Calgary Region, Philly Subregion: Second Round: (12) Bob Backlund vs. (5) Lou Thesz

[klunderbunker]

Edit: I messed this up so please pay no attention to the pictures in this thread anymore.

The following contest is a third round match in the Calgary Region.

This match takes place in the Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

#4 Vader

Vs.

#5 Lou Thesz

This contest is one fall with a 20 minute time limit. The match will take place in a 16 x 16 ring with no ramp leading to it. Any traditional managers for either competitor will be allowed at ringside.

As for voting, vote for who you think would win this match based on the criteria you choose. Some suggestions would be (not limited to): in ring ability, overall skill, their level of influence at the highest point in their career, ability to connect with the crowd, experience in major matches or simply personal preference etc.

The most votes in the voting period wins and in the case of a tie, the most written votes wins. There is one written vote per user, meaning if a poster make ten posts saying Bret should win that will count as a single vote. In the event of a second tie, both men are ELIMINATED, no questions asked. Only winners advance.

Voting will open in 48 hours and will be open for five days and all posts must be non-spam. You may use the 48 hours to present your cases as to why either competitor should/should not win.​

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Backlund is a great technical wrestler. Thesz is better.

Backlund could win a shoot match. Thesz would beat him.

Backlund was a great and consistent champion. Thesz is moreso.

Everything Backlund does so well, Thesz does better.

Lou wins hands down.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Jesus Christ this would be a hell of a match. I don't claim to be a genius when it comes to either of these men, but I know their legacies, and I know a little bit about Backlund, and what I know, I like. Backlund, from what I've seen, is an entertaining guy who could wrestle and entertain. I've gone with Bob Backlund on personal preference, but I'd be happy with either going through.

 

[8thwotwATG]

Thesz gets the win over Backlund in what would be a scientific classic. IC25 said it best in that all the things that Backlund does exceptionally well, Thesz does better. Both wrestlers were known for their scientific superiority and ability to shoot, great stamina and while Backlund probably had the advantage in power, that particular advantage would be negated by Thesz's ring experience and smarts. Backlund may have been the face of WWE for nearly six years, but Thesz 's 6 NWA title reigns covered over 20 years. On sheer impact alone he deserves the win, but I believe for as good as Backlund was, Thesz was just a bit better. Thesz wins in, again, a scientific classic, w/both men exchanging holds and manuevers, but eventually, Thesz capitalizes on a small mistake from Backlund to get the win and move on.

 

[Tastycles]

Lou Thesz would win this. Both were long term champions, but where Backlund would invariably draw with the champions from other companies that he faced, Thesz would beat all different types of wrestlers across the world. More to the point though, he was able to wrestle dynamically either as a face or a heel, dependant on what the local champion he faced wrestled as. Thesz is more significant in the history of professional wrestling, and as a result should go over quite comfortably here.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Both of them were great technical wrestlers, both could legitimately shoot if it came down to it and both were great champions.

It's not really gonna hurt my feelings to see either of these men move on but I have to give the edge to Lou Thesz. While both men were consistent champs, Thesz was someone that faced a much more diverse selection of opponents as NWA World Heavyweight Champion. The reason Thesz was NWA Champion for a total of about 10 years was because he was just that good, could always be counted on to draw and could handle himself legitimately if that's what it boiled down to. Thesz was a champion everywhere he went.

I'm not saying that Backlund couldn't beat him, but Thesz is just one of these legendary shooters that was a legit badass during a time when pro wrestling was much closer to being an actual competitive sport than it was in Backlund's day, or today for that matter.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Lou Thesz is a legend pure and simple; Thesz press, STF, building the NWA to the biggest wrestling company pre Hulkamania and wrestled until he was in his '70s... but how do we compare him to Bob Backlund? or Hulk Hogan? or Stone Cold? or John Cena? His prime was in a different era, against different superstars and in a different style to anything seen in my lifetime.

Bob Backlund has beaten and drew with several guys who are breezing into the next round. He has the second longest WWF reign (although controversially) in WWF history.

I may be in dangerous territory here with purists but I'm going with comparability in future rounds by justification of evolution over name. Bob with the Chickenwing submission.

 

[The Prodigal Anti-Lemming]

I have to agree with everyone who voted for Lou Thesz. He was the master hooker. In the cutthroat age of the mid-20th century, Thesz constantly had to be on his toes against the talent of the day, shooters mostly, some of whom would attempt to pull a double cross for the NWA title if they sensed any degree of weakness. While Thesz was not as heartless and sadistic of some of those men, he could beat anyone on a given day. He was noted for being intolerant of a wrestler who “would not play ball,” and was held with deep reverence and respect by a closed fraternity of sadistic monsters, many of whom prided themselves on their ability to turn a man's knee or elbow out of joint with very minimal effort.

I forget whether Thesz ever wrestled Backlund, but I know he held his skills in high regard. For Thesz to compliment anyone’s wrestling ability was a big deal, because he was not a guy known for being outwardly complimentary in terms of ring ability. As far as wrestling skill, Thesz had very high standards. As far as this match, a young Thesz would probably defeat Backlund in a work or a shoot, while an older Thesz most likely would also. As someone mentioned earlier, Backlund was a great wrestler, but Thesz was better in every category.