Matches from Bob nominated for the WWF Redux Project...
Bob vs. Killer Khan (Date disappeared with the old board)
- Both guys were laying in the shots with Khan's chops setting up a nerve hold that was actually worked instead of two guys taking a 5 minute break. Backlund sold the power of Khan's head by shaking his fist each time he threw a punch. Some sick spots including the Khan top tope knee,Backlund standing on Khan's head and a sweet german to end the match. Both guys busted their ass in this match and this will be a Killer Khan match that will not finish last. EASY NOMINATION
Ken Patera vs. Bob Backlund (5/19/80) - These dudes come out fighting and nail each other with some stiff shots. Bob’s elbow to the head looks nasty. Great spot where Ken hooks in the Full Nelson early and Bob breaks it while ramming Ken’s head in the turnbuckle piggyback style. Ken gets the back work in motion and this is the part where Phil makes fun of Bob’s facial expressions… goofy as fuck. I love seeing Bob cheat, using the rope, eye rakes, punch to the throat. This sets up the atomic drop but Ken gets outside the apron then KILLS Patera with a SICK SICK SICK piledriver. Bob has one of the best piledrivers. Patera gets the advantage and starts working on Bob’s throat… tree of woe choking, clothesline, throat drop across the rope and tries to pin him while choking. At this point, Ken escapes a n ab stretch by tossing Bob over the top and beating the shit out of him on the outside, busint him open and attacking the cut. I LOVE THAT SHIT. Bob makes his comeback and beats the shit out of Patera on the outside. Now Patera is busted open and Bob beats the shit out of the cut. The end had Bob ram Ken into a chair only for Ken to pick it up and nail Bob with ot as he gets in the ring. Ken looks to put it away with the chair but Bob nails Ken with it a couple of times and wins with a flying body press. This has to be the best match either guy has ever been in and probably a lock for my Top 5. EASY NOMINATION.
Bob Backlund vs. Greg Valentine (11/23/81) Holy shit, Backlund attacks Valentine before the match and hits him with the belt. No holds barred! Bob is fucking Greg up. Smart work early when Greg misses a knee charge to the corner, Bob works the legs. Nothing wrong with that. Greg tries to fight back but Bob just kicks his leg and he drops. Bob even goes for a figure-4 but Greg pulls him down and turns the tide. Even after turning the tide, Greg still selling the leg. As of this moment, not really a No Holds Barred match even though it was teased as such early on. Really smart match but not extremely violent. Just as I say that, Greg gets to wrap Bob’s leg around the ringpost several times. Bob escapes the figure-4 a couple of times but Greg finally gets it on and I am liking the leg work in the match. Eventually, Bob catches Greg with his deadlift German for the pin. Not a great No Holds Barred match but a great wrestling match. I have to check Cawthon’s site and see if this was a regular match or No DQ. If it was no holds barred, merely solid. If it was just a match, this was really an easy nomination.
Bob Backlund vs. Buddy Rose (8/30/82) - Holy shit, Sheri Martel was one of Buddy’s ring girls! Early on, the match starts out similar to the Orton match with Buddy getting outsmarted early on in the mat, locking up and even on a roll up attempt that results in Buddy getting dropkicked out of the ring. Buddy grounds Bob with a headlock and keeps control even when Bob temporarily escapes. Man, Buddy taking it to Bob even giving Bob a taste of his own medicine with a nasty boot scrape. Really, I am not seeing Bob getting owned like this. It’s a nice change of pace although I wish they would work this headlock more. Bob changes direction and he gets control with his own headlock. Bob does his goofy arm cranks that people hate but his running headlock takeover off the turnbuckle was cool. Buddy is trying to desperately escape but Bob keeps blocking him. Bob even keeps it on after a nice belly to back suplex. Buddy breaks it with a nice crotch on the top rope leading to a tree of woe knee that looked sick. Buddy is kicking Bob square in the head and knocks him off the apron. After some back and forth, eventually, Bob locks on the chicken wing and Buddy goes to sleep. I enjoyed this match but I am a mark for both guys and good headlock worked matches. SOLID NOMINATION that should be on the set with the caveat that the other matches are different enough to also be included as separate entities. If all of their matches follow the same formula, we can just pick the best one including the one that made the Top Ten first time around.