I know what some of you may be thinking: "What the hell? That fool just skipped from 4 to 6!" That is because I've grandfathered in a previous review from WarGames 1993 as the fifth installment of this series. To check out that and the other previous reviews, click on the links below:
Focus: Sting vs. Vader
The Great American Bash 1992
Starrcade 1992
SuperBrawl III (White Castle of Fear)
Beach Blast 1993 (Sting/Bulldog vs. Vader/Sid)
Fall Brawl 1993- WarGames
And now we are at 1994. And it's WCW right before the introduction of Hulk Hogan into the company. For better or for worse, the company would change dramatically in the coming weeks. However, there were other problems facing WCW around this time. Ravishing Rick Rude and Sting had a long rivalry in WCW. And at Spring Stampede 1994, in a match that involved interference from Harley Race and Vader, Sting was able to defeat Rude to become the new WCW International Heavyweight Champion. Rude regained the championship from Sting in a match in Japan. However, Rude was injured in the match and had to end his career. Rude was initially scheduled to take on Vader for the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship. Sting would end up taking Rude's place to determine the new champion.
So, here we are again on PPV: Sting vs. Vader with a world championship on the line. This seems like a fitting way to end a look back at one of the greatest rivalries in wrestling history. Here we go!
WCW Slamboree 1994
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 22, 1994
WCW International World Heavyweight Championship
Vader vs. Sting
Vader is the first one out and gets fireworks for his entrance. He puts over that Harley has gone into the Hall of Fame for WCW. Sting comes out next with the usual pop and fireworks. Michael Buffer does the introductions for this match. Race goes up to Sting after his introduction and says something.
The bell rings. Vader and Sting get in each other's faces. After a few moments of teasing and rope breaks, Sting gets cornered. He tries to fight out, but Vader starts the assault with the clobbering blows. Sting flees into the other corner. But Vader just starts assaulting him again. Sting is down. Big clothesline by Vader sends Sting down. Sting starts striking back at Vader with repeated elbows, kicks, and strikes. It takes a moment, but Vader finally goes down and rolls to the floor. Vader gets caught trying to get in the ring. DELAYED VERTICAL SUPLEX BY STING! Sting sells the back after doing such a move, but he goes back on the attack.
He collides into Vader, but neither man goes down. Vader catches Sting going for a collision one too many times, and he just smacks him down. Elbow drop and trash talking by Vader. Vader is now standing on the head of Sting. VADER BOMB! Sting gets the shoulder up at 2 on a pin attempt. Another Vader Bomb! 1-2-Rope break! Another standing splash by Vader to Sting. Vader now puts a leg submission hold on Sting, putting the elbow into the back of Sting. Vader transitions Sting over and starts punching away at Sting. Vader now continues to work the leg of Sting. (This is a new wrinkle. Vader working over a body part.) Vader puts ANOTHER submission hold on Sting's leg. Sting uses the other leg to boot him off. Vader starts punching at Sting in the corner. Sting unleashes with a flurry of punches at Vader, knocking him down. Sting nails a running elbow drop on Vader. But Vader gets up first and drops the elbow on the back of Sting. Another elbow drop. "GIVE UP STING!," says Vader.
Vader works on the arm of Sting now with a test of strength. Sting fires Vader off. He dives at Vader, but he decks the referee instead. Vader chokeslams Sting! No referee though. Race gets on the ring apron and goes to hit Sting. Sting ducks it, causing Race to hit Vader instead. (Race didn't even swing hard, and it still sounded good.) DDT BY STING! 1-2-KICKOUT! Vader is clotheslined over the top rope by Sting. (Isn't that a DQ in 1994 WCW?)
Sting SUPLEXES Vader over the ropes and clotheslines him back over the ropes on the other side of the ring. Vader is back on his feet and climbing back into the ring. He catches Sting going for the Stinger Splash. Powerslam. 1 count. Vader gets up and goes up to the corner. NO HE'S GOING TO THE TOP! VADERSAULT MISSES! Sting covers! 1-2-Race drops a headbutt off the top rope on Vader by accident! The referee pushes Race out of the ring! Sting goes on top and NAILS A FLYING SPLASH! 1-2-3!
Winner: Sting (NEW WCW International World Heavyweight Champion)
Match Grade: A-. Another great match in this rivalry. I think it is fair to say that whenever WCW let Sting and Vader do their thing in the ring, the result was an outstanding match. Vader and Sting could have just gone through the motions by this point and done the same old match. They didn't though. Vader broke out a couple great tricks, including doing some submission holds and the Vadersault. Sting, for his part, just ramped up the intensity and took it to Vader time after time again. And in a true hallmark of this series, Vader and Sting were kept strong in this match. This time, it was Vader's manager Harley Race that ended up costing Vader the match. While it didn't meet the levels of the Strap Match or the King of Cable Match, this was a strong way to continue this rivalry and crown a new World Champion in the process.
