Kesha Is My Spirit Animal

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

“So what do you spend money on?” – The girl who attended Kesha & The Creepies on the “Fuck The World” tour with me in Atlantic City last night. (Ma, if you are reading this, don’t get your hopes up, she is just a friend.)

The question was prompted by her asking me “what was my dream car?". I didn’t have an answer. She asked if I dreamt of houses and I said not really. The answer to the aforementioned question is that I spend my money on making memories. I do that through spending money on travelling, stemming from my love of history, and entertainment taking the form of pro wrestling and music.

 

The picture that made me fall in love with Ke$ha

 

After each pro wrestling show, my brother and I will try to come up with what history making angle we had just witnessed. These run the gambit from the silly to the influential. My brother loves bringing up such angles as the Birth of “Dashing” Cody Rhodes on a random Smackdown! in Manchester, NH or the breakup of the APA on the Smackdown after Wrestlemania XX at the TDGarden. Sometimes, we travel to a show expecting history to be made like at Wrestlemania XXVIII (Miami) where it happened in a curious way when Daniel Bryan lost in 18 seconds to Sheamus. A seemingly insignificant angle like the breakup of APA led to Bradshaw reinventing himself as JBL and going on to be the longest reigning world champion in about a decade. I can say I was there for that. The fans’ reaction to Daniel Bryan’s loss to Wrestlemania XXVIII set off a chain reaction of events that has profoundly changed the landscape of pro wrestling forever. I can say I was there for that. That’s the nature of pro wrestling. It is open-ended and continuous. Almost every show has import on the next show meaning I am almost guaranteed to be witnessing history every time I attend a pro wrestling card. Concerts are the complete opposite of this.

The inherent nature of concerts is they are static, reactionary events. You are not witnessing history being made so much as bearing witness to a snapshot of time. Due to my taste in music, this tends to be a window into the past. I love telling my Dad what KISS or Alice Cooper did that night and then for his retort to be “been there and saw it in 1976”. Even when I saw Ke$ha three times prior to last night, what was I really witnessing was just an image of 2012 through her beautifully sleazy lens of reality.  None of this had any impact on the future. I don’t take pride in saying I was there in May of 2013 when Motley Crue played on Lake Winnepausakee where Vince Neil was dumbstruck that the crowd was not cheering for hot girls. It is a great, funny memory, but it was not significant history. Last night, I witnessed history being made in Atlantic City.

In the modern musical landscape, change is most affected through the recording of music (the single/album) and not live performances. The release of an album heralds the direction of the artist and sets the tone for the ensuing tour. The concert is an audiovisual representation of the album something that is already recorded in the past. Therefore, without an incredible effort, a concert is backwards-looking, a reaction to what already exists. There are singular exceptions I have witnessed. Such as 2013 Ke$ha’s reimagining of “Take it off” as a grimy, sleaze rock song or Robert Plant’s fascination with World Music. In the case of the former, it was an interesting treat for live fans, something special for us, but not forward-looking. In the case of the latter, it is self-indulgent at worst and promoting underappreciated music at best, but it is not changing the legacy of Robert Plant or the musical world.  Last night, Kesha & The Creepies did not just shift the paradigm, they shattered it.



 A Portent Of What Was To Come

They broke free of the fetters of the album-tour model to deliver a night completely devoted to Kesha, the passionate artist and defiant human being. The concert is the tool being used to assert her independence and reshaping of her life, not the album. Perhaps this is due to legal reasons, but whatever the reason, it created a night of breath-taking beauty, unbridled passion and loud defiance. It signals her reclaiming her dignity and control of her destiny. As she declared last night (paraphrasing based off memory), “I am finally putting on the show, I have always wanted to put on for you guys.” The show was an expression of her individuality.      

There were no keyboards. No autotune. No Dollar Sign. But don’t worry there was still plenty of glitter! Kesha’s natural, raw, powerful and soulful voice filled the carpeted casino ballroom. Such a strange venue for a personal revolution, but this was a strange concert. Its versatility of how she covered her own songs in the form of rock, country, dance, punk and glam into one cohesive concert worked because of her emotional investment in each song. It featured covers of disparate artists such as Iggy Pop and Dolly Parton. Not just evidence of the breadth of influences, but the breadth of who she is as a person.

 

You didn't think a picture like this was going to be forgotten. I am still Superstar Sleeze.

 

It is so easy for people to dismiss Kesha out of hand superficially as a “dirty, trashy, vapid party girl”. Taking the time to listen to her music, you will realize she is a nuanced, complex person that checks all pretensions at the door. That her brash, irreverent party music is a statement on embracing the human condition and the happiness you will find in that whole-hearted embrace.  You can see the sneer and the bite of Iggy Pop in her songs. There is also the sensitivity of Dolly Parton in wanting to affect positive change through her music. At the end of the day, Kesha’s music is the music of wish fulfillment. David Lee Roth has described that as the most powerful form of music. Kesha is the girl who lived her dreams only to see them transform into a nightmare. If there is one thing we know about Kesha, the girl who broke into Prince’s house to drop off a demo, is that she will never give up. This concert was a statement of defiance that her ideals of humanity would carry her through the day.

I have never met Kesha. I did give it a pretty good shot last night with the afterparty security, probably not as good as she would have done, but I did give it the old college try. I think there is no public figure that better represents my worldview than Kesha. She is my spirit animal. So on an oddly personal note, the concert was a relief. When I saw her in 2013 in Connecticut, she had lost quite a bit of weight and something seemed off. Then I saw the Timber music video at the end of 2013 and she seemed dangerously skinny. It was not a shock when she checked into rehab for body weight issues. To see her smiling and healthy on stage was just awesome and overwhelming. There were many times I was tearing up watching the concert.

I love concerts. I do not think concerts should adopt this model at all. I think that would be completely wrong for the audience they are intended to serve. Concerts should reflect the album and the songs the fans want to hear. The unusual context of this concert necessitated this, Kesha demanded it, and the fans understood. They had the unique chance due to the circumstances to create a show not tethered to the past, but a declaration of independence for the future. Kesha with the loud cry of “I Shall Be Released” fired the final salvo of a 90 minute transcendent expression of human emotion.

I can say I was there for that.



Atlantic City Declaration of Independence



 

 

   

 

All American Ginger: Best of Bob Backlund 1978-1980

Hey yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,


Rankings:

1.  WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine - WWF MSG 2/19/79
2.  WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Ken Patera - WWF, MSG 5/19/80
3.  WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Pat Patterson - WWF MSG 7/30/79
4.  WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Hulk Hogan - WWF Philly 4/12/80
5.  WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Ken Patera - WWF, MSG 1/21/80
6.  WWWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Ivan Koloff - MSG 8/28/78

WWWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Ivan Koloff - MSG 8/28/78

 

Tremendous Bob Backlund match! Pretty much everything you want out of a Backlund match and more! The best part of Backlund matches are his raw power, lots of struggle, interesting, dynamic wrestling strategy and logical progression. Here you get the added bonus of more Backlund selling and his opponent getting a chance to work on top. I thought the first half of this match was the more entertaining version of the Murdoch/O'Connor Headscissors AJPW 75 match. I loved how Backlund first got into the hold as there was a  ton of struggle  over a hiptoss so Backlund used Koloff as a base wrapped his legs around his head and took him over that way. They traded headscissors in really compelling fashion for 15 minutes. Backlund showed his usual dogged determination. If something is working for him, he sticks with it. Koloff ALWAYS had to use the hair to keep Backlund in the headscissors or to gain the upper hand, which is a great touch. Backlund got to show off his power with incredible bridging. Koloff actually placed Backlund on the top rope and Backlund was none to pleased about that and delivered a nice short knee there. Overall, the beginning of the match was very solid and it established Backlund as the better wrestler and Koloff needing to use shortcuts (i.e. the hair). I thought everything was snug and Backlund really wrenched his stuff. Koloff began to kick Backlund in the head and drop the knee as things picked up. Backlund caught Koloff's foot on a kick and we transition into the next phase. Backlund begins to work Koloff's leg ferociously. This is exactly the opportunity Backlund looks for in a match. The leg work is super energetic, lots of movement and he is always going back to it even when Koloff gets a move in here or there. Eventually, Backlund gets a little overzealous on a wrenching and goes out to the apron. Koloff suplexes him back in and then applies a short arm scissors. Koloff works a nice rolling short arm scissors with plenty of teases to the big spot. Backlund deadlifts Koloff up and places him the top rope. That always gets me! Backlund slaps the piss outta him! This was set up nicely by Koloff putting Backlund on the top rope earlier. Backlund goes to back to the leg with a modified figure-4, but again Koloff grabs the hair. Double stomp, but sells the leg! Backbreaker by Koloff. Very rare to get to see the heel pour it on, but it is refreshing. They knock heads and Backlund goes out to the floor. I smell countout. Not so fast! Koloff rams him into he turnbuckle and suplexes him in. He misses the top rope knee drop to a big pop! Backlund sets his head too early and Koloff kicks him. This sends him outta the ring that was kinda lame. The finish was pretty cool with Koloff coming off the top rope with a stomp to Backlund's head on the apron to draw blood ending the match on cuts. Backlund gets his heat back by kicking Koloff's ass including an atomic drop.

