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Post by warriorlynx on Feb 7, 2018 10:43:08 GMT -5
The story goes according to Mr. Backlund himself in a shoot, that Vince McMahon told him that he would get a one year run with the WWF title and drop it back to Bret. Backlund won the WWF title for a "second" time at the 1994 Survivor Series (with his best promo ever after winning the belt) and dropped it to Diesel three days later. Backlund even CRAWLED to the back in humiliation of losing the title to put Diesel over. When Backlund returned to the WWF in 1992, he was way out of place as a babyface, put a lot of guys over (Shawn humiliated him on a RAW episode, it was sad) and Vince who always wanted him to go heel even back in '84, did the right thing by turning him heel. By turning heel, he became the company's top heel, generating a lot of heat for snapping (I was in middle school at the time and EVERYONE wanted to do the chickenwing). How would you book his run? Could it have worked? It might have been hard with IHY PPV's making its debut and Vince may have forced him to drop the title if the event at MSG didn't happen regardless since Slim Jim left earlier in 95 as a major sponsor (thanks to Randy Savage). We all know that Nash didn't work out in 95 (poor booking though), but could it have been better if we had a heel champion again? Here is what I would've done (major events)... Bob Backlund's Second WWF Title Run: Note: Owen Hart becomes Bob's "executive consultant", a new generation boy wanting to following in Bob's path of traditions and values.
 Royal Rumble 1995 - Bret "the Hitman" Hart def. Bob Backlund (c) (w/Owen) via DQ. Backlund retains the WWF title. Wrestlemania XI - Bob Backlund (c) (w/Owen) def. Razor Ramon via submission to retain the WWF Championship. Razor who is the 1995 Royal Rumble winner had the match won, but Owen interfered allowing Backlund to lock in the chickenwing from an unconscious Razor. Note: LT vs. Bigelow is still the main event. In Your House 1 - The Undertaker (w/Paul) def. Bob Backlund (c) (w/Owen) via DQ. King of the Ring 95 - Bob Backlund (c) (w/Owen) def. Savio Vega via pinfall to retain the WWF Championship. Razor was initially booked, but got injured, Savio replaces Razor for KOTR as the best representation of the 90s generation and loses the match. In Your House 2 - The Allied Powers (c) def. Bob Backlund (c) & Owen Hart via pinfall to retain the WWF Tag Team Championships. After the match Backlund SNAPS at Owen and makes him submit for losing his chance at the WWF Tag Titles. SummerSlam 1995 - Bob Backlund (c) def. Owen Hart via submission to retain the WWF Championship In Your House 3 - Bob Backlund (c) def. The British Bulldog via pinfall. In Your House 4 - Bret "the Hitman" Hart def. Isaac Yankem DDS to become the No. 1 Contender for the WWF Championship. Bob Backlund is at commentary for the match. Survivor Series 1995 - Bret "the Hitman" Hart def. Bob Backlund (c) via pinfall to become the NEW WWF Champion. |
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Feb 8, 2018 3:23:07 GMT -5
Oh my God....
And people say that the 1995 year with Diesel being Champion almost bankrupted the WWE.... the Backlund year would have killed the WWE right then and there.
Look at some of those matches you have...
Backlund vs. Savio Vega for the WWE Title??
Bret vs. Yankem for a number 1 contender match??
And Backlund loses every match pretty much by DQ?!?!
No thanks. Give me the Diesel year of 1995 any day of the week before a Backlund year of being champion.
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TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
Joined on: Feb 22, 2010 21:37:52 GMT -5
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on Feb 8, 2018 8:26:22 GMT -5
1994 was my first full year watching the WWF. The heel Backlund character was great and I was devastated when he beat Bret for the title at Survivor Series.
They did a great job with that whole angle, but anything more than a brief run with Backlund as champ would've been a disaster simply because of the state of the company at the time. Ratings and just overall interest in the product were way down. Nobody was making money as WCW started to put some pressure on Vince. During those vulnerable times, a middle-aged technician with an intentionally "boring" character spearheading your "New Generation" campaign might have sank the ship for good. It was imperative for them to go with the youth movement even though 1995 turned out to be a mess of its own not necessarily because of who was champion, but due to outdated booking and bad creative.
