WWErecentlylaunched a YouTube channeldedicated to WCW’s catalog of events, uploading iconic matches, pay-per-views and full episodes ofWCW Monday NitroandWCWThunder. Plenty of the usual suspects were added in right off the bat - Hollywood Hogan vs. Sting fromStarrcade ‘97, Nitro’s first episode and the originalClash of the Championsbetween Ric Flair and Sting were all easy picks.
But there are plenty of great matches, from the all-time classics to the underrated gems from WCW decades of history that still need to make the list. Here are just seven among the many.
7Goldberg Vs. Diamond Dallas Page - Halloween Havoc 1998
The Streak vs. The Diamond Cutter
For as dominant as Goldberg was in the late 90s,his undefeated streak only had three truly memorable matches- the night he beat Hollywood Hogan to become WCW World Champion, the night he lost the title and his undefeated streak against Kevin Nash and his match with Diamond Dallas Page in the main event ofHalloween Havoc. Setting aside the infamous incident of it being cut from pay-per-view feeds, it was a classic David vs. Goliath clash where Page legitimately looked like he was going to take down the unstoppable world champion.
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Goldberg retained, but to this day the match is still viewed as a bright spot in the company’s gradual declie. And while it’s barely over 10 minutes long, it remains some of the best in-ring work “Da Man” and Page ever did.
6Bret Hart Vs. Sting - Halloween Havoc 1998
“The Hitman” takes on “The Icon”
Were it not for the Hogan vs. The (Ultimate) Warrior fiasco in the semi-main event, you could make the argument to just upload the entire pay-per-view. But we’ll spare you that and name the other must-see match from that night in Las Vegas.
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While Hart’s tenure with WCW is now seen as a mismanaged mistake, WCW higher-ups still gave him the opportunity for some stellar matches from time to time. This bout with Sting for the WCW United States Championship wound up being one of those rare exceptions.
5Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat - WrestleWar 89: Music City Showdown
The End Of The Trilogy
The first match in the iconic Flair vs. Steamboat trilogy fromChi-Town Rumblewas one of the first videos the channel uploaded - but somehow the other two matches didn’t make the cut. While the initial rematch atClash of the Champions VIis great in its own right, the final match in Nashville at theWrestleWareventneeds to be seen to be believed.
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It was yet another technical masterclass between two of the best to ever step inside the ring, and saw Flair win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship back after 31 minutes. By itself, the match helped turn Flair from the cocky “Nature Boy” into a fan-favorite. But having Terry Funk attack Flair afterward and put him through a table with a piledriver really drilled that message home.
4Ric Flair vs. Sting - The Great American Bash 1990
“The Icon” Wins The Big One
As mentioned earlier, the channel was quick to put up Sting vs. Flair from the originalClash of the Champions. But as longtime Sting fans know,that was just the first chapter in a much bigger story.
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After a lengthy saga that saw Sting get brought in and kicked out of The Four Horsemen, battle a knee injury andget rescued by RoboCop(somehow), the feud finally culminated atThe Great American Bashwhen Sting beat Flair to become world champion. It would be the first of seven world title reigns in WCW for “The Icon.”
3Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero - Halloween Havoc 1997
How Is This Missing?
There are plenty of Rey Mysterio Jr. matches to choose from in WCW. Yet somehow, the one everyone knows isn’t on the list. The channel has already uploaded Mysterio vs. Ultimo Dragon (Spring Stampede1997) and Mysterio vs. Juvented Guerrera fromThunderin January 1998.
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But Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero fromHalloween Havoc1997? It’s not on the channel. Let’s fix that!
2WCW WrestleWar 1991’s WarGames Match
Someone Call William Regal
By the start of the 90s, the WarGames match - created by Dusty Rhodes - had become a staple of WCW’s predecessor, Jim Crockett Promotions. Plenty of classic WarGames matches would then take place in WCW throughout the decade. Many believe the best of those was atWrestleWar ‘92when Sting’s Squadron took on Paul E. Dangerously’s Dangerous Alliance. Unsurprisingly, that match made the cut as one of the channel’s earliest uploads.
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But another classic match within the two-ringed steel cage took place a year earlier atWrestleWar ‘91when Sting, The Steiner Brothers and Flyin’ Brian (Pillman) took on The Four Horsemen and Larry Zbyszko. The bout features a star-making babyface performance from Pillman and an absolutely brutal (though somewhat botched) finish involving Sid Vicious.
1The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express Vs. The Midnight Express - WrestleWar ‘90: Wild Thing
It’s Make Your Heart Sing
If you’ve ever wanted to know what classic southern tag team wrestling looked like in its prime, look no further than the historic rivalry between The Rock ‘n’ Roll and Midnight Express. While the two teams had countless encounters in various promotions over the years, few stand out quite like their 20-minute match at the 1990WrestleWarevent.
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If you want even more tag team goodness, also check outStarrcade 1986.That night saw back-to-back matches between The Midnight Express and the Road Warriors in a Scaffold Match (yes, the one where Jim Cornette fell off the scaffold) immediately followed by a Steel Cage Match between the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express and Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard.