Really entertaining match, held back by just some slow portions in the holds. This was a classic Backlund match where everything progressed nicely. You had the battle of the headscissors that established face/heel dynamics and put over Backlund's power. Then when Koloff was roughhousing; Backlund made him pay by going after the leg. You have the big Backlund highspot of the short arm scissors deadlift into his possible finish with the figure-4, before a pretty hot finish run by Koloff set up by the hair pull. Another Backlund classic! ****1/2

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WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine - WWF MSG 2/19/79

This is the last major match I have left to review in one of my all-time favorite series of matches. I have seen this before and remember loving it. This is the one hour draw. Instead of taking notes, I will review the match in 20 minute intervals.

First twenty minutes: You would never know this match is going to a draw given the pace they cut in the first twenty minutes. No this is not Flair/Steamboat, but they don't telegraph it in the least and work as brisk as usual. Valentine is such a great opponent for Bob because he makes him earn everything. Bob's base hold of choice is the side headlock and they do some really fun work in and out of it. Like when the Hammer looked to counter it the first time by grabbing a leg this led a monkey flip. The next time Backlund dropkicked him and TIMMMMBBBBAAAAAAHHHHH! When Valentine would just touch Backlund's legs the crowd would gasp because they thought the figure-4 was imminent. Valentine hit some really hard shots to Bob's midsection and really was laying in it as to be expected. Backlund missed his second dropkick. Valentine got a nice bow and arrow on Backlund. Next up was a nice full nelson exchange with Backlund busting out the wheelbarrow into the full nelson, which was nifty. Then followed up by the short arm scissors exchange no deadlift, but a nice rolling short arm scissors. The twenty minutes end with Backlund in control of the arm. Really strong first twenty minutes with the story being that these are two very evenly matched opponents. Backlund definitely had the upper hand in this tit for tat beginning as shown in the full nelson and short arm scissors exchanges. Even after twenty minutes, it still feels like they are feeling one another out, but it is not boring in anyway. Just two pros trying to find what sticks. After the short arm scissors, Backlund has Valentine in the armstretcher so going into the next twenty minutes, we will see if Backlund can maintain this advantage and what Valentine will do swing things his way and when will he go for the figure-4?

Second Twenty Minutes: Really amazing back half here. Lets get the 20-30 minute mark outta the way. Backlund does his rowing spot and then drives his heel into Valentine's face and seemingly has the match in hand when he knocks heads with Valentine and that sends him to the floor. He never really recovers after that unfortunate incident. Valentine bodyslammed him in and went to Short Arm Scissors. I really like the short arm scissors, but this one did drag until the awesome Backlund deadlift high spot. Backlund hit a shoulder tackle, but Valentine uses his momentum against him to throw him out. Now we go to school. This is the all-time best heat segment on Bob. Valentine kicks the shit out of it. Wicked forearms on the apron. He brutalizes him on the apron. Stomping on him, choking with the boot, just kicking his ass. He starts pounding that leg. You know what that means. Figure-4 attempt is reversed into the small package, but Valentine was relentless on the leg and got a really nice single leg crab. Really cool Backlund escape sees him contort his body that he tabletops Valentine. Backlund THROWS Valentine on that vertical suplex. Incredible. Backlund cant hold Valentine, love that spot. Valentine big elbow and right back to the leg. Really compelling stuff in those last ten minutes. You never see Backlund get his ass whupped and Valentine looks totally dominant. Backlund is selling great, but also has great hope spots. Going into the last twenty minutes it really comes down to can Valentine get the Figure-4 applied and what the hell does Bob have to get himself out of this huge hole.

Home Stretch: In-fucking-credible. The last thirty minutes of this match is just amazing pro wrestling. Backlund is not going down without a fight. Valentine has Backlund in a leg lace as he tries to set up for the figure-4 and he just starts drilling him in the back with kicks and then pulling at anything he get his hands on. Valentine says fuck this and goes for the figure-4 and Backlund keeps kicking him off. Backlund is just lunging at Valentine out of desperation, but is crashing and burning. This is a battle of wills. Valentine goes for the figure-4 and Backlund repeatedly kicks him in the face. Valentine goes for Backlund's big atomic drop, but Backlund blocks and sends Valentine flying out. BACKLUND SELLS THE LEG! Valentine is crawling in and Backlund scurries over and headbutts him in the midsection. Valentine grabs Backlund by the hair and rams into the apron, but he is so spent, he falls into the ring! Backlund misses the splash and then Valentine eats knees on the splash! Backlund sells it! THIS IS SO FUCKING AWESOME! Backlund butterfly suplex, but he is on jelly legs. Vince posits that Backlund's legs maybe injured that's why he collapsed on the suplex attempt. Ya think, Vince? Awesome slugfest with Valentine falling right on his ass and Backlund teetering on his feet. Loving this selling of fatigue. Each wrestler is having these bursts of energy and then will lose it. Valentine puts his foot on the ropes and Backlund SEAT DROPS on that leg with all his weight. Now Backlund looks to give Valentine a taste of his own medicine and try to win with the figure-4. BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! That burst of energy fades and he cant capitalize. Now Valentine has burst of energy and grabs the leg starts to wrench against the bottom rope. Backlund trips him up, but Valentine kicks him square in the face. He brutalizes him with forearms and Valentine runs into a wicked knee. TIMMMMMBBBBAAAAAHHHH! BACKLUND LEG DROP! KICK OUT! Valentine hangs out for dear life to the top rope to avoid the Irish Whip and leads to the ab stretch. Ok, that was a bit of a letdown. The Hammer reverses it and punches him in the stomach. I love Valentine. Backlund back to butterfly suplex into a SWEET Valentine drop toehold. Valentine back to the Indian Deathlock and finally looks to get figure-4 , but Backlund hooks the bottom rope with all his limbs. Valentine hits an ugly (selling the fatigue) suplex, but it is fitting in this war of attrition. Valentine is frustrated and he pushes the ref. BACKLUND GUTWRNECH SUPLEX! Valentine gets his foot on the bottom rope. This is Valentine's match to lose. Not many people can say that against Bob. HUGE SLUGFEST! Backlund backslide! Valentine is trying everything and eats a punch coming off the middle rope, header into turnbuckle. Kicks Backlund hard into midsection. Valentine is desperate and frustrated and Backlund is determined, but exhausted. They knock heads again. Figure-4 again, but small package. Wicked slugfest again in the 60th minute! These men are GODS! Valentine collapsed into Backlund and PILEDRIVER~! As time expires.

