How Backlund’s Selling Of The Powerbomb Made A Hot New WWE Champion
The early to mid-1990s were a major time of transition at the top of the card for WWE. On one hand, Hulk Hogan had stepped away—first to try his had at an acting career, and ultimately to wind up to the face of WWE’s chief competitor, WCW. On the other hand, legal issues related to the distribution of steroids had put WWE under intense public scrutiny. So it was WWE found itself in search of new defining stars. Talents like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels had their opportunities, in part based on sheer talent and connection with their fans and in part due to their smaller size marking a departure from the musclebound superheroes of yesteryear. On the other hand, Lex Luger had a shot at becoming the top babyface in ways that demonstrated WWE hadn’t entirely moved on from, but rather wanted to emulate the Hulkamania model. Kevin Nash, in the persona of Diesel, marked another step in that direction as a giant powerhouse WWE pushed to the very top as 1994 came to a close. Bob Backlund put him over as the new face of the company.
Bob Backlund Sold Diesel's Jackknife Powerbomb In Epic Fashion
Bob Backlund had a legendary resume in wrestling, having reigned for nearly six years straight as WWE Champion from the 1970s into the early 1980s. Backlund had a strained relationship with Vincent K. McMahon that led him to leave the company for most of The Golden Era. When he returned, he felt a bit outdated until a heel turn that saw him play a crazy old man reinvigorated his career and, in some respects, rewrote his legacy as it culminated in him beating Bret Hart to win the world title again at Survivor Series 1994.
Three days later, however, Backlund would lose a house show match at Madison Square Garden to Diesel. Diesel had previously been a heel sidekick to Shawn Michaels, but turned babyface, breaking out on his own at the same Survivor Series PPV at which Backlund had won the title.
Related: How The Diesel Gimmick Made Kevin Nash A Major WWE StarThe match between Diesel and Backlund was lightning quick as, within seconds Big Daddy Cool had snatched up the champ and delivered his well-protected Jackknife Powerbomb finisher. Backlund stayed down for the count of three and the match was short enough that WWE was easily able to replay footage of the whole title bout on television in the weeks to follow. On Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard, it came up that fans didn’t see everything Backlund did to put over Diesel, though. After laying prone on the mat for an extended stretch, Backlund didn’t get up and walk to the back, nor was he helped or stretchered out. Instead, the wily veteran crafted a memorable visual for the Garden faithful in dramatically crawling down the aisle to the backstage area, selling his agony and the crippling effects of the powerbomb with each belabored movement.
Bob Backlund Refused To Take Diesel's Powerbomb Again
Despite Bob Backlund both putting over Diesel cleanly and selling the Jackknife Powerbomb to the maximum degree, the former champ did not approve of Big Daddy Cool’s signature move. On the contrary, Backlund thought the powerbomb was both painful and dangerous and Bruce Prichard and others have confirmed Backlund said he did not want to be on the receiving end of the maneuver ever again.
Backlund’s refusal to take more powerbombs contributed to him promptly being shuffled down the card, not to work return matches against Diesel on house shows, television, or PPV. To be fair, Prichard cited that this wasn’t the only issue with booking a proper Diesel vs. Backlund program, but rather that their styles didn’t mesh well to create much of an attraction. WWE was famously eager to push younger talents at the time. Backlund had earned his spot as the transitional champion to move the title from babyface Bret Hart to new face of the company Diesel. However, WWE saw more appeal in moving on to cast Diesel opposite fresher talent like Hart himself, Shawn Michaels, Sid, and (an admittedly regrettable feud with) Mabel.
Diesel Had A Lot of Advantages Starting Out His WWE Championship Reign
In defeating Bob Backlund in seconds and the way Backlund selflessly sold the catastrophic effects of the Jackknife Powerbomb, Diesel started his reign as WWE Champion with a huge push behind him. Moreover, the very model of a top heel beating the babyface champ, only to turn over the title to a new top face shortly after in Madison Square Garden was a very direct analog to the original Hulk Hogan world title push. In that run, The Iron Sheik beat Bob Backlund in a circumstance that (similar to Backlund beating Bret Hart) involved someone throwing in the towel on behalf of the hero, rather than the champ submitting. As such, Diesel had about the closest equivalent to the Hulkster push that anyone has enjoyed since.
Related: 10 Things You Forgot About Kevin Nash's WWE Run As DieselDiesel, of course, would not enjoy Hogan’s level of success. He didn’t have Hogan’s charisma and, in a chicken-and-egg situation, the business wasn’t as hot for Diesel’s time on top. Nonetheless, with a huge moment in the world’s most famous arena behind him and some exciting new challengers awaiting him, Diesel certainly did have the opportunity to do big things.
After Bob Backlund lost the WWE Championship in late 1994, he never broached such heights in wrestling again. He’d put over Bret Hart in an I Quit Match at the following WrestleMania, and most of his appearances for WWE to follow were in non-wrestling capacities, including a kayfabe bid for president and a few instances managing younger talents. Still, the way he put over Diesel and his powerbomb—a champion and a move it seems Backlund didn’t entirely approve of—bespoke his professionalism and understanding of how to make a new champion look great. For a man who’d spent the vast majority of his career as a white-meat babyface, he was deceptively knowledgeable of and skilled at executing heel psychology.
