Superstar Sleeze

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Don Muraco - WWF MSG 9/21/81 Texas Death Match I can see why people do not really care for this match, but I did enjoy it for it was. Yes, this did not need the Texas Death stipulation as this was not the all-out, balls to the wall brawl of the Patera match. Backlund's arm work does get long in the tooth. However, I still think this was a solidly great body part psychology match with a hot finish. With the couple reviews I have read, I agree what this match needed more than anything was to be 10-15 minute shorter. Backlund and Muraco try to get this started hot with punches, but I just did not believe them. Muraco takes over on offense with a whiffed clothesline; I think Backlund fell a little too early. I actually thought Muraco was pretty damn good on top for ten minutes. That was the part I was dreading the most. He wrenched the chinlock he had. the front facelock was not egregiously long. The best part was the midsection work. He was a beast stomping Backlund, standing on him, double stomping, ab stretch. Backlund was great at selling this gasping for breath and doubling over. He was fightback and Muraco was just throw big time blows to the midsection. It was really good stuff. Muraco rams his shoulder hard into the post when he wanted charge into the midsection. Backlund goes to town with armbar, boot rakes the face and NASTY elbow to the bridge of the nose. Muraco pussies out of the piledriver. Backlund's arm work is great; it just goes on forever. There are ton of great spots he incorporates and it is really well worked. Muraco sells well and is fighting back too. It could have been about 5 minutes shorter. It never felt like it was going anywhere even if it was technically great and entertaining. The finish run is very dramatic and is what really the entire match should have been. Backlund hits his big Atomic Drop, but Muraco ends up on the outside and Backlund lunges at him from the ring with a headbutt. Muraco grabs a chair and jabs it in his throat. Backlund is coughing and has spit on his lips. One of the all time great I cant breath selling. Of course, this sets up for the Muraco Double Thumb Asiatic Spike, which he uses liberally. Things do not look good for the champ as he collapsed on the outside. Backlund is an underrated seller. Big Asiatic Spike on the apron sends Backlund flying over the railing! Muraco goes out after him and punches him in the crowd. Fantastic. Backlund falls into the ring out of instinct and Muraco looks to suck the life force out of him with the Asiatic Spike. Backlund is firing up and BIG BACKLUND SUPLEX!!! I would have popped huge if I was in the crowd for that. Backlund cant capitalize. Muraco covers Backlund! As Jesse would say that's just depressing as hell. MURACO TOMBSTONE! MURACO SUPERFLY SPLASH! VERTICAL SUPLEX! He is pouring it on. Im loving this. Muraco goes for the Butterfly Suplex and Backlund deadlifts him from this position backdrops him out to cover to win the match to a huge pop! WAIT! There is controversy as Muraco clearly had his foot on the rope, but cant leave it up to chances, bud, need to kick out. Nice way to protect the IC Champ. Awesome finish stretch, Muraco & Backlund control segments were entertaining and technically proficient just did not really go anywhere and Backlund armwork was way too long. Easily, a safely great match, but needed an editor. ****

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Stan Hansen - WWF MSG 2/16/81 Two of my favorites that just never managed to have that all time classic together. My favorite match of theirs is still the 1980 NJPW match, but this is the best of the New York matches. It starts off auspiciously with Hansen meeting Backlund at the gate and Backlund firing off rounds into Hansen's face and then a belt shot for good measure. Backlund actually pretty much straight up kicks ass. We know Hansen is an asskicker so I was like maybe I was just kinda out of it the first time I watched it, but then I realized what my issue was. Hansen was pretty content to just sit in holds. I thought Backlund did keep them interesting with his struggling and facial expressions. One classic Backlund moment is Hansen is trying wrangle Bob back into an armbar and most people would let him do it, but Backlund kicks him right in the face before he can get it on. It is those little touches that make Backlund one of the best to have ever lace them up. The match picks up once Backlund blasts Hansen with a high knee! Then runs through his bombs: butterfly suplex, vertical suplex and PILEDRIVER~! Backlund whiffs on a high knee and crashes to floor. Hansen busts Backlund open with fists. You can see Backlund concentrating on trying to pump blood through his forehead and his selling is great. Hansen beats him senseless with fists and gnaws at him. This is really good. Backlund fires up with rapid fire punches to the gut and then big time punches send Hansen reeling to outside where Backlund busts him open. They brawl in the ring and ref has lost control and it Is a No Contest due to excessive bleeding. The beginning and the finish stretch were pretty awesome and want you want from these two, but the middle was pretty boring. Wish we got that one kickass Backlund/Hansen brawl. ***3/4

Best Hogan match ever? I think so.

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Larry Zbyszko - WWF Philly 10/11/80 We have seen Backlund out-wrestle, out-brawl and out-power his opponents, but he will be able to do the impossible and out-stall Larry Z. The answer is of course no. Larry Z was tremendous in this as the trash talking, belly-aching scumbag heel. Backlund was all revved up but had no place to go because Larry Z wanted nothing to do with the champ. Larry was complaining of a bad knee and as Backlund was showing him up with a fireman's carry and monkey flips. He undid the turnbuckle pad. Backlund began to attack the bullseye on Larry's leg and Larry was able to bash Backlund's head into the exposed steel. This allowed him to apply a sleeper. When Backlund got frisky, it was back into the steel, but on a third time Backlund smashed Larry into the unforgiving steel. Backlund ferociously goes after Larry's bad knee. I love it! He is really good at it. So Larry does what any desperate coward bitch would do, he punches him in the balls. Awesome! Backlund sells it like a million bucks. Of course Backlund makes his comeback and it is back to the leg so Larry Z has a foreign object and takes it to the Backlund's midsection. This is great. When it comes time to make his comeback; Backlund does not fuck around delayed vertical suplex and a MONSTER PILEDRIVER! Backlund is spent from all the illegal moves from the Living Legend. Larry Z gets his feet on the ropes. Airplane spin wipes out the ref and Larry Z hits him with the foreign object sending him out of the ring for countout loss. Simple, elegant story: Backlund goes after the leg so Larry Z takes a cheapshot (turnbuckle, ballshot, foreign object) that stymies Backlund shortly before he goes back after the leg. The finish run was great with two big Backlund moves before the final cheapshot that gives Larry Z the win. It was the consummate babyface vs consummate heel match. Very entertaining. ****1/4

