WWF Madison Square Garden 10/17/1983 - Bob Backlund vs The Masked Superstar

WWF Madison Square Garden 10/17/1983 - Bob Backlund vs The Masked Superstar

An odd botched spot

"He's got the hammerlock, he's got the chicken wing, but this guy's too big for him to reach across the front and really lock this hold up." - Gorilla Monsoon

"All he's gotta do is cover him and he's the champion!" - Gorilla Monsoon | "Why is he waiting? I can't believe it. I can't believe it. He is too confident." - Pat Patterson

"He's got it again and he gave it to him on the concrete floor!" - Gorilla

The Masked Superstar beat Bob Backlund at 16:13 by count out with his reverse neckbreaker. I liked the match but the ending of it stunk. The match was basically all Backlund working the arm and shoulder to set up the chickenwing. After he was ready to put it on, the Superstar hit the neckbreaker then hit it on him out on the floor, not trying to go for the pin. Maybe there is more context to it that I haven't seen, but I didn't get why he didn't even try to bring him back in the ring to win. He let Backlund get counted out then Backlund jumped right in with a fiery comeback, blowing the whole angle and spot instead of selling.

The announcers sold this match well and I was impressed by both Patterson and Gorilla. The crowd heat wasn't anything special though and the finish did stink. Everything up to the finish was very good old school wrestling.