By 1992s Starrcade, Sting had become the complete package as a lead babyface. He appealed to younger fans because of his energy and look, while also garnering praise from the older fans due to his ability to get the job done in between the ropes. He could wrestle lengthy matches against the artists of the 20X20 canvas, he could dance around the ring with the smaller and faster stars, and he could proverbially get his hands dirty and duel with the best brawlers in the business. He was firing on all cylinders as a performer. He peaked, athletically, right when WCW was putting a lot of effort to make Big Van Vader the ultimate heel. Vader was the single greatest super heavyweight in the history of the industry. He could do it all even things that a man his size had no business being capable of doing. A perfect fit for the early to mid 1990s, Vader had the intimidating presence of a giant with the look of a villain fit for a cartoon, blending the two elements together. Stings matches with Vader were the defining bouts of his career. Vaders matches with Sting were the best example of his full range of talents. One could argue that they had better matches than the King of Cable final from Starrcade 92, but taking the World Heavyweight Championship out of the picture seemed to allow them a more exhibition style of performance. The storytelling was not as in-tune at Starrcade in quite the way that it was at the 92 Great American Bash or Super Brawl III, but the athleticism on display was a sight to behold. The Strap match from Super Brawl could have easily been inserted, here, but the Starrcade match was as entertaining as any match that WCWs Granddaddy of em all ever produced.
"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.
