WWF World Heavyweight Title: Bob Backlund © vs. "Playboy" Buddy Rose (10/16/82)

 

Rose has his female companions with him and Dick & Kal are definitely happy about that. Buddy bumps like crazy to start making Backlund look good before he slows the match down by stalling a little bit and then takes the advantage using a full-nelson but Backlund would break free causing Rose to bump from the ring to the floor in a way that only Buddy could. Backlund tries to get Rose with some quick nearfalls but Buddy comes back using a headscissors to keep Backlund down on the mat before Backlund breaks free sending Rose to the floor again to stall more. Buddy is working full Memphis heel stalling here and it's awesome as the crowd hates his guts then he goes back to the ring and goes right back to the headscissors. All this headwork makes me want a Buddy vs. Fujinami match in the worst way. Buddy stalls more on the floor then attacks Backlund using a variety of offense trying to put Backlund away but Backlund would throw him into the corner where he did the upside down bump very hard and Backlund is pumped up. Bob takes it to Buddy who goes to the floor again this time with Backlund joining him and he would chase him around the ring before Buddy snuck back in the ring to beat the count winning by countout. Backlund would do this finish quite a bit but it was really well done here because of how Buddy kept going to the floor during the match. Buddy declared himself the new champ afterwards which pissed off Bob who sent him back to the floor again. This was a great one man show by Buddy and I'm pushing this forward as a nomination.

BOB BACKLUND vs BUDDY ROSE (10/16/1982; WWF Philadelphia Spectrum; 00:26:08)
-    The most entertaining feeling out processes in a Backlund match. They do a wristlock that Buddy sells like death and he is applying it! Buddy’s mannerisms in between engaging Bob are on point. They engage in some amateur moves. Buddy charges, his legs are taken out form him and he ends up on the wrong side of a Bob drop kick and has to regroup. This isn’t mind blowing stuff… it’s just entertainment. Buddy is the master of entertainment. For example, Buddy hooks a full nelson. He walks Bob to the corner and slams his face into the corner while still hooked in the move. Please, more of this type of shit. When Bob breaks out, Buddy takes the head first bump outside. Buddy finally takes over working on his head and throat. HE hooks him in a head scissors and Bob tries to get Buddy in a wrist lock and this is ten times more interesting than Bob vs Snuka from the month before. Buddy’s strategy is to bail every time he senses trouble. Under that story, it is genius. It does get frustrating though. It heats up when Bob starts to chase Buddy outside and Bob is counted out. I love Buddy but this was the first 20 minutes of a 30-minute match. Everything was entertaining but It ended just when the heat was turning up. MIDDLE NOMINATION.