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The OtherArena
"I think we probably all feel some solidarity as partners in the War on Bullshit." -Nate Silver
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Steve Yohe
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 1005
Location: Wonderful Montebello CA
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 Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 3:31 am Post subject: |
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| I watched the two Bob/Michaels matches on the DVD in the last couple of weeks. It seemed to me it was the same match with a new finsh tacked on. The matches were 8 months apart & that seemed weird. The wrestled aleast 18 times that year & I bet it was the same match each time. Maybe they had no need to call spots.--Yohe |
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Iron Chad
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 1163
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:24 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Quote:
Bob Backlund vs Yuki Ishikawa (Complete - B-Cup finals - Very slow-paced match that could have been so much more. It’s obvious Ishikawa wants to do more, but he’s forced to slow down because of Backlund’s overselling and bad timing. Then you’ve got Backlund botching one of his trademark spots - the bridge into a backslide. Bob’s shoulders are down, so the ref starts to count but Bob fails to bridge out or kick out, forcing the ref to stop at 2 when his shoulders are obviously still down. Very bad looking. Decent match that sees Backlund submit!)
It's probably worth noting that I have a strong distate for BattlArts though I'd like to think that that opinion didn't color the above commentary in any way. |
It did not. That match was freaking horrible, so horrible I might watch it again when I need to get to bed. It was clear Yuki and Bob didn't have any idea how to work together. The whole match was a mess.
Besides the backslide fuck-up you mentioned before, they totally screwed up the armlock --> Bob deadlift spot that actually got over pretty well when he did it against Sasuke in the semis.
Yuki has no idea how to put the armlock on Bob to begin with. It takes Yuki about 90 seconds to get it applied the first time, you can totally see Bob moving Yuki's feet and rearranging his legs in the hold and not in a way that makes it look like it's a struggle to apply the hold (Eddy v. Jericho at the last Clash comes to mind the way Eddy was pushing a gassed Chris through moves and holds, but it looked really good and it wasn't apparently obvious Eddy was totally controlling all the action). Yuki never does get the armlock on as he just drops Bob on the "Bob can't quite do the lift and falls back into the armlock".
The second application is even funnier. Yuki can't get it done and starts laughing, this time you can see Bob yelling at Yuki how to apply the hold and pointing at where to put Yuki's hands. Bob does the fastest lift ever to get Yuki on the top turnbuckle.
All hell breaks loose from there with more obvious spot-calling that Shawn v. Sid at the Royal Rumble. The finish is a poorly applied octopus where you can tell Bob had no idea how to come off the ropes in position as Yuki just has to let go and bend Bob over so he can put the octopus hold on.
I don't know if it was the language barrier or just an irreconciliable clash of styles, but this match was a train-wreck.
-Chad |
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jdw
Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 12603
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| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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"I had the opportunity to
view a number of old Bob
Backlund matches from
78-80, and I must admit
Bob really was an excellent
wrestler. He was weak as
a brawler even then, but
his technique was damn
impressive. The difference
in his speed and work rate
comparing then and now
is simply incredible."
-Dave Meltzer, November 1983 Wrestling Observer Newsletter |
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jdw
Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 12603
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jdw
Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 12603
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jdw
Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 12603
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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WWE.com Legacy: New This Month
| Quote: | Madison Square Garden - Harley Race vs. Bob Backlund
September 22, 1980 | Approx. run time: 40 mins.
The WWE Championship and NWA World Championship are put on the line in this 1980 “dream match.” Which champion leaves Madison Square Garden the undisputed World Champion?
Watch300K 750K Buy$3.95/mo. |
Holy Grail.
It's a subscriber site. There is a fair amount of decent stuff up there. You have to poke around on occassion for it. Good value for a $4 monthly sign up. Cancel and then come back some months down the road.
John
John |
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Iron Chad
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 1163
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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No, fuck that, HOLY FUCKING SHIT! You don't get it, John. Footage of this match is the Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and a honest lawyer rolled up into one. This match does not exist, under any circumstances whatsoever on film, tape or anything. I have wanted to watch this match since 1989 when I learnt of it. I have looked for it on and off for at least 12, probably 15 years and have always been unable to find or flat out told it wasn't taped and did not exist. I had given up hope to ever watch this match.
I was just about to start the Best of Starrcade DVD I just picked up as an Easter gift to myself, but I may have to grab the Visa for this one first. It'll probably air for free (well not free since I pay a subscription for it every month, but, the stuff is on monthly to watch as much as you want to) on WWE 24-7, but I'm not patient enough to wait for it. Thanks for the hookup.