You will be hard pressed to find a better 30 minutes in pro wrestling history than those last thirty minutes. The first twenty minutes are solid. The 20-30 minute stretch keeps this from being a strong Greatest Match of All Time, but this is safely a ***** because of those last thirty minutes. Battle of Wills is how I sum it. Backlund's leg selling is incredible. Valentine is a God on offense. What makes this match extraordinary is the selling of fatigue and how they incorporate bursts of energy. You gotta two beasts slugging it out in the 60th minute! Best Backlund match ever and maybe the best Valentine match ever! ***** 

 

 

 

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine - MSG 3/26/79

This is the rematch to their classic one hour draw. I have never seen this particular Backlund/Valentine encounter and of all the MSG matches I think this is the least. I really like the draw, 81 series and their 84 match is unhearalded I would say all those matches are at least ****1/2. This match plays on the draw by having no countout there must be a winner so part of the psychology is too tease that they are going to go long and this causes a looooooooooooooooong front facelock sequence where a fan audibly yells “Cmon somebody do something.” I love you, Bob and Greg, but I gotta agree.
I really liked the home stretch with some hot sequences around leg work that really showcased how good both were. God that front facelock and horrible finish just really kills the match for me. For as strong as Backlund looks some of these finishes are just horrible for him. It was Valentine’s last match with Backlund in the Garden until 81 why not put Backlund over clean. Still some really great shit! ***3/4

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WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Great Hussein Arab - WWF MSG 6/4/79

I have finally seen it all. A Bob Backlund spotfest! Who knew he invented the spotfest! On the surface, Sheiky Baby is an evil foreign twin of Backlund, tons of raw power and an impressive amateur background. That's what we get at the beginning. The classic tit for tat Backlund babyface shine where Backlund proves anything you can do he can do better and frustrates Sheik at every turn. As a mark for incorporating amateur wrestling into pro wrestling I loved this shine. Backlund really shows his power. Sheiky actually is able to grab an arm leading to a nice Backlund bridge. Sheik is able to go from hold to hold with surprising ease and definitely the lack of struggle is what this match was missing at times. One of the best highspots of the match is, Sheik drops down out of a full nelson and Bob wheelbarrows him  back into a full nelson. Backlund is such an underrated  spot wrestler. Sheik starts to really go after the arm. I'm liking these matches with Bob having to overcome his opponent. Backlund grabs a headscissors to buy him some time to recover and dish out some punishment. Smart move. He piledrives Sheik into the mat. Next badass spot is Backlund does a DOUBLE bridge out before a backslide. Backlund rams his bad shoulder into the turnbuckles and ends up on his ass. Sheik grabs a hammerlock and Backlund turns it into an O'Connor Roll and now Backlund just starts going to work on the arm with legdrops and rowing spot. The rowing spot goes on for a while. I just don't feel like the transitions and the struggle are there, but Backlund is selling really well. Face rake with the boot gets Sheik out of it, Backlund takes too long on the reverse crossbody and eats a boot. They do multiple reversals of the ab stretch. These are all really good spots, but there is no connection.

Big time spotfest for the finish run: Backlund THROWS Sheik on a butterfly suplex, Sheik kicks out and just gets up and gutwrench suplex him. No selling. It was straight outta the 2010s. Sheiks grabs a chair and NAILS Backlund twice in the back of the head hard. I mean hard! Backlund uses the ropes to break the pin. Backlund hits a gutwrench after this and gets a one count. Backlund splash eats knees. Sheik gets another chair and Backlund blocks and he clobbers him right in the head to a BIG POP! Sheik NO SELLS it! He loads the boot. Backlund blocks the boot and he wants the boot! Sheik hits a vertical suplex.Bodyslam by Sheik. Sheik goes up top!??!?! FLYING SHEIKYBABY! Bellyflop! ATOMIC DROP~! 1-2-3! HUGE POP!

For 1979, this is downright revolutionary. A total spotfest down the stretch. This is more fun than most Bob Backlund matches because it is just spot-spot-spot. I can see why Backlund detractors would really like this and why fans in 1979 would pop huge for the finish run. That is the exact finish run used to get This Is Awesome chants now. I really enjoyed it, but not at the level of other Backlund classics that have that struggle and progression to a more powerful climax. This is Bob Backlund's fun summer blockbuster. ****

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WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Pat Patterson - WWF MSG 7/30/79

 

I am still of the opinion that Valentine brings out the best in Backlund, but Patterson is a really awesome Backlund opponent. He is really well-suited to make Bob look like a million bucks. His bumping in the first half of the match was out of this world good. Backlund has big offense and can be really fun with the right opponent. Valentine is not a fun opponent. He never is. Besides the TIMBAH bump, Valentine is bringing hate and severity to his matches. Patterson is a fun Backlund opponent. The out of control ramming of his shoulder into the post had every single person at MSG grinning like a Cheshire Cat. In my opinion, he was the best bumper Backlund ever faced and he really did everything he could to put Backlund over. Backlund was LAUNCHING him early with bodyslams. Some of the best bodyslams this side of Jumbo Tsuruta. Backlund was relentless on the arm and was really entertaining working it over, while Patterson provided the movement, bumps and stooging. Eventually Patterson gets behind Backlund and whacks him with a double axehandle sending him careening to the floor where Backlund hurts his leg. This is where the match goes from a fun Backlund match to a classic match. Patterson dissects that leg and Backlund sells it like a million bucks. I think Backlund was willing to be more vulnerable earlier on in his run as I am seeing way more conventional heat segments and selling from Backlund in these matches. Backlund pounds his way out of a leg lace with his pitbull tenacity and bullies Patterson to the apron where he smashes him into the turnbuckle. Backlund can barely pull himself up. Backlund is killing it in the selling department. Patterson grabs the ankle and Backlund kicks him off Patterson cracks his head on the railing. Backlund pounds away, but on a bodyslam attempt Backlund's leg gives out on him. Tremendous!

Backlund misses a dropkick. It does not look good for the champ. Patterson hits a bodyslam to set him up for the Bombs Away Kneedrop and Backlund knocks him off his perch with a right. Patterson takes a crazy bump wrenching his leg in the top rope. Backlund is merciless kicking him in that precarious position. Backlund runs him across the apron for a third time into the post busting him wide open. Backlund wants to win it in the middle of the ring and stops the ref's count as assuredly Patterson would have been counted out.  I love as Patterson tries to enter the ring; Backlund kisses his fist and punches him in the head. SLUGFEST! ATOMIC DROP~! BACKLUND SELLS THE LEG!!! AWESOME! Patterson puts a foot on the ropes. They knock heads and Patterson blows him away with knuckledusters. Arnie Skaaland is pissed and knocks him out with the belt leading to a double knockout situation. Pretty damn good bullshit finish in my opinion must have been a Patterson special.

Incredible fun and entertaining match. Patterson got his ass kicked in really entertaining fashion. He got his heat for 5 minutes, which set up the finish wonderfully. Backlund had to overcome a bad wheel. Bob is at his best when he is a pitbull and determined making his comeback, but still selling his leg the whole way. Patterson still saved up some big spots for the finish run falling off the top on his kneedrop and blading. Honestly, I don't think I can find a single flaw with this. A perfect old school babyface/heel match which was unique to the way Backlund and Patterson wrestled, I think what this match did so well was even though Backlund got the majority of the offense in the finish run his dominating position was tenuous at best. You were praying for the countout or for him scamper over for the cover after the atomic drop because it seemed like he could lose at any minute. So even though Patterson executed almost no offense in the last 5 minutes, he actually felt like he was in control. It was really dramatic and very cool feel to the match. Without a doubt, if we had more Pat Patterson he would rank among the greatest of all time. Incredible. ****3/4

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WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Ken Patera - WWF, MSG 1/21/80

I have never seen this match before and it is really awesome classic Bob Backlund. Anybody who says Bob does not sell well or cant sell should watch this match because he does a masterful job in a bearhug and maybe the best selling of a bearhug of all time. Throughout the rest of the match, Backlund continues to sell the pain and exhaustion. Before that, it was classic Backlund showing up his opponent early. Patera tried to use strength (takedowns and shoulderblocks), but was thwarted by Backlund's wrestling acumen and speed. There were some really fun one-upping shots. Now Backlund could not get anything going because Patera kept continuing to retreat to the safety of ropes. Patera carries Backlund to a corner off a side headlock, damn, stealing Bob's spot, ballsy. Patera goes after arm and uses hair pulls to keep Backlund in the armbars. Patera uses an armstretcher. Backlund was pissed about all these hair pulls so he used a boot to the face to break the hold. Backlund is classic here because he is going to beat Patera at his own game by applying an armstretcher. The rowing of the armstretcher was super over with the MSG crowd. Patera does the classic roll up counter, but Backlund expertly wraps up a headscissors. Patera escapes, only to end up back in armstretcher. Patera stomps Backlund's head to get out. Patera bodyslam only gets one with Backlund military pressing him off and Patera suplex does not fare much better. Then Patera applies the bearhug. Wow, one of the best bearhugs sequences ever. Backlund struggles so hard to get out and finally pries the arms off and hiptoss. Only to have Patera drives elbows into the back and reapplies the bearhug. Backlund's selling was perfect in how he was limp and Patera gets his shoulders to the mat. Backlund fires up only to collapse again, really well done. I love the payoff being a quick inverted atomic drop. Patera's sell of this is fucking awesome. Backlund wins a suplex struggle, but eats knees on a splash attempt. Patera hits an axehandle off the middle rope. He is looking Full Nelson to put the staggered Backlund out. Backlund slipped out and hit a massive atomic drop for a super hot nearfall. It was the first fall to go to a two count with Patera only getting his foot on rope. Patera pushed Backlund into the ref, which would trigger a No Contest, but there was an awesome heated slugfest post-match. Backlund kicked some serious. Everyone talks about the Texas Death Match, but this is a classic in its own right. The awesome Backlund shine was so much fun, loved the armstretcher tit for tat, one of the best bearhug sequences of all time and a super hot finish run with both men totally staggered and exhausted makes for an awesome match. Patera was great at his bumping and selling to really get Backlund over. I consider this one of the all-time best Backlund performances. ****1/2