_ _ _ _
That does it for the Sting vs. Vader rivalry for now. If you can find another match in which Vader and Sting faced off in a significant way, please let me know here, on Twitter @cdub1898, or at the UnWrest Facebook page.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
Focus: Sting vs. Vader
The Great American Bash 1992
Starrcade 1992
SuperBrawl III (White Castle of Fear)
Beach Blast 1993 (Sting/Bulldog vs. Vader/Sid)
Fall Brawl 1993- WarGames
And now we are at 1994. And it's WCW right before the introduction of Hulk Hogan into the company. For better or for worse, the company would change dramatically in the coming weeks. However, there were other problems facing WCW around this time. Ravishing Rick Rude and Sting had a long rivalry in WCW. And at Spring Stampede 1994, in a match that involved interference from Harley Race and Vader, Sting was able to defeat Rude to become the new WCW International Heavyweight Champion. Rude regained the championship from Sting in a match in Japan. However, Rude was injured in the match and had to end his career. Rude was initially scheduled to take on Vader for the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship. Sting would end up taking Rude's place to determine the new champion.
So, here we are again on PPV: Sting vs. Vader with a world championship on the line. This seems like a fitting way to end a look back at one of the greatest rivalries in wrestling history. Here we go!
 |
WCW Slamboree 1994
WWE Network
|
WCW Slamboree 1994
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 22, 1994
WCW International World Heavyweight Championship
Vader vs. Sting
Vader is the first one out and gets fireworks for his entrance. He puts over that Harley has gone into the Hall of Fame for WCW. Sting comes out next with the usual pop and fireworks. Michael Buffer does the introductions for this match. Race goes up to Sting after his introduction and says something.
The bell rings. Vader and Sting get in each other's faces. After a few moments of teasing and rope breaks, Sting gets cornered. He tries to fight out, but Vader starts the assault with the clobbering blows. Sting flees into the other corner. But Vader just starts assaulting him again. Sting is down. Big clothesline by Vader sends Sting down. Sting starts striking back at Vader with repeated elbows, kicks, and strikes. It takes a moment, but Vader finally goes down and rolls to the floor. Vader gets caught trying to get in the ring. DELAYED VERTICAL SUPLEX BY STING! Sting sells the back after doing such a move, but he goes back on the attack.
He collides into Vader, but neither man goes down. Vader catches Sting going for a collision one too many times, and he just smacks him down. Elbow drop and trash talking by Vader. Vader is now standing on the head of Sting. VADER BOMB! Sting gets the shoulder up at 2 on a pin attempt. Another Vader Bomb! 1-2-Rope break! Another standing splash by Vader to Sting. Vader now puts a leg submission hold on Sting, putting the elbow into the back of Sting. Vader transitions Sting over and starts punching away at Sting. Vader now continues to work the leg of Sting. (This is a new wrinkle. Vader working over a body part.) Vader puts ANOTHER submission hold on Sting's leg. Sting uses the other leg to boot him off. Vader starts punching at Sting in the corner. Sting unleashes with a flurry of punches at Vader, knocking him down. Sting nails a running elbow drop on Vader. But Vader gets up first and drops the elbow on the back of Sting. Another elbow drop. "GIVE UP STING!," says Vader.
Vader works on the arm of Sting now with a test of strength. Sting fires Vader off. He dives at Vader, but he decks the referee instead. Vader chokeslams Sting! No referee though. Race gets on the ring apron and goes to hit Sting. Sting ducks it, causing Race to hit Vader instead. (Race didn't even swing hard, and it still sounded good.) DDT BY STING! 1-2-KICKOUT! Vader is clotheslined over the top rope by Sting. (Isn't that a DQ in 1994 WCW?)
Sting SUPLEXES Vader over the ropes and clotheslines him back over the ropes on the other side of the ring. Vader is back on his feet and climbing back into the ring. He catches Sting going for the Stinger Splash. Powerslam. 1 count. Vader gets up and goes up to the corner. NO HE'S GOING TO THE TOP! VADERSAULT MISSES! Sting covers! 1-2-Race drops a headbutt off the top rope on Vader by accident! The referee pushes Race out of the ring! Sting goes on top and NAILS A FLYING SPLASH! 1-2-3!
Winner: Sting (NEW WCW International World Heavyweight Champion)
Match Grade: A-. Another great match in this rivalry. I think it is fair to say that whenever WCW let Sting and Vader do their thing in the ring, the result was an outstanding match. Vader and Sting could have just gone through the motions by this point and done the same old match. They didn't though. Vader broke out a couple great tricks, including doing some submission holds and the Vadersault. Sting, for his part, just ramped up the intensity and took it to Vader time after time again. And in a true hallmark of this series, Vader and Sting were kept strong in this match. This time, it was Vader's manager Harley Race that ended up costing Vader the match. While it didn't meet the levels of the Strap Match or the King of Cable Match, this was a strong way to continue this rivalry and crown a new World Champion in the process.
_ _ _ _
That does it for the Sting vs. Vader rivalry for now. If you can find another match in which Vader and Sting faced off in a significant way, please let me know here, on Twitter @cdub1898, or at the UnWrest Facebook page.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
Comments
Post a Comment