July 22, 201510 yr comment_5686645 WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Stan Hansen - MSG 3/16/81 Before the match, Pat Patterson challenges Sgt Slaughter to a match for next months Garden show. Now there's a series of matches I need to rewatch! I cant believe, I am going to say this, but Hansen felt subdued in this match. He was totally content with rhythm breaks and grounding Backlund. It was not his usual running around with reckless abandon. The match was fine and told a decent story. Backlund jumpstarted the match and he wanted to beat the shit out of Hansen. Hansen wanted no part of it. Hansen could never keep Backlund down who was throwing headbutts to mid section and fists to the head. So Hansen kept running, which is just very un-Hansen like. Eventually, Backlund gets fed up and starts chasing him to the outside. Hansen misses his lariat on two occasions and pays for it, but always makes it to the outside. The third time Bob follows him to the outside he caught coming back into the ring with the Lariat! It looked good, but not great and didn't feel like a climax. Backlund cant make it back in, which sets up a rematch in a cage. Backlund gets his heat back by sending Stan packing. Good match, but disappointing. Their NJPW match is way better. ***
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