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WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Hulk Hogan - WWF Philly 4/12/80

This might be my favorite Bob Backlund match. It is definitely the one I have seen the most. It is so much fun and really represents who Bob Backlund is at a professional wrestler. The core characteristic that defines Bob Backlund is the phrase "anything you can do I can do better". He will out-wrestle, out-brawl and out-power you. That's why I love Backlund. He is so versatile. He adapts the Bob Backlund match to his opponent. It is not just lets have the same match with Hulk Hogan as I do Adrian Adonis. Those are two very different wrestlers, but he never ever loses his identity either. It is still very much a Bob Backlund match.

What makes this match so interesting is that it is Bob Backlund's core tenet of his identity "anything you can do I can do better" actually costs him the match. There is a little bit of hubris there that we don't see from the champion. Hogan is so cocky early on as he is taller, heavier and stronger than Backlund, but Backlund understands leverage and is crazy strong himself. We see Hogan throw Backlund off. Backlund does a great job putting Hogan over in these exchanges and they make the shine that much stronger. He is not scared of Hogan, but he is cautious and realizes that this a major test. The way he rubs his hands on the top ropes before the test of strength. He acknowledges he is at a disadvantage, but he wont back down from a challenge. Of course, we get the really fun Backlund shows up his opponent spots like his single pick ups. Backlund really cranks the headlock. Really good stuff before Hogan hits a Robinson backbreaker. The weakest part of the match is Hogan's arm work. There is no urgency and just no real wrenching. So Hogan had hoisted Backlund up to the top rope to embarrass Bob and Backlund was pissed took a swing at him. This all sets up the mother of all deadlifts as Backlund powerlifts the 300lbs, 6' 8'' Hulk Hogan from a short arm scissors. Always an incredible sight! Hogan goes to the bearhug, which is the move I think he should have controlled with. I think Hogan focusing on the back would have been for the best. In my second favorite spot of the match, Backlund transitions out of a bearhug into an awesome piledriver! Both guys are spent and Hogan hits a vertical suplex. Throughout the match we have seen Backlund do Hogan's offense right back to him. There is a big suplex struggle and Kal does a great job putting over that Backlund cant afford to take another suplex. When Backlund hoists Hogan up for the suplex and the crowd went apeshit! Finally Hogan gets Backlund up for the airplane spin. Of course, Backlund's natural instinct is to put Hogan in the airplane spin, but they tumble to the outside so he does another one out there, but as he is revolving he puts Hogan back into the ring and he is left dazed and confused on the outside to lose by countout.

Just a pitch perfect finish to a great story. This was such a great consistent story. Everything Hogan did, Backlund would do right back to him and do it better. This built to that amazing deadlift and suplex. However, that hubris was Backlund's fall as he was so committed to out-powering Hogan that he lost due to the airplane spin. One of the best narrative-based matches you will ever see. ****1/2

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WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Ken Patera - WWF, MSG 5/19/80

 

Damn, I forgot how good this match is. I have not watched much from the year 1980, but this feels so ahead of its time at least in America. It is an awesome slugfest/bombfest. Backlund comes from behind in this match and it really feels like a big challenge for to win this match. This actually probably represented the peak of his title reign and the toughest test he would face until dropping the title to the Iron Sheik. True to form, Backlund won this match by out-brawling and out-rule-breaking the biggest brawler, rule-breaker in the WWF at the time, Ken Patera. Patera was extra hot having just won the Intercontinental Title from Pat Patterson the month before in MSG. He cut a short, but great promo before the match saying he would kick Backlund's ass just liked he kicked Patterson's and he would own all the title belts.

Patera goes so far as to jumpstart the match and throw Backlund outside the ring. Patera showboats a bit too much, but hell it is pretty uncommon for anyone to get one up on Backlund early in match. Backlund drags him out by the boots and beats the shit out of him. Backlund wants him in the center of the ring to a big pop. They slug it out until Backlund rams his shoulder into the post. FULL NELSON! Backlund drives Patera's head into the turnbuckles. Flair Flop! Patera was a perfect blend of stooge and strongman. He toed the line wonderfully. Patera back drops him to outside and quickly follows up with a bodyslam on concrete. He goes back to the bearhug, which worked really well in Janaury. In Texas Death Match, Backlund does not have to scientifically get out of the bearhug, he can just hammer Patera's "facial area" as VinnyMac so awkwardly puts it (you can just call it his face). HUGE ATOMIC DROP! The one thing I definitively remember about this match was that atomic drop and Patera's amazing sell of it. MASSIVE PILEDRIVER! God Bless Bob and his piledriver. Patera quickly scoops up Backlund and puts him in a tree of woe and chokes him. He goes after Backlund's wind with a clothesline that Backlund sells as if he hit the throat and left agsping for breath. then drops him throat first on top rope and choking. Backlund is only getting hope spots this is all Patera. Backlund gets a hope spot of an ab stretch, but Patera hiptosses him out and really gets some heat. He steals the belt from the worst manager ever, Arnold Skaaland and beats Backlund with it. Then rams him headfirst into the railing to bust him open. Patera works the cut expertly. I love him avoiding Backlund's wild swings and then stinging him in the head with fists. Backlund fires up and kicks some major league ass. Backlund throws him over the top and sends him into hard metal objects head first so we get double juice. Backlund working his cut, but gets ballshotted. Backlund press slams Patera off the top. They end up outside where Backlund throws him into some chairs. Patera tries to use the chair, but Backlund evades at every turn and manages to get a hold of the chair. He hits Patera a couple times, but only gets two?!?!?!? What is this ECW? :P

 A  crossbody ends the match as win for Bob Backlund for an absolutely fantastic match, easy top 5 WWF 80s match ever. I was not in love with all the transitions, but this was so badass. Patera and Backlund were just both in total asskicking mode. I loved Backlund coming from behind in this one constantly. Patera was fluctuating perfectly from asskicker to stooge. The standing ovation for the match by MSG was ridiculous, It was massive sustained heat. which was incredibly rare was there ever another time in the kayfabe era? They earned that Standing O. ****3/4

----------------------------------------------------------------------

WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund vs Larry Zbyszko - WWF Philly 10/11/80

We have seen Backlund out-wrestle, out-brawl and out-power his opponents, but he will be able to do the impossible and out-stall Larry Z. The answer is of course no. Larry Z was tremendous in this as the trash talking, belly-aching scumbag heel. Backlund was all revved up but had no place to go because Larry Z wanted nothing to do with the champ. Larry was complaining of a bad knee and as Backlund was showing him up with a fireman's carry and monkey flips. He undid the turnbuckle pad. Backlund began to attack the bullseye on Larry's leg and Larry was able to bash Backlund's head into the exposed steel. This allowed him to apply a sleeper. When Backlund got frisky, it was back into the steel, but on a third time Backlund smashed Larry into the unforgiving steel. Backlund ferociously goes after Larry's bad knee. I love it! He is really good at it. So Larry does what any desperate coward bitch would do, he punches him in the balls. Awesome! Backlund sells it like a million bucks. Of course Backlund makes his comeback and it is back to the leg so Larry Z has a foreign object and takes it to the Backlund's midsection. This is great. When it comes time to make his comeback; Backlund does not fuck around delayed vertical suplex and a MONSTER PILEDRIVER! Backlund is spent from all the illegal moves from the Living Legend. Larry Z gets his feet on the ropes. Airplane spin wipes out the ref and Larry Z hits him with the foreign object sending him out of the ring for countout loss.

