Rank the Sting/Vader Singles Trilogy from 92-93

[BrianB]

With the recent poll on the Flair-Steamboat trilogy, this one seems especially appropriate as well. It's not up to their level, but I've heard strong advocates for each set of matches, so let's see how things shake out when it's put to the polls!

 

In case anyone doesn't know or is confused from my poll:

SB 3 strap = Sting/Vader Superbrawl III match, non-sanctioned, strap match

Cade 92 = the Starrcade 1992 match between Sting and Vader, for King of Cable

GAB 92 = Sting vs. Vader for the WCW world title at Great American Bash 1992

 

edit: Not sure if this is the proper forum for this topic. If not, plz merge and move it, mods

[BigBadMick]

They get better together as they go on.

[JKWebb]

This could be my desert island trilogy...

[Coffey]

I'm going to re-watch all three matches before voting, so that they're eat fresh in my mind again. Fun thread!

[shoe]

I go SB 3, GAB 92 , Starcade 92. The finish of GAB 92 was so shocking . At the time you were taught that super heavy weights never won the belts.

[NintendoLogic]

I'd go Starrcade/GAB/Superbrawl (and if this poll is any indication, I'm literally the only person who feels that way). I've never been a fan of the strap match gimmick.

[Mrzfn]

I still like GAB but I think it's got the worst ending by far. Sting not only takes himself out with his own move, but with a move that is actually named after him. It makes him look like an even bigger idiot than he normally does.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Years ago I would have said Starrcade (probably the match I've watched the most ever), SB III and GAB. Seen GAB twice recently and was blown away how good layout and pacing was. Just an incredibly gripping story. Likes Strap match a lot on rewatch liked violence and tenuous control segment where VAder was in control but anymore Sting had a lot of great hope spots. Starrcade 92 was the great rope a dope match and feel good ending. GAB, SB III, Starrcade 92 with all at ****3/4 or better.

[Microstatistics]

I'd go Starrcade/GAB/Superbrawl (and if this poll is any indication, I'm literally the only person who feels that way). I've never been a fan of the strap match gimmick.

 

I'm the same way (though I prefer GAB to Cade). Superbrawl is a distant third, handicapped by the gimmick. A really good match but the first two are classics.

[Coffey]

Alright, after re-watching all three, I voted with the Great American Bash title change for best, the Strap Match second & the King of Cable match third. Honestly, I'm not sure if I had seen all three of these matches before. If I have, it had been so long ago that I had forgotten them.

[BrianB]

Bumping this topic given Vader's recent passing, and I'm sure many of this forum's posters revisiting these classic matches.

[The Thread Killer]

Does anybody have a list of his TV/PPV matches with Cactus Jack in WCW?  I wanted to go back and watch those, too.

[Richeyedwards]

32 minutes ago, The Thread Killer said:

Does anybody have a list of his TV/PPV matches with Cactus Jack in WCW?  I wanted to go back and watch those, too.

7/3/93 Main Event

17/4/93 Saturday Night

Halloween Havoc 93 spin the wheel make the deal Texas death

30/4/94 worldwide Texas death

[Cap]

I am normally not one for strap matches (though i guess in reality there are three "tie two people together" that I think are in that all time conversation), but I think LOVE their strap match. They do it right.  For me it is SB3, Cade, Bash for sure.  I love the brutality and aggression of the SB3 match. I think the layout and the logic of the Cade match is incredible. I liked the shock and the dynamic they had in the Bash match.  All really good to great.

[Victator]

On 10/18/2016 at 3:56 PM, Mrzfn said:

I still like GAB but I think it's got the worst ending by far. Sting not only takes himself out with his own move, but with a move that is actually named after him. It makes him look like an even bigger idiot than he normally does.

I thought it was a great finish and protected Sting to a degree. I don't know why mistiming the splash after a tremendous beating and coming off of an injury makes him an idiot. 

[Mrzfn]

It just seems like if you use a move so often that it's named after you, you should know how to not brain yourself and cost yourself a win while using it. I admit my dislike of Sting may be biasing me.

[BrianB]

After rewatching the 3 consecutively, I think I might change my opinion to GAB 92, SB III, Cade 92. But it's all very, very close. In terms of work, the superbrawl 3 match hit me as the best, but there were little things I noticed about the rules and the length of the strap and things, the ref and the maybe iffy finish that kind of bothered me more rewatching them all in 1 day than did otherwise.

As for GAB 92, I didn't look at the overshot stinger splash, so Sting  hits his head on the steel, as a weak part of the finish. I guess I can see why people lump it in with dumb Sting. But in fairness, Vader isn't in the normal position for the move, and Sting's been in a big war, so I can buy why he'd be overzealous and not hit the move quite how he'd want to (similar to how he'd always get overexcited and miss the stinger splash onto the guard rail on the outside.) I think it was an excellent finish that put over Vader well while not diminishing Sting as a babyface.