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.

I thought this was a solid nomination. Backlund is a world of fire to start. Valentine takes a double knee bump into the corner. Bob on top and works the leg. He does this for about 5 minutes. Valentine counters Bob's fig. 4 and goes after Bob's leg. Greg does a body dive onto Bob's leg which is a spot I love. Backlund cuts him off quickly and attacks the leg. Valentine will have none of this and posts Bob's leg twice. He then ties Bob leg in the ropes and cranks it. In a great hope spot Bob gets 2 off a small package. Bob attempts s slam , but his weight gives out. Valentine with a figure 4. All of Bob's muscles are bulging in his attemp to turn it. Bob with a sweet German Suplex for the win. Heck of a match.