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Antonio Inoki - CWF 4/16/80 I had high hopes for this one, but I thought this was fairly disappointing. I consider their '78 NJPW match a classic, but it has been a while seen that. Both these guys are acquired tastes and are very unique. No one really wrestles like Inoki or Backlund. In fact, they are probably more similar than any other two wrestlers in history. Both have strong shoot credentials and wrestle really dominant and do not really wrestle the conventional shine-heat-comeback-finish formula. I am a mark for amateur stuff in matches, but I didn't think a lot of this was well-executed. It seemed really loose and far too easy to move in and out of holds. Inoki seemed more uncooperative and was imposing himself more even though there were a plenty of Backlund spots. Inoki gained the first advantage with the headscissors, but Backlund got himself out and then it was to the short arm scissors for the Backlund deadlift spot. I did not feel like we got the classic Backlund shine of showing up his opponent and what replaced was not that interesting. Inoki grabbed a double wristlock after the big deadlift spot. Stuff like that where he did not really sell the moment makes sense in a shoot, but it is no fun in a worked environment. Backlund bodyslam and elbow, but Backlund acts like this is the 30th minute does that cover reversal spot he is so fond of very strange. Then Inoki grabs a sleeper to set up the Backlund monkey flip. They are just throwing shit out there willy-nilly. Another example was Inoki grabbed an ab stretch and Backlund just burst out with a butterfly suplex. There was struggle at times and then there would be none. It was very strange and uneven. There was good stuff like Inoki enziguiri Backlund falls back on his ass and then a nice suplex by Inoki. That was a great exchange by Inoki, which sets up the classic Backlund move of hitting a delayed vertical suplex to show up Inoki. There were great moments they just were not stringing them together. Loved Backlund's piledriver in this! He goes for a second time about 5 minutes later only to get back dropped out. Inoki misses a kneedrop (weak looking) and Backlund goes to town! We needed this like a good ten-fifteen minutes earlier. Backlund was great working the leg, wicked energetic and convincing. Figure-4 is red hot in Florida with Dusty as their top star and being a big spot for NWA Champions of the past. Backlund teases the atomic drop, but falls back with it for two. Backlund comes off the ropes and Inoki throws him over the top rope for the DQ. Very uneven. Lots of really good stuff, but nothing to put it together. It was the best hits of Backlund in a mixed up order with an opponent that was not committed to making him look good. Hell, Inoki really did not do much to make himself look good. Backlund was great working the leg would have liked to seen more of that in this match and in his career. Good match, but nothing great. ***

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Hulk Hogan - WWF Philly 4/12/80 This might be my favorite Bob Backlund match. It is definitely the one I have seen the most. It is so much fun and really represents who Bob Backlund is at a professional wrestler. The core characteristic that defines Bob Backlund is the phrase "anything you can do I can do better". He will out-wrestle, out-brawl and out-power you. That's why I love Backlund. He is so versatile. He adapts the Bob Backlund match to his opponent. It is not just lets have the same match with Hulk Hogan as I do Adrian Adonis. Those are two very different wrestlers, but he never ever loses his identity either. It is still very much a Bob Backlund match. What makes this match so interesting is that it is Bob Backlund's core tenet of his identity "anything you can do I can do better" actually costs him the match. There is a little bit of hubris there that we don't see from the champion. Hogan is so cocky early on as he is taller, heavier and stronger than Backlund, but Backlund understands leverage and is crazy strong himself. We see Hogan throw Backlund off. Backlund does a great job putting Hogan over in these exchanges and they make the shine that much stronger. He is not scared of Hogan, but he is cautious and realizes that this a major test. The way he rubs his hands on the top ropes before the test of strength. He acknowledges he is at a disadvantage, but he wont back down from a challenge. Of course, we get the really fun Backlund shows up his opponent spots like his single pick ups. Backlund really cranks the headlock. Really good stuff before Hogan hits a Robinson backbreaker. The weakest part of the match is Hogan's arm work. There is no urgency and just no real wrenching. So Hogan had hoisted Backlund up to the top rope to embarrass Bob and Backlund was pissed took a swing at him. This all sets up the mother of all deadlifts as Backlund powerlifts the 300lbs, 6' 8'' Hulk Hogan from a short arm scissors. Always an incredible sight! Hogan goes to the bearhug, which is the move I think he should have controlled with. I think Hogan focusing on the back would have been for the best. In my second favorite spot of the match, Backlund transitions out of a bearhug into an awesome piledriver! Both guys are spent and Hogan hits a vertical suplex. Throughout the match we have seen Backlund do Hogan's offense right back to him. There is a big suplex struggle and Kal does a great job putting over that Backlund cant afford to take another suplex. When Backlund hoists Hogan up for the suplex and the crowd went apeshit! Finally Hogan gets Backlund up for the airplane spin. Of course, Backlund's natural instinct is to put Hogan in the airplane spin, but they tumble to the outside so he does another one out there, but as he is revolving he puts Hogan back into the ring and he is left dazed and confused on the outside to lose by countout. Just a pitch perfect finish to a great story. This was such a great consistent story. Everything Hogan did, Backlund would do right back to him and do it better. This built to that amazing deadlift and suplex. However, that hubris was Backlund's fall as he was so committed to out-powering Hogan that he lost due to the airplane spin. One of the best narrative-based matches you will ever see. ****1/2

