Bob Backlund

[shoe]

Bob Backlund vs. Greg Valentine 10/19/81

Strange... I know I've watched this match, and liked it... but don't seem to be able to find a write up. Do find the one for the rematch, which I liked a good amount.

 

I also have the two Philly matches, finally getting the full version of the cage match.

 

John

 

 

To me they have had good to great matches from every match I have seen except the March of 79 match coming off the amazing 60 minute match . I didn't hate the rematch it just didn't resonate with me like all the others. They were working front face locks which might be the hardest position in the world to work a match around.

[jdw]

Yeah, the 3/79 match is the only one I would call mediocre. Been a while since I've seen it, but on recollection:

 

* it was very flat

* Greg didn't seem into it as much as usual

* it just kind of laid there

 

Look forward to the Philly matches.

[BrickHithouse]

Yeah, the 3/79 match is the only one I would call mediocre. Been a while since I've seen it, but on recollection:

 

* it was very flat

* Greg didn't seem into it as much as usual

* it just kind of laid there

 

Look forward to the Philly matches.

I really liked the 3/79 match but really hated the finish. I don't remember what the finish was, just remember not liking it.

[jdw]

I thought the finish was the best thing about it, and one of the greatest finishes of all-time:

 

* Greg covers Bob for a pin

* Bob taps Greg's back

* Greg thinks it's the ref, and breaks the cover

* Greg celebrates

* Bob gets up, atomic kneedrops Greg, and pins him

 

I thought it was totally awesome.

 

John

[BrickHithouse]

And I hated it. Let's fight!

[jdw]

[khawk20]

I thought the finish was the best thing about it, and one of the greatest finishes of all-time:

 

* Greg covers Bob for a pin

* Bob taps Greg's back

* Greg thinks it's the ref, and breaks the cover

* Greg celebrates

* Bob gets up, atomic kneedrops Greg, and pins him

 

I thought it was totally awesome.

 

John

 

I enjoyed this match a lot, I think partially because it seemed a little ragged in spots.

[jdw]

I'll watch it again at some point.

 

A number of them "don't suck as much as I thought" when watching them years ago, such as the 3/83 Bob-Muraco. On re-watch, I can put my finger on what pissed me off originally about the 3/83 match. But the balance of the match was passable. Not up to the level of the 2/83 match, but not the steaming turd I initially thought.

 

The 3/79 Bob-Greg match may have been hurt by it's placement on Frank's "Backlund & More" set:

 

07/27/78 vs Inoki

08/28/78 vs Ivan

03/26/79 vs Greg

10/20/79 vs Patterson

11/17/79 vs Patterson

04/12/80 vs Hogan

05/27/80 vs Dusty

09/30/80 vs Stan

09/22/81 vs Don

10/17/81 vs Don

01/18/82 vs Adonis

 

That's a tough set of matches.

 

The Inoki match is probably my favorite Inoki match. I liked the simple work of the Ivan match. Business picked up with the Hogan and Dusty matches, which instantly was my favorite Dusty match ever and probably at the time my favorite Hogan match. The Stan match is fun as hell. I like the Don matches better than most folks, and the Adonis match is generally well received.

 

The Greg-Pat-Pat just felt like a death stretch.

 

I was super happy when the 60 minute draw came out and Bob & Greg has a match that I loved. In turn, the 07/30/79 Bob-Pat final was a Bob-Pat match that I liked.

 

It's possible that I'd go back and watch those three matches and not get as annoyed now as then. But I also recall Frank inventing the phrase "Fifth of Gin Selling" in those Patterson matches, so who knows.

 

John

[Superstar Sleeze]

I have seen Hogan work a decent double wristlock in a different match and I think he was always a decent wrestler. He seemed like he knew his holds better than Piper or Sting.

 

On 3/83, Backlund/Muraco what pissed me off was the lack of heat, hatred or violence in a Texas DEATH Match. There was no excuse to wrestle that kind of match under Texas Death rules.

 

I have watched a ton of Bob in Japan and have been impressed, but will talk about more in depth when I am more awake.

