BOB BACKLAND VS ANTONIO INOKI FROM SEPT. 9-30-79

[EVASIVE38]

who cares if the wwe erase benoit we got the dvds and you tube so get a life really these dorks here are vintage !!

[badmaxx]

Wow, the referee is the legendary, Red Shoes Dugan!

[Jonwood74]

Really a phenomenal find...this is like the Roswell of the wwf. A lot of witnesses but no official acknowledgement....I've heard that Inkoi was a bit of an A hole in the ring. Tried to shoot on guys if he thought he could get away with it. One story about him trying to shoot on Bruno Sammartino in a tag match in Japan...Supposedly Bruno ended up pounding the crap out of Inoki and just embarrassed him .

[fathomflaw]

WWE right now refuse to acknowledge Antonio Inoki, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, and "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase as former WWE Champions because of title controversy. I wish those three wrestlers should be recognize as WWE Champions now.

[BrianRichterTV]

@SaveYourself57 what are you talking about?

[AJ36sXe]

@BrianRichterTV It's a joke, because the way WWE tries to erase Benoit from their history.

[Sanguiluna]

Quick question: Obviously WWE has the privilege of choosing whether or not to recognize when their own title changes hands. But what about the title histories of companies that have long since died and whose rights are now owned by WWE, like the AWA or ECW? Does WWE have the right to de-recognize title changes to those belts as well, since they essentially own those promotions now?

[manjifanhism]

Wrong. WM 20 main event was a 3 way match featuring Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit.

[IGiveAndYouTake]

Wiki says it was On November 30,

[keithjfro]

They used to recognize this change untl they re-did wwe.com and for some reason it was removed.

[adamt1049]

The rematch was a few week, at most, later. Backlund won the title back before he ever left Japan. FTR, I consider Inoki and DeBiase as former WWF Champions.

[suliyimanmagnus]

Great match that should be recognized as one of the great world title changes in history. Too bad the WWE has refuse to acknowledge Inoki win as of yet.

[BHoz77]

The date of this match was actually November 30, 1979.

[Mitchgreen250]

ANTONIO INOKI HAVE BEEN WWF CHAMPION?

[81carlos]

Yes.That's one of the reason's he's in the WWE hall of fame.

[stargate121]

Witness the gayest hold in wrestling history at 8:33

[Hellhammerabadon]

It's actually and Octopus Hold, and it's a really painfull hold.

[stargate121]

Yes...from behind...

[Sage80]

WTH! Backlund got a three count. And then he KICKED out of Inoki's pin before the 3. What is that?!?

[supercoolguy88]

NO CHIN !!

[supercoolguy88]

OMFG hoganrulz12!!

WHERES YOUR CHIN!!

EAT ANOTHER BIG MAC WIDE LOAD

[DoctorWHO300]

inoki shoulders are down for a 3 count. backlund shoulder is up before his 3 count.

watch the footage slowly.

[PetrovMartin1992]

WWE doesn't recognize Inoki's reign as WWF Champion.

Why?

[MisterBoswell]

Because they were racist.

[alcorderyjr]

The rematch is available on Inoki's 6 VHS tape box set, in fact the only historic match that I thought was missing from the collection was his 1st NWA World Title match against Dory Funk Jr. in '69 (they do have their rematch in '70 though, which another absolute classic) . Backlund was robbed, he got a 3 count after delivering his then-favorite maneuver the atomic spine crusher or knee drop, the official was awfully slow delivering that count. Don't worry, I know the match was scripted.

[Reg197844]

Do you have the rematch where Backlund beats Inoki?

[hoganrulz12]

not right now but i can try and find it. Do you know what year they had the rematch cuz that might make it easier to find.

[Reg197844]

It was Dec. 6th, 1979. Backlund pins Inoki, but they give Inoki the belt back due to a technicality.

[rkokid89]

good ending