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Pat Patterson - WWF MSG 7/30/79 I still of the opinion that Valentine brings out the best in Backlund, but Patterson is a really awesome Backlund opponent. He is really well-suited to make Bob look like a million bucks. His bumping in the first half of the match was out of this world good. Backlund has big offense and can be really fun with the right opponent. Valentine is not a fun opponent. He never is. Besides the TIMBAH bump, Valentine is bringing hate and severity to his matches. Patterson is a fun Backlund opponent. The out of control ramming of his shoulder into the post had every single person at MSG grinning like a Cheshire Cat. In my opinion, he was the best bumper Backlund ever faced and he really did everything he could to put Backlund over. Backlund was LAUNCHING him early with bodyslams. Some of the best bodyslams this side of Jumbo Tsuruta. Backlund was relentless on the arm and was really entertaining working it over, while Patterson provided the movement, bumps and stooging. Eventually Patterson gets behind Backlund and whacks him with a double axehandle sending him careening to the floor where Backlund hurts his leg. This is where the match goes from a fun Backlund match to a classic match. Patterson dissects that leg and Backlund sells it like a million bucks. I think Backlund was willing to be more vulnerable earlier on in his run as I am seeing way more conventional heat segments and selling from Backlund in these matches. Backlund pounds his way out of a leg lace with his pitbull tenacity and bullies Patterson to the apron where he smashes him into the turnbuckle. Backlund can barely pull himself up. Backlund is killing it in the selling department. Patterson grabs the ankle and Backlund kicks him off Patterson cracks his head on the railing. Backlund pounds away, but on a bodyslam attempt Backlund's leg gives out on him. Tremendous! Backlund misses a dropkick. It does not look good for the champ. Patterson hits a bodyslam to set him up for the Bombs Away Kneedrop and Backlund knocks him off his perch with a right. Patterson takes a crazy bump wrenching his leg in the top rope. Backlund is merciless kicking him in that precarious position. Backlund runs him across the apron for a third time into the post busting him wide open. Backlund wants to win it in the middle of the ring and stops the ref's count as assuredly Patterson would have been counted out. I love as Patterson tries to enter the ring; Backlund kisses his fist and punches him in the head. SLUGFEST! ATOMIC DROP~! BACKLUND SELLS THE LEG!!! AWESOME! Patterson puts a foot on the ropes. They knock heads and Patterson blows him away with knuckledusters. Arnie Skaaland is pissed and knocks him out with the belt leading to a double knockout situation. Pretty damn good bullshit finish in my opinion must have been a Patterson special. Incredible fun and entertaining match. Patterson got his ass kicked in really entertaining fashion. He got his heat for 5 minutes, which set up the finish wonderfully. Backlund had to overcome a bad wheel. Bob is at his best when he is a pitbull and determined making his comeback, but still selling his leg the whole way. Patterson still saved up some big spots for the finish run falling off the top on his kneedrop and blading. Honestly, I don't think I can find a single flaw with this. A perfect old school babyface/heel match which was unique to the way Backlund and Patterson wrestled, I think what this match did so well was even though Backlund got the majority of the offense in the finish run his dominating position was tenuous at best. You were praying for the countout or for him scamper over for the cover after the atomic drop because it seemed like he could lose at any minute. So even though Patterson executed almost no offense in the last 5 minutes, he actually felt like he was in control. It was really dramatic and very cool feel to the match. Without a doubt, if we had more Pat Patterson he would rank among the greatest of all time. Incredible. ****3/4

I have it on DVD, brutha. I don't think it is, but give Google a whirl. Good luck!