[khawk20]

The 3/79 Bob-Greg match may have been hurt by it's placement on Frank's "Backlund & More" set:

 

08/28/78 vs Ivan

03/26/79 vs Greg

10/20/79 vs Patterson

 

Possibly. I really liked the Ivan match from memory, and, though I don't remember which Patterson match specifically that one is, I did like pretty much all of their matches that I did see, so I can see how that match could have got lost in the shuffle a little.

 

I hope that when Backlund gets the HOF treatment on ClassicsonDemand, they pop out a "new" match or MSG card for us. I'd like to see one of the Maivia matches, or perhaps the Adonis rematch from MSG. Hell, even the first Snuka match where Backlund did the stretcher job would be a treat.

 

Even a rematch from that 1978 Ivan match would be pretty sweet as I think the one you listed is the first of two at MSG.

 

My fear is that Bob gets the "nobody really knows who he is, so roll out is best, already-prepared matches" treatment. I suspect that there is enough good Backlund stuff available that they probably don't have to dig deep....we can only hope they do.

[BrickHithouse]

They'll probably roll out his 1994 run and the Mr. Backlund shit. Would be nice to see the '78 matches and the whole buildup to his title shot - Graham refusing to shake his hand...and....I forget. I can't stop watching those dogs break up that cat fight. It's hypnotizing.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Sticking with Bob in Philly...

 

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Sgt Slaughter Steel Cage 3/21/81 Philly

 

I remember thinking this match was pretty good, but nothing to write home about. Since jdw seem to feel pretty strongly towards I thought I'd give it another shot. had just watched the Bruno/Zbyszko Shea Stadium steel cage match, which I had think had good heat, but seemed kind of plodding. I liked everything after Larry Z busted open Bruno's arm and he made his great one-armed comeback. Well then watching this match, made this seem like a downright sprint. The action was energetic. It had the nice juxtaposition of Backlund looking to deliver some pain and Slaughter doing everything at all costs to escape Backlund. Backlund's groin sure took a lot of punishment in this match. This match also illustrates how Backlund can deliver an interesting match without using one single hold. When you hold this up against Backlund/Inoki '78 one hour draw, I think you see how amazing Backlund is as a worker. Very few workers could have worked both of these matches as well Bob did. Backlund had all of the fiery, violent spirit that you expect out of the wronged, WWF hero archetype. Slaughter, for his part, works on two levels in this match on one level he bumps like a madman for the Ragin' Backlund, but at the same time he brings a physical presence that lends him credibility as a huge threat and makes Bob look that much more impressive.

 

This maybe my favorite 80s WWF cage match, but the style is inherently limited because the wrestlers are confined to the ring and the escape rules. Logically, the constant Slaughter escapes make sense, but that doesn't make them any less tedious. The best escape is at the end after Bob has already bloodied and battered the challenger because how hard Backlund works to get Slaughter back in the ring as he even takes the time to kick Slaughter in the hand holding the cage. I did greatly enjoy the amount of time Backlund committed to bloodying Slaughter. It is almost as if Backlund was deadset on not leaving the cage until he accomplished that feat. That was a very nice touch. The finish was well-executed with both men jockeying for position on the top turnbuckle before Bob is able to ram Slaughter's face into the cage, which sends him tumbling into the ropes. The two girls screaming for the Backlund at the finish totally makes this. The WWF was really into making sure that the fans knew the babyface was the better man in the cage matches as the babyface would often celebrate in the ring and saunter out as opposed to a much more dramatic finish.

 

I wouldnt put this in my Top 5 Backlund matches, but that isn't a slight against this match, but really a testament to how much good Backlund is available.

[jdw]

Backlund's groin sure took a lot of punishment in this match.

"He hit him THERE!"

-Kal Rudman

 

"He hit him there AGAIN!"

-Kal Rudman

 

One of my favorite Kal moments ever was the second one. Great campy fun.

 

My other favorite Kal spot was he'd role out from time to time is the old "Bob [or other babyface] told me he was going to do that!" spot. Just love that one.

 

On the other hand, he had a really good observation that ties in with what you point to as Slaughter's Plan:

 

"All Slaughter wants to do is stun Backlund enough so he can get out. He knows what kind of beating his in for."

-Kal Rudman

 

Kal is goofy, campy, and over the top. He's far from a great~! color commentator. But he does pull in some good analysis from time to time, and it's in a sense not like he's trying: he's just reacting to what he's seeing.

