Jesse Ventura - What Bob Backlund was Like to Wrestle 

Bob Backlund is over 70 years old and he is still in incredible shape. it's madness

Nobody gives Backlund the credit he really deserves. Sure, he was vanilla as an interview, but he could wrestle and was an NCAA champion at North Dakota State. He was a legitimate tough guy, and wrestlers like the Magnificent Muraco and Greg Valentine have had nothing but great things to say about him.

When I was a kid, I memorized every President in chronological order in case I ever ran into Bob Backlund. Years later, I posted a video on RU-vid of me naming them all and he sent me an autographed picture.

I was actually a Bob Backlund fan growing up watching wrestling in the 80s. No he wasn't flashy, gave boring interviews, but he could wrestle his a** off. Hulk had the look and the charisma, but I actually stopped watching eventually. Because I got tired off the same, he gets beat down, he hulks up, then he wins in the end scenario. But hey, the kids loved it.

Bob Backlund was awesome. Nowadays, it seems like his image would seem extremely dorky, but he has a massive amount of favorable comments all over RU-vid. Nice to see.

Backlund should go down as one of the greatest WWF/E champs of all time. He was so over with the crowds. MSG went nuts for him. His combo of strength/conditioning, wrestling background and being able to brawl when he needed to was the best in the biz. And the times he snapped, few and far between, were extra special because he made it an event. He was a great champ.

There were often Champions who were NOT the best on the Mic. Backlund, Vern Gagne, & to degree...even Harley Race. Backlund was the perfect example of action over words, even though Pro Wrestling thrives off both. Backlund's skill as a pure wrestler could not be ignored,& fans appreciated that. An All time great imo.

I saw Backlund and Jesse wrestle for the title at Pittsburgh Civic Arena, 1982. Backlund was defending his title. Jesse made his entry, riding a Harley in his black leather biker gear. He was billed as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura, but the crowd heckled Jesse 'The Baby' Ventura. At the end of the match Backlund kicked his ass.

Jesse killed me when he said “I dont know how they let Howdy Dowdy be the champion” 😂😊

Thanks to heel Backlund I still insult people as “plebeians” 30 years later

Backlund held the title just short of 6 years. That's pretty incredible for someone who looked like Howdy Doody and wasn't flashy. He was a legit shooter and like Haku u don't want to anger him.

I don't care what anybody says Jesse is a mans man . Love that dude!

0:55 - Funny thing is people say the same thing about Vince. They'd go in mad about something, and they'd leave happy without realizing that he'd done nothing to solve their issue. I think Jericho called it like a weird jedi mind trick.

Backlund reminds me of old school strongmen like Louis Cur who lived more than a century ago. He wasn't huge, he wasn't ripped, but he was tougher and stronger than most and held his own against every opponent. And he was the only man to ever win the Iron Sheik's Persian Club Challenge, which is huge. Many men larger than him tried and failed.

Omg, I remember my first match ( Wrestling ) in person was at a local college 🙂. Jesse Ventura & Bobby Rose were tag team partners😊. Was invited to go party with them in the limousine they had left in.......Loved Jesse Ventura ❤💞!! I 💜🐾🐾

IMO, Backlund’s amateur wrestling background and great strength made him an excellent champion. He wasn’t flashy…like Bruno in fact, only Bruno didn’t have to step into the Thai dyed, southern preacher pitchman shoes of (arguably) the largest larger-than-life character in the history of the business: Superstar Billy Graham! I met Superstar briefly when I was around 13 and forty-plus decades later he’s still my favorite wrestler…but it was difficult not to like Bob Backlund. As long as he wasn’t wrestling “the man of the hour, the man with the power,” I rooted for Backlund…!

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Blassie was the absolute best. "He's a pencil-necked geek. Has a neck like a stack of dimes!!"

They say backlund didnt draw. I was at the garden every monday night for his entire championship reign. There were no empty seats. I saw many bruno matches prior to bob and i dont know who they cheered louder for.

That's MR. Bob Backlund, to you.

Sammartino had been so popular for so long Backlund had a hell of a time trying to get out of his shadow

Jesse still rockin the riff-raff hairdo love it. Best skullet in the business.

Backlund was great so underrated just go back and watch his matches very believable

I thought Bob Backlund was probably the best person to be champion because you want every one else to go through their angles, they shoot, and present them selves well before you put them in the top showcase. With Hulk Hogan, he was the ultimate salesman, and there was no way you can pass up a generational talent like that to be a champion. Backlin was excellent as a holding pattern for the belt. I also felt that the honky-tonk man for his charisma, and the way he carried himself was the perfect Intercontinental champion at the time.

Because “howdy doody” was legit and could stretch anyone of his counterparts during that era in WWF.

Bob Backlund was great. He paved the way for Hulk Hogan in the WWF.

Im a AAU fan growing up. And watching Mr. Backlund the first time. I knew dude was legit. He has the real wrestling physique.

