Superstar Sleeze

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat - MACW Night of Champions 5/29/84 Flair had just regained the World's Heavyweight Championship from Kerry Von Erich in Japan a week ago, but there is no rest for the wicked. He was in Meadowlands here defending against his arch-nemesis, Ricky Steamboat. I understand why people may hold up Garvin or a Windham as Flair's greatest opponent, but when it comes down to it, it has gotta be Steamboat. He may be the best all-around performer in wrestling history. In The First Twenty Minutes: You see power in the form of the press slam. Speed in the form of dropkicks. Physicality in the form of chops. Ability to work the mat & holds in the form amateur rides and side headlocks. Finally you get the most important piece his selling. In no other wrestler did Flair have the chance to exploit all these different attributes. The beginning is very similar to the Terry Taylor matches, but a bit more truncated. Flair gets shown up on the mat. LIGHTS OUT IN THE IMPACT ZONE! LOOK! IT IS STING UP IN THE RAFTERS! Sorry when they lost lights at the Meadowlands, I was having flashbacks. Steamboat hits a nice pair of dropkicks. Steamboat works a strong side headlock and front chancery. Flair tries all his usual tricks. When he tries to crowd in the corner, Steamboat shows he will not be bullied and unloads the heavy artillery. When Flair tries to create movement, he eats a press slam. Steamboat is on that head. Until Flair finally gets what he wants Steamboat on a criss cross overshoots and Flair hotshots him. Flair goes to school. Big Boy Suplex! Ab Stretch. It does not last long as Steamboat grabs a sleeper. Definitely interested to see if Flair can get some more offense. This does not feel as heated as the Taylor match or as fleshed out at the Boogie Jam match. Lets see what happens. Last Ten Minutes Or So: What separates Flair/Steamboat from any other Flair match is the pacing. It is absolutely electric without ever devolving into a spotfest. It is because they are constantly selling the exhaustion of keeping up with one any another, but they are pushing one another to be even better and go faster. Steamboat was on fire in this portion of the match with 8 million nearfalls coming from all angles small packages, sleepers, crossbody, figure-4s. There is no better at selling the discombobulation of all this than the Nature Boy. On top of that, what connected this all together was how they deliver heavy blows to one another and each man would have to overcome those blows to deliver their move. With five minutes, left Steamboat has Flair trapped in a figure-4 after he caught Flair in the knee drop. Steamboat wants to stay on the leg, but there is an incredible moment. Flair really yanks the hair and Steamboat is pissed and gets on top of him and reigns down blows. Steamer lets him up and Flair throws a wild chop and Steamer keeps kicking ass. It was just a fight! That's what I love about these two. Flair takes a shortcut low and in the criss cross Steamboat misses a dropkick. It is so fast-paced, but it all makes sense and never feels like my turn, your turn. Flair gets a backbreaker for two. He thinks this is a good time to go to the top, but he ends up going flying. Steamboat hits a big chop to the head and then another press slam. Flying bodypress, but Flair gets foot on the ropes and Steamboat is pissed! He takes it out on Flair's chest with stinging chops. O'Connor Roll, but Flair reverses and yanks the tights for the win. The first twenty minutes is pretty standard shine for a Flair opponent, but it is the last ten minutes that sets this match a part. The pace is insane and it is just so exciting. I love the fire when Steamboat was getting his hair pulled or when Flair gets his foot on the ropes on the bodypress. Steamoat put him through hell. You really believe in that finish. Steamboat lights up Flair. Flair cheating to win is always a classic. I think I would have Boogie Jam slightly ahead of this. This match just did not feel as fleshed out as the great Flair matches, more of a Greatest Hits, Summer Blockbuster. ****1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Harley Race - Central States 7/19/84 It is really cool to see Harley wrestle in front of his home territory in Kansas City. This has to be the best match from Central States we have. What else do we have? Some Sheikh has a bounty on Race's head and Missing Link is out to do a number on Race, who is bleeding before the match. The first about 9 minutes are clipped. We get the last eight minutes or so. It is clipped to Flair bleeding on the outside. Harley is kicking ass with uppercuts and grabs a sleeper just as Flair is about to go out his trick knee acts up and it is a ballshot. Nice little firefight breaks out. I like Harley the brawler way better than Harley the spot artist. Piledriver and is actually a pretty convincing nearfall. They crack heads and Harley takes a tumble over the top. I really like the spot with Flair charging hard at Harley on the apron, Harley blocks and clobbers Flair. They should do that more. Flair with the Ode to Harley bump off the kneelift makes me laugh. There is some miscommunication on the press slam from the top that makes them repeat the spot. Harley hits a suplex, but here is the Missing Link. Entertaining match. Didn't see enough to rank, but I don't see this getting over ****, but I would like to see it in full. The brawling was top notch. The finish was weak with press slam miscommunication and then a suplex draws out the Missing Link put the piledriver in that spot. You want people to feel robbed. Still it was an enjoyable 15 minutes with the Missing Link beatdown in the beginning.

