Bob Backlund utilized his supreme technical and mat wrestling skills to take down and defeat “Superstar” Billy Graham. Graham, who was traditionally a rule-breaker, had the rules broken on him for a change. Backlund had Graham in a pinning predicament, but Graham got his foot on the ropes. The referee was out of position to see the champion’s foot, though, and his hand hit the mat for the three-count giving Backlund his first WWE Championship.

In the end, this reign as WWE Champion turned out to be far more succesful than Backlund’s second reign, which lasted a mere three days in November 1994.