10. War Games: Ric Flair, Barry Windham, Sid Vicious & Larry Zbyszko vs. Sting, Brian Pillman & The Steiner Brothers (Wrestle War 91)
One of the two most critically acclaimed versions of its gimmick, War Games 91 was an exceptionally brutal match in the same vein as its predecessors from the late 1980s. It was a battle that allowed the babyface team an opportunity to toughen up, as all four had predominantly been personalities judged more so on their craft rather than their mettle. The Steiners were two of the elite grapplers in the business, seamlessly transitioning from the amateur to professional ranks as well as anyone ever would until Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar made it look that much easier a decade or so later. Being in a War Games match added an element of toughness to the Steiners that they carried forward in WCW. Brian Pillman was nicknamed Flyin not exactly a name associated with a guy who could beat you into submission or surrender (the only ways to win) despite his football playing background. He had competed in rougher matches in his career, but nothing quite like War Games. Sting needed it most of all. Heralded as he may have been as the future of the WCW franchise, his surfer schtick had a tendency to work against the idea that he could morph into an ultra-aggressive fighter that would do whatever it took to achieve victory. None of the four wasted the opportunity. They entered the match with questions about their toughness and left the match bloodied and bruised. Though they also left beaten Pillman had to quit after Vicious relentlessly powerbombed him into the side of the cage they put up one heck of a fight. As characters, no one could have questioned their fortitude after War Games. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0MMXsj1FkU Oddly, this match is not as historically significant as it could have been. Flair and Sid left for WWE a few months later and Pillman was de-pushed considerably by 1991s end. It worked out well for Sting, though. He was thrust into the spotlight role of being Flairs replacement as the top guy in the company. It helped that he had become a little rough around the edges through a match like War Games. WCW had always been known as more of an adults wrestling promotion. It would not have worked out particularly well for some fluffy fellow to lead the way in Flairs absence.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