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Terry Taylor - Mid-South 6/1/85 My recollection is that this a contender for one of the best matches of the 1980s and is one of my all-time favorite Flair matches lets see how it holds up. First Twenty Minutes: Fuck yeah, this holds up. Incredible opening twenty minutes. I love how Flair always starts off clean against Taylor before working himself up into a lather. I think he underestimates Taylor and thinks he can take him by conventional means only to realize he is in for one helluva fight. I love Taylor's body language in this. He is confident and you believe in him to become the world champion. Taylor grabs a couple headscissors early out of a Flair headlock. Flair is bit annoyed, but he goes back to his strategy of taking it to the mat. Taylor rides a hammerlock. There a ton of little details to watch for in this match. Flair is selling the arm and pulls the ropes to try to loosen it up. Watch closely you will watch Taylor try to pick up that arm, but cant quite find an opening until Flair forces his hand by coming in with a collar elbow tie up trying a suplex attempt, but Taylor blocks twice before Flair gives up. Flair takes him down twice with drop toeholds, but both times cant hold Taylor. Taylor/Flair now work a side headlock sequence that blows the Reed one outta the water. Tons of interesting stuff. Taylor cranking to stop Flair from getting a knee crusher. Flair tries movement to gain an advantage, but on the second attempt Taylor does not even humor him and drops down into a headlock when Flair drops down. Smart, conservative wrestling. Taylor wrenches the front facelock and I love how Flair goes for a suplex and Taylor wrenches hard and the way Flair hollers and then falls it is just so perfect. These are the things that make him better than everyone else. Flair drives Taylor into the corner three times and finally forces a break. Now tempers flare and a fire fight breaks out. Taylor to his credit does not back down. He goes blow for blow with the heavy-handed Flair in just a great sequence. I love Flair feigning with the left only drop low into the midsection with the right. Just a great spot. He throws Taylor out and he rushes back in the ring. Vero's Hero is here to fight, muthafucka! They fire off into the corner, love how Flair bullies him in the crowd only for Taylor to rifle back. The ref interferes and hooks Taylor's arm and Flair nails that short knee to the family jewels of Vero's Hero. With that the twenty minute mark is reached and the Nature Boy is finally in control. I loved, loved how they built into this fight. You see Flair goads him into this. He knows that in the chaos there will be opportunities to sneak in a cheapshot. He got Taylor off his smart, conservative gameplan and he is reaping the benefits. I am so excited for the next twenty minutes! Final Twenty Minutes: They don't relent for one second in this match. Flair punches Taylor right in the face and I love Taylor grabs his face and sells it. Flair is incensed and is choking Taylor. He grabs an arm and they work a good armabr sequence. Flair uses the ropes and hair to control Taylor. Flair goes for chops in the corner, but loses control and is sent flying into the opposite the turnbuckle. Flair tries to get a suplex quickly, but Taylor drops down the back and it is a sleeper. Taylor actually gets a suplex in before eating knees. Taylor don't quit. He is up and rocking Flair with rights until the Flair Flop. This portion feels like an up and down the court basketball game as they start throwing out nearfalls until Flair thumbs him in the eye to finally stymie Taylor. Flair, who clearly realizes he is starting to get in over his head, applies the Figure-4 hoping to end the match. Taylor reverses the pressure. Flair is still nominally in control as Taylor is selling the leg, but misses the kneedrop and he ends up in the figure-4. Flair pushes Taylor off on the second attempt. He thinks now is the time, it is the time to fly. RUH ROH! He sure does go flying. Taylor is on fire with the punches and general intensity. Taylor rattles off nearfalls again, crossbody, backslide. Flair grabs a sleeper on a criss cross, but cant hold Taylor who drops down and kicks him off into the ref. So when Taylor gets another backslide there is no ref. Flair rakes the eyes and throws Taylor over the ropes. He