5 Matches: New Generation Bob Backlund

My idea here is to watch 5 matches of a wrestler who I haven't seen a lot of, or want to see more of, and decided if they have a shot at making my 2026 GWE ballot.

Bob Backlund vs The Narcissist - Wrestling Challenge May 2, 1993

This is right after Backlund's return at WrestleMania 9, so at this point he is just being plain-old Bob Backlund, wrestler from Minnesota. He'd been gone for almost a decade, and so much had changed in that time that I'm not sure all that many people remembered him and none of the kids in the crowd understood why he was there. So, he exists in this weird space of seemingly like a guy you should know and care about, but you probably don't know him and you almost certainly don't care about him. 

This is great in the way a five-minute TV match can be great. It's a King of the Ring qualifier against the recently debuted Narcissist, Lex Luger, so it's not just a cold TV match, but it doesn't have any build either. Backlund starts off with three straight pinfall attempts, trying to outwrestle the obviously less technical Luger. Arm drags and Leg Trips follow, and Backlund gets a sunset flip for two. This sets up the whole story of the match, Backlund's skill vs Luger's power. Luger has had enough of these pins and leaves the ring to pout on the outside. When Luger gets back in the ring and Backlund swarms him, getting on top of Luger in the corner and teasing an elbow to Luger's head. Of course, Bob is the consummate good guy and decides against delivering a blow to the opponent who is in the ropes. Luger takes advantage with a sneaky back elbow that drops Backlund. The Narcissist goes into full heel mode, dragging Bob's eyes across the top rope. Some clubbing blows lead up to a bodyslam. Luger picks up Bob to whip him in the corner, but Backlund reverses, Luger comes out of the corner into an arm drag, and Bob hits a bodyslam of his own. Then Bob hits his signature atomic drop, into a classic O'Connor Roll, but before Backlund can hit his iconic bridge, Luger kicks him off and out of the ring. Its a different era, so maybe they were too old school for this crowd, but Bob's signature moves still look really good, and I'm sure it means less if you didn't watch Backlund in his prime, but the bridge out of the O'Connor Roll is a great false finish. As Bob is on the apron reentering the ring, Luger hits him with a loaded forearm, and Backlund is basically dead on the outside. Luger wins by count out. 

Bob Backlund vs Bam Bam Bigelow - All Star Wrestling May 30, 1993

Both guys open with shows of agility, forward rolls and the like. Bam Bam tries to ram Bob in the corner but Backlund moves out of the way. Backlund tries to go for a single leg, but Bigelow gets to the ropes and Backlund breaks and gets a cheapshot from Bigelow for his sportsmanship. Bob is really good at setting up the story of the match early. You always know where the two guys stand within the first minute. Here Backlund has a technical advantage but is at a huge power deficit. The interesting wrinkle, set up within the first few seconds, is that Bigelow is seemingly equally agile, which is surprising. Bigelow drops Backlund with a shoulder block. Bob is up again, Bigelow tries for another shoulder block but Backlund counters with a toe hold. Bob has Bigelow down and teases an elbow, but that gives Bam Bam time to crawl to the ropes. Backlund teases the elbow again, but the ref pulls him away. This is a weird thing Bob does, teasing this elbow as if it's a giant heel move or something, and the crowd never seems to react. It probably would have worked in 1982, but it just doesn't fly here. Bam Bam takes over with headbutts and punches, a powerslam followed by a falling headbutt. A weird sequence here where Bigelow seems to be waiting for Backlund to maybe get in position, so he just tentatively leans back against the ropes a bunch, and it seems like Bob never gets to where Bam Bam wants him, so he just comes off the ropes with a kick to the back. For a guy who has a reputation for not selling, he certainly seems content to spend a lot of this match on the mat selling a beatdown. Bam Bam hits another slam and tries another headbutt, but Backlund rolls out of the way.  With a little breathing room, Backlund gets cocky and tries to slam Bigelow, but eats a headbutt for his troubles. Bigelow goes for another slam, Bob slides down his back and tries to slam Bam Bam again, eating another headbutt and falling to the ground as we head to break. These mirrored spots are pretty neat, Bob doesn't get caught by moves he should have scouted, but gets himself punished for going for his own signature spots. Back from the break, Bam Bam goes for a splash in the corner, but Bob moves out of the way. Again he tries for the slam, this time getting Bigelow up, but his weight is too much and Bam Bam topples Backlund to the ground and gets a two count. Bam Bam grabs a bearhug and we slow things down. Backlund gets out by kneeing Bigelow in the head, but Bam Bam is still on the offensive. Big back suplex for two. Bam Bam picks Backlund up into a torture rack, and Backlund is up there for a while. He slips out and hits a big back suplex, but before he can get the cover, the bell rings and the time is up. The Backlund strength spots are always great, and here is a great spot for finally hitting a big move on Bigelow just before the bell. Backlund protests the time running out, asking for 5 more minutes, and the whole crowd gets behind extending the time. Bigelow seems to agree, but when Backlund turns his back, Bam Bam attacks and leaves before the match officially restarts. 

