blame him for taking what he has taken now at all but the sad part about it is he has to lie to his fans currently about his payoff to go into the WWE HOF. It’s really tragic. A man with such honor and dignity and respect to have to have done this. With that aside, the man himself I really respect Bruno to the ultimate.

    “It’s like Moses parting the Red Sea water it’s a tremendous turnaround. From having the uttermost hatred for Vince and the WWE to totally embracing them and just this admiration that he has now publicly for the WWE is bizarre. I don’t blame him at all for taking a huge payoff at all, congratulations on that, but I don’t understand between you guys, and you are very intelligent gentlemen, why wrestling out of all other sports, if Kobe Bryant got a bonus of like $10 million it would make the news. If LeBron James got $100 million, those types of things make the news.

    “I don’t know why wrestling has always been so secretive, especially now that its been revealed that all of our matches are predetermined and everything in that nature is wide open to the fans, there’s no mystery anymore, why we still have to be secretive. I suggested in the beginning when Triple H was calling Bruno Sanmartino personally trying to get him to go into the HOF, I suggested to Bruno through our mutual friend to just say, ‘well, look Vince, if you want me in your HOF give me $2 or $3 million, make it worth my time and Ill go in.’ Its strictly a money and business thing. That’s chump change to Vince McMahon.

    “I don’t know the exact amount but it is huge money. From his confidence that he’s put in our mutual friend it is an absolutely enormous amount of money and I told my friend, ‘why didn’t you just tell Bruno from day 1?’ He says, ‘Bruno says ‘Triple H is really a nice guy, he’s been calling me every week, twice a week trying to get me into the HOF and I just don’t want to go in.’ This is going on and on and I told my friend, ‘well why doesn’t Bruno step up and say give me a couple million to get me in and why doesn’t Vince step up to the plate and say ‘well I want you in so bad, here, you’re worth two or three or four million to go in, lets get this thing done.’ The fans would be happy. I would be happy to know that. I’d be happy for Bruno and his family and all of that, but to keep everything so secretive and to put the heat on Bruno, forcing Bruno to tell his fans that he’s only getting five grand is like a slap in the face to all of us.

    His Current Relationship with Vince McMahon:

    Horrible right now. We’ve had a love hate relationship for years and I don’t know if its because I’ve been so independent but I’ve never come close to revealing the bitter hatred to Vince and the WWE. I mean, Bruno Sanmartino hates Vince McMahon with the uttermost hatred. I mean, he hates him like the venom of an Arizona rattlesnake coming out of Vince’s mouth every time he utters a word he hates him so much. My relationship is severed forever with Vince. I can’t even remember what happened. We’ve had so many back and forth’s going on.

    Bob Backlund’s First WWE Title Reign:

    That was the biggest mistake in the history of our business. I really believe it was the biggest mistake. I was ready to be a huge babyface. All we had to do was have Ivan Koloff, my tag team partner, turn on me. I was a natural babyface but he said he had a handshake deal with Backlund and he’s a man of his word, this is Vince Sr. talking, and despite the fact that Bob Backlund being a very nice young man who’s had to live with this ‘howdy doody’ tag on him, my god, to be a champion and be tagged as a howdy doody character is really sad to have to live with that.

    That was a huge mistake for me to pass the baton back over to Backlund but I did as I was also instructed to. That was set up a full year before it actually went down. Vince Sr. brought me down to Ft. Lauderdale, his home, and along with Eddie Graham, he was still alive when I was wrestling in the Florida territory, to make this agreement that I would take the title from Bruno on April 30th 1977 and then give it to Bob Backlund on, I believe, February 20th of ’78, almost a year later, and this was all agreed upon a full year ahead of when it actually happened. The thing with Sr was, he was always a man of his word and he felt that he had to keep his word even though it was a struggle, we had to support all the under card, all the matches. Once I gave that belt back over to Backlund, if he would have been left on his own to draw, it would have been horrible attendance records. We had to support that card underneath that kid with Andre the Giant, with Dusty and I, and all kinds of huge support to draw and make that thing work.