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine - WWF MSG 2/19/79 This is the last major match I have left to review in one of my all-time favorite series of matches. I have seen this before and remember loving it. This is the one hour draw. Instead of taking notes, I will review the match in 20 minute intervals. First twenty minutes: You would never know this match is going to a draw given the pace they cut in the first twenty minutes. No this is not Flair/Steamboat, but they don't telegraph it in the least and work as brisk as usual. Valentine is such a great opponent for Bob because he makes him earn everything. Bob's base hold of choice is the side headlock and they do some really fun work in and out of it. Like when the Hammer looked to counter it the first time by grabbing a leg this led a monkey flip. The next time Backlund dropkicked him and TIMMMMBBBBAAAAAAHHHHH! When Valentine would just touch Backlund's legs the crowd would gasp because they thought the figure-4 was imminent. Valentine hit some really hard shots to Bob's midsection and really was laying in it as to be expected. Backlund missed his second dropkick. Valentine got a nice bow and arrow on Backlund. Next up was a nice full nelson exchange with Backlund busting out the wheelbarrow into the full nelson, which was nifty. Then followed up by the short arm scissors exchange no deadlift, but a nice rolling short arm scissors. The twenty minutes end with Backlund in control of the arm. Really strong first twenty minutes with the story being that these are two very evenly matched opponents. Backlund definitely had the upper hand in this tit for tat beginning as shown in the full nelson and short arm scissors exchanges. Even after twenty minutes, it still feels like they are feeling one another out, but it is not boring in anyway. Just two pros trying to find what sticks. After the short arm scissors, Backlund has Valentine in the armstretcher so going into the next twenty minutes, we will see if Backlund can maintain this advantage and what Valentine will do swing things his way and when will he go for the figure-4? Second Twenty Minutes: Really amazing back half here. Lets get the 20-30 minute mark outta the way. Backlund does his rowing spot and then drives his heel into Valentine's face and seemingly has the match in hand when he knocks heads with Valentine and that sends him to the floor. He never really recovers after that unfortunate incident. Valentine bodyslammed him in and went to Short Arm Scissors. I really like the short arm scissors, but this one did drag until the awesome Backlund deadlift high spot. Backlund hit a shoulder tackle, but Valentine uses his momentum against him to throw him out. Now we go to school. This is the all-time best heat segment on Bob. Valentine kicks the shit out of it. Wicked forearms on the apron. He brutalizes him on the apron. Stomping on him, choking with the boot, just kicking his ass. He starts pounding that leg. You know what that means. Figure-4 attempt is reversed into the small package, but Valentine was relentless on the leg and got a really nice single leg crab. Really cool Backlund escape sees him contort his body that he tabletops Valentine. Backlund THROWS Valentine on that vertical suplex. Incredible. Backlund cant hold Valentine, love that spot. Valentine big elbow and right back to the leg. Really compelling stuff in those last ten minutes. You never see Backlund get his ass whupped and Valentine looks totally dominant. Backlund is selling great, but also has great hope spots. Going into the last twenty minutes it really comes down to can Valentine get the Figure-4 applied and what the hell does Bob have to get himself out of this huge hole. Home Stretch: In-fucking-credible. The last thirty minutes of this match is just amazing pro wrestling. Backlund is not going down without a fight. Valentine has Backlund in a leg lace as he tries to set up for the figure-4 and he just starts drilling him in the back with kicks and then pulling at anything he get his hands on. Valentine says fuck this and goes for the figure-4 and Backlund keeps kicking him off. Backlund is just lunging at Valentine out of desperation, but is crashing and burning. This is a battle of wills. Valentine goes for the figure-4 and Backlund repeatedly kicks him in the face. Valentine goes for Backlund's big atomic drop, but Backlund blocks and sends Valentine flying out. BACKLUND SELLS THE LEG! Valentine is crawling in and Backlund scurries over and headbutts him in the midsection. Valentine grabs Backlund by the hair and rams into the apron, but he is so spent, he falls into the ring! Backlund misses the splash and then Valentine eats knees on the splash! Backlund sells it! THIS IS SO FUCKING AWESOME! Backlund butterfly suplex, but he is on jelly legs. Vince posits that Backlund's legs maybe injured that's why he collapsed on the suplex attempt. Ya think, Vince? Awesome slugfest with Valentine falling right on his ass and Backlund teetering on his feet. Loving this selling of fatigue. Each wrestler is having these bursts of energy and then will lose it. Valentine puts his foot on the ropes and Backlund SEAT DROPS on that leg with all his weight. Now Backlund looks to give Valentine a taste of his own medicine and try to win with the figure-4. BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! That burst of energy fades and he cant capitalize. Now Valentine has burst of energy and grabs the leg starts to wrench against the bottom rope. Backlund trips him up, but Valentine kicks him square in the face. He brutalizes him with forearms and Valentine runs into a wicked knee. TIMMMMMBBBBAAAAAHHHH! BACKLUND LEG DROP! KICK OUT! Valentine hangs out for dear life to the top rope to avoid the Irish Whip and leads to the ab stretch. Ok, that was a bit of a letdown. The Hammer reverses it and punches him in the stomach. I love Valentine. Backlund back to butterfly suplex into a SWEET Valentine drop toehold. Valentine back to the Indian Deathlock and finally looks to get figure-4 , but Backlund hooks the bottom rope with all his limbs. Valentine hits an ugly (selling the fatigue) suplex, but it is fitting in this war of attrition. Valentine is frustrated and he pushes the ref. BACKLUND GUTWRNECH SUPLEX! Valentine gets his foot on the bottom rope. This is Valentine's match to lose. Not many people can say that against Bob. HUGE SLUGFEST! Backlund backslide! Valentine is trying everything and eats a punch coming off the middle rope, header into turnbuckle. Kicks Backlund hard into midsection. Valentine is desperate and frustrated and Backlund is determined, but exhausted. They knock heads again. Figure-4 again, but small package. Wicked slugfest again in the 60th minute! These men are GODS! Valentine collapsed into Backlund and PILEDRIVER~! As time expires. You will be hard pressed to find a better 30 minutes in pro wrestling history than those last thirty minutes. The first twenty minutes are solid. The 20-30 minute stretch keeps this from being a strong Greatest Match of All Time, but this is safely a ***** because of those last thirty minutes. Battle of Wills is how I sum it. Backlund's leg selling is incredible. Valentine is a God on offense. What makes this match extraordinary is the selling of fatigue and how they incorporate bursts of energy. You gotta two beasts slugging it out in the 60th minute! Best Backlund match ever and maybe the best Valentine match ever! *****