Simple, elegant story: Backlund goes after the leg so Larry Z takes a cheapshot (turnbuckle, ballshot, foreign object) that stymies Backlund shortly before he goes back after the leg. The finish run was great with two big Backlund moves before the final cheapshot that gives Larry Z the win. It was the consummate babyface vs consummate heel match. Very entertaining. ****1/4

Best of the AWA 1980s: Nick Bockwinkel, Shawn Michaels, Curt Hennig, Rick Martel, Stan Hansen (American Wrestling Association)

Hey yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

A New Year means a New Resolution to update this blog. I want to do more than just match reviews. I want to look more into the kayfabe strategies pro wrestlers employ in their matches and also do more reviews like the Flair/Morton review that really look at a pro wrestling feud/angle/match in a deeper context. This is of course even more of a time commitment than a regular bevy of reviews. I hope to do one of these a month.

In addition, I will still post my match reviews. All these match reviews go up on prowrestlingonly.com, the best pro wrestling forum in the world. Period. I am Superstar Sleeze on there as I am on twitter @superstarsleeze. I finish my Best of AWA viewing way back when in the previous year and so I wanted to make the rankings public as I already did on ProWrestlingOnly. I am just going to copy and paste the direct links for matches #6-#23 on  here with a one sentence blurb. The Top 5 matches, I will post the full review on here.

NOTE: Lawler vs Hennig & Lawler vs Von Erich have NOT been reviewed. This is from 1980-1987.

Now there is a Purple People Eater I would like to meet!

Here are my thoughts on the AWA as a whole from PWO:

"I LOVE THE AWA! This is my kinda territory. It is like the WWF, but with better workers and better matches. I loved all the over the top gimmicks and power wrestlers. Fuck all those people that complain about the old timers, they were so much fun in this! I loved Verne coming back for one more match with his arch nemesis, Mad Dog (remember Verne you OWE Mad Dog the favor!) against the Sheiks. Da Crusher is just the coolest muthafucka ever. When his woman lost 50lbs he kicked her to the curb because she could not do the polka as good. That's hilarious! That steel cage match against the Sheiks is just awesome, raucous mayhem.

This brings me to my next point, AWA kicked fucking ass at the tag team steel cage match. It is probably because most of them involved Blackwell and al-Kaisse, who are two of the best cage match workers ever. They always cut a frenetic pace and coupled that with brutal violence. I honestly do not think Blackwell ever had a bad match. Obviously not everything is a classic, but there is always something entertaining about his matches. He bumped HUGE, sold so well, timed everything to perfection and had some nasty offense. I loved how all his matches were worked around his deadly splash. It was such excellent psychology and after all those years of missing his home run shot and losing the match, he finally fucking nailed against friend turned rival, Sheik Adnan al-Kaisee. I hate to be Debbie Downer, but I actually was not that high on that match that seemingly everyone loved. I thought it was a great revenge match, but did not think it was next level. It was a bit too slow at times and did not have that fist-pumping feeling to it. Also, I am incredibly shocked by the high ranking of Hansen vs Blackwell. Yes it was OMFG BLACKWELL VS HANSEN~!, but I thought it was an entertaining TV match to set up a house show loop, cant see how it is the 20th best AWA match of the 80s.

Then you had the Rockers & Rose & Somers uphold that legacy with two different, but both all-time classic cage matches in their feud. Those cage matches have been dissected to death and you can look at my reviews to get my take. Yes, I hold the opposite view of the mainstream that St. Paul match is the better one. This was one of the best tag team feuds of all time and probably my choice for best American tag team feud. I would say Blood in the Sand is the best American tag team match in history. I am going to through the RnRs and MX in depth soon, we shall see.

Finally, took a pretty decent look at Martel's AWA title reign, I skipped over the Jimmy Garvin feud though I have seen the matches before. The September '84 Bockwinkel match is the high water mark for me, just an excellent exhibition of how much selling means in a match. Then diametrically opposed, but almost as good, is the 1985 bomb-throwing fest between Jumbo and Martel in St. Paul.

In short, AWA was a tremendous tag team territory right through early 1987 with a special niche in the tag team steel cage match that never ceased to entertain me. Six out of ten of my top ten are tag team matches! I will be shocked if any other territory save for maybe World Class can top that! I loved all the gimmicks. Hogan on Flair's podcast said that Verne for all his real shooter instincts, loved gimmicks and crazy characters. I think it showed in '83 & '84. It is just too bad he could manufacture so more in the mid-80s when it was time for your Mad Dogs, Crushers and Barons to hand it up. Nick Bockwinkel is indeed The Man in the AWA. I need to see more to really flesh out who really is and I really look forward to revisiting the matches with Hennig and Hansen.

I missed Da Crusher, Mad Dog and Baron once 1985-6 rolled around! They added so much color to the promotion. Stan Hansen had some badass matches. I really liked the Sarge series. I thought the Hennig & White matches are two of the best World Championship television style bouts. It definitely left me wanting more. I know a lot of people really dug that second Hennig studio bout and I thought it was a badass sprint, but it just did not have that next level for me. Stan Hansen in the AWA is definitely some great resume padding for The Lariat, but there was nothing hear that I thought would really boost Hansen's resume if you werent a Hansen fan. It was just Hansen being Hansen.

I would say Bock vs Hennig definitely trumped Bock vs Martel as much as it pains me to say it as a huge Martel fan. Every match you can feel the intensity from the opening lockup. There was just such great conviction in every one of their movements and the way you could hear the sound of flesh on flesh was great. The psychology was always top notch and you could really feel Hennig grow with every match. Bock looking that good that late in his career is amazing. I will say their one hour draw is a contender in my mind for not just best match of the 80s, but the best match of all time. It was so, so, so awesome watching that one again. "

TOP FIVE AWA MATCHES OF THE 1980S AT THE BOTTOM

#6-#23 (all ****1/2 or ****1/4 matches):


6. Las Vegas Cage Match: Midnight Rockers vs Buddy Rose & Doug Somers - 1/17/87 ****1/2

Most people seem to like this one more than St. Paul. I think it lacks the electricity of St. Paul. Still a badass revenge steel cage match on TV. After seeing Rose & Somers get their ass kicked, it was time to put the belts on the red-hot Midnight Rockers.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31858-rockers-vs-buddy-rose-doug-somers-las-vegas-cage-match-11787/

7. AWA World Tag Team Champions High Flyers vs Rick Martel & Tito Santana -
AWA 8/29/82 - ****1/2

One of the all-time great babyface vs babyface tag team matches. The perfect template for this style of match focused on competition and grit. It features the all time greatest dropkick as a finish! Watch it!

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31011-high-flyers-vs-rick-martel-tito-santana-awa-082982/

8. AWA World Tag Team Champions High Flyers vs Crusher Blackwell & Sheik Adnan -
AWA Steel Cage Match 4/18/82 ****1/2

Red-hot action, a unique vantage point (I love how the AWA shot their footage), and Blackwell just being generally awesome makes for one of the best tag team steel cage matches of all time.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31928-awa-world-tag-team-champions-high-flyers-vs-crusher-blackwell-sheik-adan-al-kaissey-awa-41882-cage-match/

9. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Wahoo McDaniel - AWA ****1/2

A royal asskicking courtesy of Chief Wahoo McDaniel! It was great seeing Bock in a stiff, violent brawl. Some holy shit chair shots and just general badassery makes this one of the best Bock matches ever.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32466-awa-world-heavyweight-champion-nick-bockwinkel-vs-wahoo-mcdaniel-awa-82883/

10. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Jumbo Tsuruta - AWA 9/29/85 ****1/2

Absolute balls out, bomb throwing sprint. Way ahead of its time and a way better version of the ridiculous my turn, your turn spotfests that plague today. Check this one out for an action-packed thrill ride.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31127-awa-world-heavyweight-champion-rick-martel-vs-jumbo-tsuruta-awa-92985/

11. Nick Bockwinkel & Mr. Saito vs Fabulous Ones - AWA 9/30/84 ****1/2

Awesome tag team fun. Just a pure babyface vs heel tag team match. Bock & Saito cheated like muthafuckas and the Fabs kicked some ass. One of the best straight American tag matches of all time.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32467-nick-bockwinkel-mr-saito-vs-the-fabulous-ones-awa-93084/

12. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig -
AWA Superclash II 5/2/87 ****1/2

