Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Finally, the Plebeians Will Have a Hall of Famer to Idolize

Photo Credit: WWE.com

Until this year, WWE's two longest-reigning single-span titleholders were not in their Hall of Fame. While Bruno Sammartino may never be inducted in his lifetime, it was always baffling as to why the next guy, Bob Backlund, didn't get a nod. While I wasn't around or was way too young to appreciate his first title run, his second stint in WWE with his all-too-short WWF Championship reign in November of 1994 was nothing short of brilliant. While I was always a fan of Yokozuna, Backlund was the first bad guy character I really warmed up to. As a vestige, the crossface chicken wing to this day is still my favorite submission hold.

I know that arguing the merit of a company-sponsored Hall of Fame (or even a Hall of Fame in general) can seem dumb, but I do like seeing legitimate legends get their due. Backlund is definitely an all-timer.