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Great Hussein Arab - WWF MSG 6/4/79 I have finally seen it all. A Bob Backlund spotfest! Who knew he invented the spotfest! On the surface, Sheiky Baby is an evil foreign twin of Backlund, tons of raw power and an impressive amateur background. That's what we get at the beginning. The classic tit for tat Backlund babyface shine where Backlund proves anything you can do he can do better and frustrates Sheik at every turn. As a mark for incorporating amateur wrestling into pro wrestling I loved this shine. Backlund really shows his power. Sheiky actually is able to grab an arm leading to a nice Backlund bridge. Sheik is able to go from hold to hold with surprising ease and definitely the lack of struggle is what this match was missing at times. One of the best highspots of the match is, Sheik drops down out of a full nelson and Bob wheelbarrows him back into a full nelson. Backlund is such an underrated spot wrestler. Sheik starts to really go after the arm. I'm liking these matches with Bob having to overcome his opponent. Backlund grabs a headscissors to buy him some time to recover and dish out some punishment. Smart move. He piledrives Sheik into the mat. Next badass spot is Backlund does a DOUBLE bridge out before a backslide. Backlund rams his bad shoulder into the turnbuckles and ends up on his ass. Sheik grabs a hammerlock and Backlund turns it into an O'Connor Roll and now Backlund just starts going to work on the arm with legdrops and rowing spot. The rowing spot goes on for a while. I just don't feel like the transitions and the struggle are there, but Backlund is selling really well. Face rake with the boot gets Sheik out of it, Backlund takes too long on the reverse crossbody and eats a boot. They do multiple reversals of the ab stretch. These are all really good spots, but there is no connection. Big time spotfest for the finish run: Backlund THROWS Sheik on a butterfly suplex, Sheik kicks out and just gets up and gutwrench suplex him. No selling. It was straight outta the 2010s. Sheiks grabs a chair and NAILS Backlund twice in the back of the head hard. I mean hard! Backlund uses the ropes to break the pin. Backlund hits a gutwrench after this and gets a one count. Backlund splash eats knees. Sheik gets another chair and Backlund blocks and he clobbers him right in the head to a BIG POP! Sheik NO SELLS it! He loads the boot. Backlund blocks the boot and he wants the boot! Sheik hits a vertical suplex.Bodyslam by Sheik. Sheik goes up top!??!?! FLYING SHEIKYBABY! Bellyflop! ATOMIC DROP~! 1-2-3! HUGE POP! For 1979, this is downright revolutionary. A total spotfest down the stretch. This is more fun than most Bob Backlund matches because it is just spot-spot-spot. I can see why Backlund detractors would really like this and why fans in 1979 would pop huge for the finish run. That is the exact finish run used to get This Is Awesome chants now. I really enjoyed it, but not at the level of other Backlund classics that have that struggle and progression to a more powerful climax. This is Bob Backlund's fun summer blockbuster. ****

WWWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Ivan Koloff - MSG 8/28/78 Tremendous Bob Backlund match! Pretty much everything you want out of a Backlund match and more! The best part of Backlund matches are his raw power, lots of struggle, interesting, dynamic wrestling strategy and logical progression. Here you get the added bonus of more Backlund selling and his opponent getting a chance to work on top. I thought the first half of this match was the more entertaining version of the Murdoch/O'Connor Headscissors AJPW 75 match. I loved how Backlund first got into the hold as there was a ton of struggle over a hiptoss so Backlund used Koloff as a base wrapped his legs around his head and took him over that way. They traded headscissors in really compelling fashion for 15 minutes. Backlund showed his usual dogged determination. If something is working for him, he sticks with it. Koloff ALWAYS had to use the hair to keep Backlund in the headscissors or to gain the upper hand, which is a great touch. Backlund got to show off his power with incredible bridging. Koloff actually placed Backlund on the top rope and Backlund was none to pleased about that and delivered a nice short knee there. Overall, the beginning of the match was very solid established Backlund as the better wrestler and Koloff needing to use the hair. I thought everything was snug and Backlund really wrenched his stuff. Koloff began to kick Backlund in the head and drop the knee as things picked up. Backlund caught Koloff's foot on a kick and we transition into the next phase. Backlund begins to work Koloff's leg ferociously. This is exactly the opportunity Backlund looks for in a match. The leg work is super energetic, lots of movement and he is always going back to it even when Koloff gets a move in here or there. Eventually, Backlund gets a little overzealous on a wrenching and goes out to the apron. Koloff suplexes him back in and then applies a short arm scissors. Koloff works a nice rolling short arm scissors with plenty of teases to the big spot. Backlund deadlifts Koloff up and places him the top rope. That always gets me! Backlund slaps the piss outta him! This was set up nicely by Koloff putting Backlund on the top rope earlier. Backlund goes to back to the leg with a modified figure-4, but again Koloff grabs the hair. Double stomp, but sells the leg! Backbreaker by Koloff. Very rare to get to see the heel pour it on, but it is refreshing. They knock heads and Backlund goes out to the floor. I smell countout. Not so fast! Koloff rams him into he turnbuckle and suplexes him in. He misses the top rope knee drop to a big pop! Backlund sets his head too early and Koloff kicks him. This sends him outta the ring that was kinda lame. The finish was pretty cool with Koloff coming off the top rope with a stomp to Backlund's head on the apron to draw blood ending the match on cuts. Backlund gets his heat back by kicking Koloff's ass including an atomic drop. Really entertaining match, held back by just some slow portions in the holds. This was a classic Backlund match where everything progressed nicely. You had the battle of the headscissors that established face/heel dynamics and put over Backlund's power. Then when Koloff was roughhousing; Backlund made him pay by going after the leg. You have the big Backlund highspot of the short arm scissors deadlift into his possible finish with the figure-4, before a pretty hot finish run by Koloff set up by the hair pull. Another Backlund classic! ****1/2

I am excited for Nakajima in this year's G-1. Have not seen much of his output since 2009, but I loved him in that 2004-2009 window. Hope he can revitalize himself. Tanahashi/Marufuji has to be the ultimate nightmare match for some people on here. I like Tanahashi a lot, but not even I want to see that match,

How confident should I be about a Cena/AJ rematch at Battleground?