This is just generally a TV match. Bigelow is set to face Marty Jannetty for the IC Title on Raw the next night, so Bigelow has to look good, and he doesn't look weak per se, but Bob comes out looking strong, probably more so than Bam Bam. Now, I don't know why Bob has to stay looking strong, he doesn't really do anything in the WWF of consequence for close to a year, but the one thing Bob Backlund is going to do, and he did it for his entire career, is try to look as strong as possible. Compared to the Luger match, this isn't quite on the same level, but it's enjoyable, even if it isn't as effective as the previous match. 

Bob Backlund vs Raven Clark - Action Zone January 11, 1995

This is a basic TV squash, which I think is the sort of match that can give you some insight into what kind of offense Backlund thinks is impressive and what he's trying to over, both in terms of moves and character. Raven Clark is an underneath guy who doesn't really warrant any further discussion. 

Backlund grabs a single leg to start and uses a neat oot sweep to get Clark face-down on the mat. We get some matwork, Clark takes Backlund's back, Bob turns into Clark's guard, although I doubt anyone at this taping was familiar with that term. Bob transitions to a leg lace that puts pressure on the knee, but gives it up quickly. Back to feet, Backlund attempts a powerslam, but it's countered with a cradle for two. The near fall has Bob pissed and he changes the tone of the match with a forearm to the face. We do some rope running. Shoulder tackle for Backlund, Clark leapfrogs a back body drop and then drops to the mat and attempts to grab a pinning combination on a running Backlund. Backlund grabs Clark's legs hosses him up in a cazadora position and then transitions into the cross-face chicken wing. That was awesome.  Clark taps, but Backlund holds onto hold until Raven verbally submits. 

As is the case in all these matches, there are a couple of neat things he does. The footsweep and the finishing sequence are some of the coolest stuff I've ever seen Backlund do. 

Bob Backlund vs The British Bulldog - Action Zone January 25, 1995

This match takes place after both Bob's WWF Title win over Bret and his losing that title to Diesel in seconds, so at this point, he's been more established as a player, but also just got steamrolled by the new champ. This is leading up to the notoriously bad match with Bret at WrestleMania 11, so there's all sorts of Hart drama surrounding this, and some of that will play out.

