May 6, 201312 yr Author comment_5544051 It's fun to see Bob Backlund show up in 1991 and look as spry as ever. This wasn't really the peak of the style at all, but I thought it was a solid outing, and I like when they bring in guys for Takada to beat. I've still never seen their '88 match, so I'm not sure how this compares, but this was decent enough to intrigue me.
June 7, 201312 yr comment_5546935 I don't think Backlund has been good outside of his late 1994 run on these yearbooks. Takada isn't a favorite of mine so I was dreading this one. Backlund has a better showing then his previous UWFI where he submitted in a minute or so. I really wanted Backlund to put the crossface chickenwing on Takada.
June 8, 201312 yr comment_5547049 I like the '88 match a great deal. This wasn't nearly as good--the first ten minutes are pretty much a waste and has the feel of a time limit draw, but they did sprinkle in some really great stuff afterward. I loved Backlund getting pissed and eating one too many Takada kicks, taking him down, and absolutely forearm-ing the shit out of him. He also threw some nice suplexes. I could be reading more into the finish than I should, but when Backlund hit the German it looked like he was bridging for a pro-wrestling-style pin attempt, which is what allowed Takada to counter into the kimura. If that was intentional it was really clever. Other than a few kicks Takada didn't have a lot to offer in this.
June 4, 201411 yr comment_5605770 I am not a crowd guy but at points in the opening minute, I had to check to make sure the volume was turned up. It was that quiet. That is kind of a shame because the work was good to me and this match was solid all around. I enjoyed bob's back kicks and him waking up the crowd with his suplex throws.
November 7, 20159 yr comment_5709049 The last few minutes of this was pretty good, especially with Backlund bringing the suplexes, which you don't often see in shoot style. Unfortunately, the first twelve or so minutes, with nary a point scored (or deducted, if you will) killed this for both the crowd and me the home viewer. The idea of Takada trying to avoid being down on the mat and Backlund trying to avoid Takada's kicks had promise, but all it really led to were a bunch of restarts, and shoot style has enough of those as it is. I know that shoot style is methodical by its nature, but moist of these matches have at least a few roipe breaks in the opening minutes to keep the fans invested. Nice pop during the intros for Backlund, whom a lot of the fans in attendance evidently remembered from his days as WWF champion. Forgive me, but I have to ask this: since Takada made Backlund legitimately submit, does he get to claim the WWF title, which Backlund still swore at the time he never lost to Sheik?
February 1, 20187 yr comment_5830822 I thought that leglock sequence early was just a massive waste of time. Takada only throwing a few token kicks and not bothering to try use his striking advantage more seemed off. I'll agree that things picked up, but too late to reel me back in.
July 30, 20187 yr comment_5858991 Yeah, nowhere near the 1988 match as it takes them awhile to get going, with Takada tapping him with kicks and slaps while trying to avoid Backlund's takedowns. I did like Backlund’s leg trip into the leaping forearm drop. In the end, he launches Takada with a big double arm suplex and hits a low angle German but Takada grabs the double wristlock for the submission. Disappointing.
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