Throwback Review: Sting vs Muta - Great American Bash 89
So recently I have been going back and watching and thinking abouthinking about movies and pay per views from back in the day. Honestly, it's what I've been primarily watching but a few days ago I had the idea the maybe I should start writing about what I watch. Maybe this will inspire people to check out things that they haven't checked out in years and they fall back in love with it like I have. So the 1st installment of throwback reviews I was scouring the web to figure what wrestling match I would like to check out once again and I put on the 1989 WCW Great American Bash PPV. The card was loaded but one match stood out for me in particular. Sting w/ Eddie Gilbert vs Great Muta w/ Gary Hart that sounds incredible!
This match in particular is one that I would not mind seeing a rematch of nowadays. With the resurgence of Sting and everything hes still willing and able to do posited with Keiji Mutoh so putting on classics in Japan It definitely wouldn't be the worst match involving 2 old men that's happened recently and my inner child would be smiling like a motherfucker as Great Muta is one of my favorite wrestlers of all time.
Before the match both sets of managers had their own promo time. Gary Hart took to the Mike and said Muta could not be out here right now because he is in the middle of meditation and does not want his concentration to be broken. He put over the United States championship saying it's the 2nd most important title in WCW/NWA at the moment and how even though Sting loves his championship Japan produces the best athletes and he is going to find that out tonight. Next up Sting & Gilbert get promo time and sing days he's excited but he knows he's gotta keep it together. He has shot if respect for his opponent but is go time. Eddie Gilbert then gets on the mic and says how he understands where Sting is at mentally and hes been with him for a while now but Sting has to bring out the best that he has if he wants to put away the Great Muta. It's time for the match!
It was so weird to see sting in a frilly chrome colored jacket after all these years of him just being black-and-white but it really helped establish who was the baby face and who was the heel going into this. The match starts and they're both standing in 2 separate rings from the 2 ring battle Royal that happened earlier in the night. But the distance is very quickly closed in as Sting hits the ropes and dives from running into the other with a flying cross body taking out Muta. A rather fast pace open to this match which I was not expecting right from the start. Sting brawls for a bit and then tries to change to change rings but Gary Hart is in the way and gives just enough time for Muta to ascend to the top rope and hit a diving chop. And then it's all muta for a good chunk of time time laying in chops and strikes and even a back handspring elbow into the corner very impressive. For the next like 5 minutes it is very back-and-forth Sting showing off incredible power incredible power and psyching out Muta a few times and Muta showing off his agility like no one else can. Another handspring elbow strike is attempted but Sting gets out of the way and Super Sting comes out to play. Clothesline after clothesline and an incredible bulldog straight to the mat. Muta almost looked in control and he shot the mist but sting ducked and the mist went right into the eyes of the referee. Muta hit the moonsault and went for the pin but the referee was replaced and gave just enough time for sting to only get a 2 count. Muta is baffled sting hits one hell of a backdrop suplex and seals the deal with Muta being distracted with the new referee. But there seems to be some controversy on who actually won the match because the camera angles cannot determine whose shoulders were down. This match was incredible from start to finish and I will definitely be trying to watch more eighties early nineties WCW going forward.
With everything being great besides the finish of the match I would give this match an A-
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