STING VS. MENG

Before the match, there is a quick recap video of the tournament leading to this match. Sting beat Arn Anderson and Paul Orndorf to get here, Meng beat Marcus Bagwell and Flyin' Brian Pillman. It was supposed to be a semi-finals match but both Ric Flair and Randy Savage were counted out in their semi-final match so this match determined the champion. Meng practices his martial arts as Colonial Robert Parker talks to Mean Gene Okurland about Meng breaking Sting apart. He didn't come here to leave empty-handed. Meng will use everything he knows about 9 different martial arts to beat Sting and become the US champion. Tony Schiovane and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan are on commentary. They hype Savage vs. Flair, tonight's main event and also Vader facing Hulk Hogan in a steel cage for the WCW championship at Bash at the Beach next month. After a commercial for the event Sting is with Mean Gene. He says he's been in WCW for years, paying dues and winning titles. He knows what to expect but isn't sure if Meng does. We go to the ring as Meng makes his entrance looking focused. The crowd save their energy for Sting's appearance, blowing the roof off the place.

STING VS. MENG

(WCW United States Championship Tournament Final)

WCW Great American Bash (18^th June 1995)

Sting avoids some martial arts strikes early, backing into the corner. Sting gives off a confident woo before going nose to nose with Meng. The referee tries to separate them allowing Meng to blindside Sting with a slap. Meng gets the referee out of the way as he continues with rights and lefts to Sting, taking him back to the corner. Meng hits the FIJI HEADBUTT and drops Sting with hammer strikes across his neck. Meng stomps Sting, targetting the head and neck. Sting gets to the corner so Meng goes back to the midsection and chokes Sting. Meng walks with Sting by the throat across the ring, forcing him against the ropes. Sting drops to his knees at the referee's count of four. For some reason, the referee restarted the count (maybe Meng released it slightly to not get disqualified and we didn't pick it up) and Meng breaks it before 5 again. Sting gets booted in the ribs as he gets to his feet, Meng strikes him across the back of the neck.

  As Sting gets to his feet again he makes a comeback with some weak looking Strikes. Meng is unbalanced but stays on his feet. Meng bounces back off the ropes into more right hands. Sting hits a standing dropkick sending Meng into the corner. Colonel Rob Parker gets on the apron, bringing Meng down to the floor for a cooler. Sting allows Meng back in the ring, they both cautiously approach and Meng catches Sting with a kick first. Another strike hits Sting on the back of the neck before Meng takes him back to the corner. Meng rakes at Sting's face then hit him across the back with an ax handle and roundhouse kick. Another kick hits Sting in the ribs and Meng lights his opponent's chest up with chops. Sting rakes at Meng's face and makes a comeback. Sting dropkicks Meng into the ropes as Brain mentions Meng hasn't left his feet. He ducks Sting's charge changing it to “hasn't voluntarily left his feet” and sends Sting over the top rope to the apron. Col. Parker's on the apron but Sting chases him off. Sting turns around, ducking Meng's clothesline but gets dropped with a back elbow.

  Meng hits Sting with more strikes on the floor and sends him into the guardrail before taking it back into the ring. Meng chokes Sting out on the mat and hits a sitout powerbomb for 2. Meng hits a shoulder breaker for another nearfall as Col. Parker tells the referee his job. Meng has Sting in a trapeze hold, dropping him to all fours. Meng gets bored of wearing Sting down, dumping him outside for a kicking from Parker as Meng has the referee distracted. Sting gets back in the ring, but probably wishes he wasn't as Meng headbutts him. Meng sends Sting across the ring but ducks too early. Meng stays on his feet for an attempted sunset flip and jabs Sting in the throat. Meng goes back to the trapeze hold, this time with all the pressure on one shoulder, punctuating it with a pair of stomps. Sting gets a shot in as he gets to his feet but Meng feels confident enough to pick up some speed. Sting meets him halfway and they collide in a stalemate. Sting gets a bigger run-up and is able to block Meng's hip toss attempt, turning it around for a backslide attempt. They struggle for position, pacing the ring to stay vertical, Sting uses the turnbuckles to flip himself back over and leaps back off the middle turnbuckle into Meng. FLYING ASS ATTACK! I think it was meant to be an elbow though, either way, it knocks Meng off his feet for a moment, but Sting takes longer to recover from the punishment he's taken. Meng hits a diving headbutt for a nearfall, he covers again immediately but Sting kicks out at 2 again. Meng lifts Sting for a back suplex but Sting turns into a cover for 2. Sting hits Meng with a pair of running clotheslines that he absorbs like a sponge. They scream at each other and go nose to nose before getting a run-up. Meng is off his feet again from a leaping clothesline! Sting hits a running bulldog to Meng but he's leaving long periods of time between big impact moves. He hits Meng with an inverted atomic drop then sends them both over the top rope with a running clothesline. Sting beats on Meng on the floor before the referee backs him away. Sting stalks Robert Parker and hits him with a terrible clothesline. Meng charges at Sting but posts his own skull in mid-air! Sting takes it back into the ring and hits a jumping fist drop. He locks in a Scorpion Deathlock, but Meng is able to extend his arms, Meng powers out of the hold! Sting tells the referee it didn't happen before hitting a chop block to Meng's knee. He drops Meng with a clothesline off the top rope and a splash from the top gets him 2. Sting hits a jumping DDT to finally get the pin.

WINNER: STING (NEW WCW UNITED STATES CHAMPION)

Meng looked incredibly dominant in this match, he left his feet 5 times total in the match and it added the extra emphasis to Sting's moves. The fans held on to everything he did during the match and all-but jumped the rail in order for their guy to win the US championship. Meng was his own worst enemy, his charge turning the tide near the end and even got to break the Scorpion Deathlock before it's fully in, keeping the move's mystique and showing Meng's power at the same time. – WORKRATE: 2.25/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 2.5/5 OVERALL 4.75/10