Boston Idol 1981

BOSTON IDOL 1981

Bob Backlund vs. Don Muraco (9/21/81) Some of the worst punches known to man start this thing off. This is followed by Bob’s goofy headlock and a terrible Muraco clothesline. First three minutes is really bad. Muraco responds with a … CHINLOCK! Then in a weird display, Muraco goes for the one boot pin, Backlund grabs the foot but Don drops a legdrop. It just looked weird. So Muraco starts working the abs of Backlund and I am digging this portion until Don goes back to the headlock. Come on, this was getting back on a right track. When Bob gets on offense, he finally shows the nasty with some good punches, nasty boot rakes and his piledriver. After Bob’s cool offense, he works … an armbar? They are working this armbar sequence entirely too long. Bob does some cool shit with it but again, in complete random spots. Muraco tries to changes the tide with some nasty forearms but Bob stays in control. After a Bob atomic drop, Muraco looks dead on the outside but hits Bob in the throat and follows with an Oriental Spike jab to the throat. That was cool. Every time Bob tries to get in the ring, Muraco keeps attacking the throat. Muraco hits his Tombstone piledriver followed by an awkward Superfly splash. Muraco goes for a butterfly suplex but Bob deadlifts Don into a pinning combo for the win even though Don’s foot was over the ropes. This is a match that would have been a contender at 20 minutes. At 32 minutes, it felt way too long and the guys were just doing random shit at points. Some of the sequences were awkward as hell, others were really cool and some were done with no rhyme or reason. The Bob armlock sequence went way too long and the moves were either really nasty or really shitty. This match defines multiple personality disorder.

Bob Backlund vs. Don Muraco (10/17/81) You can tell these guys were going long because they were wayyyyy too patient in the beginning. None of the frantic energy that started the last match. Don’t know if that is a good thing since some of the offense was so shitty before. First 20 minutes, nothing happening, Bob works a hammerlock and Muraco tries in vain to escape or get out. 2nd 20 minutes – Don turns the tide by attacking Bob’s ribs and abs. Shit, this is good Muraco. Why doesn’t he do this the whole match? Foot stomps, standing on the abs, butt drop on the abs. Good shit. The drawback is that to kill time, it looks like Muraco is applying a stomach claw but they aren’t really working the hold. Bob makes a comeback and decides to use the head scissors as his next time killer of choice. Muraco regains control with an ankle hold and in one of the dumbest goofiest displays I have seen, it looks like Bob is dropping Muraco into a pinning combo but continues rocking like a rocking horse until he ends up being the one pinned. Final 20 – Muraco back with a leg lock but that is the loosest leg lock in history. This shit is starting to fall apart. First, Muraco tries to turn a Bob monkey flip into a pin but that was botched then Don botches a rope roll up spot and flops to the mat n delayed fashion. After that, Don goes back to the leg because fuck, why not? Bob escapes by dropping a leg over Don’s face and then starts working Don’s legs because he hasn’t done that yet. Cool deadlift spot out of a leglock though. I am digging Bob’s Indian deathlock but this could have been done about 45 minutes ago. There are about 5 minutes to go. I tap out. I am at the point in my life where I don’t want to see 2 guys go an hour in scientific match ups. It hurts even more when the work is poor. Multi-man hour long matches? Sure. This was just painful and I have still not found the great Muraco classic..

Bob Backlund vs. Greg Valentine (11/23/81) Holy shit, Backlund attacks Valentine before the match and hits him with the belt. No holds barred! Bob is fucking Greg up. Smart work early when Greg misses a knee charge to the corner, Bob works the legs. Nothing wrong with that. Greg tries to fight back but Bob just kicks his leg and he drops. Bob even goes for a figure-4 but Greg pulls him down and turns the tide. Even after turning the tide, Greg still selling the leg. As of this moment, not really a No Holds Barred match even though it was teased as such early on. Really smart match but not extremely violent. Just as I say that, Greg gets to wrap Bob’s leg around the ringpost several times. Bob escapes the figure-4 a couple of times but Greg finally gets it on and I am liking the leg work in the match. Eventually, Bob catches Greg with his deadlift German for the pin. Not a great No Holds Barred match but a great wrestling match. I have to check Cawthon’s site and see if this was a regular match or No DQ. If it was no holds barred, merely solid. If it was just a match, this was really an easy nomination.