needs to get the ref to count him out! Doesn't work out. Flair suplexes him back in and a big elbow to Taylor he is trying to get up only gets two. Taylor slugs it out with Flair just throwing bomb after bomb. Flair flops on his face. Taylor just needs that one big move. O'Connor Roll will this be it...Flair reverses he has the tights...1, 2, 3! Incredible match. I think what I like the most about is the intensity of both combatants. You really believed that this match was the most important thing in the world. The sense of urgency was very high throughout the match and never relented. Taylor was really awesome in this. He was firing off some great shots. The back half once Taylor made his initial comeback was Flair cheating like a muthafucka to win the match. Eye thumb sets up the first figure-4, but Taylor persevered through that. Then the rake of the eyes and throwing him over the top rope. Taylor survived and overcame. However, you could tell he just did not have much left in the tank and Flair yanked the tights to win. It was a war of attrition and they fought like hell. It is matches like this that are the reasons I love pro wrestling. *****

NWA World TV Champion Ronnie Garvin vs Ric Flair - Georgia Championship Wrestling 6/17/84 Ric Flair makes sure that we all know this for the TV Championship and asks Gordon to come up with a superlative to describe someone who holds the World Championship and TV Championship. Studio match, TV title time limit of ten minute, which means a barnburner sprint. Not as good as their incredible 12/85 World Championship Wrestling Studio match, but this is a good one. Technical wrestling to start Garvin escapes amateur takedowns and works a nice headscissors. This is Garvin vs Flair! You know what is going to happen. Hard-hitting brutal chops are exchanged neither man backs down. Flair is at his sadistic best here. I love the spot where he throws Garvin out and Garvin come right back in. It is on, muthafuckas! Just absolute war. Flair actually is able to take over on the outside and really kick some ass with hard shots, suplex back in and a butterfly suplex. As the time limit expires Garvin is just starting to kick some ass. When these two get together just go along for the ride because it is going to be kickass. Garvin sends Flair flying over the turnbuckles to end the segment. Great TV match! ***3/4

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Harley Race - Georgia Championship Wrestling 2/28/82 Over the course of watching all this 80s footage, Harley Race has become my second least favorite wrestler (don't worry pretty little head, Don Muraco, you always be my number one). He is all bumps (they usually look atrocious) and highspots. People levy nonstop no-psychology at the feet of Flair when that is a boldface lie while Harley Race is screaming look at me, I am that wrestler! Shockingly, I actually wish we had this in full. I really dug it. I have seen '83 MACW match, Starrcade '83 and the Central States '84 match, gotta say this looked like the best Flair/Race match, but we only have 10 minutes of it. The beginning is the usual Race BS, but since he is face it is all offense, which is great because he is way better at that and it climaxes with a piledriver. Flair proves why he is the better world champion because watch how he sets everything he will fire off shots and then take the bump. He is not just some ragdoll, you have to overcome Flair. After the cut, the match gets really good. Flair is on the outside ramming Harley's head into very hard object that he cane find. Then he driving the point of his elbow into Harley's face and nice punches. Flair is way more sadistic than Harley ever was. Clip to a SICK Harley flying headbutt to a standing Ric Flair. Really cool move! Harley punches Flair in the nose and then selling is so damn good from Flair! Diving headbutt and Flair blades off that for double juice. Both men are bleeding like madmen. The match breaks down into a wild brawl that is super heated. The ref takes punches from both men. Harley smashes the ref into the post. The ref has to throw the whole thing out. What we saw was really good stuff. The finish stretch was good, Flair looked like he was on fire and Harley's offense was great. Looked like it would be at least **** if not higher. At ten minutes, just did not good enough flavor of the action. Still worth watching.

