Lost and Found:

[Guest thefrenchargel]

In my last review of the Intercontinental Title match between Bret Hart and Rowdy Roddy Piper, I mentioned how 1992 was an odd year for the WWF. The product was great, but they were losing way too much money to consider the year a success, but the next year was an abortion so horrible the promotion tried to forget that it ever occurred. I could go on about 93 for a good long while, but I’ll try to summarize it, since it isn’t really what I’m trying to focus on. The Royal Rumble PPV sucked and was totally forgettable, multiply that by five, and you have WWF PPVs for 93 summed up quite nicely. Aside from the Bret Hart/Mr. Perfect KOTR match, and a surprisingly decent six-man tag match at Summerslam with Bam Bam and the Headshrinkers vs. The Smoking Gunns and Tatanka. Not really required viewing or anything, but solid. The WWF MOTY came from a RAW match between the rapidly improving Shawn Michaels and his former partner Marty Janetty. Bret’s big push got sidelined by the moronic Wrestlemania IX title match where he lost the title to Yokozuna, who promptly lost it right back to Hogan, who decided to take a little break, and was turfed out at KOTR with a Yoko legdrop. At the same show, Bret was back on track with a KOTR tournament win, including the aforementioned match with Hennig. Yoko held the belt throughout the rest of the year, and proceeded to stink up the main event quite badly. At the same time, you had barnburner feuds like Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez, and Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Doink the Clown. 93 was the complete opposite of 92 as far as product goes, which wasn’t exactly a bad business decision in the respect that it was the complete opposite of a plan that lost money. If good product resulted in less money, than cartoony crap would garner the big ratings, right…right? Well, as luck would have it, 93 tanked as bad as 92, which resulted in the ideology for 1994: smash 92 and 93 together into one big pulsating blob and see if the fans buy it.

 

The In-ring product was back with Bret vs. Owen, and Shawn Michaels (who was truly becoming a breakout success) vs. the very popular Razor Ramon. At the same time, you had 93-esque crap in the Undertaker vs. Kamala feud, The Undertaker vs. Yokozuna casket match atrocity, and who could forget the ever-favorite Undertaker vs. Fake Undertaker fiasco? Ludvig Borgamania was running wild, and Lex Luger was being turfed out for being a no-draw, loudmouth, and screwup. After the great Bret vs.Owen title feud that resulted in about half a dozen ***** matches at houseshows and on PPVs, including their WM X matchup and Cage match at Summerslam, as well as their ungodly great Ironman match from a houseshow recorded on a handheld that will DEFINITELY get a review from me as I felt it was every bit as good as the famous Flair/Bret Ironman recorded on HH as well, Survivor Series had Bret fighting a returning Bob Backlund, who was a former WWF champ looking to restore class and dignity to the title. As it was, he was supposed to be involved in an angle with Papa Shango of all people, who was supposed to have “possessed” him, resulting in is sudden spurts of power and cruelty. Someone thankfully decided that this angle was just too goddamn stupid to be involved with the world title and the great wrestlers fighting for it. So, the Shango idea was scrapped, and we got Bret vs. Backlund in an old-school clinic. On with the match!

 

Live from San Antonio, Texas. This is a submission match, as both men are skilled submission wrestlers with holds as finishers. The Sharpshooter vs. The Crossface Chickenwing was the story. Each competitor has cornermen, ala Backlund vs. Iron Sheik. Backlund has Owen Hart, and Bret has Davey Boy Smith.

 

