WWE Region, Boston Region, Second Round: (7) Bob Backlund vs. (10) Nick Bockwinkel

[Tastycles]

This is a second 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.

#10. Nick Bockwinkel

​

This match takes place 1 week after round 1.

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.

 

[The Gribbler]

This one stings this Early as I like both of these guys, but I think Bockwinkel is the better of the two and would somehow, somehow beat backlund but I think it would be a hell of a match.

Bockwinkel to advance.

 

[Davi323]

I gotta go with Nick Bockwinkel here. Overall, I think despite Backlund's strong wrestling background, that pound for pound, Bockwinkel is better than he is. Backlund may have a slight edge in wrestling ability, but there is a reason that Bockwinkel had a belt around his waist for so long. Backlund was a great wrestler, but so was Bockwinkel, and Bockwinkel isn't above cheating to win, meaning he is willing to do more for it.

 

[aza1294]

Close call, but Backlund takes the cake. Although it wouldnt be above Nick to cheat, Bob was a heel in his last appearances in the WWF, countering that. Also I personally found Backlund to be the better ring technician. And lastly Backlund had a 3 year reign as champion, thats not easy to get. So narrowly Backlund wins

 

[Jack-Hammer]

This one would be really close. For me, it'd also be something of a treat as both these guys were fantastic mat technicians. Both guys were dominant in their respective corners of the world. Bockwinkel was a multiple time AWA World Heavyweight Champion, with some of his reigns lasting years. Backlund was WWWF/WWF Champion for, kayfabe, almost 7 years.

If I'm not mistaken, these two actually met in a rare champ vs. champ match back in March or April of 1979. It ended in a draw or double count-out or something, as those matches always did.

I'm leaning towards Backlund as he was a much younger man when he hit the prime of his career than Bockwinkel was. Backlund was 28 when he won the WWWF Championshipe while Bockiwinkel was 40 when he won the AWA WHC for the first time. Backlund, being younger, may have the overall advantage in terms of energy and athleticism while Bockwinkel was the more experienced guy.

A viable argument can be made for either guy but with this match taking place in WWE, Backlund definitely has a signifcant advantage.

 

[Tastycles]

A very close match, and while I think I probably think Bockwinkel was better back in the day, I'm giving it to Backlund. The reason for this is not because he held the title so long in the early 80s, but because he was able to return to the ring 10 years later, having completely re-invented himself and presenting a challenge, ultimately winning the title again, all be it briefly. Bockwinkel was great and had a long period of dominance in the AWA, but it was basically the same schtick throughout. Both men deserve to be in the last 32, but Backlund is the most deserving of your vote.

 

[LigerBomb]

Gotta back my boy Nick. He was topshelf and knew his was around a thesaurus. Beyond being great in the ring he was great on the mic and many people should own up to nipping from him—and/or nipping from the nippers. Heck, one could see a bit of Nick in Bob's second run just with a bit more bow-tie and a heap of batshit crazy.

Imma go with Bockwinkel for his mat work and mic work. He was cool heel. And not in the common sense of the term. He was calm and calculating. Always methodical and deliberate. Took his time and picked his moments. Without being too over the top he let the face shine and received serious heat from the audience. Apologies to Lex but Bockwinkel was the total package.

 

[The Brain]

Great matchup here. These guys are about as even as it comes. They were on top of their respective promotions at during the same era. I think the AWA was a little ahead of the WWF at the time and was considered the better promotion. I see these guys having a great mat classic and having an even exhange of holds and counter holds. After a nice clean match I see Bockwinkel getting a little dirty and stealing it with a hand full of tights or his feet on the ropes. This is the exact type of match where the babyface would get cheated by something like that.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Bob was great, no doubt, but anyone who has watched a a large amount of AWA from back in those times knows that not only was Bockwinkel great in and out of the ring, he was utterly transcendant, and waaayyy ahead of his time. Backland, while very good, was pretty par for the course in everything he did during his prime.

Backland was more of a mainstay, but Bockwinkel was truly brilliant.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

The traditional catch-as-catch-can match that made pro wrestling huge in the 80s. These guys are legends across different regions and as was mentioned earlier, are as even as two wrestlers can get. One telling sign that I think tips this match is that Backlund has a history of refusing great ideas. He refused to turn heel and feud with Hogan and he refused to enter the WWE HOF because at the time, in his mid-50s, he still thought he could have a title run.

As much as I hate for external factors to make a difference, bookers tend to let the backstage politics influence decisions. For that reason, if I were booker, I would have Bockwinkel going over on Backlund.

Bockwinkel by submission, 24 minutes.