[jdw]

The best escape is at the end after Bob has already bloodied and battered the challenger because how hard Backlund works to get Slaughter back in the ring as he even takes the time to kick Slaughter in the hand holding the cage.

Sounds like you mean the last door escape, while the last escape attempt was going over the top (which they also did a heck of a job on). Anyway, my mini-essay on the one out the door:

 

Bob is popping Slaughter right in the motherfucking forehead on the cut with the closed fists, climaxing in a dazed Sarge spinning half around, staggering forward a bit, dropping to his knees, seeing where he was at and making a quick-crawl beeline for the door. Just a great bit of work by by Sarge to start what's coming next. He's a third of the way out before Bob gets the to grab an ankle, and with "momentum" he's out to his waist before Bob can slow him down. The floor, and the WWF Title, are almost at his fingertips.

 

They work the greatest near-escape spot on old style WWF cage matches that I've ever seen.

 

Bob is holding on tight to the ankle, planting his feet against the bottom rope for leverage to keep Sarge from dragging out further. There's a great visual of a bloody Sarge twising on his side on the ring steps, trying to push himself off the door with his left arm while reaching down with his right for the floor.

 

After getting pulled back in a bit, Sarge switches his left to the cage while holding onto the steps for all it's worth, while while using the leg that Bob *doesn't* to push off the bottom rope for leverage. He then takes that leg and positions it on the cage to try to push downward. Sarge has one foot out along the outer cage, both hands grasping the cage for all it's worth while Bob holds onto one leg.

 

As Sarge tries to "reposition" himself to make another surge out the door, Bob sees an opening to lean forward, grabs the back of Sarge's head and bounces his skull off the door frame post. Sarge wonderfully sells it knocking him goofy and stopping him dead in his tracks. Momentum shifts to Bob, who grabs higher up the leg and takes a grip of Sarge's pants to leverage him back inside the cage.

 

It's Sarge's turn to hold on for dear life, grasping the cage, reaching for the steps for one last time, holding onto the door frame, his fingers slow spreading as the "slip away" first one hand then the other which the camera catches with great shots. As the last one is slipping away, Bob lets go of it, hops up and stomps the living fuck out of the hand on the cage as we see Worley closing and locking up the door.

 

Fucking terrific near-escape sequence. This is probably the fifth time I've watched it and it never fails to amaze me how smartly they work this. Some much of it is basic stuff, but it all logically builds through the spot. That the earlier ones weren't over played made this one even more dramatic. That it was a bloody and beaten Sarge finding just enough of his head to see a shot at escaping out the door is great. That Bob works to keep Sarge from getting out and then getting him back in is all smart leverage and "openings" stuff. It also doesn't over stay it's welcome. The sequence is just under two minutes long, breaking up momentum and working in "highspots" in a way that keeping it moving forward rather than coming to a grinding hault. Really smart work of the spot between the two.

There's so much cool stuff after the point that Sarge is already halfway out the door that I tend to forget how perfectly Sarge worked it to set up getting out the door. Classic heel spot of getting his ass kicked, flopping around selling the beating, then seeing "Door!" and heading for it.

 

Anyway, whole write up is here:

 

http://www.otherarena.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=3575#3575

 

Not going to say it's the best 80s WWF match, or best Bob match... but it might just be my favorite. Sarge is great. Backlund is terrific. The Dick & Kal show is at their very prime. The crowd is just freaking batshit. Super over babyface champ. A heel who the fans want to see get his ass kicked. The two deliver, in campy pro wrestling fashion. Hard to ask for more in a match.

 

John

[shoe]

Bob Backlund vs. Jimmy Snuka 6/5/82

 

 

This match is from MSG and the guys get a little over 20 minutes. On paper that sounds like a recipe for disaster. I like Bob, but Snuka is a lot more miss than hit for me. I was shocked at how good this was. A little backstory going into

the match was that Backlund has injured ribs. Pretty much Bob takes Snuka down and goes to work on his arm. Backlund is great at carrying the action. The arm work was done well and kept me engaged. In

attempts to escape Snuka would go after the ribs. A fun spot in the bout Snuka misses a cross body spot and goes over the top rope. Another cool spot was Snuka going for the Super Fly Splash. Instead he does a front senton that misses but gets some incredible air under it. Eventually Snuka bloodys up Bob and wins by count out to set up the cage match stip. Some really smart and creative work that leads to a solid nomination.