Non Title Match --- Ric Flair (c) vs Butch Reed - MId-South 11/8/85 Ric Flair is slated to face Al Perez on TV. But Butch Reed is pissed because Flair has put a bounty on his head using DIcky Slater as his hitman. Reed gives Flair his back and Flair charges. Reed punches him in the head. Great TV sprint ensues. Impromptu match means non-title. Flair seems way more energized in this. It feels like a real fight. Flair traps him in a test of strength where he kick in the midsection and then double stomp. Flair throws him to the outside and Reed comes back with O'Connor Roll and then the sleeper. Watts is great on commentary and makes the match feel more urgent. Flair suplexes out of the sleeper. Suplex struggle and Reed hits the suplex! I love a good contested suplex. Nice mini-battle. BIG SHOULDERTACKLE! 1-2-3! Huge Pop! Reed wins! Slater comes out and they do a number on Reed. Spike piledriver! Flair stands tall. Great TV Angle. Very fun match. Was there a rematch? ***1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Butch Reed - Mid-South 10/11/85 Better than their 60 minute extended squash, but I just this was a very good routine Ric Flair match. I don't think these two have much in the way of chemistry at all. The beginning told a much more interesting story with Flair facing Reed's power in the form of headlock and bearhug, he was trying to get other Reed's skin using the chop. We see Reed get frustrated and wanting to haul off and punch him. The ref reminds him it is illegal. So when he finally gets sick of these stinging chops and punches him in the face it means something. I thought this was a good use of the bearhug. Reed showed a lot more frustration at not being able to put Flair away. Flair was being more of a nuisance in this match like he normally is. Flair hits a kneecrusher and gets the figure-4 so he already feels more competitive in this match. Reed reverses the pressure and leaves Flair hobbling. I thought the finish stretch was a hodgepodge of Flair spots that did not make all that much sense. We get the sunset flip, bridge into the backslide and the sleeper. Yeah they are all hot nearfalls, but they feel forced. Ref gets bumped. Flair gets hit with Reed's shouldertackle, which is his big bomb and Flair just kinda shrugs it off so that he can get press slammed. Reed applies the figure-4 so that when the ref calls off the match you don't know if it for the ref bump or for Flair giving up, which is a neat finish. This was entertaining and the body of the match was much more competitive and interesting, but the finish was all over the place. ***1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Butch Reed - Mid-South 8/10/85 Long match, you know the drill. First twenty minutes: This is all Butch Reed! Ric Flair try as he might cant overcome the power & might of the awesome Hacksaw Butch Reed. Flair tries everything short of outright cheating in the first twenty minutes. There was crowding the in the corner. Vertical suplex. There was turning it into a track meet with rope running. Side headlock. The first 15 minutes was dominated by the cranking of the headlock by Reed and Flair's inability to counter it. Lots of escapes, movement and back into the headlock. It kept things fresh. Flair tried to turn into a battle of fisticuffs and that did not turn out well for him with the big meaty rights of Butch Reed led to the Flair Flop. Flair tried to break rhythm by going to the outside and having Reed chase and ended up in a backslide. Flair even is willing to try a test of strength. The holler he lets out is awesome. Flair actually does well after a kick until Reed fires back. We end this segment with a Flair Flop and back into the side headlock that defines this match. The big negatives of the first twenty is the headlock stuff was a little long. I know certain people like this and it was well-worked, just 15 minutes was a bit much and we are going to back to it. The other was the overreliance on begging off. I like the begging off, but he did like 5 times inside of twenty minutes. Way too much! Solid babyface shine, it looks like Reed is too much man for Flair to handle, but we shall see. Middle Thirty Minutes: Yeah lets clip out Flair's offense. This has reached extended squash territory. To the point where the match just is no longer credible. Flair got destroyed for 45 minutes and you want me to believe he has not lost yet. In fact, you wanted to make Reed long strong well now you have made him looks like a choke. Reed has done everything work the leg (figure-4), fists, choking in frustration and bombs (suplexes and piledriver). Flair keeps squirming out, but this is getting ridiculous. Flair is not even presenting that much of a mountain to climb like he would with the Von Erichs which would turn into fire fights. In the