All in due time, my friend. World of Sport will be after all American and puro is complete. Portland and Puerto Rico are almost out so it is high time to wrap up the four projects I was working on. As of this morning, what I wanted to watch from World Class has been completed and that is the top rated matches through 1987. What was watched: Best of Freebirds vs Von Erichs (15 matches), Flair vs Von Erichs (7 matches), Best of Dynamic Duo vs Von Erichs (7 matches), Best of Chris Adams singles (5 matches) and 8 miscellaneous classics including one that did not make the set: Harley Race vs Kerry Von Erich. 44 matches were watched (I know the math does not add up, but trust me 44 matches were watched). Match Rankings (>****1/4) 1. Six-Man Tag Team Champions Fabulous Freebirds vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 7/4/83 2 Out of 3 Falls 2. Kerry Von Erich vs Michael Hayes - WCCW 11/24/83 Loser Leaves Town Cage Match 3. Terry Gordy vs Killer Khan - WCCW 11/22/84 Texas Death Match 4. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 8/15/82 5. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kevin Von Erich - WCCW 5/5/85 6. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs Dynamic Duo - WCCW 10/6/85 Hair vs Hair 7. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) - WCCW 2/16/88 8. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Kevin Von Erich - WCCW 6/17/83 9. American Heavyweight Champion Kevin Von Erich vs Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin - WCCW 7/18/83 10. Kevin & David Von Erich vs "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin & Terry Gordy - WCCW 8/15/83 2 Out of 3 Falls 11. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs Dynamic Duo - WCCW 2/22/85 12. NWA World Heavyweight Ric Flair vs David Von Erich - WCCW 10/11/82 13. NWA World Heavyweight Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 12/25/82 Steel Cage Match 14. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kevin Von Erich - WCCW 4/1/83 15. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Gordy - WCCW 2/4/83 16. Harley Race vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 6/4/82 17. Von Erichs & Iceman Parsons vs Fabulous Freebirds & Jimmy Garvin - WCCW 5/27/83 18. NWA World Heavyweight Champion Kerry Von Erich vs Ric Flair - WCCW 5/11/84 19. Six-Man Tag Team Champions Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez & Jake the Snake Roberts vs Kerry, Kevin & Mike Von Erich - WCCW 12/31/84

Terry Gordy vs Killer Khan - WCCW 11/22/84 Texas Death Match SGR: Kerry Von Erich World Class' Rocky IV moment that predates Rocky IV by a year as a Freebird and Von Erich shake hands at the end of this bout proving that there is hope for all of us to just get along. I can totally understand why this finished number one atop the Texas poll even if it will not finish there for me (Top 5, no doubt). This match epitomized everything Texas has been lacking hatred, violence and blood (notable exception the awesome Kerry/Hayes Cage match). Texas (non-NWA Championship matches) is characterized by insane crowd heat, big time babyface offense, lots of heel bumping and feel good matches. I love action blockbuster, popcorn, feel good matches, but there were times when I just wanted the Freebirds/Von Erichs to cut loose and really brawl with each other. As much as I love 7/4/83, the closest they got to that brawl was in 1988, but man alive if they could have done that in 1983 that would have been something else. The vast majority of Killer Khan's offense was biting the forehead and Asiatic Spikes to the throat of Gordy. Now that's heel offense! This is not a spring brawl, but a war of attrition that feels like a clash of the titans. When Gordy takes for a bit, Khan throws him to the outside smashes his face into the post and Gordy does a big time blade job. Khan gets the first pin with a knee drop, but Gordy makes the ten count. Now it is Gordy's turn to throw Khan out and ram his head into the post busting him open. Gordy nails a piledriver, but now Khan makes the ten count. This is minimalistic brawling at its finest. The suplex struggle between these two bloody warriors late into the bout is a great testament to machismo. Khan misses the kneedrop that won him the first fall. Gordy applies the Oriental Spike to the throat. This is an all time great finish as he digs his thumb into the neck of Khan who is grunting and struggling only to struggle less and less as his life force is being drained. It is pretty poignant. It is Magnum/Tully in its levels of brutality and uncomfortableness. Kerry counts Khan down. Khan is choking and not going to make the ten count, but Akbar interferes to Kerry kicks his ass and now Missing Link. Gordy and Kerry fend off Devastation Inc. Kerry declares Gordy the winner and sticks out his hand. No handshake, Gordy calls Kerry back to the ring ostensibly to rumble, but instead we get the Handshake to end all Handshakes. The Handshake and Oriental Spike finish with Khan's selling make this an all-time classic. It was just missing a spark from the beginning of the match until the finish. I thought everything was really well-worked from beginning to end, but it could have used just a little more pep. I would say Top 25 US match from the 80s and Top five for Texas, pretty easy. ****3/4

American Tag Team Champions Fantastics vs Midnight Express - WCCW 1/11/85 Fantastics take their time to hug and kiss every single woman in the front row. I love it! We get not one, but two "Clear the ring, booty shake, high five, thumbs up" sequence. We need more fun, happy go lucky tag teams! Another funny part was there was a "Lets Go Bobby" chant when both Bobby's were in there. I liked the shine even better in this one as it is clearly evident by my first paragraph. I always love the side headlock/headscissors takedown of both your opponents. There is a false heat segment where Eaton seems to actually take Rogers down by legal tactics, but it is just a psych out as Rogers dropkicks Eaton a couple times. They are beauties. Rogers is pumped. Then there is a double monkey flip. This is so much fun. High-five! I would have high-fived them too! The reaction of the MX especially Corny to getting their asses kicked is awesome. Condrey distracts Fulton in the corner and Eaton wipes him out from behind. Now here is the heat segment. I actually like this set up of the Fans with Fulton in the FIP so Rogers can unleash his badass, pretty offense as the hot tag. I love how Condrey steps on Fulton every chance he gets when he makes a tag to Eaton. Condrey was that grit that Eaton and Lane did not have. He was a heel's heel. MX just generally beat the shit out of Fulton, backbreaker, hotshot you know the MX playbook. Fulton gets a crossbody on both of them! Here comes Rogers as a house of fire! His offense is fantastic! Condrey shoves Rogers into the ref. Rogers gets a splash, but there is no ref. He goes for an O'Connor Roll, but Corny nails him with a racket and that's the end of that. Just another super fun Southern tag team match. These two were at their best in Crockett, but this is very entertaining stuff. ****

I can actually see this match as the Most Memphis match of all time therefore an argument for this as the best Memphis match. I just don't think you can argue this is the best match to happen in Memphis.

