Wrestlers Who Should Have Been WWF Champion

The Bob Backlund era of WWF wrestling saw arguably the greatest collection of 80s wrestling talent come through the northeast. There was only one WWF world championship then and it wasn’t going to be passed around. Unfortunately that meant some great pro wrestlers were never going to get their opportunity.

WWF world titles are booked much different today than at any other time in wrestling history. Today, it is a given that anyone on top will get a run with the belt. Years ago, that was not the case. Many great pro wrestlers were passed over for WWF title reigns simply due to bad timing.

The Bob Backlund years of 1978-1983 saw a lot of great pro wrestlers cheated out of WWF title reigns. The WWF relied on a simple formula of the cookie-cutter babyface world champion being challenged by angry, colorful heels. But what if it were a colorful heel on top being challenged by a series of babyfaces for those five years? Which pro wrestlers would have been ideal to cash in and become that champion or was there a better babyface around to carry the WWF?

I want to look specifically at the Bob Backlund period of 1978-1983 and the great ones who missed their opportunity. Today, I look back at six WWF wrestlers who should have been WWF (or WWWF) world champion. If not for Vince McMahon Sr.’s formula, their unwillingness to hang around in one territory, or just bad timing, here are six wrestlers that should have been WWF champion.

Magnificent Muraco - While this entire list isn’t in any specific order, the Magnificent Muraco is my unequivocal number one choice. Muraco proved as WWF Intercontinental champion that he could be a successful champion in a scenario where babyface challengers chased the champion. Muraco’s promos along with managers the Grand Wizard and Cpt. Lou Albano were arguably the best in the business during this time period.

A winner of 1981 Wrestling Observer’s Best Heel of the Year and every bit deservedly so. In addition to his tremendous promos, he was a hell of a wrestler in the ring. Muraco could have a great match with anyone. Whether it was a grueling 60-mn draw or a brutal Texas Death Match, Muraco always delivered.

In all fairness to the WWF, Magnificent Muraco has stated in interviews that he liked to take an extended period of time off every year to vacation in Hawaii. Obviously this would have disqualified him from a lengthy WWF title run. But imagine how hot the WWF could have been if not for just six months of Muraco on top as WWF champion?

Read the entire list on CamelClutchBlog.com.