last two minutes, Flair drops Reed balls first on the top rope and surprisingly, Reed does not have balls of steel and Flair actually takes over in the corner. It would have been a great transition twenty minutes earlier. Butterfly suplex and as we hear the 50 minute time call Flair has begun work on the leg. Now, I am just going to finish out the match because there is only ten minutes left. Final Ten Minutes: The finish stretch is fine. It is about as good as the most Flair sixty minute draws. Flair figure-4->reverse the pressure. Slam Flair's head into the post to draw blood. HEY, FLAIR ACTUALLY WAKES UP! Flair shows some fire, but that is extinguished by a sleeper with three minutes to go. The Reed shoulder tackle from the top that should have been the finish as time expired. Press slams finish the match as it goes to a draw. Overhyped. Underdelivers. The match layout sucked, but even more surprising I thought Flair sucked in this match. His verbal selling was off the charts great, but that's about it. This was a Harley Race level performance in terms of just letting himself be ragdolled. Butch Reed was great on offense, but that's not enough. Give me Reed/Murdoch or Flair/Taylor over this any day. ***

Thanks! No commentary on either Flair/Kerry matches from Mid-South. Anyone got locations for these matches?

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - Mid-South 5/4/85 Another great thing about Flair matches is that they are all different. It is not like the WWF where they ran carbon copies of the same match for a month. Even though Flair/Kerry had wrestled in the same territory a week prior this match has a totally different feel. I don't think it is close to the greatness of the 4/28 match, but like all Flair/Kerry matches it is entertaining and great. Pretty standard Flair/Kerry shine with Kerry getting the best of Flair on the mat. Flair is great at the heel hope spots. Short knee and he immediately jumps onto get a suplex, but Kerry blocks twice and then does the Flair strut. It is little things like that that make Flair the best of all time. Flair goes for the short knee off a ref block, which was the transition in the 4/28 match and he throws him just like that match, but this time Kerry pops right back in for a big pop. It is actually Kerry ramming his shoulder into the post that it is the transition. Flair does work the arm well, wrenching it in, Kerry sells well, if you pay close attention you see Kerry forming the Claw, but is in too much pain to execute. We get some good Kerry hope spots fighting out of the corner, slamming Flair's head into turnbuckle to break free of the sleeper, sunset flip from the apron. Flair hits the kneecrusher. Figure-4 by Flair! WOOOOOOOOO! Kerry slides down the back from a vertical suplex attempt and gets the sleeper. Though he eats knees on the splash, that feels like a spot Flair created with Steamboat. Flair misses the kneedrop, Kerry does a great job being patient and waiting for the last second. Of course, this leads to a Kerry Figure-4. The finish run is the press slam, Flair Flip, catch him in the Iron Claw as he comes off the top, which is just fantastic. The actual finish is a lot weaker as Flair shoulder tackles Kerry, but I think it was supposed to be a head crack finish like St. Louis, but just looked like a routine shoulder tackle and he won the match, Kerry does get his foot on the ropes for protection. Weak finish, but other than that the usual very entertaining Flair/Kerry match. ****

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - St. Louis 1/25/85 Pretty standard Flair/Kerry, which a standard most wrestlers dream that could reach and it is pretty damn great. It is just in the Pantheon of Flair/Kerry this is their Greatest Hits. It is a ton of fun. Good Kerry shine with some fun headscissors takedowns and dropkicks. I liked the fake outs into Flair heat like the short knee and the thumb in the eye before we get the real one. We get the Claw, but Flair makes to the outside and Kerry maintains it only for Flair to smash him into the post. Standard Flair heat segment with cheating and working midsection. We get Kerry sleeper as the hope spot before the splash on the injured midsection and a missed dropkick. They play off the Texas Stadium finish then Flair says stop fucking around and hits a kneecrusher. Kerry kicks him off a couple times, but Flair stays on the leg. Some really good Flair leg work. Flair goes for the Figure-4 and its the CLAW~! I love the Claw as a counter to the Figure-4. Flair makes it to the ropes and attacks the leg, but he is press slammed off the top. Kerry Figure-4. Kerry is pouring it on, but takes a bad bump when they crack heads and Flair flops on top of Kerry for the lucky win. It was really fun and really well-worked, but there were no new wrinkles really. It is Flair/Kerry, I fucking love it and never ceases to entertain. ****

