#266: Sting vs. Vader, WCW Starrcade (12/28/1992).
This week, it’s all about the man called Sting!
One of the most prominent and legendary figures in pro wrestling history, Sting’s legacy across the spectrum of the medium cannot be doubted. He was a headline act anywhere he went, and the combination of his other worldly strength and charisma made him one of the biggest stars wrestling had ever seen.
Here, he takes on one of his biggest rivals – literally – in Big Van Vader. This is the finals of the King of Cable Tournament, a tourney created to celebrate twenty years of pro wrestling on the TBS SuperStation. The winner gets a nice looking trophy.
Sting and Vader meet face to face on the entrance ramp. Vader is wearing a doo-rag. One of these is not like the other.
In the ring, Vader corners Sting against the turnbuckle. They lock up, and Vader shoves him away. They lock up again, and Sting pops off several jabs to the big man, who isn’t phased whatsoever. Sting goes to lock up again, but Vader instead lifts him up and gives him a powerslam. Vader poses again, as Sting looks on. Same spot again, as Harley Race cheers his client on at ringside. Sting rushes Vader, and the Big Man knocks him down with just his chest.
Vader lifts Sting up for a military press, and javelins him into the top rope, right on his throat. Vader does it again, and continues to gloat. Sting returns to the ring, and he meets the rights and lefts of Vader. Sting ducks, and hits a nice flipping kick to the face. Nice enziguri to Vader by the Stinger. Huge German Suplex by Sting, and the crowd pops hard for that. Sting follows up with a couple of clotheslines, the latter of which sends Vader to the outside.
Vader tries to talk to Harley Race, and here’s Sting with a crossbody onto both of them! Back in the ring, Vader is back in charge with some hard strikes to Sting’s head. Irish whip by Vader, and he misses a clothesline in the corner. Sting with an arm drag to the big man from the Rocky Mountains. He goes for the Stinger Splash, and Vader blocks it. Sting with a DDT. He lifts Vader up to the top rope, and joins him high. Sting hits a top rope DDT, and the crowd pops hard! He covers, and Vader kicks out.
Sting goes to apply the Scorpion Deathlock, and it’s in! Vader is able to get to the ropes to break the hold. Vader rolls to the floor, and is able to avoid a Stinger Splash, sending Sting into the ringside barricade. Vader is bleeding from the mouth. Back inside the ring, Vader connects with a clothesline. He follows with a Stinger Splash on Sting! Another clothesline by Vader, and he trash talks the Stinger, before popping off a nearfall.
Vader with some straight right hands to Sting’s head, and he follows with a high back suplex. Running splash by Vader, and Sting is able to kick out. The big man goes for the chin lock next, as he continues to grind away at the Stinger. Sting is back to his feet, and he catches Vader in a back slide pin, and Vader is just able to kick out. Sting looks for a sunset flip, but Vader holds all his weight. Vader drops his weight, and Sting moves out of the way.
More hard rights from Vader, and Sting is dazed. He’s able to fight back and hit a back suplex out of nowhere. Vader goes back to the chin lock briefly, before just choosing to box Sting in the corner. Sting is out on his feet, as Vader towers over him. He unleashes a series of hard forearms, sending Sting to the turnbuckle. Vader places him on the top rope, and Sting quickly thumbs his eye, and hits him right on the jaw. Vader goes flying to the mat, and Sting also falls off the top. Both are down, and both are battered! Vader is up first, and he continues to punch at Sting, and you can hear every single shot. Sting isn’t backing down, and he’s even asking for more! Vader continues to punch, but now they aren’t having an effect!
Sting catches him with a series of punches, and the big man finally goes down. Vader hits a Samoan Drop, despite not being Samoan. Sting goes for the cover, but Vader’s leg is on the ropes. Big splash from the top rope, and Vader is able to kick out. Harley Race is on the apron to distract, and Vader takes advantage by giving him a lariat to the back. Chokeslam by Vader, and now he goes to the middle rope. He connects with a diving splash, and he bounces right off of him.
Vader goes up one more time, but Sting counters it by slamming Vader to the mat! Sting makes the cover, and he takes the win! Sting is the King of Cable, whatever that means! Really good outing from both men. Vader came off like an absolute freight train from hell, while Sting played the role of underdog very well here. He took an ass beating from Vader, but he never backed down, and that endeared him further to the audience.
Vader was a monster, throwing Sting around at will, and unleashing a barrage of strikes all throughout this. The way this ended makes me think Sting simply got lucky, as Vader seemed like a shoe in to take this. These two have great chemistry together, and they each know how to play their roles to the best of their abilities. Super fun match here, as Sting takes the undisputed mantle of King of Cable.