TNA Winnipeg, Round 1, Match 3: #14 Bob Backlund vs. #51 Ed Lewis

[Shocky]

The following match takes place in the TNA Region in the six sided ring from Winnipeg, MB.

#14. Bob Backlund

vs.

#51. Ed "The Strangler" Lewis

 

[klunderbunker]

Holy hell this could be a long match. Lewis is as old school as they come, but Backlund is the schoolmaster. Due to it being in TNA, I'll have to take Backlund though. He's at least had a match in there, and amazingly enough he could work a decent one at his present age.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Ed Lewis made pro wrestling possible for men like Backlund.

And in return, men like Backlund made it better.

An 8-year WWF champion, and the proud owner of a dubious record - longest time gap between his only two title reigns. Even in his 50's he still put on a serviceable match with Jerry Lynn in TNA. Backlund is in such great shape.

Lewis was strong, tough, and an old school classic, but Backlund was the next evolution of the species grapplus professionalus. Chicken wing submission in about 20 minutes.

 

[Gelgarin]

Ed Lewis in every way possible. The man trained Lou Thesz and invented professional wrestling.

Backland's technical ability doesn't even register in comparison to Lewis, who is arguably the greatest hooker ever to have lived. Ed Lewis had a record of something like six thousand wins to 80 losses. I don't think even Goldberg can match that ratio.

If this were a tournament based on who'd done the most for the business, then Lewis should be the number one. He was the first man to book feuds and to book wrestling cards (as oppose to one off events). As a member of the Goldust Trio, he was largely responsible for the proliferation of the worked style (works had happened before Lewis, but he institutionalised them).

Lewis is one of the greatest wrestlers ever to have lived, and should go over the majority of the names in this thing.

Backlund lost to Kevin Nash in under 60 seconds, I'm voting Lewis. I'll do a longer post later, but right now I'm cooking pie.

 

[NSL]

After about 3 hours of solid mat wrestling, I'll give the edge to Backlund.

They'll wear each other down, as well as everyone in the crowd, and the ChickenWing will make Lewis tap in about 5 seconds by that point.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Backlund. While most remember him as the guy who lost to Diesel in like eight seconds, he was great early and late in his career and while Lewis is formidable I see Backlund winning this in a long and grueling match.

 

[Tastycles]

I'm going to go with Lewis, but we'd be in for a long one. According to wikipedia, Lewis won 6200 matches and lost 32. That is an incredible win loss ratio, and I think it shows how dominant he was.

Backlund is a strange one. I often wonder how he managed to hold the title for so long, especially as the WWE never really big up the reign, and he just isn't held in the same esteem as Sammartino or Hogan, despite having such a long reign. He was almost like the mmother of all transitional champions.

Lewis may be a relic, but I don't think that there is anything sufficiently modern or innovative in Backlund's arsenal to beat him. I think Lewis wins a long long slugfest by making Backlund pass out here.

 

[Shocky]

It's tough because you really can't properly gauge someone like Ed Lewis properly. Most of the stories about him are written, as I'm not sure what type of video footage actually exist of the guy that is widely available. I admire Lewis as one of the pioneers of what would become the modern era of wrestling, but I simply struggle with voting fo rhim, as I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Backlund, and have been impressed with what I've seen from him over the years.

 

[gd]

Over 6,000 wins and only 33 losses? That's crazy. Lewis is almost like a god, Backlund is just a watered down version of him. Vote Lewis

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Backlund FTW. I'm loath to vote for anyone whose legend, for the most part, I have to read about. All I hear about old-school wrestling is how it was really a shoot, and how attendees brought shanks and shards of glass to stab their least favorite wrestlers with. I kind of believe this, as professional wrestling was virtually nothing more than the equivalent to a carnival back in the day. However, the matches being shoots I find to be extremely far-fetched.

I'm going with someone whose career was captured on film, and whose finesse and athleticism still stands out to this day.