Now could they have at least given Backlund a little more time with the belt? Yeah, maybe he holds it until the Rumble and drops it then. However, one of my first OMG childhood wrestling memories was finding out from my brother that Diesel beat Backlund for the belt in a matter of seconds. We hated Backlund for beating Bret so hearing that Diesel, who just kinda turned babyface after breaking off with Shawn at the PPV, absolutely destroyed him made us jump around like maniacs. We became huge fans instantly and there would be tons of Diesel merchandise scattered around the house in 1995.
As much as I liked the "Crazy Bob" gimmick and respect Backlund for his big contributions to the business, I wouldn't change a thing about how he lost the belt. That is such a great memory for me as a 7 year-old, can't regret it now.
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ClassicFan2
Main Eventer
Joined on: Oct 22, 2010 15:25:00 GMT -5
Posts: 3,251
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Post by ClassicFan2 on Feb 8, 2018 17:21:34 GMT -5
they coulda let him have a month or two nad had fun with it. but a year. no f'n way!
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Post by Mark Martin on Feb 8, 2018 18:01:05 GMT -5
I would've kept it exactly how it happened.
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TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on Feb 8, 2018 18:35:20 GMT -5
I think most people agree that a year-long Backlund title reign would've been disastrous.
Even his feud with Bret which was crazy hot at the end of 1994 was dead in the water by the time Bret got his revenge at Wrestlemania XI. Some might argue that without the belt at stake there was no reason to care, but I think the angle had simply run its course and ran out of steam. People were over it.
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jeffro2000
Main Eventer
Joined on: May 16, 2011 14:23:29 GMT -5
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Post by jeffro2000 on Feb 8, 2018 21:36:38 GMT -5
I loved Crazy Bob. Like you, I was in middle school and hooking everyone in the chickenwing, but a year as champ wouldn't have worked.
I think he could have had a better run. Also the way Diesel squashed him, killed his credibility a bit. It was great for Diesel, but was a bit rushed. Heel tag champion to face world champion 3 days later with no live TV in between? It was shocking though, and a cool moment, so I see the merits in that too.
Backlund lost steam after that. Did he ever get a legitimate re-match on TV? He could've kept it until the Rumble,or a little longer, but needed to drop it before Mania though.
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Post by The Brain on Feb 9, 2018 20:09:00 GMT -5
I would've had em go to the Rumble as champ only to lose it to Diesel. They were building up the whole ''new generation'' stuff at the time so Backlund as long term champ would've been a failure.
I did like the crazy gimmick though. He played the role perfectly.
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Post by Nivro™ on Feb 9, 2018 22:30:43 GMT -5
I would have pulled Backlund from the match and had Owen beat Bret then lose to Diesel like a month later.
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Post by ~*Young $ Money*~ on Feb 10, 2018 0:10:50 GMT -5
I don’t think crazy Bob is that much of a gimmick. I’ve heard from people he’s a little off his rocker lol. Smart guy but weird
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Post by wolfpac on Feb 10, 2018 1:15:35 GMT -5
I think the change I would make would have been an Owen Hart title run instead of Backlund at this point then dropping the belt to Diesel at Rumble and doing Bret/ Backlund there too. Then doing a final Owen/Bret match at WM11
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Post by Mongo Bears on Feb 10, 2018 9:57:39 GMT -5
I never really liked backlund.
If he was never champ would have been better
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Post by Emerald Enthusiast on Feb 12, 2018 0:22:29 GMT -5
I would have made Backlund Owen Hart's manager and given the belt to Owen. Backlund added some nice color to the Hart family drama back then, but booking him as champion in '94 was a head-scratcher. While he was a great athlete, he could only work a particular, slow style of match that was out of step with the New Generation model. I'm still baffled that the WWF would chose a guy who was alien to much of the pre-Hulkamania fanbase to be the guy to beat Bret when Owen was a heat magnet in '94.
