Vader in WCW

Part 1 of the TRIANGLE MATCH: Big Van Vader vs. The Guardian Angel (Fall Brawl 9/18/94)

This started out really fun with some very entertaining taunting spots and crowd interaction from both guys. I really dug the test of strength they did and it led to Vader delivering a great looking knee right to the Bossman's gut. Bossman came back by throwing really hard clotheslines and attempting a bodyslam, but Vader would just stand there and refuse to go down. It was a pretty awesome moment and it made Vader look like such a badass. Unfortunately, the rest of the match doesn't go anywhere and it ends a little after the 5 minute mark. This is not going to make my list and it was pretty disappointing, but it had some fun Vader moments that I loved and Harley Race did hit a cool looking headbutt on the Bossman.

Part 2 of the TRIANGLE MATCH: Big Van Vader vs. Sting (Fall Brawl 9/18/94)

Harley Race was so cool, he takes an awesome bump off a Sting suplex on the outside. I was shocked at how mediocre some of the work was, there was some very obvious miscommunication between the two. Didn't care for the first 10 minutes, I didn't really like the flow and it felt very spotty (mostly famous moments from past matches). After 10 minutes, they slowed down the pace and the work of the match improved. Some of their selling to show how exhausted they were was very good and Vader's selling for Sting's punches was great. But still, this has to be the worst Sting vs Vader match I've seen and it was a chore to watch.

I watched the entire Bulldog/Vader feud based on this thread and that was impressive stuff. The Worldwide match is in full on dailymotion.

Also recommend the Vader/Arn vs. Stars and Stripes tag from '95 that Dylan found the other day.

Link to Worldwide match plz and the Arn tag.

Worldwide match:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7tvnm_br...er-part-1_sport
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7tvx2_br...er-part-2_sport

Arn tag:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6iuzx_st...-anderson_sport

Arn/Vader vs. Stars and Stripes will make my top 50. Three awesome variation southern double team moves, specifically adapted for Vader.

I need to rewatch those Sting matches, but right now I think Vader vs Simmons is the best Vader match ever.

I really like the King of Cable final and the Strap Match a great deal, but that Simmons match is awfully good and it has a feel to it that you almost never see anymore.

Big Van Vader vs Sting (White Castle Of Fear Leather Strap Match) WCW Superbrawl 2/21/1993
Big Van Vader vs Sting (King of Cable Tournament Finals) WCW Starrcade 12/28/1992
I can't decide which of these matches is the best Vader vs Sting match. The strap match is violent and dramatic with one of the best power spots I've ever seen in wrestling. Even after all of these years seeing Sting walking the turnbuckles with Vader still makes me mark out and forget everything I know about wrestling.
The Starrcade match is pretty incredible too. I only saw it for the first time when they played it on the WWE 24/7 Best of Starrcade countdown and it caught me completely off guard. Wrestlers doing boxing stances and movements is one of my favorite spots in wrestling and here it comes at the right moment and makes Sting look tough for standing up with Vader.

Vader vs Sting (WCW International Heavyweight Championship) WCW Slamboree 5/22/1994
Victator is right about this being underrated. It's definitely better than the Fall Brawl triangle match and it may be near the same level as the Great American Bash match. It has a few things going against it. Mainly the shitty Philadelphia crowd but they rise above that by reprising the boxing sequence from Starrcade. In fact this is like a greatest hits match in a lot of ways as they use spots from their other matches but it never feels like rematch-itis. This is the first time that I remember in the Vader vs Sting matches that we really see Sting getting stretched out on the mat and it looks really good too. For some reason that just clicked with me in this match. It's obviously not the best but it definitely deserves some credit.

Big Van Vader vs Ron Simmons (WCW World Heavyweight Championship) WCW 8/2/1992
This is the atmosphere that really makes a great match. It's short too but that works to it's advantage. As satisfying as any match here and definitely finishing high for me. Laying out a top twenty is going to be hard.

Big Van Vader vs Dustin Rhodes (King of Cable Semifinals) WCW 11/21/1992
Dustin Rhodes vs Vader, WCW 11/16/1994
I love Dustin when he plays an underdog. Vader is great at dominating an underdog. Put it together and that's just good math. I like that these two matches show Dustin's growth as well. He seems far better suited to handle Vader in '94 and seems to be giving him a run for his money for a few moments there. The outclassed underdog beating the odds but getting caught off is one of my favorite wrestling narratives and these are some of the best examples I can think of.

Vader vs The Boss, WCW Spring Stampede 4/17/94
I'm not one to underestimate the Big Bossman. I think he's pretty underrated for the most part but if you had told me that Vader vs Big Bossman was going to be this horrifically violent, I wouldn't have believed you. Punches are always manlier than flippy dippy stuff and this is very manly.

Big Van Vader vs Davey Boy Smith (WCW World Heavyweight Championship) WCW Slamboree 5/23/1993
Davey Boy Smith vs Big Van Vader (WCW World Heavyweight Championship) WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV 8/18/1993
Oh, those braids. Great heavyweight power contest. Bulldog has some great power spots including that delayed vertical suplex in the Slamboree match that nearly made my head explode. Even without that I think the Clash match is tighter (probably because of the better finish).

I'm not sure which Vader vs Cactus Jack matches I like best but I think the Saturday Night rematch with the powerbomb on concrete has a great chance as well as the "Texas Tornado" match.

Everyone really needs to watch that Stars and Stripes tag. I love the Steamboat match from WCWSN in 94 as well. Smokes the 92 matches they had.

Also there is a Vader v. Brad Armstrong match from either Pro or Worldwide that goes about four minutes but is incredibly awesome.

From my blog.


watched this as part of the Vader project at Wrestling KO. Damned if this is not really good. Its not really your traditional Vader tag. Still really good tag match. Bagwell and Patriot were really good in this. Great selling and everything they did looked good. One cool thing was Arn and Vader had some double teams. Like Arn slingshotting Bagwell into a Vader chokeslam. Ric Flair had just been reinstated and came to ringside. He is so rabid for action he starts strangling Patriot.

Vader, Arn and Flair were a great heel trio. People were clammoring for a fourth member to make it officially the Horsemen. But I think a fourth guy would of threw their chemistry off.

Back to the match. Patriot is the face in peril for most of the match. He keeps getting comeback but is so pumped up he forgets to tag and goes back on the attack. Cool spot with Arn hitting the drop toehold as Patriot charges him. Vader runs in and crushes him wih an elbow.

Finishing sequence is great. With Stars and Stripes hitting some great dropkicks, including a big double dropkick to knock Vader out of the ring. Bagwell hits Arn with a perfectplex but Vader hits the big splash and Arn pins Bagwell for the win.

Vader vs The Boss, WCW Spring Stampede 4/17/94

This was a good super heavyweight bombfest and most certainly exceeded my expectations. This wasn't as good as the Wanz matches as it lacked depth and wasn't quite as violent.

Vader's sprinting ramp-to-ring tope is one of the most horrifyingly violent looking spots I can remember seeing in WCW. It's up there with Lesnar/Show superplex/ring break spot for my all time favorite big man on big man violence moment in a match.

I'm going to second Wrestling KO Mike's nomination :

Vader v. Dustin Rhodes (Clash 29)
Another great example of Vader just ruling a young rookie-ish guy and then making them look like a million dollars with their comeback. Dustin beating Vader down in the corner with the crowd going apeshit is a moment to remember. He takes these crazy huge bumps and gives up these very close near falls for Dustin to craft a hell of a fight, make no mistake this is closer to a fight than a match.