Eddie Guerrero (C) vs. Dean Malenko

Tony Schiovane, Dusty Rhodes and Mike Tenay are on commentary for this match. It was the opening match for tonight's event. They start showing half the roster in the crowd in the worst case of padding I've ever seen. Dean Malenko enters first, but Eddie's music plays before they mention something not NWO related on commentary.

Eddie Guerrero © VS. Dean Malenko (WCW Cruiserweight Championship)

WCW Starrcade 1997 (28^th December 1997)

The bell rings and Eddie shoves the referee into Malenko, Malenko walks around the referee but gets jumped by Eddie with clubbing blows. A waistlock takes Malenko to the mat, but he scrambles to his feet and cuts Eddie off with rights as Eddie makes it to his feet. Eddie drops to the mat and Malenko continues the barrage of rights. Eddie holds his hand out for Malenko to shake but gets kicked in the gut. Dean Malenko sends Eddie into the corner, forearms by Malenko but Eddie gets advantage, using right hands. Eddie scrapes Malenko across the top rope but gets sent across the ring. Eddie runs into a dropkick, giving Malenko 2. Malenko hits a vertical suplex and hammers at Eddie, but Eddie is able to get a headlock on Malenko as he stands up. Eddie is sent across the ring, they exchange waistlocks and Eddie breaks it taking control of Malenko's arm. Eddie Guerrero kicks Malenko in the gut and sets up for a headscissors, but it's countered into a powerbomb by Malenko for 2.

Dean Malenko lifts Eddie and plants him with an Alabama slam, jackknife cover gets Malenko another 2 count. Dean Malenko gets 2 more nearfalls before Eddie bridges out and they reach a stalemate over a backslide. Eddie Guerrero runs into a powerslam, again kicking out at 2. Eddie Guerrero looks to fight Malenko from his knees, but decides instead to bail to the ramp for a breather. Tony Schiovane immediately shifts focus to The Outsiders from the smallest link. Eddie Guerrero stalls from ringside, breaking the count until he attacks Malenko's knee. Eddie hits a European uppercut and a chop on Malenko, bringing Rhodes back into the match. Dean Malenko tries to fight back but a thumb to the eye puts an end to that. Eddie snapmares Malenko over and stomps his face. Eddie brings Malenko back to his feet as Tenay talks about their long history and Malenko blocks a suplex. He strikes Guerrero with his knee and hangs Eddie's ribs over the top rope. Dean Malenko gets a nearfall from a clothesline.

Dean Malenko snapmares Eddie into a chinlock on the mat, slowly transitioning into a figure four necklock. Eddie Guerrero rolls to his front and sees the rope, slowly making his way to them to break the count. Eddie fights to his feet but is sent across the ring, Dean Malenko sends him in the air and lets him free fall to the mat. Eddie Guerrero begs off and kisses Malenko's boot. As in, literally kisses it and then also in the sense that Malenko dropkicked him. Eddie goes back out of the ring to think of a new strategy, hopefully. Eddie gets back in, wanting a test of strength. Dean Malenko makes him regret that decision and stomps on Eddie's hands, followed by a dropkick. Eddie Guerrero runs Malenko into the corner and drives his shoulder into Malenko's midsection. Dean Malenko sends Eddie from the middle rope to the mat, Eddie charges but Malenko lifts him in the air and Eddie Guerrero lands on the top turnbuckle face first. Dean Malenko hits a back suplex and gets a nearfall.

Eddie Guerrero reverses an irish whip and kicks Malenko in the gut, but Dean Malenko blocks a suplex, he lifts Eddie but Guerrero lands on the apron, snapping Malenko's head off the top rope and working Malenko's knee from the outside. Eddie slingshots back in stomping Malenko, then back out again to hyperextend the knee. Eddie moves the ring steps out of the way, wrapping Malenko's knee around it whilst he balances on the other. He sandwiches Malenko's legs between the ring post and the steps, dropkicking the steps into Malenko's knees. Eddie takes it back in the ring, working Malenko's leg on the mat and hitting a powerbomb for a nearfall. A series of counters leads to a wheelbarrow suplex by Malenko. Dean Malenko covers for 2 ½ and blocks a kick from Eddie, Malenko connects with a kick and sends Eddie into the corner but runs into a back elbow. Dean Malenko brings Eddie down from his shoulders into a backbreaker for 2. Dean Malenko sends Eddie into the turnbuckle but Eddie reverses an irish whip, Malenko sends Eddie over to the apron but is met with a right hand. Malenko cuts off Eddie's climb to the top rope and they fight in the corner, dropping to the mat at the same time. Dean Malenko rolls Eddie up but Eddie grabs the rope at 2.

Dean Malenko powerbombs Eddie, but Guerrero kicks at his injured knee as he sets up the Texas Cloverleaf. Eddie tries to dropkick the knee but Malenko moves out of the way, sending Eddie to the floor. Eddie attacks Malenko's knee as he gets to the apron and targets his missile dropkick at Malenko's knee, the Frog Splash hits Dean Malenko's knee and Eddie covers for the win.

WINNER: Eddie Guerrero (STILL WCW Cruiserweight Champion)

This was a hot match to start the event with, Except the moment on the top in the corner this match was worked perfectly. Once Eddie had Malenko's knee targetted, that was the sweet spot for the rest of the match. Dean Malenko held his own but I didn't truly think he would beat Eddie in this match, which took me out of it slightly. – [*** ] match but personally 7/10