RIC FLAIR VS. STING

This match comes at the end of an interesting time for WCW. They had just signed Hulk Hogan from the competition and had two distinct championships that could be considered The Main Championship. They needed to unify the WCW World Championship and the WCW International championship. The WCW International championship is the former NWA World heavyweight championship, but now has no connection to the group. Sting has been trading the championship with Rick Rude since it's `inception' in April. Tony Schiovane and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan are on commentary for this match.

Before the match, Hulk Hogan walks out for an interview with Mean Gene Okerlund. He puts over the unification match and says he's coming after the winner. Ric Flair is shown on the video screen claiming he will win in a passionate promo against Hogan. We see a video with Hogan and Shaquille O'Neil talking about Hulkamania and Heenan confuses him for “Bugzy” some other basketball player. No disrespect to the man, I just know nothing about the sport and it isn't much to research off. Nick Bockwinkel is also going to watch the match as WCW Commissioner. These two faced off in the main event of the first ever Clash of the Champions achieving a 45-minute draw that is still looked at well today. (here) Sting's International Heavyweight championship is the famed `big gold belt' with Ric Flair holding the classic WCW championship. Sherri makes her way out and has her face painted like Sting, showing her affiliation.

RIC FLAIR VS. STING (WCW World & International Championships unification)

WCW Clash of the Champions XXVII (23^rd June 1994)

After a final commercial break, they lock up. Flair is overpowered straight away. Ric Flair goes back to it but is shoves across the ring for the second time. Sting woos for the crowd as Flair decides to slow it down a bit, circling the ring before asking for a test of strength. Not a great plan on paper. He takes control of Sting's arm, dropping him down to the mat with a hair pull. Sting kips right back up, doing the same the second time Flair tries to bring him down. Tony Schiovane talks about the matches these guys have had just recently as they lock back up. Sting counters a hammerlock into one of his own but is dropped to the mat with a drop toe hold. Sting quickly counters out of a front facelock on the mat and Flair uses the ropes to break. He gets to his feet, but Sting no-sells the shoves before dropping Flair on his ass. Ric Flair tries to walk out of the match, but changes his mind, getting back in the ring.

They lock up again, Ric Flair moves to a headlock but gets sent off the ropes, knocking Sting down with a shoulder block. Sting goes prone and leapfrogs before lifting Flair overhead and dropping him to the mat. Sting sends Ric Flair off the ropes into another gorilla press slam so Ric Flair takes a break on the floor with the Flair flop. He has words for the fans and one of the members of staff “you got a problem, pal?” before getting back in the ring to beat the count. Sting overpowers Flair in a test of strength with ease, so Flair pokes him in the eye for a quick escape. He chops Sting in the corner but it just pisses him off so Flair backs off. Sting sends Ric Flair across the ring with a hip toss, but they mis-time the clothesline. Sting still hits three in a row cleanly and that sends Ric Flair out of the ring, taking his time getting back in. They lock up and this time Ric Flair doesn't give Sting a chance for momentum, kneeing him in the gut.

Ric Flair punches Sting in the corner but the chop has no effect. Ric Flair chops Sting again and he asks for more. Ric Flair wisely backs off but ends up in the corner, getting sent across the ring with a hip toss. Sting dropkicks Flair and sends him across the ring, but Flair holds the rope to avoid another dropkick. Ric Flair drags Sting to the middle of the ring and sets up the figure four but Sting rolls him up for a nearfall. Or that's what commentary told me, it didn't look that way. Ric Flair takes another walk as Tony Schiovane mentions it's a good strategy to stop Sting's momentum in the match. Sherri starts a “Sting” chant, but there's definite smatterings of “Flair” in there too. They lock up and Flair forces Sting to the corner. He tries the non-effect chop followed by a right but Sting blocked it, punching his way across the ring. Ric Flair is sent into the corner but the Stinger Splash misses, leaving Sting hung over the corner post. Ric Flair throws Sting over the top rope, which would normally be a disqualification but the referee was checking with the timekeeper according to Schiovane.

Ric Flair jumps down from the apron, hitting Sting with chops and right hands before beating the count and slingshotting Sting's head off the top rope. He brings Sting into the ring and hits a pair of knee drops, then covers him near the ropes and uses the top rope for leverage, but only gets nearfalls. Sherri is trying to get the referee's attention but I can't blame him for ignoring her shrieking. Ric Flair chops at Sting again and we get a weird camera, so he has to pan out as Sting kicks the figure four attempt away. They mess up Sting running into a back elbow, it hits the second time and Sting is draped over the middle rope so Flair kicks him in the gut. Ric Flair sends Sting into the ropes, Sting runs into a sleeperhold and starts to fade. Brain says the more you fight the hold the more it takes effect. Sting makes his way to his feet and breaks free with an elbow to the ribs and by sending Flair into the corner.

Sting grabs a headlock and gets sent into the ropes, he knocks Flair down but he gets his feet up, Sting catches Flair's legs and catapults him into the corner, showing exactly why I hate that spot. Ric Flair flops to the floor again, sliding himself under the ropes as he drags himself up. Sting suplexes Ric Flair back into the ring for a nearfall. Ric Flair begs off into the corner and gets sent across the ring, going over to the apron and running into a clothesline. Sting starts the mounted rights in the corner but Flair carries him out of the ring. Inverted atomic drop is blocked by Sting being too damn tall and he clotheslines Flair down for the nearfall. Sting places Flair on the corner and hits a superplex from the top rope. Bobby Heenan counts the phantom pinfall as Sting climbs to the top rope and misses a splash. Ric Flair suplexes Sting and poses for the crowd but Sting has popped back up! He sends Ric Flair across the ring with a hip toss and dropkicks him. Ric Flair is sent into the ropes for a gorilla press slam before Sting clotheslines him over the top rope to the floor. Tony Schiovane says the match will continue because it's unification, so it wouldn't have mattered if the referee saw it? Ric Flair pulls Sherri in the way of a Sting splash and she hits her head on the guardrail. Ric Flair kicks Sting from the apron and brings him back in the ring. Sting blocks a hip toss and catches Flair in a backslide but the referee gets there too late, giving Flair a chance to kick out. Sting clotheslines Ric Flair down but turns his attention to Sherri giving Flair a chance to roll him up for the win.

WINNER: RIC FLAIR

This is the worst Sting vs. Ric Flair match in history. It had no heat to it, although it was supposed to be a unification match and as high-stakes as it seemed before the bell they seemed to be going through the motions in this match. If Sting and Flair can work a good match together in their sleep then it should have been their strategy tonight. Nothing they did seemed to work for me, as much as the crowd seemed to be liking it.– WORKRATE: **½ Personally, I'd rate the match 1.75/5

After the match Ric Flair and Sherri embrace and attack Sting. IT WAS A DOUBLE-CROSS!!! This gives Hulk Hogan a chance to come out and save the day. You didn't really think we'd only see an interview, did you?

This match was on the “Best of the Clash of the Champions” DVD and Blu Ray release.