[jdw]

Bob Backlund vs. Jimmy Snuka 6/5/82

Less high on that one:

 

http://www.otherarena.com/phpbb/viewtopic....c&start=353

 

I thought Bob worked the arm well, but Jimmy neither sold it well or worked to counter it well. I think I tossed around Mid Atlantic a time or two.

 

I recall liking it on first viewing, possibly at a KOC. Probably two things at work for me: low expectations, and not really paying attention as close as I do in a write up. When I sat down to really watch it, things like Jimmy's work on the bottom annoyed me, along with that wandering around shit when he had several clear pin attempts.

 

What's a bit odd is that I'd like disliked the Bob-Snuka cage match, but when watching it for a write up, it didn't suck as much as I'd previously thought. That might be a reverse setting of expectations.

 

John

[shoe]

My expectations going in were really low. Still I enjoyed the work in it.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Lets see how Bob does in a tag context...

 

WWF World Tag Team Champions Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch vs Bob Backlund & B. Brian Blair - Philly 7/7/84

 

If you take the beginning of the Slaughter/Daniels and add to the last 5 minutes of this match, you have a classic tag match. The Terry Daniels babyface shine seemed much more effective because of how small Daniels was and how much effort Murdoch/Adonis put into putting him over. Adonis does the try for a tag but falls over the top rope spot again, which cracks me up again. Blair doesn't bring the spunk of Daniels and everything seems ho-hum. I remember the heat segment on Daniels not setting my world afire, but this was even more boring as Murdoch/Adonis seem content to working the arm in the most pedestrian fashion. Once Bob gets in, well business picks up for a lack of a better phrase. Backlund gets Adonis in the Crossface Chickenwing (Bret always said that legitmately hurt and I still figured that he was working us, but the way Bobby has it on Adrian seems like it is an uncomfortable move to take), but Tricky Dicky hits with an elbow smash from the top. We get a great Backlund heat segment where Murdoch/Adonis blatantly don't tag in and out something about the nonchalance of those two made me laugh. This climaxes with Bob going into amateur escape mode as he crawls in circles around the two before he wrangles Murdoch into an atomic drop.

 

Hot tag to Blair! Well the hottest tag that Blair would ever experience. He sends Murdoch's head into Adonis's groin (Adonis was on the top turnbuckle). Adonis gets tangled into the ropes and Murdoch gets launched into him again. However, all this fun comes to an end when Murdoch is able to hoist Blair up while the ref detained Backlund and Adonis came off the top with a clothesline to pick up the pin. That is the second cool finish from North-South as they did Demolition Decapitation on Daniels in the Daniels/Slaughter defense.

 

This is a wildly entertaining match once Backlund gets in there, but before that it is not much to write home about. Like I said North-South could have had a classic if you stick the first half of Daniels/Slaugher with the last half of Blair/Backlund. Of course, if they wrestled a Slaughter/Backlund super team with Backlund taking heat and Slaughter the hot tag then that could have been the greatest tag of all-time. I got to get around to watching the much vaunted North-South vs Briscos match.

[jdw]

I appear to have really hated that match:

 

Match #90 - 07/07/84 Adrian Adonis & Dick Murdoch vs Bob Backlund & Brian Blair (17:40)

Taped: The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA

Aired: 07/07/84 PRISM Network

 

You could tell that the director of this enjoyed cutting to the anti-Bob signs in the crowd. Yes, the Bob era in the WWF was past its freshness date here in Philly.

 

Blair's arm work is pedestrian. Arm Drag Fu into armbars with little work of the hold. It's all Dick and Adonis making him look good by bumping for the armbars and stooging for him. Dick and Adonis are okay, but there's nothing in the first eight minutes of this that you couldn't see in a match up between prelim faces and prelim heels rather than a vet face in there against one of the top tag teams in the world at the time.

 

Adonis and Murdoch eventually put Blair in peril, but they really don't do a hell of a lot to him. It's mostly them keeping Blair from tagging out to Bob rather than bothering to "wear him down". The same lazy shit as in the match with the Briscos. One gets the sense that when the Crockett/Turner list gets done and people start watching the MX in that era it will dawn on them just how mediocre a pair of "great workers" like Dick and Adrian could be when they felt like doing nothing but short cuts, not even bothering to do them well.