Story of Curt Hennig would resonate with so many today, a plucky, wet behind the ears kid that slowly becomes more and more disillusioned with the system until he finally turns to the dark side. It is a tragic and sad story. Ultimately, leaves a bitter taste in a fan's mouth that Hennig had to stoop to that level and then on top of that not even technically win the title. Poor booking aside, this is another technical masterpiece in a series of them.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32576-awa-world-heavyweight-champion-nick-bockwinkel-vs-curt-hennig-awa-superclash-ii-5286/

13. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs. Leon White - 3/13/86 ****1/4

Slobberknocker. One of the all time best World Title Defenses on TV in history. Hansen gives White just enough to look like a monster, but always makes sure to look strong. The Hand psychology is excellent and that ending Lariat is a devastation manifested.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32482-awa-world-heavyweight-champion-stan-hansen-vs-leon-white-awa-31386/

14. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig -
Brawl in St. Paul 12/25/86 ****1/4

First it was a draw and Hennig pushed Bock to literal limit of a time limit draw. Here. Hennig was poised to win, but due to a technicality he was disqualified preventing him from winning the title he proved he had deserved by dominating most of the match. Hennig was growing as a competitor, but also growing disillusioned with the system.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32570-awa-world-heavyweight-champion-nick-bockwinkel-vs-curt-hennig-awa-brawl-in-st-paul-122586/

15. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs Curt Hennig -
AWA TV 5/31/86 ****1/4\

Badass TV sprint for the World Championship. Curt Hennig comes of age against the Baddest Man in Pro Wrestling.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32515-awa-world-heavyweight-champion-stan-hansen-vs-curt-hennig-awa-tv-53186/

16. Sheik Ayatollah Blackwell vs Mad Vachon –
AWA 5/22/83 Algerian Death Match ****1/4

It was high drama in this Algerian Death Match. Blackwell got off to a red hot start crushing the smaller Mad Dog. Mad Dog would have to use his vicious grit to stage a comeback against the Mountain of a Man. Epic Clash of the Titans blood feud climax.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31949-sheik-ayatollah-jerry-blackwell-vs-mad-dog-vachon-awa-52283-algerian-death-match/

17. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Stan Hansen vs Nick Bockwinkel -
 AWA Wrestlerock '86 ****1/4

For years the scourge of Minneapolis, Nick Bockwinkel now plays the role of avenging hero against the Baddest Man in Pro Wrestling. The match had an almost shoot feel to it as neither man gave an inch to each other. Probably the last AWA match to really have that BIG MATCH feel to it.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32484-awa-world-heavyweight-champion-stan-hansen-vs-nick-bockwinkel-awa-wrestlerock-86-42086/

18. Crusher Blackwell & Sgt. Slaughter vs Sheik Adnan, Masked Superstar, King Tonga -
AWA Starcage 4/21/85 Steel Cage Match ****1/4

Blackwell turned face and now is out for revenge against his one time friend, Sheik Adnan al-Kaissey and his hired goons and enlisting the aid of wrestling's biggest free agents, Sgt. Slaughter. It is a brutal, violent, bloody cage match in the vein of the classic tag team steel cage matches of the AWA. Plus it features one of the all time best feel good triumphant endings in pro wrestling.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31967-crusher-blackwell-sgt-slaughter-vs-sheik-adnan-masked-superstar-king-tonga-awa-starcage-42185-steel-cage-match/

19. High Flyers vs Nick Bockwinkel & Mr. Saito - AWA 3/7/85 ****1/4

Perfect execution of the tag formula. Pro wrestling tag team wrestling par excellence by four of the absolute best.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31950-high-flyers-vs-nick-bockwinkel-mr-saito-awa-3785/

20. Sheik Ayatollah Blackwell & Sheik Adnan Al-Kaisse vs Mad Dog Vachon & Baron Von Raschke - AWA 3/13/83 ****1/4

Awesome, awesome blood feud taped fist match. The perfect dramatic lo-fi gritty brawl. It hits you in the gut. Great babyface shine!

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/31939-sheik-ayatollah-blackwell-sheik-adnan-al-kaisse-vs-mad-dog-vachon-baron-von-raschke-awa-31383/

21. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Mr. Saito - AWA Winnipeg 4/24/85 ****1/4

Awesome power vs speed story perfectly intertwined with the purity of their babyface and heel roles.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/30937-awa-world-heavyweight-champion-rick-martel-vs-mr-saito-awa-winnipeg-42485/


22. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Terry Gordy - 8/85 ****1/4

Really fun, short World Title Defense from two wrestlers that you don't pair up in your head. Martel is such a great ball of energy.

http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/32485-awa-world-heavyweight-champion-rick-martel-vs-terry-gordy-awa-1985/

23. AWA World Tag Champions Midnight Rockers vs Adrian Adonis & Bob Orton -
AWA January 1988 ****1/4

Awesome offensive display from Adonis & Orton. Great selling by Michaels makes for a very fun tag team match.

#5

The Sheiks (Sheik Adnan & Crusher Blackwell) vs Da Crusher & Greg Gagne  

AWA 3/25/84 Steel Cage Match

Da Crusher is the pride of Milwaukee and along with Verne, Mad Dog, and Baron form the old guard of the AWA that the crowds of the Midwest still love to death. I have heard Da Crusher described as a precursor to Stone Cold and having watched a still down interview with him. I definitely agree with comparison. He was a champion of the blue collar, beer-drinking average Joe. He was a man's man. He loved drinking beer, smoking stoogies and large women that do the polka! That's my kinda man. I dare say Da Crusher is the coolest man to ever rock the bowl cut.

This is shot like the High Flyers vs Sheiks Cage Match with a single handheld outside the ring looking up and no commentary. It really adds to visceral, chaotic feel.

Holy Greg Gagne! This is his career performance he was on absolute fire during this match. We are talking Shawn Michaels Brawl In St. Paul levels of piss and vinegar! He is ripping through the Sheiks early on coming off the top rope and throwing everyone into the cage. I don't think there are better cage match workers than Adnan & Blackwell. Sheik Adnan blasts him with the cast and they try to work over Greg. Greg just keeps fighting back. It creates this sense of awesome struggle. Finally beating his way out of the Sheik's corner, he tags Da Crusher on his knees. The crowd is so behind Da Crusher! Crusher slams Blackwell into the cage repeatedly and the crowd counts along. Greg wants in on this and walks the ropes to get his kicks in. Blackwell is busted open and Crusher starts hitting stiff jabs to the cut. Now it is Sheik's turn to get his ass kicked. I love Crusher's short little jabs to the face, Holy shit! Crazy Blackwell back drop into a cage and Greg runs up to hit a knee drop and boom see ya later Kenny P. Blackwell eyerake on Da Crusher allows him to slam him into the cage.

There is a great moment that demonstrates the raucous mayhem of this match as you get the camera close up of Patera holding Blackwell as he slams Crusher and the ref getting pissed. The ref did a really good job only to have Greg holler he is coming and just lights up Blackwell. Crusher and Sheik brawl. Blackwell goes for top rope splash! Crashes and burns! Greg Gagne top rope splash! He is not the legal man, but who the hell is! It is CHAOS BABY! Crusher back drops Blackwell and calls for the BOLO PUNCH~! Blackwell throws a stiff left and a FUCKING DROPKICK~! BATSHIT INSANITY~! Sheiks maul Da Crusher in the corner, but he fights out and Greg IS RIPSHIT! He DESTROYS Sheik Adnan! He sees Blackwell out of the corner of his eye and blasts him in the face! WIND UP...BOLO PUNCH TO SHEIK ADNAN! Tremendous bump off the cage by Blackwell. Greg Gagne scales to the top of the cage and drops with the knee on the leg.

AWESOME MATCH! Patera bum rushes the ring with the chair slamming Greg and Blackwell holds the door, but AWA babyfaces with Brunzell saves. Loved Greg Gagne's performance. I am a total mark for energy and this is was such a  great energetic performance. Blackwell and Sheik Adnan are ultimate cage match workers. Da Crusher is definitely bets utilized in a  cage setting. The Sheiks vs Old Guard feud was delivered some great brawls. AWA is holding their own with any other territory as a brawling territory. Really great! ****3/4

#4

Midnight Rockers vs Buddy Rose & Doug Somers  

AWA 12/25/86 Steel Cage Match

To paraphrase Prince, “Excuse if I get excited, I was watching a badass Shawn Michaels shine.” This is a very controversial and your thoughts on it probably tells a lot about who you are as a person. As a person that is a bit of a ham that loves things over the top and outrageous. I love this shit. Where other people may find Shawn Michael’s to be a douchebag in this match, I saw a person that was excited to be kicking the ass of the men that had been keeping them away from the titles for months and had bloodied him on two occasions. Shawn Michaels as the serious asskicker in the beginning would have been fine, but it wouldn’t be Shawn Michaels. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he is going to let you know that “Fuck Yeah! I am kicking these pricks’ ass”. I was vibing off that positive energy and it really sucked me into the match. Now, if you don’t like it, you are just a different person and that is cool, but I think this is all-time great shine. I will never get down on someone that is that invested in the match.

