[1994-11-16-WCW-Clash of the Champions XXIX] Vader vs Dustin Rhodes

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Kevin Ridge]

Dustin takes down Vader and pounds him. Crowd goes crazy at this. Has WCW abandoned the over the top rope rule at this point? Dustin is really taking it to Vader and hits a suplex. Vader retreats to the outside to think things over. Takes just one move for Vader to take over and pound Dustin. Vader does a corner charge splash and Dustin catches him in mid air and slams. Whoa Dustin. Back to back Vader bombs and Dustin kicks out. DDT from the top rope! Bulldog by Rhodes but Race gets involved. Reverse Powerbomb! Dustin was completely game for this one. Damn good match. Dustin has really been strong the later half of 94. Hacksaw shows up. Boo.

[Loss]

Vader throws a few punches at Dustin and spits in his face. Dustin finally has enough and takes him down with a double leg takedown and beats the hell out of him. Vader finally cuts him off after they have some fun for a while, and Dustin takes a wild spin bump off of a clothesline. Dustin takes another crazy bump to the floor when Vader throws him out. There's this real feeling the whole time that Dustin just may pull this off. Hell of a match. Vader takes some bumps he has no business taking and Dustin gets in some great stuff himself. This is a match both guys can be proud of. Vader and Race try doing a number on Dustin after the match, but Duggan makes the save.

[FLIK]

.....ain't no tea party.

[Exposer]

Awesome match. This was the last excellent match to come out of WCW in 1994. It was a great showing from both guys and there was some hate in it from the taunting by Vader at the start. Vader bumped like a maniac and Dustin timed all of his hope spots greatly. Hacksaw saved Dustin from the post-match beatdown afterwards. I love this match.

[soup23]

Excellent match. Vader looked like a monster. Dustin timed his comebacks amazingly and looked strong in defeat. Too short to reach upper echelon of matches for year but one of the most fun matches of the year.

[El-P]

Vader and Dustin proudly carry the flag of old-school WCW with stiff work, hate-filled brawling, shit kicking and a damn super match that look nearly out of place in the Hogan running wild context. Thankfully Duggan shows up at the end to remind us where exactly we are now (although it will lead to Duggan's best match since Mid-South so I can't complain too much). Each time I see Dustin and Vader work together,a nd they always had excellent match at this point, I think about the weirdo Roya Rumble 1998 matcg they had together, during the AFKAG phase.

[PeteF3]

Talk about something that deserved a full-fledged PPV program. This was tremendous--Dustin leveling Vader with punches while Tony Schiavone orgasms is one of my favorite Tony calls ever. One of the best sprints of '94--I think this has to be Dustin's best year as a worker, just great performances and big-time matches all over the place.

[Zenjo]

The opening was electrifying. Vader was punking out the young punk before Dustin absolutely exploided onto him. Literally!!! They worked a pretty snug pace thereafter and fitted everything nicely into the time frame. Tailed off a bit from the early heights but good stuff all the way. Like Sting, Rhodes had the height and enough power to cause the super heavyweight problems.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Vader vs Dustin Rhodes - WCW Clash of the Champions XXIX

 

This aint no tea party!

 

I fully expected to enjoy this, but this was fucking fantastic! Best Vader match of the year and right up there with the best of Dustin, who had a stellar career year in 94. Vader bullying Dustin in the corner and taunting him only for Dustin to double leg him and just start wailing on him was AWESOME! THE CROWD EXPLODED! Tony lost his shit! I am going wild here at home. He rips off the mask and beats on him some more. Awesome, awesome stuff. Whats the best way to deal with a bully punch him right in the mouth. Dustin was not afraid to fight fire with fire. Vader takes a powder to break Dustin's momentum. The crowd was wicked hot. Dustin tries charging at Vader who hits his Body Attack and goes right back to work in the corner with those heavy hands, but no taunting this time. I loved Dustin's hope spots. Catching Vader full body weight in the corner and then slammin was an eye-popping spot. Nice lariat and just when it looks like he would have it with the Bulldog; Vader uses his own momentum to chuck him over the top rope!!!! it is a bump that needs to be seen to be appreciated! INSANE! Vader delivers two big Vaderbombs, but Dustin is too close to the ropes. He goes to the middle rope and does his bodyslam bump to transition. They do this incredible weeble wobble spot with Dustin trying everything he can to knock the Mastodon off his feet and finally the flying lariat does it to a big pop. Dustin hits the Bulldog! Harley is on the apron and Vader knocks Dustin into Halrey and then picks him up to hit the Glam Slam! I didn't know the Glam Slam was a Vader finish for a while.

 

Action-packed sprint. Literally not one moment of downtime. Perfect bully vs energetic babyface match. The opening was electric; great hope spots; huge bump by Dustin; Vader looked like a total monster; awesome comeback with the weeble wobble work and then bulldog only for the well-worked cheap finish with a monster slam by Vader. So so damn good! ****1/4

[JKWebb]

http://placetobenation.com/countdown-top-500-matches-of-the-90s-450-401/2/

 

#410

 

This match rules. Off the top of my head, this might be my personal favorite Dustin Rhodes singles match. He is a house of fire and Vader, as most always, kills the heel beast role. Dustin sort of surprises you with his strength too. What Chemistry these two had - wish we had more - ****1/4