Mark Suleymanov of Inquisitr.com recently conducted an interview with WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund, and below are some interview highlights:
On Bruno Sammartino:
“When I came to the WWF, I didn’t know him, I never watched him, I was out in Minnesota watching the AWA, I’d hardly hear of him,” said Backlund. “I met him, he met me and it took us nearly two years to get to know each other. We weren’t talking day-to-day but he found out what I was like and we have mutual respect that’s very high because we feel we’re similar in a lot of ways. It took him three years to decide ‘I’m glad Bob Backlund had the championship’ after me. And I’m glad and proud that I got to get it after he had it because of the man he was.”
On Hulk Hogan:
“Hulk Hogan told your children not to take drugs and cocaine and eat your vitamins and minerals. He talked the talked, 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.”
On 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.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
