10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Dec 8)

3. Original Clash Of The Champions Featured A 'Sporting' TV First

To this day, Steve 'Sting' Borden still considers his original collision with Ric Flair as the match which made him. Seeking something that could feasibly entice wrestling fans away from WrestleMania IV, the NWA presented the first ever Clash Of The Champions on March 27, 1988. Whilst 'Mania was on pay-per-view, the Clash was on network television, airing for free on TBS. In the main event, Sting challenged 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. An earlier bout pitting Lex Luger and Barry Windham against Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard had been very well-received, but Sting and Flair were not to be outdone. Going around 45 minutes in length, both men went to a time limit draw. The timing of officials was a little off, meaning they actually went close to 48 minutes. Cameras didn't cut away for the entire length of the match. Traditional TV rules meant that advertising breaks had to be taken regularly, but Flair vs. Sting broke new ground in that respect. According to Sting on Flair's own podcast, the match was the first 'sporting' bout to run for 45 minutes without any commercial stoppages in North America. The action was available in full, meaning fans didn't miss a second.