When I watched Backlund wrestle in the mid 90's I wondered how he could do anything with his size. Why would they give him the belt? All that stuff. It wasn't until much later that I read/heard about his amateur/college wrestling career and because of that and the strength training that he was crazy strong! The guy could throw around wrestlers much larger than him. Gave me a new respect for guys that are a smaller, and don't even have the bulk or definition of Bret or Shawn in their prime.

The best manager on the mic ever was the Wizard of Wrestling.

I went to MSG every month in 1979 and Backlund owned that place: good guy, great role model, reliable worker, even walked 50 feet away from the taxi he was entering to shake my hand outside of MSG. In 1980 my doorman's son said Hulk Hogan had already been chosen to take over the WWWF and he turned out to be right.

Bob was recommended to the WWWF by Harley Race, who was good friends with Vince J McMahon.

Bob Backlund coined the phrase "Say your prayors and take ya vitamins!" way before Hogan ever did

I think we're all starting to appreciate Bob Backlund now because he has kept himself in incredible shape for his age and we have seen so many lackluster matches by guys reading scripts with cliche characters and slow flips, sloppy moves and people like The Miz being overly cautious to the point of injuring others and youngsters in flashy underwear gassing out early one, that we have appreciated a man that could actually do takedowns, Suplexes and pins with precision, speed and power, at a hard pace consistently and legitimately take marks, hard bumps and bruises. True, Bob Backlund won't be remembered as hard-core as Mick Foley or with the personality of Stone Cold, The Rock, Sting, Booker T or with gimmicks so well done like Undertaker, Kane, etc. But of you paid a ticket or for a pay per view for a good, hard athletic match and you saw Bob Backlund on the list, you knew you invested your money well.

Bob Backlund could out wrestle most any wrestler today. Would have loved to seen Bob Backlund and Kurt Angle wrestle each other..

The story I always heard was that Backlund was WWE Champion from a bet between Verne Gagne and Vince Sr. if Vince Sr. could make Backlund a drawing talent Gagne would buy Vince Sr. a Rolls Royce. I have heard other stories that Vince Sr. wanted a WWE Champion in the mold of a Jack Brisco.

Bob and his family were my parents neighbors out in the country in Princeton my dad was also friends with Larry "the Axe" Hennig.

At 53, Bob was one of the scariest heels of all time

Bob Backlund was my favorite

Never would have thought backlund was that tough by looking at him, but everyone agrees he would stretch you for real if you got out of line. Its apparently one reason he was champ for so long, because he was legit. When he turned heel, he finally had some personality though.

Probably the best strategic methodical technique wrestler in the sport

If you had the honor in the opportunity to watch Bob Backlund live, you believed he was the toughest and best wrestler in the World!!

Backlund was the greatest WWF champion in history

I loved Bob Backlund he was a babyface and as kid it was jusy easy to side with him.

I liked Bob Backlund. He had the skills and strength to take on all comers. His skills were superlative and he was very strong. Backlund's tenure as champion appeared more legitimate than some who perhaps were more flashy but didn't possess his skills. I liked Superstar Billy Graham but I didn't feel he had the skills to keep the belt. In a shoot, Backlund would have taken the belt from Graham so I felt good about Backlund winning the title from Graham.

Go insane then lock the chicken wing in. Good times lol

for me Jesse was a personality alongside Mcmahon on friday night great stuff fun tmes

We never got a serious, long feud between Hogan and Ventura. That's what I always wanted to see.

Yeah Princeton Minnesota!!!!

WWF/E was never the same after Jesse left commentary. Bar none the best voice to call matches.

You heard it from Jesse, Old man McMahon picked Bob Backlund to get back at Bruno. Why, Bruno gave the McMahons almost 20 years and he wanted to retire. He already broke his neck with Stan Hansen. When they almost went broke in the Antonio Inoki- Muhammad Ali match, Bruno was coaxed from his hospital bed to come back to the ring early. What else did they want from this man.

What did Jesse mean when he said that Bob Backlund was made champion to spite Bruno?

If I could meet any famous person in the world and talk to them for an hour, Jessie would not be the wrong answer. Topic? Anything!

Friggin Backland was crazy strong as an OX

Im glad Vince Sr put the belt on Backlund, he was a legit wrestler, a shooter, a former NCAA Collegiate wrestler, so I think it was smart and right putting the belt on Backlund. Bruno should have been glad Backlund was made champion, I saw Bruno in an interview years ago say that Hogan was not a wrestler, so he should have been glad that a real wrestler like Backlund got the belt, and Backlund did indeed draw, so Bruno should have liked Backlund as champion .

He was supposed to be "mundane". Let the heels bring the loud mouths, the arrogance and flashiness. Bobs "gimmick" was he was a pure wholesome wrestler. Honest, humble and clean cut. He was the underdog in every title defense he ever had. He'd find a way to win every time and us 70's and early 80's kids loved it! When Hulk came in and Bob was forgotten about, I stopped watching wrestling for a long time.

