Face-Off 7: Terry Funk & Bob Backlund [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
A good solid interview where two guys with genuine respect talk about the past. I've heard the Funker half a dozen times and have never heard Backlund, so part of me felt like this was lacking because so much of the focus was on Amarillo. They respect for one another played well though and it was totally different than Terry with Shane Douglas, Steve Corino or Mick Foley. These two were much more contemporaries and had this long history and careers that never overlapped other than that brief period in the mid-70s. I think this was a good combination, but you feel like there is a whole layer missing as well.

The Bad
Tandem interviews are so hit-or-miss and this one could probably be called either based on your preferences. Terry Funk is fascinating interview and I've enjoyed hearing him several times in different places and sometimes paired with people. Bob Backlund, whom I'd never heard in a shoot before, was about what I expected. This was a pretty low-key type of interview where they put each other over, they put their glory days over and buried the current product a bit as well. Although I found this enjoyable and interesting, it just seemed to be lacking in some way.

The Rating: ***1/2

Watching & Enjoying British Professional Wrestling

Once a year, I go through a phase of binging on British pro-wrestling.  Quite some time ago, I decided to create a unique video that could introduce others into this distinct product.  British pro-wrestling, specifically the variety that aired on ITV's "World of Sport"from 1965 through 1988, takes some time to get used to and appreciate.  The rounds, the rules, the style and all make it as different from American pro-wrestling as lucha libre is.  I think most anyone can enjoy a Johnny Saint match for his unbelievable "escapological" style, many could enjoy familiar faces like the Dynamite Kid or Fit Finlay and some might be curious about Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks.  There is a great deal more depth however.

In these videos, I attempt to share the history, the rounds, the rules, the weight class system and the basics of the style.

I should remark that the BBC's "When Wrestling was Golden" documentary inspired me to hastily pull this project together.  There seemed to be a rare spike in interest and I hope that people will take an interest in British pro-wrestling and perhaps my contribution can fan the flames of interest a little.

In an age when the current television product in the US is so stale, so redundant and so stale, this pro-wrestling provides a level of variety of characters, technical prowess and uniqueness that I hope many will give it a chance.

While this is by no means a complete listing, below are some of my personal favorites matches that I would implore fans to check out!