Sting v Cactus Jack

[Loss]

Sting v Cactus Jack - Submit Or Surrender Match - WCW Power Hour 11/23/91

 

This is an "I Quit" match, basically, but they don't actually have to get on the microphone and say those words, so it's more of a submission match than anything. The rules, as stated by the ring announcer, are that the only way the match can end is if the wrestler submits, surrenders or is unable to respond to the ten-count. Cactus Jack is a creepy psycho, make no mistake about it. Mick Foley? He's harmless. He's a children's author who loves his wife and is a big fan of Kay Parker's work in the adult film industry, but Cactus Jack is mentally unstable and women and children (and most men) are terrified of him. He's facing Sting, the most noble hero WCW had at the time, so this is a perfect matchup in characters. Cactus comes out wearing a defaced Sting t-shirt and attacks Sting immediately, but misses a running clothesline and goes to the floor, taking a big bump right off the bat. They do some garbage brawling, literally, as they pelt each other with a rubber trash can. I wish they could have used metal, but hey, they sell it like it's a big deal, so I guess it is a big deal. Sting brings it into the ring and stuffs it on Jack's head, dropping an elbow and a top rope splash on him while he's wearing the can.

 

There's all sorts of fun here, between that and Sting's count-along punches in the corner. This plays like the angel fighting the devil, as Sting comes to the ring and singles out a child that he lets hold the WCW US title for the duration of the match. That would come into play later when Cactus drags him in front of the child, stares at him, then drops his running elbow from the ring apron to the floor. When Cactus uses a chair, he has to fight the fan who was sitting in it to take it away. Not that the fans need it, but they're given all the ammo in the world to rally behind Sting and support his comebacks. At one point, Jack puts Sting in a chinlock and Sting's struggling to make it to his feet is *so* energetic and hopeful with him shaking and pumping his fists that you can't help but get behind the guy.

 

Cactus takes some nasty bumps, not surprisingly, to get the match over, specifically the Nestea Plunge (falling straight back from the ring apron to the arena floor), which is what is ultimately his undoing. He doesn't go down without a fight though, throwing everything he has at Sting, be it the above-mentioned weapons, or the offense he has -- double-arm DDT, stun gun and some wild brawling. Sting is Sting, pulling out his always cool dropkicks and an awesome pescado to the floor. They're both limited in what they can do, but they play up their strengths as much as they possibly can, and in this environment, it certainly works. They'd top themselves later on PPV, and they'd both go on to have far better singles matches, but this is both of them doing everything they know in the hopes of having a good match, desire which is always fun to watch.

 

***1/2

[goodhelmet]

I was really underwhelmed by the PPV match, not as much as the Vader match, but enough to be disappointed that Mick called it his favorite match ever until the HBK match. I'll have to watch this back-to-back with the Beach blast PPV one to see how they compare .

[Tim Cooke]

I recently re-watched the Beach Blast match. Watching it right next to the Cactus/Dustin Rhodes Falls Count Anywhere 9/6/92 TV match, the Beach Blast match really pales. Sting takes a few more bumps than Dustin (mainly because it is 12 minutes to the 7 they worked for TV) but Dustin's selling was better. I like Foley better in the Dustin match as well.

 

Tim