Backlund was trained for a professional wrestling career by legendary wrestling trainer Eddie Sharkey and made his debut for the American Wrestling Association in 1973. Backlund's clean cut look and very technical approach made him a natural face and almost instantly got overwith the fans. After working for the AWA for a while, Backlund started to travel the United States working for the National Wrestling Alliancein its various territories. In 1974, Backlund worked in Texas for Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk's Amarillo promotion. In March he defeated Terry Funk to gain the NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship, the promotion's main title. Backlund would only hold it for two months before losing it to Karl Von Steiger in May.
In mid 1975, Backlund started working for Georgia Championship Wrestling where he would team up with Jerry Brisco to win the NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (not to be mistaken with the Georgia Version of the NWA Tag Team Championship) from Toru Tanaka &Mr. Fuji in October 1975. The Brisco/Backlund team would only hold the Georgia gold for 2 months before being defeated by Les Thorntonand Tony Charles. In 1976, Backlund moved on from the Georgia territory and worked in Florida for Championship Wrestling from Florida(NWA Florida) where he teamed up with Steve Keirn to defeat Bob Orton, Jr. and Bob Roop for the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship. Backlund and Keirn would lose the title to The Hollywood Blonds (Buddy Roberts and Jerry Brown) in October 1976. Backlund split his time between working in Florida and working in St. Louis, Missouri for Sam Muchnick’s St. Louis Wrestling Club where he defeated wrestling legend Harley Race to win the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship on April 23. He held it until he was defeated by Jack Brisco on November 26.
[edit]World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Federation (1977–1984)
In early 1977, Backlund signed with Vincent J. McMahon’s World Wide Wrestling Federation. Backlund was managed by “the Golden Boy”Arnold Skaaland early on. Less than 4 months into his run with the WWWF, Backlund received his first shot at the WWWF Champion against"Superstar" Billy Graham where he lost by countout. Over the course of 1977, Backlund received additional shots at the champion where his fortunes started to change; they first went to a double countout and later Backlund defeated Graham, but only by countout.[8] On February 20, 1978 at the famous Madison Square Garden, Backlund finally got the elusive pinfall victory over Billy Graham that earned Backlund his WWWF World Heavyweight Title.[5] Backlund won the match despite Graham’s leg being on the rope during the pinfall. He also went after the WWF World Tag Team Championship with Peter Maivia but Maivia turned on him and attacked Backlund and Skaaland, which led the usually even tempered Backlund to go berserk in the post match interview, screaming to interviewer Vince McMahon that he was going to "kill that son of a bitch!"
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