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TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on Feb 13, 2018 9:23:41 GMT -5
I would have made Backlund Owen Hart's manager and given the belt to Owen. Backlund added some nice color to the Hart family drama back then, but booking him as champion in '94 was a head-scratcher. While he was a great athlete, he could only work a particular, slow style of match that was out of step with the New Generation model. I'm still baffled that the WWF would chose a guy who was alien to much of the pre-Hulkamania fanbase to be the guy to beat Bret when Owen was a heat magnet in '94. And as good as their Survivor Series match was, Owen deserves most of the credit and an Emmy for his performance. Bret and Backlund did a good job on their own, but he totally stole the spotlight when Bret was in the chicken wing for about a half hour. Owen had such an awesome 1994. He was for sure an MVP candidate that year. At the time, having Diesel squash Owen would have been more damaging to Owen than it was to Backlund. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2018 18:33:28 GMT -5
I'd have given it to Owen.
It made no sense to book Backlund as champion in the 'New Generation'. They had fazed Randy Savage out of the picture, and Backlund was PRE-Hogan.
Owen was young, and on the cusp of a world title in 94 anyway. Rather than insert Backlund into the feud. Would have been perfect to have Owen beat Bret at Survivor Series, drop to Diesel prior to the Rumble and then finish his feud with Bret at Mania 11.
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ryan93
Mid-Carder
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Post by ryan93 on Feb 26, 2018 23:09:22 GMT -5
Bob Backlund wins the title the same way at Survivor Series 1994.
Monday Night Raw two weeks later - Bob Backlund/Owen Hart vs. British Bulldog/Bret Hart. Owen gets the victory over Bulldog.
Royal Rumble - Bob Backlund vs. Bret Hart. Bret Hart wins the title. Owen Hart wins the Royal Rumble.
Monday Night Raw - Bret Hart vs. Bob Backlund. Bret retains. Owen attacks.
Backlund is paired with Owen leading into Wrestlemania trying to hurt Bret.
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Post by mikey1974 on Mar 24, 2018 9:08:20 GMT -5
To be fair, Vince would tell most of his wrestlers lies about being Champion that he wouldn't honor, so while I have no doubt he probably DID tell Bob he'd hold the Belt for a year, but he likely already made the decision to take it off him quick before he even won it :
- Told Bam Bam Bigelow he was winning the Mania IV Championship Tournament, only to have Bigelow lose in the first round
- Told Ted DiBiase he was winning the Mania IV Championship Tournament, only to have him lose in the finals
- Told Tito Santana he would win the Belt in 1992, never happened
- Told Bret Hart he would have at least a year Title reign, took the Belt off him in 6 months to give it to Hogan
- Told Bret and Hogan they would fight for the Title at SummerSlam 93, only to change it to a non-title match, leading Hogan to veto it
- Told Lex Luger he would win the title at SummerSlam 93, only to change the finish to countout
- Told Lex he would win the Title at WrestleMania X, only to have him lose by DQ instead
- Told Bob Backlund he would have a year long Title reign,only to have him drop it 3 days after winning it
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Mar 25, 2018 9:25:58 GMT -5
To be fair, Vince would tell most of his wrestlers lies about being Champion that he wouldn't honor, so while I have no doubt he probably DID tell Bob he'd hold the Belt for a year, but he likely already made the decision to take it off him quick before he even won it : - Told Bam Bam Bigelow he was winning the Mania IV Championship Tournament, only to have Bigelow lose in the first round - Told Ted DiBiase he was winning the Mania IV Championship Tournament, only to have him lose in the finals - Told Tito Santana he would win the Belt in 1992, never happened - Told Bret Hart he would have at least a year Title reign, took the Belt off him in 6 months to give it to Hogan - Told Bret and Hogan they would fight for the Title at SummerSlam 93, only to change it to a non-title match, leading Hogan to veto it - Told Lex Luger he would win the title at SummerSlam 93, only to change the finish to countout - Told Lex he would win the Title at WrestleMania X, only to have him lose by DQ instead - Told Bob Backlund he would have a year long Title reign,only to have him drop it 3 days after winning it You can also add these two as well... - Told Bad News Brown he would get a WWE Title reign over Savage, never happened - Told Diesel he was gonna be WWE Champion for 3 years, only for him to hold it for one year |
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