10 Amazing WCW Starrcade Moments WWE Should Take Inspiration From

Longterm fans cautiously cooed following WWE's confirmation that Starrcade will be returning as SmackDown Live!-branded Thanksgiving House Show. Many pined for the reintroduction of WCW concepts when Vince McMahon first purchased his opposition in 2001, but reports suggested that the company's internal braintrust considered the various formats and ideas so damaged by the Atlanta outfit's bitter demise that they were of little-to-no value being recycled or reimagined by WWE going forward.

Anecdotally, McMahon's notorious disdain for any idea he couldn't realistically position as his own also seemed a substantial obstacle. Allegedly, the Elimination Chamber's entire creation was something of a compromise for Triple H following 'The Game's persistent and unsuccessful badgering to bring back WarGames. 15 years of Chamber bouts without sight nor sound of the double cage spectacular seems to suggest those rumours carry weight.

However, the company's increased pay-per-view schedule has forced their hand in reviving previously sustainable monikers and it appears as though the WCW well is no longer out of bounds. 'Clash Of Champions' tiptoed around the legendary Superstation supercard branding, and it might not be too long before Fall Brawl, Halloween Havoc or SuperBrawl join the annual rotation.

But what's in a name? Starrcade was traditionally considered the WrestleMania of the South, but just how much heritage can be retained from a label McMahon himself once considered to be damaged goods? To understand how to restore prestige to the label, the company must seek the wisdom of its origins.

Ignoring the infuriatingly slow counts and at times intrusive refereeing from former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Gene Kiniski, the Starrcade '83 steel cage show-closer between Harley Race and Ric Flair was in every respect, a main event.

The type of contest Triple H tried and failed to ape for years as a WWE main eventer, Flair and Race play a human game of chess with one another in a deftly executed thriller that builds and burns slowly from the technically-minded opening exchanges through to an attritional conclusion with each man nursing cuts and damaged body parts.

Targeting 'The Nature Boy's head and neck, an early Race piledriver leaves Flair with a notable weakspot that Harley robustly focusses on for the remainder of the clash. Weakened in his defence, 'Slick Ric' takes several hard throws into the cage, eventually busting him open to crimson-dye the famous long blonde locks in a spot that only drew further support for the upstart challenger.

Battling through the pain, Flair eventually returned the favour, cutting Race on the cage and feverishly working the wound until both turn to desperate hold and strike attempts to claim victory over their tired opponent.

Kiniski's persistent physical involvement in various pull-aparts at least played into a neat finish, as he fell to the mat from an errant Race headbutt. Attempting to crawl back up as Flair flew from the top, the pair tumbled over his prone frame, allowing Ric to narrowly claim was up until then his greatest ever victory.