Sunday Night ShowDown! - Sting vs Big Van Vader

Welcome to the second edition of “Sunday Night Showdown!”. This will be a weekly series that will highlight a selected match from any wrestling federation, past or present, to review and dissect for you great wrestling fans across the globe. This week’s edition of Sunday Night ShowDown features one of the most historic rivalries in all of World Championship Wrestling (WCW). “The Franchise” of WCW, the man who has gone by many nicknames, looks, and personas over the years. The Man Called “Sting” in the early 1990’s went head-to-head with a 450 pound “Mastodon” from the cold Rocky Mountains: “Big Van Vader”.

Today, we will highlight one of their greatest match-ups of all-time. The event was Starrcade 1992: Featuring Battle Bowl. Sting and Big Van Vader were participating in a special “King of Cable” tournament over the past several weeks on WCW Saturday Night. Both men would reach the finals and compete against each other to determine who would walk away victorious with the “King of Cable” trophy.

Background

Sting and Big Van Vader began their rivalry in April 1992. Sting and “Ravishing” Rick Rude were cooling down, as the rivalry between Sting, Rude and The Dangerous Alliance was coming to a close. During a WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match, Sting would defend against Big Van Vader. Sting won the battle, but lost the war.

During the course of the match, Vader would deliver a Big Splash, cracking and breaking the ribs of Sting, in addition to a ruptured spleen injury. This one move would cause the “Stinger” to be out of action for the next couple of months.

Sting recovered in time for their rematch which was set for July 12, 1992, at “The Great American Bash” for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Sting gave it his all, but Vader came ready and prepared to take down the champion. Big Van Vader would defeat Sting with the Power Bomb to become the new WCW World Heavyweight Champion.

During this time, Vader would continue his on/off reign as WCW World Champion, while Sting would move on to feud with Cactus Jack and Jake “The Snake” Roberts over the next few months. When the “King of Cable” Tournament was announced by WCW, it was highly likely that Sting and Big Van Vader would cross paths one more time.

Sting would defeat Flyin’ Brian Pillman and “Ravishing” Rick Rude to reach the finals, while Big Van Vader defeated Tony Atlas and “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes.

The table was set now for Starrcade 1992, as both men were ready to do battle in one of the most breathtaking, hard-hitting battles in WCW history.

Sting vs Big Van Vader (WCW Starrcade 1992)

We have Jim Ross and Jesse “The Body” Ventura providing commentary. Starrcade 1992 took place at the historic “Omni” in Atlanta, Georgia. We kick off this classic encounter with the “Stinger” delivering a series of right hands to Big Van Vader, as the big man no sells the punches and screams: “No Pain!”. Vader takes control of the match and scoop slams Sting hard to the mat, not once but twice.

Vader goes on the offensive and drops Sting across the top rope with not one but two Military Press Drops, throat first. Vader shows off his raw power as Sting exits the ring to recuperate and regroup.

Sting enters the ring and then gets Irish whipped off the ropes. Sting counters and hits a Rolling Spin Kick, almost in a somersault like variation, on Vader to stun the big man. Sting then hits Big Van Vader with a huge Release German Suplex, followed up by a big clothesline to send Vader out to the arena floor. He hit Vader so hard that it ripped the head gear off Vader’s face!

With Vader outside the ring, Sting dives over the top rope and connects with a Cross Body Block. Sting pounds his chest and howls to the crowd, as he and Vader shortly thereafter reenter the ring. Vader regains the advantage and hits a series of rights and lefts to the head and body of Sting, knocking the face paint off Sting’s face.

Sting attempts to get the upper hand, as he dodges a Corner Splash from Vader, then goes for a Stinger Splash but misses, as Vader hits Sting with a Big Boot to the face.

Sting would battle back and hit a huge DDT on Vader. He then physically picks Vader up and sets him up on the top turnbuckle, climbs the ropes and attempts a Superplex but instead hits a Top Rope DDT variation, then goes for the cover for a near fall.

Sting applies the Scorpion Deathlock but Vader is able to power out of the submission hold. Both men exit the ring. Sting misses another Stinger Splash, this time he hits the steel railing very hard. Vader and Sting eventually make their way back inside the ring, as Vader hits a Short-Arm Clothesline. From here, Vader connects with a Big Body Splash in the corner, then a hard clothesline to Sting, goes for the cover and gets a two count.

Vader continues to pummel away at Sting with a series of right hands, then a Belly-to-Back Suplex. Vader then hits a Big Splash off the ropes for only a two count. Vader wears down Sting even further as he applies a Reverse Chinlock. After several minutes have gone by, Sting and Vader emerge to their feet from the rest hold. Vader goes in for a clothesline, but Sting counters into a backslide pin attempt for a two count.

Sting bounces off the ropes and hits a Sunset Flip Pin, but he cannot bring Vader down. Vader attempts a Seated Splash but Sting rolls out of the way to prevent from being squashed. Vader goes in for a side headlock, but Sting reverses this into a Belly-to-Back Suplex. Big Van Vader goes in for a series of rights and lefts to the head of Sting.

Sting covers up and tells Vader to keep the punches coming, as he wants to wear Vader down to the point in which Vader basically punches himself out and becomes winded (see Ali vs Forearm, “Rope-A-Dope”).

Vader picks up Sting to the top rope for a Superplex attempt, but Sting counters and punches Vader sending him off the top rope to the mat. Sting falls to the mat as well from pure exhaustion. Both men slowly get back up to their feet, as Vader goes in for another series of punches to the Stinger. Sting continues to beg Vader to come after him with everything he’s got. As Vader starts to wear down, his punches get weaker and weaker. Sting takes advantage and catches Vader with a couple of Discus Punches, knocking the 450 pound monster to the mat.

Sting hits a Samoan Drop on Vader, then follows up with a Diving Body Splash off the top rope for a near fall. Vader’s manager, the legendary Harley Race, gets involved and distracts Sting. Vader takes advantage of the distraction and attacks Sting from behind. Vader capitalizes and connects with a Chokeslam, then a Diving Body Splash from the top turnbuckle.

Big Van Vader goes in one more time for the Diving Body Splash. As Vader attempts the splash, Sting rises to his feet and catches Vader coming off the ropes and powerslams him down to the mat, covering Vader for the pin fall and the victory!

What do you think about this match? Let me know in the comments below. Until then, see you next week for more "Sunday Night ShowDown!".