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich - Mid-South 4/28/85 This match is just lean and mean. Flair is at his best when he goes long so he can flesh out his narrative. There are plenty of times even at 20-25 minutes where he feels rushed. However, that is not the case here. Here his spot calling was pitch perfect. This is stripped down Ric Flair at its finest. How stripped down are talking? At the five minute mark, Flair is already getting heat and there was barely any shine (Flair Flop off a Discus Punch, glorious). It is on! Ref hooks Kerry's arm and Flair hits his short knee. He throws Kerry to the outside. Kerry is such a great Flair opponent, combining the power of Luger, likeability of Sting and selling of Steamboat (on this night he was that damn good). If he had Windham's offense, Good Lord that just would have not been fair. Flair rips into him on the floor, Kerry's selling is Godly and then plays a little King of the Mountain. Love Kerry trying to pull himself up on ropes, missing the desperation dropkick and then selling the ribs. The Flair sleeper complete with arm drop is the climax of this segment before Kerry falls into turnbuckles ramming Flair's head. Love Flair grabbing his jaw after this. I love how lean Kerry's comeback is at this point. Discus punch->Comeback started. Press Slam->Highspot. Stomach claw->False finish. You just ride such a high during that segment. Kerry has Flair down, but cant get cover. He gives up to hit a splash, but eats knees to injured midsection. AWESOME! Flair tosses him out to get a breather. Now we get the sunset flip and backslide fun, which is a rush. Flair Flip to the outside. Flair looks discombobulated, but he grabs Kerry's ankle and wrenches it across the apron. He goes up top and I thought this would be the best set up ever for the press slam, but he actually hits a axehandle!!! Flair misses knee drop and it is into the figure-4! Great setup. They have done a great job generating excitement with neither man really in control, but everything feeling organic. Kerry is clearly coming from underneath, but is getting big time false finishes. Flair makes the ropes and Kerry stays on the leg. Kerry goes to elbow the leg, but Flair moves and he hurts his mid-section. WOW! Flair punches to midsection. BIG BOY CHOPS! Flair selling the leg, before an elbow drop for two. Butterfly suplex, love that move for two. Two great Flair heat segments, love it. Flair hits rapid fire punches in the corner and Kerry collapses in the corner. Knee to the injured midsection. It is the press slam off the top that is the transition to the comeback (Flair did take a long time). Flair Flip runs across apron off the top into IRON CLAW~! FUCKING AWESOME! I POPPED LIKE A MADMAN FOR THAT! Flair hiptosses Kerry outside the ring and that's a pretty big bump as Flair brings him in the hardway with a vertical suplex. Flair is in full desperation, don't fuck around mode and applies the figure-4. Kerry sells like a million bucks. Kerry powers out because he is ALL MAN! Flair big chop and it is a slugfest! Lots of movement leads to a Kerry sleeper. They stick with the sleeper and it is a pretty convincing finish with the armdrops, but Flair gets his foot on ropes. Kerry is incensed punching Flair on the ropes throwing the ref away. Flair using the ropes to hold him up throws a big chop. Flair sends Kerry into the ref, here we go. Kerry gets a cross body and sleeper, but no ref and Flair drops him balls first on the top rope. Kerry get his foot on the rope to protect him (very Mid-South Flair finish), but a very strong 80s finish. Call me a Flair mark. Call me a Kerry mark. I don't care the fact this was only #49 on Mid-South Set means Im calling YOU CRAZY!!! This was FANTASTIC! Ric Flair at his absolute best. Flair is pretty restrained in this by his standards. He works more on top than usual. Kerry killed it in the selling department. The spot calling was incredible. Just everything flowed perfectly. Flair ripped into Kerry when necessary. Kerry worked so well from underneath. When he was making his comeback, everything felt tenuous, but at the same time credible. Those claw attempts/figure-4 were home runs shots, but he didn't have enough to really chip into Flair's lead, he needed to a big bomb to close this out because his midsection was giving out on him. You see Flair really feel in control here when he usually does not. It is only a brief part in the middle does he feel frantic and the end when it does look like Kerry has him beat. I really liked that finish. Just did not feel like ***** when I was watching it, cant put my finger on it, but this is a classic right up there with Hawaii & Texas 8/82 matches. ****3/4.