American Tag Team Champions Fantastics vs Midnight Express - WCCW 12/25/84 It is Christmas Day 1984 so the Fantastics are throwing candy canes out to the fans. I just love these teams chemistry. Rogers holding the rope open for Cornette and calling him a chicken was fun. Fantastics outsmart and outquick MX and have them scurrying, discombobulated and hugging one another for comfort. Roger commits the cardinal mistake of tag team wrestling; he hits the man on the apron and Condrey comes from behind to hit him. MX double teams and goes after the arm. MX offense is great during this extended heat segment backbreaker, kneedrop, double stomp and lots of double team and good heeling. Rogers is great at selling, but could pepper in some more hope spots in my opinion. Rogers gets a double sunset flip on both of the MX and tags in Fulton. In the fracas, Fulton a cross body while Rogers detains the other MX member. Great hissy fit from Corny on Christmas day. Usual greatness from these two team and perfect execution of Southern formula, there was no one spot that really stuck or any interesting twist on the Southern tag formula so going with ****, but still a ton of fun!

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Chris Adams - WCCW 2/3/84 Definitely a more standard Flair match and with only 15 minutes it does not reach the usual great levels of his other matches as he works a condensed version of his world championship touring style. Also, either the heat segment was cut or straight up didn't have one, which was weird. Flair because he is always fighting back always makes his matches feel competitive so does not necessarily need a heat segment, but I think they help. Pretty standard Flair shine with Adams getting the best of Flair on the mat and lots of verbal selling by Flair. I did like Flair hoisting Adams into a Fireman's Carry and depositing him on the top rope. Back from commercial, Flair is begging off, but is able to get a knee to midsection and throw him outside to set up some king of the mountain. This does not last long as he fall prey to the sunset flip, which is a great Flair spot. Adams is technically very good, but is not adding much to this match. It very much feels like the Flair show. I really liked Flair's backbreaker counter to the sleeper that was neat. The best part of the match was when Adams finally felt like he contributed, which was the Flair Kneecrusher, Flair goes for a single leg back heel trip to set up figure-4, but eats an enziguiri. FLAIR FLOP! FLAIR FLIP! SUPERKICK~! Flair gets the foot on the ropes. Adams reverse crossbody, but Flair rolls through for the win. I really liked this one and thought the drama really built down the stretch. Flair needs more time to flesh things out. Flair is so good at creating a sense of struggle and all of his spots tell a coherent narrative that even on cruise control it is going to be a very good match. I think the finish run, which was spectacular gets this close to great, but not quite there. ***3/4

WCCW TV Champion Jake The Snake Roberts vs Chris Adams - WCCW 9/3/84 I thought they could have done a cool Superkick vs DDT match, but Jake never even teased the DDT. Weird. Still a very good match. Adams is with Gary Hart, but this about a month before the turn on Kevin so he is a babyface. They tease the Superkick a lot early, which is great. I love Jake's selling of this and the way he backs into the corner. The match picks up when Adams misses a legdrop and Jake pulls out a foreign object and hits Adams in the throat. So Adams gets one from Hart but goes flying over the top rope before he can use it. Jake goes after the throat with a double thrust. Hart puts Adams' foot on the ropes. It is clear this is a match that is advancing the Adams heel turn. He needs Gary Hart's help and will lead to the fans' feeling conflicted. Jake hits his short arm clothesline, but Gary Hart is on the apron so he goes after him. Adams superkicks his head off. Very good little TV title match that advanced Adams story and I thought Jake looked great in this. ***1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Gordy - WCCW 2/4/83 I thought this match was supposed to be a knock against Flair?!?!?!?! This match is fantastic!!! I really want to hear what people's complaints are. If your complaint is that this should have been so much more. I am sorry, but a 12 minute heel vs heel match is not going to get much better than this. In fact, Flair detractors should love this match because it is not Flair formula at all. It is Flair working de facto face, but with more of a heel edge. It is really cool. The match begins with Kerry hauling off and smacking Gordy as this is less than two months since that infamous Christmas cage match. Flair takes advantage with big chops and really laying into Gordy. You see Gordy using his strength once he catches Flair to throw him around. Flair is clearly the crowd favorite and we see Flair muscle out of a ab stretch a clear babyface reversal. Flair is a still a heel at heart and he knees him a little low. He Irish Whips him hard leading to Gordy taking the Flair Flip. Now Flair works the back like a total pro even busting out a Boston Crab (Big Go Flair Go chant)! Never seen that one from Flair. Flair with suplexes galore, but Gordy switches one into a sleeper and then a hard punch sends Flair tumbling over the top rope. Flair was having trouble getting Gordy for that last suplex and he paid for it. You see that the story of this match with Flair bringing the fight to Gordy like a babyface, but Gordy's size and power is keeping Gordy in the match. There are some really good slugfests late in this match. You really get that fight feel in this match. Gordy hits his own delayed vertical suplex. Gordy misses the elbow drop and hurts his back! Flair is thinking figure-4, but inside cradle by Gordy and now backslide by Gordy. Even as a babyface, Flair giving Gordy nearfalls. I love Flair slugfests. Kneecrudher! Huge pop for the figure-4! I loved the visual of Flair leaping onto Gordy with a sleeper. Gordy goes to the eyes and in the criss cross Gordy goes crashing into the ropes. Flair pins! HUGE POP IN TEXAS! Really fun Flair match that a different feel with Flair working de facto babyface. I thought this was Gordy's best performance (I have not rewatched the Khan match I expect that to be number one) in Texas. He was bumping more tastefully and actually working some really great offense mostly punches. Flair excels in long matches and this is a feather in his cap to work a mid-tempo 12 minute match this well. If you have complaints about the match, I would love to discuss them because I thought this was wicked entertaining. ****1/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Iceman King Parsosn - WCCW 10/7/83 This was taped off Boston's Channel 25 (their Fox or soon to be Fox affiliate), guess I should have not scoffed at HHH saying he saw WCCW during his childhood. This match had three things going for it: working around Iceman's hard head, Harley's character work and a hot crowd. The crowd loved chanting Go Ice Go, counted vigorously for the countout teases and popped huge for the sleeper. Harley was actually pretty entertaining bitching about We Are Family playing for Iceman, David Manning as the ref and selling Iceman's hard head. David was an effective cheerleader for Ice and as we will see too effective. This was a great NWA World Title Defense match. Iceman started off hot as expected with the best spot of the shine being Harley going for the falling headbutt hitting it and then selling it. Harley should have worked in Texas full time; he was a more vicious heel there. Harley takes over with a cheap shot in the corner and then hit a piledriver in the ring, but Ice kicked out. The best sequence was when Harley smashed Ice's head into the post and went to gloat, but Ice no sold it. David tells him to turnaround and he eats a headbutt. This was a great countout tease. Iceman's headbutts work awesomely as false finishes because how well they built them up. I like Bill Mercer counts the nearfalls throughout the match for Iceman really shows how well he is doing. Harley gets the headbutt to the midsection and necekbreaker for a nearfall. The finish is a lot of nearfalls, but not much in the way of highspots. Harley did do a great job making you believe Iceman could win this. The big spot at the end is the attempted pilderiver by Harley that Iceman backdrops out of, which leads to another countout tease. They slug it out with Iceman winning with a headbutt. Harley hauls off and slaps David. David punches Harley into the Butt-Butt, but and it is a big BUT Bronco on the outside calls for the bell to DQ Iceman due to David's interference. Keep that man away from your title matches! Great NWA World Heavyweight Title match with a few fun spots, but nothing that makes it a classic. Just a really fun outing by both men. ****