 

Blair isn't in peril long before he hot tags out. Bob gets a short run on top before allowing himself to get cut off. Here you get a sense of Adonis and Murdoch bringing more effort to work him over. I'm not going to credit Bob for this, because it's simply the layout of the match: laze around three quaters of the match before picking it up down the stretch. It just happened to time out to Backlund getting the hot tag, doing some stuff, and then being put in peril. And oddly enough a "Bobby-Bobby!" chant goes up. Again, this shouldn't be read as putting him over. It's simply the layout of the match. I frankly wish that great tag team on the other side put as much effort into the shitty body of the match.

 

The finish is simply a wam-bam, take it home mam sequence. Adonis & Murdoch hit a "cool move" to win, but it was just tossed out there in a clusterfuck fashion.

 

Terrible match. Doesn't do justice to any of the four if one's trying to find good matches they were in. Adrian & Dick seemed to get credit on this list even when their stuff wasn't good. I get the feeling that if Adonis & Murdoch vs. Inoki & Fujinami, an actually good match, got dropped on here that it would have pushed the rest of their matches on the list down below 50.

 

John

I also hated the match with the Briscos, though I massively toned down my write up for that from what I'd originally drafted.

 

John

[jdw]

There are a number of other Bob In Tag matches out there:

 

07/25/74 Backlund & Roop vs. Baba & Tsuruta (AJPW)

05/30/78 Backlund & Garea vs Fujinami & Choshu (NJPW)

10/10/78 Backlund & Maivia vs. Arion & Rivera (tv turn)

07/21/79 Backlund & Putski vs. Johnny & Jerry Valiant (Spectrum)

05/23/80 Backlund & Fujinami vs Hansen & Rhodes (NJPW)

08/09/80 Backlund & Putski vs Samoans (Shea)

12/05/80 Backlund & Inoki vs Singh & Ueda (NJPW)

12/10/80 Backlund & Inoki vs. Hansen & Hogan (NJPW)

04/10/81 Backlund & McGraw vs Inoki & Choshu (NJPW)

05/29/81 Backlund & Rhodes vs Hansen & Hogan (NJPW)

06/04/81 Backlund & Rhodes vs. Duncum & Slaughter (NJPW)

03/20/83 Backlund & Andre & Snuka vs. Studd & Afa & Albano (Spectrum)

 

 

 

The AJPW match is when he's green, so low expectations.

 

I haven't watched the two Spectrum tags yet. The Maivia turn is an angle match, so you're not going to get a normal tag performance out of it. The Shea match has trainwreck aspects and good aspects, but overall isn't very good.

 

The NJPW split between stuff on Classics shows and things that Ginnetty grabbed over the years. How much of it's easy to find on DM and YT... I don't know. I don't think any of Dan's "misc" stuff like this ever has been uploaded.

[shoe]

I think the last few years I think I prefer watching Backlund matches to Bret Matches. This isn't to slight Bret, but Backlund really is fun to watch.

[Superstar Sleeze]

jdw, I agree with all your points as you can see, I argued the beginning was pretty boring, but "hate" seems like a strong word for such a lame beginning. I did like the finish run a bit more than you it seemed as there were two really well-done comedy spots and the cool move was pretty nifty. A great five minutes doesn't make for a great match, but it salvaged that match to a degree.

 

It does seem like Adonis & Murdoch were cashing in paychecks. I know the WWF set is being redone, but that doesn't stop the fact that the North-South vs Briscos was considered a Top 5 match in the original set. I have been watching Tito and Hogan matches, but I will get to it eventually.

 

Man, I was heavy on hyperbole in my original review. Downgrade "wildly entertaining" to "entertaining" and the hypothetical North-South vs Slaughter/Backlund match to a hypothetically excellent WWF tag match.

[BrickHithouse]

I think the last few years I think I prefer watching Backlund matches to Bret Matches. This isn't to slight Bret, but Backlund really is fun to watch.

Same here. Two years ago I'd have never in a million years thought that was possible. I love Backlund.

