4. Sting vs. Diamond Dallas Page (WCW Nitro - April 26, 1999)
There was not much to like about the dying days of WCW, including a great portion of Sting's work. For whatever reason, he appeared sluggish and unmotivated. Huge guaranteed contracts and the lack of upward momentum will do that to a man. Creative was awful, the same three or four guys dominated the top of the card and the backstage area was a political minefield. None of the talented young stars in the undercard advanced up the card because of the logjam of selfish stars and the product suffered tremendously as a result. On the April 26, 1999 episode of Nitro, two grizzled vets set aside all of the drama surrounding the company and delivered a hellish WCW Championship bout, much to the delight of fans who had become accustomed to disappointing title matches from the millionaires of WCW's main event scene. Diamond Dallas Page, one of the hardest working men in the business, and Sting delivered a dramatic match full of nearfalls. Sting and Page traded Tombstone piledriver attempts late in the match, the Icon getting the best of DDP. Much to the dismay of the crowd, Page was able to kick out. When Sting flattened him with the Scorpion Death Drop, DDP was not so lucky. The face-painted star of WCW captured the heavyweight title in what was a beautifully crafted match from start to finish.That there was no commercial break gave the contest a pay-per-view feel and the quality helped make it one of the finest in the five-plus year history of Nitro. No overbooking or outside interference allowed the two competitors to prove their greatness at a time when others with their experience were not allowed the same freedom.