5 Unforgettable WWE heel turns still talked about today 

#3. Bob Backlund

Bob Backlund here wrestling Razor Ramon in one of his last matches as a babyface

Bob Backlund is one of the greatest wrestlers to ever feature in WWE. That's not my opinion - the stats back it up. Between 1978 and 1983, Backlund reigned supreme as WWE Champion, holding the record for the second-longest title run in the history of the entire company.

He left WWE not long after his defeat but would return some eight years later. Much like that Grandma you remember fondly but never see, Backlund was welcomed back warmly by WWE fans. But, by then, they'd moved on to become interested in other things as part of the company's New Generation.

WWE capitalized on this excellently and weaved it into a storyline to help Backlund turn heel in sensational circumstances in July 1994. Having primarily been a whiter-than-white babyface for many of his previous years, it was a significant surprise for fans to see him snap and slap WWE Champion Bret Hart after the duo looked set to shake hands after a match with one another.

Backlund took it further, locking his painful chicken wing on The Hitman, looking every bit the maniacal character he was supposed to.

Backlund, then 45, was involved in a lengthy rivalry with Hart that, at Survivor Series 1994, saw him beat Bret in a submission match (not without the help of Bret's brother Owen, of course) and become WWE Champion once again.

It was a reign that lasted a matter of days - Kevin Nash beat Backlund at a live event in Madison Square Garden to snare the title. Still, the veteran's return and descent into insanity is one that's stayed etched in the memory.