The match gets going before Bret’s entrance music and lights finish with Backlund going right for Hart, but Bret catches him coming in with a bodyslam and we’re underway! Bret gets an armdrag. One more for good measure and Bob bails. Owen gives him some words of encouragement and Backlund rolls back in. Bret with a headbutt and Backlund rolls out again, only to be thrown right back in by The Bulldog. Bodyslam and elbow for Bret, and Bob rolls out on the apron. He gets grabbed up in a headlock by Bret, who drags the challenger into the ring with a bulldog over the top rope. He works the headlock. Owen cheers Backlund on from the outside as Gorilla works in the moniker of “Excellence of Execution” at about a minute and a half in. Bob to his feet, gets a belly to back suplex. Bret comes back with elbows to the back of Backlund’s head. European uppercut sends Bob to the mat, and the champ drops a leg. Into a chinlock. Vince makes a comment about the hotline, saying that the poll results for the superior submission hold were running in Backlund’s favor to the tune of 79%. Gorilla gets all incredulous; amazed that so many fans believe the Chickenwing is so deadly. I loved kayfabe. Bret gets sent to the ropes, hits a shoulderblock, Bob sells by wandering around in a circle moaning in pain, and gets caught with a headlock takedown. Bret weeeeeeeeeaars ‘em on down, as Rowdy Roddy would say. Bob tries to roll Bret onto his shoulders, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense since this is a submission match. Both men to their feet and Bret grinds the headlock. Hitman to the ropes, and Backlund gets a drop toehold and goes for the crossface chickenwing. Too early though as Bret gets the ropes before it gets cinched in. Bret comes right back with the headlock again. Owen looks Bret right in the face during the hold and calls him a cheater. God that feud was so awesome. Owen played the role of bitter sore loser every bit as well as he played the role of sniveling cheating heel. The perfect compliment to Bret’s good sportsmanship babyface persona.

 

Backlund gets a top wristlock, segued into a hammerlock and then goes for the CFCW, but Bret counters immediately with a belly to belly, of all moves. Good psychology in showing that Bret wants to avoid the chickenwing at all costs. Bret goes for the Sharpshooter but it’s still too early. Bret gets a front facelock instead. Bob goes for a single-leg to counter, but Bret counters right into an abdominal stretch, adding a neck wrench as extra garnish. Neat sequence there. Backlund gets a hiptoss to break, scoops the Hitman up, but Bret falls on top for a pointless cover to give Vince and Gorilla the opportunity to tell the inbred fans picking their noses in the corner who didn’t know that this is, indeed, a submissions match, so pin attempts are futile. European uppercut for Bret followed by a headbutt that hurts them both. Scoop and a slam on Backlund, but Hitman misses the second rope elbow. Vince and Gorilla make the obligatory Arnold Skaaland reference as Backlund gets warmed up on Bret’s shoulder.

 

So far, we’ve had a straight wrestling match, nothing fancy or flashy. Pace controlled primarily by Bret, as are all babyface Bret hart matches when he works his opponent over, matching them move for move. Prime time for a heel heat segment, which begins nicely as Backlund just picks Bret’s shoulder apart like a well-cooked pot roast with ripping tugs at the arm. He ties Bret’s arm in the ropes for extra leverage, then kicks the ropes, which looks pretty goofy and probably wouldn’t hurt, but the crowd was all, “Ouch, shit!” regardless, so I guess it works out. Whip to the corner, and Bob tries the CFCW, but Bret still has the presence of mind to snag the ropes with the quickness. I should add that the fans scream in terror every time Backlund goes for that hold, and then sigh in relief when he doesn’t get it. Bob continues to work the shoulder over, tries the Crossface again, but ends up with an armbar, working Bret down on the mat. Backlund stands up, holding the arm, and grinds the sole of his boot into Bret’s eye. Bret nips up, gets an armwringer of his own, but gets sent right out with a hard forearm shot. Bret gets up and jaws with Owen, who was naturally talking shit to Bret. Backlund tries the CW again with Bret’s back turned, but gets nailed instead. Back in, a headbutt, and Bret goes to the corner, but Bob yanks him back out to the middle of the ring by his bad arm. Bob elbows him in the face, and hooks the armbar again. Big ol’ comeback segment as Davey Boy cheers Bret back up to his feet. Hart gets a scoop slam, but Backlund holds on to the arm for dear life and gains the advantage again. Cool. Another boot scrape, and it’s the armbar into a short arm scissors. Bob stomps the arm for good measure. I love that move, it looks like it hurts like hell, what with the arm all bent backwards and such. Another elbow to the shoulder and Bob sinks into a Fujiwara Armbar. Bret finally gets a reversal with a front chancery, but Backlund still won’t let go of the arm. Bret nails him with a swinging neckbreaker; Bob’s still got the arm though.