In addition, I thought the match told a great coming of age tale. In the 80s, it was commonplace to take a pretty boy babyface tag team (blowjob tag team, if you will, not a term I particularly fond of) to put them in a nasty, bloody brawls to prove their mettle and they were not just some pretty faces. It was seen with the Fabulous Ones & Moondogs and Fantastics & Sheeperherders. With Rockers leading up to this cage match, we have seen Rose & Somers bloody up Shawn Michaels on two occasions. This is that coming of age tale to demonstrate to the crowd that Rockers have an edge to them and that they can fight. This cage solidifies this position.

Rockers kick their asses from pillar to post busting Rose open immediately. Shawn Michaels kicks the ever-loving shit out of them. Somers takes some ridiculous cage bumps. Shawn is all fired up. You can really feel that he is becoming a man by taking it to these two grizzled veterans and dominating. Sherri’s hysterical wailing never ceases.  There is lots of great stooging and delayed bumps and staggering. The Rockers giving the Rose & Somers a taste of their own medicine, gnawing at the cuts. I love the crazed Somers cage bumps. Rose is beaten senseless on apron and is selling like a chang. Shawn is revved up on the top turnbuckle and I am going wild here in 2015 in my kitchen. Jannetty slams Rose’s head in the back of cage until he just slumps down, DAMN! Shawn yells no mercy. He goes for double noggin knocker, but Rose rakes the eyes and sends him into the cage. Rose looks to go up top, but Jannetty cuts him off and crotches him and A HUGE POP! Repeatedly sends him head first into cage. Somers breaks it up and Somers beaten up slumps down. Rose low blow! Shawn breaks up and sends Jannetty into cage and he no sells. I will say for as much shit Michaels gets in this match. He punches away on Rose and pulls him up at two! I thought Jannetty was more egregious in his dumb decisions pulling up Rose & Somers on two occasions and no selling cage shots.

Somers is fucked up in corner. Rose is sent into Michaels fist and falls all the way back into his corner and tags out. Michaels hits an elbow drop and pulls Somers up. (Michaels isn’t perfect) Somers headbutts Michaels low. Somers crawls over. Buddy Catapults Michaels into the cage. Shawn is bleeding. Buddy throws him into the cage. Rose DDT. Rose pulling him up now as a dick move to show up the faces, which I like as a way to play off the earlier pull ups. This is a strong, short heat segment. With Rockers fatigued from their shine and nastiness of Rose & Somers, you believe they have weathered the storm and that Rose & Somers could pull this out. Michaels with his staggered lunges and Rose gnaws on cut. Fans cheer for Michaeks. Rose rakes his head across cage. Somers suplex and tags out to Buddy. Shawn back body dropped into cage (great bump) and then straddled on ropes. Shawn fires back from his back, but trips over Somers and almost pinned (really cool). Shawn hits a  tremendous kneelift! Tags in Marty! Everybody into the cage! Rose tries to get out and they fight on top of the cage and Rose tumbles towards inside cage. Jannetty with a huge cross body to win! WAIT! What oh it is non-title Rose and Somers lock cage to do a number on Jannetty. An all-time great cage match that is never dull and just constant excitement. Add in the controversy, definitely check it out and make your voice heard! ****3/4

#3

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs Nick Bockwinkel 

 AWA Winnipeg 9/20/84

WOW! Until the finish, I think this was the best match I have seen so far as part of my 80s watching and is definitely neck and neck with Flair vs Kerry from August of 1982. It featured some of the best selling I have ever witnessed in pro wrestling. It was not just from Martel. It was from both Martel and Bockwinkel. It felt like a war of attrition between the two best wrestlers in the world. It was a game of inches and they were both so good that it was just going to be the details the decided the winner. The small detail was Bockwinkel's nasty little short jab to the ribs. It was his great equalizer. Martel was so focused on his kneework that he would leave himself exposed to these quick punches and that eventually took their toll on Martel physically. The story really became who could overcome their injuries Bockwinkel with his knee and Martel with his midsection.

Bockwinkel wrestled most of the match on his knees and he proves why he is one of the all-time best by selling his pain and desperation throughout the match. In this match, Bockwinkel tries to start the match hot and heavy, but he gets overzealous and hits a high knee to the turnbuckle. Martel just pounces on this mistake like in the Lawler match with toeholds and strikes relentlessly. Bockwinkel sells the agony of the holds in such an engaging way that you never lose interest. Bock and Martel trade blows within the toehold and when that does not go well for Bock; he hits a quick jab to Martel's midsection, which forces him off his body. Bock with JYD heabutts to Martel's midsection. Oh shit, this is my kinda match! He pounds Martel's side as best he can with his good knee. This is just dripping with struggle and urgency. Bockwinkel collapses in the middle of the ring while Martel writhes in pain in the corner. Holy shit! Bock uses the wrong knee on a knee lift and can't capitalize soon enough. Martel hits a kneecrusher! Martel is back to work with seatdrops so Bockwinkel just grabs him by his hair and punches him in the head. He forces Martel out of the ring and is basically working a King of the Mountain from his ass and it is awesome! Martel picks the leg and wraps it around the post. Have I gone to Heaven? Bock saves his knee by trying to claw Martel's eyes out. This was no normal eye gouge, he was getting in there. He puts Martel in a stretch where he can constantly maneuver him to expose the ribs to his rabbit punches without the ref seeing. Martel punches to the knee to get out of it and kicks the leg out from under him. Yep, I died and have gone to Heaven.  Martel rides high and Bock applies a body scissors, but his leg is so fucked up he can't hold him. They knock heads in the middle of the ring and it is time to hit the finish. Martel goes for the kill first, but misses the reverse cross body from the middle rope. Martel fires through Bock's offense and it looks like he has more gas in his tank. Slingshot splash EATS KNEES! THOSE RIBS! OW! The selling is tres magnifique. They work through a barrage of nearfalls with neither having enough to put the other way. However, the ref gets bumped, Mr. Saito is able to throw salt in the eyes of Martel who has Bockwinkel dead to rites in the Boston Crab. 1-2-3!?!?!?!?!? Bock wins??? After much deliberation, the belt is returned to Martel. I fucking hate that finish. I don't care if it is babyface or heel, it is just stupid bullshit. It is definitely worse when a babyface wins, you get the pop and then rob people. Still even letting the people see Martel get pinned and not lose only hurts the moment when he will actually loses the title.

The finish is the only thing that keeps this from *****, but fuck if this is the tenth best match of the AWA in the 80s, I am in for quite treat! This was fucking tremendous. Small critique would be that they just had one or two more highspots down the stretch to take the drama level to the next level. I am thinking a Bockwinkel sleeper and maybe a piledriver or two. It does not have to be an AWA Jumbo match with a ton of highspots, but a couple more would have been enough to overcome my least favorite finish ever. Enough negativity because this is my favorite match so far. It is a master's class in selling and should be absolutely mandatory to be watched by all wrestlers young and old in the industry today. ****3/4

#2

AWA World Tag Team Champions Buddy Rose & Doug Somers vs Midnight Rockers 

 AWA TV 8/30/86

I really don't know how much I can say about the famous Bloodbath match that has not already been said, but I will try my best to explain why this may be the greatest American tag team match ever.

