5 Forgotten Gems From Classic WCW

When Ricky Steamboat challenged Lex Luger for the United States Championship at the Great American Bash in ‘89, it’s fair to say that few were expecting a classic to come out of it as a result. But with Ricky Steamboat involved, anything can happen between the ropes and leave it to “The Dragon” weave mud into gold; which is exactly what he did in this classic bout.

While a freshly heeled Luger was still trying to establish himself as a villain to fans, the pre-match promo and reneged “No DQ” stipulation at Luger’s request was instant heat for the champ and the casting opposite archetypal babyface, Steamboat, made each man’s role as clear as night and day.

Using every storytelling technique at their disposal - from ringside brawling to incorporating referee, Tommy Young, into the action - the match pacing was high tempo and exciting with neither man stopping to catch a breath. They even made good use of the two rings setup for the WarGames bout later that would follow; with the action spilling from one to the other as the bout progressed.

Overall, Steamboat would carry the younger and greener Luger to one of his best matches to date and arguably one of the best of Luger’s career. Despite having less than 30 televised matches at that time, Luger held his own against the former World Champion and the result was a great match that still holds up well today.

While the finish itself seemed somewhat dubious, it suited the era well and the crowd weren’t disappointed by the outcome; Steamboat left to the adulation of the fans while Luger was met with a chorus of boos. Mission accomplished.