VADER (C) VS. RIC FLAIR

  The show starts with Vader pulling up to the arena with Harley Race. He was also training earlier in the day. In contrast, Ric Flair is shown getting into his limo with Gene Okerlund who had to be sent out to collect Flair from his house. He's shown saying goodbye to his family before he leaves. It's 7 minutes into the show we finally get to the first match. Sat in the limousine Flair says he needs this match so he can prove he's The Man he's claimed in his career. They're later shown driving to the arena and we get Kyle Petty's thoughts on the match too, who was a famous racecar driver of the time, for those who don't know. Tony Schiovane and Jesse Ventura are on commentary for this match. Harley Race holds the title belt for his client as they make their way down to the ring. Ric Flair makes his way to the ring and of course, Bruce Buffer does the introductions as they stand in their corners.

VADER © VS. RIC FLAIR (WCW World Championship

WCW Starrcade 1993 (27^th December 1993)

© World Wrestling Entertainment

  The bell rings and they stall for a bit as the crowd goes insane for Flair, chanting his name. They lock up and Ric Flair is the one that pushes Vader back into the corner. Vader shoves Flair across the ring and he decides to rethink his strategy. Maybe not as he locks up with Vader again, getting shoved for the second time. Flair gets to his feet in the corner and they lock up again. Flair is, in a shocking turn of events, shoved down again. He decides to take a walk around ringside, Vader follows but realizes Flair is trying to tire him out and casually walks back to the ring, Flair lets him back inside, which shows to be a mistake when they lock up and Vader headbutts him, clubbing rights from Vader before he brings Flair to his knees in a test of strength with one hand. Vader slaps Flair across the face, keeping control of the wrist, and knocks him down with a clothesline. Vader goes back to the Grecco-Roman knuckle lock and berates Flair before headbutting him. Ric Flair is able to get to his feet and backs into the corner, he switches with Vader at the last second and chops him in the corner, but is shoved halfway across the ring.

  Ric Flair takes a quick breather outside, Vader lets him back in no problem and they lock up. Flair is backed into a corner, where Vader just beats the shit out of him with right hands and stomps. Vader lifts Flair overhead, military press slamming him, and Ric Flair rolls out to the floor. Vader follows and drops Flair's throat over the guardrail. Vader charges at Flair when he stands up, but Ric Flair moves out of the way and Vader eats shit, hitting the guard rail. Ric Flair starts a flurry of chops and right hands, then sends Vader into the ring post. I can barely hear the commentary thanks to the crowd, Vader gets back in the ring and Harley Race attacks Ric Flair at ringside whilst the referee is distracted. Ric Flair gets back on the apron, Vader lifts Flair into a suplex and slams him back down in the ring, deciding against going down himself. Ric Flair rolls out to the apron, Vader tries to help him to the floor with a boot but Flair holds on to the rope like a Spider Monkey. Vader hits him with a right hand and brings him back in with another no fall suplex, as called by Race on the outside.

  Vader headbutts Flair again then throws potatoes at him in the corner. Flair is sent from corner to corner and Vader follows with a clothesline. Ric Flair is sent back and he goes over and out to the apron, catching himself on the walkway and dropping to the floor stumbling into the guard rail. Race keeps his distance as Flair gets back up to the apron, Vader helps him back in the ring and starts with more stiff shots. Ric Flair is sent off the ropes into a clothesline. Vader with another headbutt, then more rights in the corner. Ric Flair tries to fight out of the corner with chops, but one right hand from Vader sends Flair slumping back into the corner. Vader slams Flair on the mat, covering for 2. Vader hits a clothesline from the middle rope, he snapmares Ric Flair over but misses the splash from the middle rope as Flair rolls out of the way. Ric Flair goes to the top rope and hits an ax handle on Vader, who's still standing. He chops Vader and goes back to the top rope, but he's too far away to have any effect. He hits Vader with a right and a pair of chops before going back up, he hits another ax handle to drop Vader.

  Ric Flair hits a knee drop but walks right into a clothesline as we see he's bleeding from the mouth. Vader confers with Harley before lifting Flair on his shoulder and telling the crowd it's over. He puts Flair on the top rope and hits a superplex as the fans chant for Flair. Vader hits an elbow drop but misses the running splash. Flair hits the ropes but runs into Vader, who brings him back to his feet and sends him through the ropes as Race looks on. He gets some cheap shots in as Vader has the referee's attention, but Flair is able to get back on the apron, Vader helps him beat the count back into the ring and hits him with a right hand. Flair fires back with chops but Vader hits another right hand sending him back into the corner. Ric Flair is sent across the ring but he avoids the charge. Chopping at Vader again until Vader reverses an irish whip and squashes Flair in the corner. Harley Race tells Flair to quit and Vader hits him with more right hands in the corner. Vader goes back to the Grecco-Roman knuckle lock from earlier.

  Ric Flair fights out of it, rights and lefts drop Vader to a knee, Flair carries on with more rights and chops to put him down. The referee decides to as Flair what his New Year's Eve plans are at this exact moment. Ric Flair goes back to Vader, dragging him to the corner and wrapping his knee around the ring post. Flair grabs Ventura's chair and attacks Vader's knee with it whilst Race is on the apron talking to the referee. Flair pokes Vader in the eye and beats him down with rights and chops. Vader tries to fight back but a combination of punches in a headlock puts a stop to that. Ric Flair hits Vader with another chair as Race is still with the referee, or wanted to elaborate on his point from earlier. They get back in the ring, Flair keeps Vader on one knee with right hands then bites at his forehead. Ric Flair drops his weight down on Vader's knee but Vader is still able to get up, Ric Flair puts him down with more right hands, he attempts the Figure Four but Vader kicks him away. Vader stomps on Flair but misses the Vader Bomb, Flair locks in the Figure Four! Harley Race jumps on the apron as Vader struggles to the ropes, the referee finally notices and starts the count.

  Vader is still pretty quick to his feet but has to use the ropes for balance, Ric Flair runs into a boot in the corner, Vader hits an elbow drop, then some quick ground and pound before getting to his feet and slowly climbing to the top rope. Ric Flair rolls out of the way of the Moonsault and Flair covers as Harley Race climbs to the top rope. Vader kicks out at 2 as Race is in mid-air hitting Vader with the Diving Headbutt. The referee shoves Race through the ropes to the raised entranceway as Flair and Vader are on their feet, Flair hits Vader with chops but again decides that running straight into him was a good strategy. It worked out though as Ric Flair trips Vader and rolls him up for the 11^th World Championship in his career.

WINNER: RIC FLAIR (NEW WCW World Champion)

This is an amazing match, one of the best in Starrcade history in anyone's book. Vader looked like an unstoppable monster champion, Ric Flair put everything on the line in the match and put everything he had into the match. Flair had to capitalize on Vader's mistakes backstage. Harley Race was involved enough to not be annoying and his interference cost Vader in the end. The crowd ate everything up and celebrated like Flair won every time he landed a move.– As a match it's **** ½ but personally, I'd rate it 8.5/10

After the match, Eric Bischoff is backstage with Vader, who is pissed off and wants his title back. "Mean Gene Okerlund gets the safe interview backstage with Ric Flair, with his family who are all much happier with the result tonight. Sting and Ricky Steamboat are also asked to comment before we finish the event.