WWE Region, Boston Region, First Round: (7) Bob Backlund vs. (26) Ken Shamrock

[Tastycles]

This is a first round match in the WWE Region, Boston Subregion. It is a standard one on one match. It will be held at the TD Garden, Boston.

#7. Bob Backlund

Vs.

#26. Ken Shamrock

​

Polls will be open for three days following a one day period for discussion. Voting will be based on who you feel is the greater of the two competitors. Post your reasons for why your pick should win below. Remember that this is non-spam and the most votes in the poll win. Any ties will be broken by the amount of posts of support for each candidate, with one vote per poster.

Also remember that this is a non-spam forum. If you post a response without giving a reason for your selection, it will be penalized for spam and deleted.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I take Backlund here and it's not even close. In my eyes, Shamrock was exactly what his name implies: a sham. Ken Shamrock is vastly overrated in either his MMA or wrestling career. I'd say the height of Shamrock's career came in the early 2000s when he faced, and lost to, The Undertaker for the WWF Championship. He did go on to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in TNA's first broadcast but, let's be honest, the title didn't mean jack.

Backlund was THE guy in the WWWF/WWF from the mid 70s to the early 80s. In a lot of ways, he was the John Cena of his day only without any real shred of charisma and freakish physical strength. Backlund was a rock solid ring technician that, kayfabe, held onto the WWWF/WWF Championship for 6.5 years. Backlund is one of the all time greats in WWWF/WWF/WWE history and Shamrock is a footnote to a footnote.

 

[Kelso1ftw]

I would have to take Backland, his technical presence in the ring and how shamrock never really amounted to anything more than midcard status and couldn't break out into the main event.

 

[Niicks]

I'm going to have to go with Backlund on this one. If this were a fight, Shamrock would take it hands down, but it's not: it's a wrestling match. And Backlund is a pioneer.

 

[1On1WithTheGreatOne]

I think their eras come into play here. During Backlund's time there weren't many outlandish gimmicks. Which is why Backlund didnt really need charisma. He just had the amazing technical skills that were demanded back then.

Shamrock came from the attitude era. He was this mean dude that had the look of death on his face.

I think if both had fought in their primes, because Shamrock had the "World's Most Dangerous Man" gimmick, he would take it.

Although Backlund is a far better technician.

 

[god-soldier]

I'm going with Backland more experience more technique 5yr championshi

 

[XtheXlegacyX]

I will have to go with Ken on this one. He is a badass, and yes I do realize that this is wrestling, but I think he could power out of Backlunds chicken-wing. Ken Shamrock wins a 13 minute bout with Backlund tapping to the Ankle Lock.

 

[scottwwe]

I have to go with backlund here. While shamrock was clearly a tough guy he never had what backlund had as far as charisma and in ring talent. Backlund with the chicken wing

 

[miz2676]

I would have to chose Backlund here he had a great career where shamrock didn't live up to what he was suppose to be.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

I'm going with Bob Backlund. Ken Shamrock barely made an impact during his professional wrestling career, and he ended up finishing his televised career in general failing at MMA. I would say he's pretty overrated, but the dude isn't even rated. How many casual fans today can say they remember anything about Ken Shamrock?

I don't know too much about Bob Backlund -- this is pretty much a vote against Ken Shamrock.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Backlund. Sure, in a real fight, Shamrock would beat the holy living shit out of Bob. But this isn't a real fight.

Bob Backlund, far past his prime, took the fight to Bret Hart unlike any other opponent Bret had prior to 1996. I think Ken was underrated as a pro wrestler, but Backlund was an animal. He was a nutcase who didn't fear anything/anyone.

Backlund slaps on the Chicken Wing. Not sure if Shamrock taps, but he would eventually pass out.

 

[pumpkinking8987]

Bob was the WWF champ from February 20, 1978 until December 26, 1983 he is also like shamrock known for his submission work. Have to give this one to Bobby.

 

[The_Sharpshooter]

BACKLUND 4 PREZ!

Backlund is a great representative of what made wrestling great. Shamrock is an example of what keeps wrestling from being a mainstay to many. All the belly to belly suplexes in the world couldn't stop Ken from getting choked out by Backlund. He knows that ring in a way that Shamrock wished he knew an octagon

Finish: Backlund applies the chicken wing & Shamrock passes out, but doesn't tap.

 

[pipebomber]

in a fight? Shamrock hands down

thing is... this is gunna be a wrestling match, and although shamrock was a pretty good wrestler... backlund was a GREAT wrestler... backlund wins this one

 

[ErictheEnt]

I actually think these two would work a very good match. Backlund was a submission master though; in his LATER stage of his career he fought primed Bret Hart tooth and nails and actually won a submission match with him. Backlund was pretty masterful and against most regular wrestlers he was pretty unbeatable; his weakness was big guys (AKA Diesel, Undertaker) people like that. Shamrock would work a good match with him but Backlund wins with the Cross Face Chicken Wing about 20 minutes in.