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race vs Kevin Von Erich - WCCW 6/17/83 Going into the 80s rewatch, this was my pick for Harley's greatest match and still feel that way. If only Harley would only wrestle Von Erichs in Texas! I think the fact that Von Erichs constantly fight back forces a lot of Harley's bad tendencies out of him. Kevin is such an unusual wrestler. I really cant think of anyone like him. My number one issue with him is that he just doesn't sell. He sells his ass off well rather his arm off here. You combine Kevin's "think shoot, but work" mentality with amazing selling you have a recipe for success. Harley keeps his bad bumping (that bump off the atomic drop is a great example of bad bumping) and his spot-throwing to a minimum instead he focuses on the arm. In the early going, Kevin is working his ass off to win the match. We get a ton of nearfalls around the crossbody, sleeper, throwing over the top rope (legal in this match) and the Claw! Mercer does a great job documenting this onslaught and that Kevin is primed to win. Harley is pretty decent at taking all this. They establish going over the top is legal because it has been a way for the champion to get out of having the title switch hands in Texas. Kevin has been using a lot of Irish Whips to either set that up or his body scissors, which does not always look great. I am pretty sure that the transition spot should have been Kevin going over the top and taking the bump to the floor on his shoulder for maximum effect, but instead went through middle rope, not a huge deal. Kevin is amazing selling the arm and Harley to his credit never relents. Kevin shows he cant do the Irish Whip, which was his staple move of the match. He then varies his offense with dropkick and a bodyscissor to avoid using the arm. I love that shit! He puts his hand down his pants to sort of create a natural sling. It is a bit weird, but I kinda like where his head is at there. Harley would punch the arm whenever in trouble as a cutoff and using a gnarly shouldebreaker. He came off the top and its the Claw with the good arm, but without the other arm to support it, Harley is able to throw him to the floor on his bad arm! Awesome drama. Harley is not letting him come back in so David comes out and to tell his brother to quit before career-altering damage is down. Harley kicks David in the head and he bumrushes the ring and hits a high knee on Harley to trigger the DQ. Easy way to protect Kevin, sell the next match Harley/David for the next big event. I pretty much loved everything up until the finish. I think a countout victory for Harley would have been fine. One of the all time great Kevin performances and the best Harley match in my book. ****1/2

Harley Race vs Kerry Von Erich - WCCW 6/4/82 This is the best Harley match I have seen in a long, long time. The winner is the number one contender for Flair's world championship setting up the Flair/Kerry classic in August of 82. Kerry holds the entire match together with selling and forcing Harley to work slower and smarter. The shine is fine with Kerry getting a dropkick and a small package, before settling into a well-worked headlock. A great sequence sees Harley hits a back suplex out of the headlock and he goes for the headbutt only for Kerry to counter with the claw! Harley heads for the hills and Kerry backdrops him out of a piledriver on the floor. The transition to Harley's heat is lame and it is just a chinlock at first. Kerry is selling well, but at some point there is a piledriver just for one, which is lame, but a Harley thing. Kerry fires up with some punches but is too close to the ropes. The match picks up with Harley kicking some Kerry ass on the outside. Definitely the most vicious I have seen Harley ramming Kerry into hard objects and using nasty headbutts. I loved the transition with Kerry slamming Harley into the post as a receipt. Sleeper by Kerry, but Harley backs in the ropes and forearms him low. Nice spot! Harley gets a suplex, but Kerry kicks out with authority! Harley uses his tried and true punch to the gut to stymie Kerry. He gets press slammed off the top and then they knock heads. Outside the ring they slug it out with great intensity. Kerry reverses a crossbody for the win. Great, great match. Harley matches often feel like an exhibition this saw a more natural escalation. Some transitions could have been better, but with Harley's offense being sold and not just working for the next spot this ranks up there with one of his best, which is a shorter list than most would expect. ****1/4

Had a blast doing this! Hope everyone enjoys!