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Don Muraco - WWF Philly 10/17/81 I have been both dreading this match and am intrigued by it. Doing it this the same way as the Valentine draw in twenty minute intervals. "They are really playing to the crowd" - Dick Graham as Backlund sits in his third hammerlock of the night "You cant doubt Don Muraco is a great athlete." - Dick Graham as Muraco sits in his third stomach claw "This feels like it has been going on for hours and hours." - Dick Graham finally getting it right " This is too much for even a masochist to handle" - Kal Rudman with the great line of the night First Twenty Minutes: It picked up in the last 3 minutes, but the first 17 were pretty damn boring. The lone highspot was a Bob Backlund monkey flip. Muraco headlock was transitioned into a Backlund hammerlock. There was some movement in and out of the hammerlock, but yeah they are clearly going long. Last three minutes Muraco picks it up with some great midsection work. Double stomp. Standing on him. Bob is great at selling this. Bearhug and as Backlund balls up the fist the ref admonishes him allowing Muraco knee him in the gut. Bob's look at the ref was hilarious. Muraco digs the Asiatic Spike in the midsection as twenty minutes in this contest goes by. Will Backlund make a comeback? Will Muraco break a sweat? Will I be able to stay awake? Second Twenty Minutes: Muraco is so fucking lazy he invents a new resthold. He literally hugs Backlund's leg for like two minutes. Christ. There was some decent movement in and out of the stomach claw with Backlund not able to capitalize until finally he punches out and boot rake and nice elbow. Then Backlund headscissors. This was brutally boring. Muraco gets out by prying the legs open and making a wish. Decent leg work until the hugging the leg bs. Backlund escapes but Muraco comes down with all his weight on the leg. Escape again, but Backlund cant hold him up and Muraco gets two. They tie each other up. Muraco had a leg hold and Backlund his arm. Can this match be any more boring? Will Muraco come up with any more new restholds? Will Dick Graham fall asleep before me? Last Fifteen Minutes: You know what this match needed? A fucking Indian Deathlock! Backlund escapes a toehold by smashing Muraco face with the heel of his boot. Muraco lunges for the leg and Backlund hammers Muraco's leg for revenge. Backlund sells leg well and at first the leg work looks good until the Indian Fucking Deathlock. Backlund leans too far back and Muraco rakes the face and gets some nice punches in. There is about ten minutes left, maybe this will heat up. Muraco is up favoring his left leg. Muraco drops him throat first on the top rope setting him up for the Asiatic Spike. He kisses the protected thumb. He nails up, but Backlund is unphased. He Hulks Up! Muraco hits the Asiatic Spike in the corner and Backlund is gasping for breath. So Muraco sticks the thumb in his throat. Yep we needed another hold! Backlund powers up and shoulder tackle. Backlund walks into a phantom Spike and he rolls to outside. Muraco gets him back in and nails a Tombstone to set up the Superfly, but eats knees! It is a draw as Backlud hammers away. NOW THEY BRAWL! This match sucks! The way they worked was grab a hold, two escapes each ending up back in the original hold and then third time is a charm the other takes over with a new hold. The times in each hold was way too long. Not enough movement. No real story. Just hold->escape->hold->escape->hold->successful escape. Worst Backlund match I have ever seen. Silver lining: it was just a 55 minute draw.

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,