 

Crowd is starting to smell the comeback and is salivating like they smelled ribs sizzling on the grill or something else quite tasty. Knee to the head, kick to Bret’s head, forearm, back to the armbar, and he stomps the arm. Comeback seems all the more imminent now. Bret gets back to his feet and kicks Bob in the knees. Bob wrenches the arm in return, but Bret gets his inverted atomic drop, goes for the sharpshooter, but Backlund grabs the ropes. Figure Four attempt from Bret gets blocked, but a second attempt and it’s hooked in. Crowd’s diggin’ it. Me too. Backlund is selling the hold like a bitch, who looks right to Owen, who won’t throw the towel in. He gives it a little more thought, and the crowd is just begging Owen to throw the towel in. Ain’t gonna happen. Bob then has to counter the hold, so he rolls over to reverse the leverage. Owen then just starts going apeshit, trying to get DBS to throw the towel in, but Bulldog says no way. Bret gets the figure four again, Backlund gets the ropes though. Quick rest for both men. Bret gets warmed up and starts working Backlund’s knee. Elbow to the leg, kneedrop to the leg. Rips at the leg to return the favor for all the punishment Bob inflicted on Bret’s shoulder. Bob sells like a bitch. Another elbow to the knee. Backlund gets desperate and bashes The Hitman in the face, one more time and it slows Bret down. He takes the advantage right back by working the knee. Make a wish, and Backlund’s begging for amputation. Kick to the leg puts the challenger right back down. Up again, and Bret gets a single leg, and goes for the Sharpshooter. Not yet. Breaks down into a slugfest which Backlund wins. Backlund just STICKS Bret’s dome into the canvas with a piledriver. Sick. Both men down.

 

Starting to build to the finish now. Both men get back up, and Backlund locks in the Chickenwing finally, but Bret’s in the ropes. They break. Backlund gets a kneelift, but remembers to sell the knee. Gotta love the little touches. Another headbutt and a bad swinging neckbreaker turn the tide in favor of Backlund. He ties Bret up in the ropes, but Bret kicks him right in the face. Bob goes back to the injured shoulder though, cross corner whip, twice. Backlund charges but his shoulder meets post. A headbutt to the breadbasket puts Bret in position to get nailed with a piledriver again, but reverses into a back body drop. Bob gets a sleeper. It gets reversed quickly, thankfully, and Hart sends Bob to the turnbuckle. Headlock and irish whip, they crack heads. Legdrop on Backlund, then a NICE piledriver. Bret then gives him a really ugly bulldog that smashes Bob into the canvas face-first. Didn’t look good, but I’ll bet it hurt. Bret with the side-russian legsweep, and this time Vince is the one to call it a neckbreaker. Must’ve taken lessons from Monsoon. Backbreaker and second rope elbow both hurt Backlund. Sharpshooter, but Bob’s in the ropes. Bret pulls him right back out into the ring, and Owen gets in the ring, only to be ran out by Davey Boy. He chases Owen back through the ring again, but this time the ref gets distracted with Davey Boy, and Owen seizes the opportunity to bulldog Bret out of the Sharpshooter to MASSIVE heel heat. DBS tries to avenge Bret, but gets tripped up, bashes his head into the stairs, and is out like a light. Bret is understandably furious at Owen, but Backlund goes for the CFCW again while Bret’s back is turned, and this time gets it. In the ropes, but Bob pulls HIM out this time and cinches it in, bodyscissors and all.

 

Now we go to the story finish of the match, as Owen begs and pleads with his parents to throw in the towel, even though Bret won’t submit. DBS is out on the floor the whole time, but in the ring, a psychopathic Bob Backlund is torturing Bret. The sympathy heat for Bret is absolutely off the page. Owen tries to revive Davey Boy; No dice. Bret tries to get out of the CFCW; No dice. Vince and Gorilla start discussing horrible long-term trauma that Bret is now faced with. This goes on for a bit until Owen finally gets on his knees, crying like a baby, mind you, and begs for his parents to throw in the towel because he loves his brother Bret and didn’t mean for this to happen. He keeps going on, saying things like “We could have Thanksgiving all together as a family, please mom, throw the towel in, PLEEEEEEASE!!!” He gets Stu and Helen to ringside, but Bret keeps yelling at them, refusing to submit. DBS is still KO’d. Helen goes to throw the towel in, but Stu won’t let her and takes the towel away. Massive “Let’s Go Bret” chants. Bret’s not getting anywhere in the ring, and Helen finally can’t take it anymore, grabs the towel, and throws it in to give Backlund the victory and the title at 35:43 of well-built fantastic storytelling. Owen grabs the towel like it’s the Golden Fleece, and parades it back to the locker room like a conquering hero. Brilliant stuff.