This isn’t exactly great, and the finish is very Saturday morning TV, but Bob does make this match bearable. Before the bell, Bulldog attacks Owen then whips Backlund into the corner, before grabbing a chin lock. Side headlock and then we’re working on the mat. To the feet, Smith shoots him off and Backlund takes a silly bump off a terrible shoulder block. Back to the chin lock. Backlund counters teases the chicken wing, but we’re back to the mat with Bob in a side headlock. Owen’s on the outside digging for a road case under the ring. Backlund gets to the ropes, Davey breaks, but we’re back to the side headlock. Backlund works back to his feet, makes the ropes and nails Bulldog with a dirty elbow right off the break, and follows up with another. A boot scrape, an arm wringer, leg drop to Davey’s arm. Stomps to the arm now. Backlund is really telling the very simple story of this match. All of his offense makes sense, building to the chicken wing, where’s as the vast majority of Bulldogs is rest holds. Backlund teases the chicken wing but instead goes for a modified Fujiwara armbar as we go to break. Bulldog is back up now, with Bob having transitioned into a standing hammer lock. Davey slams out, but before he lets go, Backlund kicks him in the face and continues to work the arm. Another tease of the Chicken wing, but Davey fights it off, counters an attempted back body drop with a sunset flip for a near fall. Bob is back to working the arm as Owen pulls out the road case from under the ring. Davey shows a little fire and mounts a comeback after Backlund misses a lunge into the corner. Big vertical suplex from Bulldog for 2. A small package for 2. Bob does a good job of giving Davey spots to shine here, which was the sort of thing he didn't always do as champion. Owen goads Bret to chase him around the ring, Bret trips on the road case as Davey hits the running powerslam. Davey hesitates to cover as he sees Owen attack Bret and Bob locks on the chicken wing. Bret comes in and breaks up the hold before Davey taps and Backlund wins by DQ. Bob is at his best when he eats up big chunks of the match, he did it as champion and he does it here. He isn't all that compelling selling, and Davey isn't great at working a hold, so it's for the best that Bob leads the match. A good performance from Bob, but not exactly a great match. 

Bob Backlund vs Jeff Jarrett - Sunday Night Slam March 13, 1995

This is the go-home show for WrestleMania 11, and the match is for the Intercontinental title. If Backlund wins, he'll defend it against Bret Hart in an I Quit match. If Jarrett wins, he'll face Razor Ramon, the man he beat for the title. 

Bob opens up with a couple of Irish whips and a bodyslam. He pauses and looks at the crowd in such a way that in 1983 they would have gone crazy, but in 1995 is mostly greeted with apathy. In a way, it's a microcosm of this entire run, a man out of time who doesn't realize it. Backlund throws Jarrett with a butterfly suplex like he's William Regal or something and follows it up with his signature stalling atomic drop. Even in this random five-minute match, Bob's offense is pretty great. Bob gets a two on the atomic drop. Jarrett pouts to the outside, but Bob throws him back it, but Double J reverses an Irish whip and transitions into a short-arm scissors. Backlund deadlifts out of the hold and tries to throw Jarrett over the top, but as he gets to the turnbuckle, The Roadie trips him and Jeff takes over as we head to break. The deadlift is super impressive, and the sort of spot that is very much part of the Bob Backlund playbook, and still gets a big reaction today. We come back from break with Backlund in the abdominal stretch, and Jarrett doing the dastardly tactic of grabbing the top rope for added leverage. Bob breaks out, throws Jarrett to the ground, but misses on an elbow drop, so Jeff Jarrett continues on the offensive with a bodyslam. Double J goes for a sunset flip, which seems to a spot Backlund likes to call, for a 2 count. Backlund takes back over with a couple forearms and a piledriver. Backlund starts teasing the chicken wing when Razor Ramon attacks Backlund for the DQ. This only goes about five minutes and is more to build up Jarrett/Razor at WrestleMania. Again, Bob has 3 or 4 things in each of these matches that stand out in some way, even if the matches are the backdrop to some bigger issue. 

I wanted to watch matches from this era because the popular consensus is that Backlund could only have good matches in this era with Bret Hart and from these matches, I think that point is mostly bunk. He doesn't really fit in the promotion, but in every case here, he's furthering angles and doing cool stuff, and I would say that in all of these matches, he was the better wrestler. The case for Backlund being a great wrestler isn't made in these years, but I don't think that this era is the fallow period that some suggest.