Best WCW Matches Of All Time

When WCW broke away from the NWA and became its own entity, it climbed and climbed until it rivaled WWE as the number one professional wrestling company on the planet, and with that came plenty of great and classic matches. The promotion may have gone downhill in the latter days of its existence but it still housed some of the greatest wrestlers and performers of all time who put on some show-stealers. Of course, picking the 10 greatest matches is a tough task with it being very subjective to style and preference, but all of these will still be in the conversation somewhere for everyone. This will look from 1988 and onwards.

TheSportster's rating system will determine which of these matches are the best of the best, and these ratings will be compared to Cagematch.Net and Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

To learn more about how we rank wrestling matches on TheSportster, please check out our match ranking criteria guide here

10 Big Van Vader Vs. Cactus Jack, Halloween Havoc 1993

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 7.69

This was a wild brawl between two great workers. The Texas Death Match stipulation was lived up to, with a bloody and brutal encounter filled with stiff strikes and a feeling that both men really wanted to beat the hell out of one another.

The pair took some big spots on the outside and on the entrance ramp, with some vicious chair shots in between. Even with a controversial ending it still felt like an authentic and real fight which closed the show off in a strong way.

9 Jushin Thunder Liger Vs. Flyin’ Brian - SuperBrawl II 1992

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.48

Two all-time great cruiserweights opened up SuperBrawl II in 1992 with a hidden gem of a match that is among the best WCW matches ever when looking back.

It started fairly slow, gaining traction and pace as the match progressed, building to a great crescendo. This was an example of two world class performers nailing every move with absolute perfection, controlling the crowd in the palm of their hand.

8 Rey Mysterio Vs. Psychosis, Bash At The Beach 1996

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.83

Bash at the Beach 1996 is mostly remembered for the formation of the nWo, with Hulk Hogan shocking the world by turning heel. This PPV also happened to host one of the most exciting and wonderfully wrestled matches in the company’s history too.

Rey Mysterio and Psychosis opened the show with some cruiserweight excellence, mixing together great technical wrestling with some big lucha style spots sprinkled in between. The reason why this worked so well was because it wasn’t a spot fest, and the big moves were built up to really well.

7 Ric Flair Vs. Terry Funk, Great American Bash 1989

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.57

Ric Flair and Terry Funk had one hell of a rivalry in 1989, with more than one good match to offer. The first one worth mentioning is their clash at Great American Bash 1989 where Flair successfully defended the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

In what was a unique piece of psychology, the pair targeted each other’s necks in what developed to be a bloody brawl. It didn’t even go over 20 minutes, but the pair made this feel like an epic fight. Flair is perhaps better known for his heel work, but he shone as a babyface here.

6 Sting’s Squadron Vs. Dangerous Alliance, WrestleWar 1992

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.07

WCW’s War Games matches were a mixed bag over the years. As the 1990s pushed on, the special nature of this gimmick match was lost and the whole concept failed at every turn.

In 1992 at WrestleWar, Sting’s Squadron and the Dangerous Alliance put on perhaps the best War Games match ever. An all-star cast featuring Sting, Ricky Steamboat, Steve Austin, Barry Windham, Dustin Rhodes, Rick Rude, and more made for a wonderful brawl featuring great moments, violent action, and excitement.

5 Eddie Guerrero Vs. Rey Mysterio, Halloween Havoc 1997

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.5/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.39

Whether it be in WWE or WCW, Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio always created magic inside the ring when they clashed in their multi-year rivalry. The stakes couldn’t have been higher at Halloween Havoc in 1997, with it being a mask vs. title match.

These two showcased their insane chemistry, fluid wrestling, big moves, and technical proficiency. Guerrero’s targeting of the mask was entertaining, but Mysterio proved to be too quick for the champion, who lost the match after a ridiculous hurricanrana reversal.

4 Ric Flair Vs. Terry Funk, Clash Of The Champions 9: New York Knock Out 1989

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.75/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.07

Ric Flair and Terry Funk closed out their rivalry with a thrilling “I Quit” match at Clash of the Champions 9. A hot crowd, stiff offense, and an emotional end to a classic rivalry were all ingredients for this epic.

It can be very hard to pull off a good “I Quit” match with the referee running around with a microphone, but these two managed to produce perhaps the best match of this stipulation ever. In the end, the targeting of Funk’s leg was too much for him to hang on.

3 Ricky Steamboat Vs. Ric Flair, WrestleWar 1989

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 10/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.41

This won’t be the last time that a match between Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair will be mentioned in the best WCW matches of all time, as their rivalry in 1989 is among the greatest of all time.

Ric Flair defeated Steamboat to end their rivalry here, winning the world title in the process. It was simply a stunning match that had a slightly contentious finish due to Flair rolling up an injured Steamboat, but overall the match was terrific and Steamboat’s selling towards the end was great.

2 Ricky Steamboat Vs. Ric Flair, Clash Of The Champions 6: Ragin Climax 1989

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 10/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.48

Another match in the breathtaking Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair rivalry is up next, and whilst it was an absolutely incredible world class encounter, it is still arguably not their best match together.

This was a 2-out-of-3 falls match which stretched for nearly an hour, with the pair putting on a clinic. It could be argued that it ran a little long, but it is hard to complain about a Steamboat vs. Flair match going on a bit longer given their incredible chemistry.

1 Ric Flair Vs. Ricky Steamboat, Chi-Town Rumble 1989

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 10/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 9.44

The match between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat at Chi-Town Rumble is not only their best match together, but it is also the greatest match in WCW history.

Flair’s heel work was stunning, Steamboat was a wonderful babyface, and literally every detail down to the rest holds felt important and looked great in this match. It was sheer perfection with everything being spot on. Steamboat winning the title was an incredible moment, elevated with it coming after a classic.