Welcome to another edition of UnWrest Focus REWIND, a post that takes a look back at a classic match from the past. This edition is going back to 1993. Via the WWE Network and The Man They Call Vader Collection, we are going to watch a Lumberjack/Human Cage Match between WCW Champion Big Van Vader and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. This should be a contrast of styles for sure.
Let's do this!
WCW Saturday Night
October 16, 1993
Human Cage/Lumberjack Match
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Vader (c) (w/Harley Race) vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
Lumberjacks: The Equalizer, Maxx Payne, Harlem Heat, Sid Vicious, Dustin Rhodes, Arn Anderson, British Bulldog, The Shockmaster, Sting
Ricky Steamboat has the holdover gimmick from WWF with the fire-breathing. Dracarys. And here comes Vader as awesome looking as ever. I'll never forget getting a Vader figure as a kid. Vader was simply The Man. Sometimes, a monster is just so cool that you can't help but cheer for him.
The bell rings. Crowd seems to be very invested in this. Steamboat looks like a small kid compared to Vader. Vader shows his power dominance early on. Vader pushes Steamboat to the outside. And already, we've got problems between the two groups of Lumberjacks. Vader just continues to show his size and power advantage with strikes in the corner. Steamboat is doing a lot to sell Vader's offense early on and to get as much sympathy on him as possible for the inevitable comeback. Steamboat takes the splash in the corner well, coming out looking as if his body has been crushed. Steamboat tells Vader now to bring it. And Vader complies. Steamboat gets thrown out again. The heels just throw him in. No cheap punches or anything.
So far it's been all Vader, which is probably a smart move to get the crowd hot. Plus, Vader has a big PPV match coming with Cactus Jack at Halloween Havoc 1993. Vader misses a splash off the apron and hits the rail instead. Now Steamboat goes on the attack in the ring. Vader gets sent out. It takes all five faces to lift Vader on the outside back into the ring. Race holds Steamboat up, but Vader runs right into Race instead. Steamboat DDTs Vader and splashes the big man. Suplex off the top of the corner (just used the corner to flip Vader over really). Figure Four now by Steamboat. Vader made to the ropes. Vader misses a splash into the corner. Steamboat is trying as much as he can to chop the big guy down, but Vader is showing the resilience of a monster champion. Big back suplex by Steamboat. It seems that for every advantage Steamboat gets on Vader, Vader has an answer that stops the momentum.
Vader rips off his headgear and has Steamboat in the corner. He jumps off the middle rope onto a standing Steamboat. Now Vader has the chinlock on Steamboat, basically trying to get some more heat and emotion into the match from the crowd. Samoan Drop by Vader now. Steamboat again avoids a match-ending move by Vader. Big Chop off the top rope and a dropkick by Steamboat. Crossbody off the top. Close 2 count. Another chop off the top. (Don't tell me Steamboat wasn't great late in his career. You won't find any supporters on this page. Steamboat was awesome in the 1990s.) Steamboat now pummels Vader with his own series of strikes. Vader gets the advantage again and hits a BIG back suplex on Steamboat.
Steamboat beats Vader to his fee tand starts the attack on the big man. Vader again has an answer with a punch. Great call by Jesse Ventura here, who basically says that for every ten strikes Steamboat gets on Vader, Vader gets one in that hurts Steamboat more. Steamboat gets thrown outside again. Harlem Heat gets a couple cheap shots in. The faces are arguing with them. Steamboat gets back in the ring, and Vader eventually continues to strike Steamboat with more strikes and sitting in on a sunset flip. Vader calls for the Vader Splash. He missed. Steamboat double stomps Vader in the ribs. Chops to Vader and a crossbody over the top to the floor. The heels and faces are arguing over Vader. Meanwhile, in the ring, Sid powerbombs Steamboat behind the referee's back. Splash by Vader. 1-2-3.
Winner: Vader (still WCW World Champion)
Match Grade: C. This was a little weird. On one end, I thought that both men wrestled a very decent match and gave a lot of effort. But there just didn't seem to be a lot of chemistry in the match. Steamboat's style of wrestling just didn't mesh well with Vader's style. It also didn't help matters that the Human Cage (Lumberjack) gimmick seemed to be just a setup for the finish as they really didn't play a part in the match until the end.
But at the end of the day, the mission was simple: make Vader look like an even bigger monster before his big match with Cactus Jack at Halloween Havoc 1993 in the "Spin the Wheel, Make The Deal" match. And in that, I think this was very successful. Steamboat did a good job of selling Vader's offense, while Vader gave enough to Steamboat to make him still look good in defeat.
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That does it for this edition of UnWrest Focus Rewind. Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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