 

Ok, now that it’s over, let’s address some criticisms. Yes, this match is kind of dull. There’s nothing flashy to it at all, really. In fact, I’d say it’s the exact opposite of TLC matches. However, this match is a classic example of great old-school wrestling psychology, mixed in with a great story and great feud in Bret/Owen. The Mr. Bob Backlund experiment was not to last, though, as Diesel would win the title in a six-second or so squash shortly after, thus setting the title back on an overstuffed big man that has bad matches. That crap then lasted for over a YEAR, as the clique was pretty clearly running things. Still, this is a classic slice of old school goodness that gets ****1/4 from me. Definitely check this puppy out, but I would agree with many in the opinion that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re only into the fast-paced, action packed stuff, you’ll probably be bored shitless. It’s definitely something different though, and deserves credit for that. As always, keep feedback and suggestions coming, because I love that stuff. Next time, look for HBK vs. Jeff Jarrett from IYH 2.

 

 

Until then, -Argel Out

[Guest Black Tiger]

After you do HBK vs JJ @ IYH 2 you ought to do Rockers vs Brainbusters the draw from SNME March 1989

[Guest nWoScorpion]

Try doing a comp rant, cause 1 match isnt enough.

 

BTW Shango didnt come in in 1995 because Backlund could make himself a nutcase without help surprinsgly, so bring on KAMA! A acronym superstar. I think Shango was better.

[Guest thefrenchargel]

I'd love to review that Rockers/Brainbusters match, except for the fact that I don't have it, *kicks himself*. As soon as I get some cash flow going for myself, (rent and school pretty much devour my meager income), I'm going to get a massive pile of tapes, that match being included. I could do Rockers/Orient Express Rumble 91 though, it's really good and fast-paced action that no one ever talks about. HBK/JJ is definitely next, though. As far as ranting on a whole show, it's something I'd like to try in a different format. I'm just picking out really good matches that no one ever talks about much, of which there are plenty. Plus I like to get pretty detailed with my play-by-play, which would mean a full rant on a show would be pretty damn long, besides, I don't think there's quite as many lost classic PPVs as there are individual matches, really. Most of the shows that are really good tend to get their props anyway. Also I don't really want to bother with recapping crummy matches no one cares about or great matches that have been covered a thousand times over.

[Guest Mark4steamboat]

How about Shawn vs Mankind from Mind Games?

[Guest Big McLargeHuge]

Anyone know how long Bret was in the crossface? I know it was an ungodly amount of time before the towel was thrown in. Wasn't it like 7 or 8 minutes?

[Guest JMTapes]

Bro, this is a great rant topic, and I LOVE the title. "Lost and Found." Very cool. -Jim

 

www.jmtapes.com

[Guest thefrenchargel]

Bret was in that thing for about 2 minutes too long, IMO. The point was accross at about 5 minutes. It was about 7-8 min like you said. HBK/Foley from Mindgames is awesome, I'd call it WWF's MOTY in 96, as opposed to the Ironman match, which, don't get me wrong, is a great match, but I think it's really overrated. I'll have JJ/HBK up later today, the next one will probably be either that Mindgames match (which i'm wanting to watch now that someone mentioned it, ) Or else maybe some ECW 95 goodness. Keep readin' 'em, I'll keep writing 'em.

 

-Argel

[Guest godthedog]

good rant style.  reminds me of justin baisden's, in the best way.  i prefer rants that are more long-winded and address the storytelling of the match, as opposed to just naming off moves & adding the occasional comment.

 

but i disagree with your assertion of greatness for the bret/owen iron man match.  it's a good match, but owen does an ungodly amount of stalling for the first 20 minutes, and the finish is kind of self-defeating (which i won't get into, cause i wouldn't want to give it away for anyone else).