-Chad |
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jdw
Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 12603
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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I knew of its existance quite some time ago. One of our posters (who may now be a former poster) saw it via his entertainment industry connections with the WWE. He actually gave me a pretty detailed review of the match in e-mail, which has to be somewhere in my old Pegasus e-mail archive. He was disappointed by the match because it was way too Bob-dominated. He wasn't anti-Bob, just that Harley didn't get to shine doing the cool stuff he can bring to the table.
So I would set expectations mid-level for it. Don't expect a MOTY. From the write up, it wasn't Bob vs Patera or Bob vs Muraco. There are cool things in it, but they also probably had a better match in them if they evened stuff up more.
John |
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khawk20
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 170
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Iron Chad wrote: | | This match does not exist, under any circumstances whatsoever on film, tape or anything. |
Incorrect.....even before today. |
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Iron Chad
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 1163
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| khawk20 wrote: | | Iron Chad wrote: | | This match does not exist, under any circumstances whatsoever on film, tape or anything. |
Incorrect.....even before today. |
I probably should've like asked around for the past 5 years or so instead of just assuming it wasn't around, huh? Better late than never, I guess.
-Chad |
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khawk20
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 170
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| Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:02 am Post subject: |
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| Iron Chad wrote: | | khawk20 wrote: | | Iron Chad wrote: | | This match does not exist, under any circumstances whatsoever on film, tape or anything. |
Incorrect.....even before today. |
I probably should've like asked around for the past 5 years or so instead of just assuming it wasn't around, huh? Better late than never, I guess.
-Chad |
It's not exactly what you think but John is right, people have had a chance to see this before now.
I personally never questioned it's existence after they put it on the poll to pick matches for the WWE title history dvd.
e-mail me at khawk20AThotmailDOTcom..I can't PM you here. |
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chadlaca
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 44
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| Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:39 am Post subject: backlund vs. race |
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I'm the guy John's referring to as having the match. Honestly, I haven't watched it in ages as I don't even have a vcr at this point and WWE gave it to me on VHS. :)
I was disappointed. I remember Harley not getting nearly enough offense in for my taste and I remember Bob working a headlock for what seemed like an interminable amount of time. Working a long headlock sequence is one thing but I just felt like they didn't do anything interesting enough with it to justify how long it goes on. Harley would just lay there for awhile and then eventually get up and walk Bob to the ropes.
Bob gets in a pretty good amount of his high-end offense but Harley isn't even allowed to get in his vertical suplex (gets blocked at least twice — maybe three times — and one of those is reversed into a Davey Boy Smith-level delay vertical suplex on Bob's part).
I know it's a frequent complaint about Bob but I also remember him giving Harley maybe one two count, even when there were other points in the match where a good long two might've heightened the drama. Harley, on the other hand, gives Bob all kinds of two counts.
Again, I like Backlund. I've really enjoyed matches of his with Inoki, Patera, Valentine, Patterson, Slaughter, Rhodes, Hansen, Takada, etc. So my opinion, which you may not share, is one of a guy that really wanted to like the match. I watched it at least three times to see if my mind would change but the same stuff bothered me every time.
Anyway, I look forward to some other folks finally seeing the match. To the best of my knowledge it's never been out there before as it was blacked out on MSG Network when it originally took place.
Chad |
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jdw
Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 12603
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| Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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I've avoided naming chadlaca over the years as the one who got a copy of the match from his contacts in the WWE so as to not mess up Chad's good relations. :)
I've also screwed up over the years in not taking up Chad's offer to bring it over to a King of Chicken for us to watch. Was trying way back when to schedule it for a time when Frank was down in LA so we could all get to see it together. Chad was extremely cool in his offer.
Looking back at my e-mail files, it was way back in 2004. Chad's walk through the match was on election day 2004. :)
| Quote: | Anyway, I'm gonna just give you the play-by-play now (and then go vote).
The video quality, by the way, is tremendous. It's pro shot. No commentary
but otherwise sound is excellent as well. The bastards at WWE took it upon
themselves to put the words "viewing only" right in the middle of the
screen about two-thirds of the way down but it's really not THAT obtrusive
and eventually you forget it's there. |
:)
If Chad is okay with it, I'll toss up his walk through in the 101 Nights of WWF 80's Thread. I don't know if he still has a copy of the e-mail. Let me know, Chad. It's long... longer than I remember, and good stuff. :)
I think the next WWF Holy Grail is the Bob-Muraco 60 Minute Draw from MSG in 1981.
John |
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chadlaca
Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 44
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| Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Hey, John. Don't think I still have a copy of that e-mail. You're more than welcome to post it. |
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DGinnetty
Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 92
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 7:04 pm Post subject: How much of Backlund's 2/20/78 title win exists on video? |
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It is listed as going 15:51.
I def remember seeing the finish on comm releases before.
Does a more complete version of this match exist on video?
Just wondering...
Dan Ginnetty |
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