[Superstar Sleeze]

As I continue my campaign through the AWA parties (killer stuff, bruthas), they were going through the Bob Backlund & Brad Rheingans vs Butch Reed & Larry Z and given my love for my man, Bobby B, I thought I'd write this one up. Butch Reed is someone I have heard a lot about once I found this board, but have not yet seen a lot. I do like Larry Legend's run in WCW and watched the cage match with Bruno from Shea Stadium, where I thought he was excellent. I watched Rheingans vs Bockwinkel and I thought he was plenty serviceable as Olympic wrestling babyface. Of course, Backlund rules all.

 

Bob Backlund & Brad Rheingans (aka Verne's Ragin' Hard-On) vs Butch Reed & Larry Zbyszko (aka WTF)

 

Is this part of Pro Wrestling USA? Is there any backstory for this? The usage of Rheingans is pitch perfect until the finish. He comes off as the Olympic powerhouse with his scientific ability overwhelming the brute of Reed and guile of Zbyszko. Then they don't use him again until the House A Fire section so the entire match makes him look like a million bucks and doesn't mean that he has to do any selling or build any heat. Basically, he capitalizes on the heat the other three generate, which I think is a great way to develop a talent.

 

When Bob is doing his headlock and working over Butch's arm, it is like being reconnected with a long lost friend. O, how I missed you. This does not last long as the heat segment begins, which makes perfect sense, this is not supposed to be a Backlund showcase. Backlund is in there to generate heat so that Rheingans can look like a boss when he cleans house. Reed and Zbyszko are actually gelling pretty well. Power & wile are always great complements to each other. I definitely am in the Dylan camp insofar as Zbyszko is totally outworking everyone in this match. It feels like he is out to prove something as puts on the greatest abdominal stretch, I have ever seen. Jumbo must be jealous of that shit. I was not digging the Reed bearhugs and chinlocks as much as Will & Johnny.

 

I wish I could defend Backlund in this, but he is just gobbled up by the heels. I guess that is my defense. He wasn't allowed to get anything in the form of hope spots into the match so that forced in a very generic, bland role. Then this all leaves me totally perplexed during the home stretch. Rheingains comes in and does his thing. Backlund is back in and there seems to be some miscommunication between him and Larry Z, but it does end with Backlund taking his usual headbutt to the gut, which doubles Bob over. The perfect setup for Bob to be piledriven only he back body drops him over to win the match.

 

Besides some awkwardness, the finish in a vacuum seems like a very good one. I see where Johnny and Will are coming from that perspective. My issue is how it syncs up with the rest of the match. On one hand, it seems like they are trying to make Rheingains look like a big money ball player, but instead he just feels like a non-factor because he didn't figure into any important spot of the match. On the other, you have Backlund is delivering an uncharacteristically bland performance but scooping up all the heat by getting the heat. It was just weird.

 

The match felt pretty heatless to me and I didn't get emotionally invested in it. It was a very basic tag formula and besides some great spots from Larry Z, it just felt very ho-hum.

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Pat Patterson - MSG 09/79 Cage match

 

I am not a fan of WWF Cage match and even a good one like the Slaughter match is not something I want to watch again. This one is again a pretty mediocre match, but not awful just tedious like most cage matches. They start off with punches and Backlund immediately throws him in the cage. They start off with trading escapes. The one thing, I liked about the Backlund/Slaughter cage match was how concentrated Backlund on bloodying Slaughter before leaving. This match seems more like two guys just trying to win, which I understand is the point, but in a cage match that consists of some boring cage escapes. Whilst they were boring, some of the way their knees were bending did seem awful painful. There is a clip mid-point after they both fall off the cage. I cant tell if Backlund got bloodied somehow else or Patterson punches bloodied him. Backlund catapults Patterson into the cage and that busts wide open. Backlund has some pretty good punches in this, but both seem pretty slow. I know both have another gear, but both seem more committed to just punch it out "dramatically" on his knees. Big atomic drop from Backlund! (Ok I am stretching for high spots). Hey the Patterson Knuckledusters, I am glad there is some continuity. The finish sucked out loud for me with his falling out of the cage on his back. I do not know the booking going forward, but I thought it was a pretty lame way for a face to win.

 

Not a bad match per se, just your typical WWF Cage, which never really does it for me. Cage matches seems more like a restriction for the wrestlers rather than a way to get even more heat.