Shawn Michaels quick pinfall attempts. Superkick. Rose slams his head into the post and Michaels outside and taps a gusher. Awesome, awesome staggered selling and wild punches. Somers is nasty as fuck gnaw at cut spitting blood. Every hope spot is met with a jab to the cut. Jannetty tries to help, but no avail. The drama is ridiculous for Michaels to get to Jannetty. Jannetty gets in and nails everything that moves. He sends Somers into post twice to bust him open. Sherri distracts and Buddy buries the knee in the back. Buddy busts Marty open with pistons rights. It is a bloodbath. Buddy gnaws. Somers is fucked up. War of attrition. Michaels hanging from ropes on the arpon and just great selling. Somers with a seated dropklick finally gets Jannetty down, but kick out at 2. Jannetty taeks a swing at Buddy. Jannetty tumbles after missing to hit Somers. Somers great selling. Jannetty weird spurts spastic spurts of energy. Jannetty bits Rose.  Shawn in and he is incensed from his own blood and Buddy is such a great chickenshit. Shawn fires off and full court press. It is a fracas. The ref is knocked down. Somers and Jannetty knock head.s Rose drops Jannetty onto a chair. OW!!! Two refs throw it out. Rose and Somers look to beat Michaels down, but AWA faces save. Michaels jumps Buddy on the outside in the classic moment. If you have not watched this, you must. Pitch perfect selling from the Rockers especially Michaels and great heel work from Rose & Somers working the cut. The epitome of drama!  *****

#1

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig  

AWA, Showboat 11/21/86

What can I possibly say about not just possibly the greatest one hour draw of all time, but possibly the greatest match of all time? It was totally engrossing. I love professional wrestling, but my mind will always wander it is just natural for me. Now you take two men put them in a single bout that goes roughly 2-3x longer than the average match and I am going to lose focus at some point and have to rewind. I have watched this match multiple times and that has never ever happened to me. It is just as gripping to me now as when I bought the WWE Curt Hennig comp. I think there are two essential facets that help it. First and foremost, is their attention to detail. Everything is a struggle from the first lock up to Bockwinkel's agony in the figure-4 one hour later. Second was their unpredictability. I don't mind predictable. I think at some point in your wrestling fandom you enjoy the routine of the push off the side headlock, come off the ropes, shoulder tackle dropdown, block the hiptoss, reverse and the babyface hiptosses the heel. Now because this match went one hour, they did not need to follow the formula to a T to make sure that crowd was invested in Curt through the shine and then build sympathy and go to a hot finish run. They could switch up the rope running sequences in such a way that I did not know how they would end. At actually, furthermore and this does not get played up enough this is technically babyface vs babyface. Bockwinkel plays the de facto heel down the stretch, but this further allows the departure from face/heel dynamics to increase unpredictability. I think when you have two really top flight babyfaces both in terms of workrate and starpower that's when pro wrestling can really feel like a sporting contest and just jam packed with drama. The beauty of it being one hour is I never can remember everything about this. Going into this rewatch, I distinctly remember loving the short arm scissors work and blood down the stretch. That was it. So everytime, I watch it the unpredictability is still there.

Nick Bockwinkel surprise dropkick and bodyslam for a quick pinfall at the start of what would be a one hour draw is one of the all-time great starts in pro wrestling history. I love a BANG BANG play like that at the beginning of a match to really jostle the crowd. Reminds me of Bock's crossbody right at the outset of his championship loss to Jumbo in AWA (another classic start). It tells the story of Bockwinkel leveraging his experience against the vim and vigor of young Curt Hennig. The beginning of the match is trying to tell the story that Hennig is Bock's equal on the mat that not only can he withstand the punishment, but keep up. They do some really interesting spots. Bock takes advantage of Curt's bumping abilities when Curt does a backroll into a standing position off a shouldertackle and Bock snaps him over with a side headlock takedown. It looks smooth as silk. Everything is earned in the early going. The headscissors work out of the headlock is just perfect pro wrestling. Hennig is just as detail-oriented as Bock. In an armabr, he places his knee on Bock's head both as a way to pin Bock down and use it as a fulcrum is awesome. Hennig keeps going back to the arm and ends up applying the short arm scissors one of my favorite holds. Bock is great at selling this slapping his hand from keeping going numb and working out of it. He works so hard just get into a toehold. He really has to pry it open. The way he is selling the arm even as he is working the toehold is masterful.

When Hennig grabs the arm again, Bock lays in the first heavy blows of the match at 20 minutes deep. Up to this, it has just been riveting clean, technical matwork. Bock is starting to feel that pressure and is looking to change gears and see if he can shake up the young challenger. Hennig sticks with arm and now goes rolling short arm scissors. Bock pulls the tights and Hennig is forced to break the hold or be pinned. Bock now takes a walk to reset. Bock is going to try every trick in the book to rattle Curt. Hennig to his credit stays calm and collected. He is wrestling well beyond on his years. There is an intensity in his eyes and his motions that makes you feel this is the most important thing in the world to him right now. Bock executed a drop toe hold and rolls right up into a leg scissors crab. One of my all time favorite spots! He wrenches it and Hennig is writhing in pain. Hennig says two can play at this game and he yanks the hair to crossface Bock and then attack the arm. A perfect move by Hennig. Hennig kneedrops the arm, which further damages the knee. Bock pounces on this mistake. They roll to the apron and Bock starts burying knees into Hennig forcing him outside. It is no more Mr. Nice Guy. Bock pops him in the crowd with a nasty forearm. Hennig takes the Bret Bump into the Oriental Sleeper! They both tumble out with the ref. Hennig sends Bock flying with a chop in the ring (great bump by Bockwinkel), but there is no ref! Hennig again to his credit stays focused and wrenches the arm against the post while Bock is trying to work an angle into a figure-4. I don't have the time to describe how expertly they are transitioning between thus dueling limb psychology and also ramping up the heat from technical masterpiece to one now where you feel that is so much at stake and some shortcuts are being taken.

At this point, Bockwinkel begins to use his favorite counteroffensive the quick jabs to the midsection to stun his opponent and set up pinning opportunities. Hennig trips up Bock up and wrenches his knee around the post. He is selling his own knee at the same time! Bockwinkel tries the bodyslamd, but his knee gives out. He is able to execute a piledriver, but it is too close to the ropes. He jumps back on Hennig's knee, but as he rears back Hennig applies a crossface and headbutts him off. Wow! Now we get the big Hennig bumrush of hot nearfalls that whips everyone into a frenzy, chop and piledriver! Bockwinkel looks totally overwhelmed by this hot rising star. Curt has wrestled a perfect match not giving way to any of Bockwinkel's tricks. He stayed with him on the mat. He found openings and now he his exploiting all the hard work by pouring on the offense. Just when it looks like Hennig may get the submission with the spinning toe hold, tragedy strikes. Bockwinkel shoves him off with his foot and Hennig is sent careening into post. He is dazed, confused and bloody. All that hard work looks like it went down the drain for one bad bump to the head.

Bockwinkel assumes his traditional role as King of the Mountain using the high ground to attack the wound of Hennig. Bockwinkel is aggressively calling for time calls. Does it get more heelish than attacking an open wound of opponent and calling for time? Bock gets him back in the ring where his teeing off until THE AXE~! Hennig hits the AXE~! HUGE BUMP!  Hennig is bleeding profusely, but he will not be denied. Multiple Axes now and it looks like Bock may have bladed hard to tell as Hennig is bleeding buckets. You really believe that Hennig may pull this out just because of how damn good Bockwinkel's performance is in this. Direct quote from my notes "Bock in the figure-4 is fucking the best thing in wrestling". He is in pain, he is struggling to get out and his facial expressions are so fucking pitch perfect. He knows time on his side, but GOD FUCKING DAMNIT THIS HURTS! The crowd is all standing and I am marking out all over again. There is a nice little carny touch at the end where the ring the bell prematurely of the official count to make the crowd believe Hennig had won, but it is ruled a draw.

The story of the match is that Curt Hennig was ready. He could go toe to toe with Nick Bockwinkel. He pretty much took every single one of Bockwinkel's best shots and kept coming. If it was not for busting himself open, kayfabe-wise he had Bock on the ropes. He did make the ferocious  ending in the figure-4, but he came up short of winning the title. You get a sense of pride and a sense of "not if, but when". The story of Curt Hennig's progression is he is getting better and he is able to get Bockwinkel on the ropes quicker and quicker into a match, but then these bullshit finish start to catch up to him. However, a draw is a respectable finish and Curt is a respectable man and he holds his head up high after this match. Nick Bockwinkel gives one of the most sublime performances in pro wrestling history. He gives so much of this match to Curt and he makes you believe Curt can win, but never once do you count him out and never once do you ever feel is any less of a mountain to climb. He has seen everything this wrestling world has to offer and he has a shortcut for anything. The Oriental Sleeper and the legwork were all moments that felt like gamechangers for Nick. The blow to Curt's head and the way Nick relished that and was calling for the time was proof of his expertise. 60 minutes is a long time and there was never a dull moment. *****