    Why He Never Had a Great Feud with Backlund:

    He never had a real feud with anyone, never had a hot thing going on with anyone because he was not hot. He was not over. He was force fed down the fans throat and he didn’t have it. He didn’t have the charisma. On our return match in the Garden, when I gave the belt to Backlund, when I laid down for Backlund, on the return match you go back and look in the photo archives and remember when Backlund was wearing those long boxing robes in the beginning with a towel around his neck, that was his ring attire, and on the return match in Madison Square Garden, and

    “I have all my tie dye on and ready to go, we’re in the hallway with Vince Sr. and we’re waiting for Backlund to walk out before we head for the ring, Backlund walks out of the locker room with this full length boxing robe on and the towel around his neck, and the boxing robe was all the way down to his shoelaces and of course, it is wrapped over and around the belt. Vince McMahon Sr says, ‘Bobby, where is the belt? My god, the belt, where’s the belt?’ Because everything was about the belt. And he says, ‘Vince, I have it underneath my robe.’ And Vince says, ‘But Bobby, the fans want to see the belt. My god its the belt.’ Vince was having a breakdown backstage. And so Backlund’s answer to Vince Sr about wearing the black robe and covering up the belt, hiding the belt, was, ‘but Vince, I like my robe.’ That is a child like response.

    The Rock Not Mentioning WWE on The Tonight Show:

    “You’re kidding?! Well there you go. Completely falling apart at the seams. The Rock’s heart is not in the ring, it’s in the movies. We know where his heart is and I don’t blame him. I don’t blame the man for wanting to continue his movie career, but to most even mention WrestleMania on a program like that and to have the belt shows you the devaluation of the whole product. The whole product is suffering. The depth of the talent pool is so shallow it’s just pathetic. And who believes for one minute that; who’s the Undertaker working with? [CM Punk} My buddy Punk; who on gods green earth believes the Undertaker’s going to lose to CM Punk?”

    His Influence in Pro Wrestling:

    “I’m very aware of that and it’s a compliment. I remember the fans back then would tell me, ‘do you know that Jesse Ventura’s taking your stuff, trying to look just like you?’ The fans at one point were very jealous about things like that. I said that’s ok because it’s a compliment to be that type of an influence on people that they want to be like you and look like you. It’s a great compliment to have that much influence on people. So I’ve never been jealous or have had a grudge against Jesse and the Hulkster. I’ve always thought it was a great compliment to me that they wanted to follow my persona and be influenced by my charismatic presence just like I was influenced by Muhammad Ali, he was my inspiration.

    “I’ve always thought it was a great thing. I didn’t think it was so unusual because I was so different. I knew I was an entertainer and I always, to myself, knew that I was an entertainer in the ring as opposed to a more precision technician wrestler type like a Harley Race or even a Bob Backlund. My ambition was to entertain people. I saw pro wrestling from day one as entertainment and that’s what I sought after. I was very happy and proud to have influenced two of the best entertainers ever in professional wrestling, Ventura and the Hulkster.

    Correction On Bob Backlund’s HOF Inductor, WrestleMania 29 Weather, Rumored HOF Name

    – Former WWE Diva Maria Menounos is currently scheduled to induct Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

    As previously reported, Kanellis was also contacted about returning to the company for the proposed “Past Divas vs. Present Divas” match at WrestleMania 29, but it doesn’t appear that the match will be happening.

    – Following the announcement that Booker T will be entering the WWE Hall of Fame this year, we can confirm another name discussed for this year’s class is former WWWF Tag Team Champion Dominic DeNucci. DeNucci is a close friend of Bruno Sammartino and also trained Mick Foley. With this year’s class already stacked, it’s unknown whether DeNucci will still be included.

    – Despite the cold weather in New York this week, there does is not much concern in WWE regarding bad weather WrestleMania 29. Looking at the historical weather data for April 7th in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the average high is 59 degrees and the average low is 37 degrees. The record high is 78 degrees and the record low is 17 degrees. The Old Farmer’s Almanac currently predicts “sunny, pleasant” weather for the week leading up to the show.

    * 2 MAJOR Heel Turns Planned: One Expected, One A Major Swerve

    (Sources: pwinsider.com, f4wonline.com)