Posted June 12Jun 12 comment_6031210 BOB BACKLUND vs HARLEY RACE (09/22/1980; WWF MSG; New York, NY; 00:40:27) - The first twelve minutes or so are the Bob headlock show with Race working in and out of the hold but always getting foiled. Missed headbutt, big Bob body slams, etc. Then they start trading big moves back and forth around the 15-minute mark and the crowd really starts rumbling. Bob then hooks in another headlock. When the headlock doesn’t work he switches to an ab stretch but that doesn’t last long. Race takes over about 20 minutes in but Bob does get a German for two. Race’s control does not last long before Bob is back in the headlock. Race hits a back suplex but Bob tosses him off the top rope and then hits an atomic drop that sends Harley outside. 28 minutes in and the biggest issue is that Harley is almost never in control. He turns the tide occasionally but never for long. Maybe that keeps the crowd into it because they are absolutely invested in the match. Harley misses the top rope headbutt and Bob drapes his atm over for two. The crowd went wild on that one. The last ten minutes were all action and close calls. Harley made it nasty when he posted Bob on the ring post. He just starts punching Bob in the face at that point. He tries to ram Bob in the turnbuckle but Bob rams him in the post instead. Harley is a mess. Bob is a mess. This is what I am talking about. Both guys fighting even on their knees. Bob pulls out a gut wrench suplex and a neck breaker. When he hooks the sleeper, the crowd is as loud as MSG ever gets. Harley was afraid of passing out so he grabs the ref and slams the ref into Bob. I am not even mad at that finish. I was going in dreading this match and I actually think it would be a worthy addition to the set. The first 12 minutes are a bit rough but Harley always works in and out of the headlock. Eventually, they start going toe to toe and back and forth and get violent towards the end. As a political minefield waiting to happen, this went off as well as could be expected and I have no complaints having to watch the match. A little less headlock would have secured this as an easy nomination but I think it is definitely a STRONG nomination and should probably be on the set for historical significance.