I’m in the BahHa now!

Lol I used to call Backland 'Howdy Doody' way back then

When you can wrestle your way out of a straitjacket, you don't need flashy promos. Ask 1988 Scott Steiner.

“Do you ever dine on long pig?”

Bob backlund was one of the best champions in wrestling history come on now Don't tell me it didn't happen I was their

Howdy Doody. LOL.

Jesse Ventura got knocked out from a legend on the Navy base. It’s hilarious.

Ventura wrestled Bob Backlund for 45 minutes to a DRAW!!

Jesee

"Conspiracy Theory Jesse" calling Bob Backlund paranoid is ironic to say the least. If the only negative thing you could say about Bob Backlund was that he wasn't flashy in a problem riddled business like professional wrestling then that should be seen as a huge compliment. Wrestling could've and still could use a lot more clean cut guys like Backlund.

I also thought Backlund was a little boring.Not terrible. Just bland. What does Jesse mean when he says Vince made Bob champion to spite Bruno?

Now I want to hear this story about spiting Sammartino.

"I was down in the Baja..."

It's always Jesse, Jesse, Jesse. Constantly giving himself praise about something.......

Bob-is-one-of-the-more-bizarre-WWF-champs-of-all-time...Seemed-more-suited-for-a-place-like-WCW-or-somewhere-else-than-the-cartoony/showbiz/circus-WWF

Backlund was the last of the prominent "old achool" non-glitzy wrestlers. There definitely was a sign of a change of things when he lost to The Iron Shiek jn 1984. I know im stating the obvious. Lol

holy f* bob does look like howdy doody

I think WWF wrestling was wrestling for families with little kids. The "hero" and "villain" storylines were very one dimensional, obvious, and predictable. Sort of like American beer. Bruno, Pedro, and Bob were babyfaces without irony. Maybe Bruno was a little more violent when he was pushed. Bob was somehow "pure". No edge. If you were a little kid in the late 70s you wanted him to beat the big bullies like Superstar Graham or the "monsters" like George Steele. What VM Jr was able to do was hold on to those little kids and adapt the business to their wants and desires. When did WWF get "sexy" with more and more women's matches? Pretty much aligns with late adolescence. When did Austin become the anti-authority figure hero? Around the time those kids were landing their first crappy jobs with bosses they hated.

If you want to see funny, watch Jesse work a singles match against Backlund or anyone else. Eight minutes of stalling outside the ring. Two minutes of the other guy selling for Jesse. Then a non-ending with a DQ or a count-out. There is a reason why the WWE made Jesse an announcer and it wasn't because of health issues. Jesse was a great talker, but it was over when the bell rang.

How are you

Backland could actually wrestle!

Remember when Jesse always made fun of Hogans hair? ....yeah

As a kid who started watching after Hulkamania was born, I would (rarely) see glimpses of Bob Backlund and found out he was worlds champion for like 6 years or something, and I couldn't imagine what kind of audience would be interested in this dork or how he could have such a long reign, like there must've been nobody else wrestling if this weakling could win every match for that many years. But I guess that was the audience for product before the real Vince McMahon showed us how its done.

Wrestled in Baja

Vince Sr. Knew how to do pro wrestling and sports entertainment better than Jr.

I couldn't stand watching Bob when I was younger

AWA Winnipeg early 70s Backlund on the card . Loved the Crusher and the Bruiser at that time. Larry Hennig another Minnesotan on the AWA card along with Texan Dusty Rhodes .1974 at 16 and 6'4" I stood beside Ventura who appeared shy of 6'. I was amused and he was not so I walked away Still love ya Jesse. Mostly for standing up against deep state corruption. Trump 2024

Well why don’t you tell me about bob backlund

Ventura is such an egomaniac.

Will Sasso does a better impression of Jesse than Jesse.

Cross faced chicken 🐔 wing 🪽 🍗

Hey Jessie is it okay if I TELL PEOPLE who your BROTHER IS I often wonder why you never come back to PORTLAND WRESTLING Jessie.

Bob's promos sucked

Jesse is such an egotist. He had to get over that he was much better than Blassie.

Bob Backlund was the right guy to have as Champion. Olympic looking guy- clean cut…It’s ashamed how the Iron Sheik beat him like a b*tch. Should have made it a close match…

Backlund was just so goddamn boring. I would turn the channel when one of his matches came on tv.

Jesse doesn't need to talk about work. He was just God awful in the ring.

Jesse can't wrestle,you can talk better then Freddie Blassie.

This is like asking Kid Rock's opinion of singing with Placido Domingo. Jesse was a great gimmick, but not a top worker.

Backlund was a great wrestler, but as a babyface, he was kinda boring. Many years later, as the heel Mr. Backlund, he was much more entertaining.

Ventura is a tired washed up has been

Bob was f’n lame. Great guy but nothing to see.

Jesse you were boring at least Backlund could wrestle

Backlund was complete and utter trash

Ventura was a terrible wrestler.