Okay, so the other day I was digging through some old wrestling footage, and I stumbled upon this match: Bob Backlund vs. Hussein Arab (aka The Iron Sheik). I’d heard about it, but never actually sat down and watched it. Let me tell you, it was a trip!
First, I had to find the actual match. I went on a hunt, you know, checking out the usual spots for old wrestling videos. Finally found a decent quality version, so I settled in to watch.
The Match Itself
The build-up was classic. You’ve got Backlund, the All-American good guy, and then there’s Hussein Arab, playing the foreign heel role perfectly. The crowd was super into it, which always makes these old matches more fun to watch. Even though I knew the history and how big a deal it was, watching the crowd get more and more crazy added a whole new level of excitement.
I watched Backlund enter first, soaking it all in. Then Arab, with all that heat from the fans.
Classic stuff.
- Backlund’s Technique: I focused on Backlund’s wrestling style. He was so technically sound, it was amazing to watch, even after all these years.
- Arab’s Heel Tactics: Then, I paid attention to how Arab worked the crowd, really playing up the villain role.
He was great at getting the audience riled up.
- The Finish: I was watching closely for how the match would end, it was interesting to watch unfold.
It was a really cool experience to actually go back and watch this thing play out.
Seeing Backlund, this technical master, against the Iron Sheik, who was just pure chaos and villainy, was great. After watching, I spent some time reading up on the aftermath and how it all played out, which was a whole other rabbit hole!
It definitely gave me a better appreciation for that era of wrestling. It’s wild to think about how much things have changed, but also how much of that classic stuff still holds up.
