Sting: What are His Best Matches?

[Kronos]

I've been watching some Sting lately and finally starting to like him. I haven't really seen the big matches, unless you count vs Foley at Beach Blast.

What are his recommended matches? I assume Flair and Vader, for starters. But which ones? Anyone seen his 2006-08 TNA stuff lately? Does it hold up at all, if it was ever good?

[Gregor]

Have you seen Sting vs. DDP from April 1999? At the time, a lot of people were really surprised by how good it was.

[Ricky Jackson]

For me, it pretty much begins and ends with Sting vs Flair from Clash I. After that, if you don't count the War Games from 91 and 92, I guess his best matches were with Vader in 92/93. I'm hardly an expert on his career highlights, though.

[jdw]

Might be good to change the title to "recommended matches", since that's what the first post aims at.

 

An example:

 

6/89 vs Spivey in AJPW isn't one of Sting's "best" matches. But it's good, as much an interesting reflection on Spivey as Sting... but Sting isn't bad either.

 

10/93 vs Sid at Havoc was one of Sid's best matches up to that point, and a real good reflection on Sting.

 

I think if someone is looking for Sting stuff to watch, or doing a comp on this, having people toss out stuff like that is probably pretty interesting to someone seeking out matches... compared to say the 4th or 5th Flair or Vader match we could toss out.

 

John

[Kronos]

Might be good to change the title to "recommended matches", since that's what the first post aims at.

 

An example:

 

6/89 vs Spivey in AJPW isn't one of Sting's "best" matches. But it's good, as much an interesting reflection on Spivey as Sting... but Sting isn't bad either.

 

10/93 vs Sid at Havoc was one of Sid's best matches up to that point, and a real good reflection on Sting.

 

I think if someone is looking for Sting stuff to watch, or doing a comp on this, having people toss out stuff like that is probably pretty interesting to someone seeking out matches... compared to say the 4th or 5th Flair or Vader match we could toss out.

 

John

Wisdom, as always. Your description is exactly what I meant to say. Looking back on it, I am certain I can sort out Flair and Vader matches. I should have asked for good recommended matches. Such as:

 

Have you seen Sting vs. DDP from April 1999? At the time, a lot of people were really surprised by how good it was.

I watched it last night, based on your suggestion. I thought it was really fun. I know a lot of people don't care for DDP, but I have always enjoyed his work. So it's not a shock to me that it was as good as it was. I think Page kicking out of two piledrivers was putting us into HBTaker mode, and that's not really a good thing. But it was exciting and hardhitting and quite enjoyable.

[anarchistxx]

I'm not really an expert on any of the more obscure stuff, but as for the Vader matches, you want;

 

 

WCW Championship Sting v Vader (WCW Great American Bash 12/07/1992)

Vader v Sting (WCW Starrcade 12/28/1992)

Sting v Vader (WCW Superbrawl 1993)

Sting v Vader (WCW Slamboree 1994)

 

All awesome matches, and surprisingly different as well, they certainly didn't just go out and have a replica match four times. Highlight of the careers of both I'd say.

[Loss]

If we're looking for something a little less obvious, I always liked Sting's matches with Steve Austin. The 1/94 and 4/95 WCW Saturday Night matches are both terrific.

[Frankensteiner]

10/93 vs Sid at Havoc was one of Sid's best matches up to that point, and a real good reflection on Sting.

Is 10/93 better than 10/90? I think I've read you pimp the other match as well.

[JerryvonKramer]

One that often gets overlooked is the "triangle match" with Luger and Flair at Starrcade '95.

 

Also overlooked: vs. Lord Steven Regal at Great American Bash '96.

 

Then there's the obligatory mention of the match with Cactus Jack at Beach Blast '92 (start to finish one of the all-time great PPVs)

[Coffey]

I, too, have actually been going back & watching a lot of older Sting stuff. I was honestly shocked at how over he was. The crowds went ape-shit for that dude. I was watching an Outsiders shoot interview & they talked about "Sting money" (which was apparently $750k/year) & how it was unheard of for people to get that money in NWA/WCW. It was used as a barometer to determine how valuable someone was or something.

 

Anyway, in the early 90's, Sting seemed pretty damn green, but he was so athletic, energetic & over that his matches, to me, are a ton of fun to watch. He got to work a lot of tremendously talented people too, like Rick Rude, The Great Muta, Ric Flair, etc.

 

I don't think as far as ring work is concerned that Sting is every going to be in any top lists, but when you factor in how over he was & a lot of his characters/stories, he's pretty damn memorable. Look how over he was feuding against Hogan & the nWo. He didn't even have a match for like two years or something ridiculous, but when he came down from the rafters, people went bananas. Or, as Pat Patterson would say, "totally banana."

[Dylan Waco]

I like the STing v. Rick Steiner tv title change a lot more than most. I think Loss likes it a good bit too actually.

[Loss]

The Rotunda match you mean? Yes, very good match.

 

There's also a Sting/Muta match from Power Hour that I think smokes Bash '89 (which I was never fond of).

[Kronos]

Was looking for the '89 Spivey match John mentioned, and I found that one and several other Japan ones. Should be interesting watching.

[ohtani's jacket]

I liked all of the Sting/Regal matches. It was always fun to see Sting bring his mat game to those bouts. There's basically two interesting periods with Sting. One is 1992-93 where the roster in general are busting out quality stuff and the other is '94-95 where Hogan's come in and the quality wrestling has thinned out a bit. Sting did some interesting stuff in the latter period. Check out his matches with Meng, for example.

[Dylan Waco]

The Rotunda match you mean? Yes, very good match.

 

There's also a Sting/Muta match from Power Hour that I think smokes Bash '89 (which I was never fond of).

Bah. Rotunda yes. It's my second favorite Rotunda singles match. Which isn't saying much. But it is a good match

[shoe]

I liked all of the Sting/Regal matches. It was always fun to see Sting bring his mat game to those bouts.

 

I actually prefer most of Sting's Regal matches that took place on WCWSN or Main Event over the 96 Bash match.

[shoe]

Goldberg had some of his best matches with Sting also.

[JerryvonKramer]

The Rotunda match you mean? Yes, very good match.

 

There's also a Sting/Muta match from Power Hour that I think smokes Bash '89 (which I was never fond of).

Bah. Rotunda yes. It's my second favorite Rotunda singles match. Which isn't saying much. But it is a good match

 

Have to ask, what's the first?

 

IRS vs. 123 Kid from Summerslam '93?

 

Mike Rotunda vs. Tom Zenk from Havoc '89?

 

[cm funk]

One that often gets overlooked is the "triangle match" with Luger and Flair at Starrcade '95.

Seconded.

 

I was always a fan of the Sting/Luger tag team and their matches with The Road Warriors in particular. They also had a fun run in 95/96 when they were teasing Luger joining the Dungeon. Don't have specific dates but there were some matches with Harlem Heat and I think a triple threat with The Road Warriors that I quite liked at the time.

[Dylan Waco]

The Rotunda match you mean? Yes, very good match.

 

There's also a Sting/Muta match from Power Hour that I think smokes Bash '89 (which I was never fond of).

Bah. Rotunda yes. It's my second favorite Rotunda singles match. Which isn't saying much. But it is a good match

 

Have to ask, what's the first?

 

IRS vs. 123 Kid from Summerslam '93?

 

Mike Rotunda vs. Tom Zenk from Havoc '89?

 

 

v. Doug Sommers from AWA TV in 86.