 

[Tastycles]

Backlund is a forgotten man of wrestling in a lot of ways, but I think there is a slowly building appreciation here. He's just about the only big time name who has taken 10 years out and then come back and not been embarrassing. Obviously his Championship run in the early 80s is what we should be considering above all else, but for me it is his performance in the 1993 Royal Rumble that really endeered me to him, and his subsequent run was strong.

Shamrock never grasped his opportunity properly. He was a good wrestler, and over as both a face and a heel, but he was never able to to really impose himself on what remains one of the strongest main event rosters in history. Had he debuted three years earlier or later, we'd be comparing World Champions. The real greats made their own opportunities though, and I have to reward Backlund with the win for that.

 

[The Wrestling God]

Backlund by a mile he was a technical pioneer, way more over than Shamrock ever was and who could ever bet against the Crossface Chickenwing

 

[NSL]

Just like Warrior, people are underrating Shamrock. He was a legit tough guy. But, as Tasty said (I hate quoting the same guy over and over ) Backlund was a loose cannon.

this would be another fun match to watch. Shamrock would work the legs, while Backlund worked the upper body. It'd be even, and back and forth. The difference, and what ultimately decides the winner, is that Backlund can apply the Chicken Wing with Shamrock working his legs. It'd be a little tougher for Shamrock to apply the Ankle lock with his arms being worked over.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

Shamrock was not a bad wrestler by any means. He was pretty badass and I especially liked his feud with Rock during WrestleMania 14. But kayfabe wise, he does not stand a chance. Shamrock's biggest accomplishment was winning the Intercontinental belt.

Backlund was a great world champion and had a great 6 year reign. He also played his part in kickstarting Hulkamania by being the guy Hogan saved from a three way assault which was the move that turned Hogan face. Backlund could also defeat Bret Hart even at a time when he was way past his prime. Shamrock is more of a badass than Bret but still a technical wrestler, in kayfabe much inferior to Bret, and someone whom Backlund should have no problem defeating in his prime.

 

[Fizzy]

Shamrock certainly was not a bad wrestler by any means. In the ring, he was very technical which I attribute to his training in MMA, and he was a legit tough guy. Sadly, he is looked at as more of a joke than a tough, scary guy nowadays, but back in his prime, he was a very good upper mid card wrestler. The problem for Shamrock is, he is facing a great wrestler. Backlund might be the most underrated, under-appreciated wrestler of all time and i'm glad he is getting the recognition he deserves from every body. The guy was just fun to watch. Just a pasty white, chubby guy who would go in and put on great matches. My vote goes to Backlund.

 

[ShreddedWheat]

I was leaning toward Shamrock coming into this thread, but after reading everyone else's comments, it really is impossible to ignore all of Backlund's feats, and on top of all that, if we're talking New Generation Backlund, he could definitely match Shamrock in the crazy SOB department. I remember watching Superstars, legitimately worried when Bob first snapped. In tightly contested match filled with false finishes and reversals, Backlund finally syncs in the Chicken Wing and ends Shamrock's tourney run before it even starts.

 

[The Brain]

This isn't a bad matchup but it has to go to Backlund. Shamrock was a flash in the pan. He had only two years in the big time and one of those was medicore. The other was slightly above mediocre. Backlund was the man for six years. I think the match could be a good one but Backlund should be the obvious winner.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

The three people who voted for Shamrock ought to be ashamed of themselves. This match has to be the biggest mismatch of the entire first round, and possibly the entire tourney. Every person in the 128 had some claim to wrestling fame. Shamrock had none. He was a gimmick match specialist and someone who brought a real world legitimacy and some intensity to the Attitude Era's midcard.

Backlund was a mat technician before Bret, HBK or DBD. Backlund was a dominant champion. Backlund by submission, 8 minutes.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I know for the "integrity" of the tournament, I should vote for who is better, and for the most part, I have.

But I just cannot vote against Ken Shamrock in this one. I love the guy, his look, his aggression, his anklelock, his theme music. Shamrock was a fucking bad ass, and if he was in the WWE right now, he would have had a World Title reign.

Backlund was the man in the WWF for years, held the title for a very long time and is extremely technically skilled, but I just cannot stand him. The whole gimmick, his face, that wank bow-tie. I'm sorry, but as I know this 1 vote will not make the slightest difference as Bob has 80%+ of the vote, I am going with Kenny.

Shamrock hits the belly to belly, "snaps" and then breaks Bob Backlund's ankle with the anklelock, and forces the crazy old bastard to eat his own bow tie after the match!

Take that Backlund!

Winner: Ken Shamrock