Which was the overall better feud?

[dlg3000]

Flair vs Sting or Flair vs Steamboat

[i.Sarita.com]

Flair vs. Steamboat

I always considered Steamboat a bigger nemesis of Flair than Sting and liked the matches better.

[squaredcircle]

Flair vs Sting

it always seemed more personal between these two.

but the Flair-Steamboat matches were better.

[Ian Austin]

Flair vs. Steamboat probably had better matches, but Flair vs. Sting created a top-line superstar for WCW who headlined shows for the next twelve years.

[DavidArquette]

Flair vs Sting. I'm more familiar with that one and it's one of my favourite feuds. Even with the whole Black Scorpion angle. lol Their match at GAB '90 is amazing!

[shadowangel]

Jan 19, 2011 9:03:44 GMT -5 Ian Austin said:

Flair vs. Steamboat probably had better matches, but Flair vs. Sting created a top-line superstar for WCW who headlined shows for the next twelve years.

I agree. Flair and Steamboat had great matches, Flair and Sting had good matches but their feud was overall another level, all the stuff that happened, with the 4 Horsemen and it was a really long feud over so many years (Sting looked alway a bit stupid for trusting Flair, best example is Halloween Havoc 1995)

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

Jan 19, 2011 10:22:33 GMT -5 shadowangel said:

Jan 19, 2011 9:03:44 GMT -5 Ian Austin said:

Flair vs. Steamboat probably had better matches, but Flair vs. Sting created a top-line superstar for WCW who headlined shows for the next twelve years.

I agree. Flair and Steamboat had great matches, Flair and Sting had good matches but their feud was overall another level, all the stuff that happened, with the 4 Horsemen and it was a really long feud over so many years (Sting looked alway a bit stupid for trusting Flair, best example is Halloween Havoc 1995)

All the way along to the last Nitro, with those 2 being the only 2 who could really sign off WCW.

Flair/Steamboat is a feud, Flair/Sting is an epic.

[NOwave]

I think it depends on how you define "feud." In the traditional sense, dating back to the territory days, a "feud" between 2 guys(or 2 tag teams) lasted several months, usually had specific beginnings and endings(blow-offs) and was highlighted by 3-5 big matches. In the territory days, the big matches would be in the promotion's hometown in a major auditorium. For example, in St Louis, the big matches would be in the Kiel auditorium and would be 1-2 months apart, in contrast to their normal weekly bookings at the Chase hotel or in the surrounding smaller towns. Same thing happened in Memphis, Florida, Amarillo, Dallas, etc.
The equivalent since about 1985 or so would be the PPV or the TV special (like WWF's Saturday Night, or NWA/WCW's Clash of the Champions).

Using that definition, I would say Flair/Steamboat is the better "feud." It started very specifically in January 1989 on TBS-televised Saturday night wrestling when Flair in full heel persona with the Horseman were roughing up Eddie Gilbert. Eddie vowed to bring in a mystery partner who turned out to be Steamboat. Steamboat went on to pin Flair on TV. The commentators emphasized Flair and Steamboat's history(they had fought over the US Heavyweight as well as other titles from the 70's thru the early 80's) and the fact that it had never been settled as to who was the better man, both claiming several clean wins over the other. Steamboat was portrayed as a morally upright family man Face in contrast to the womanizing, cheating heel Flair.

The televised pin earned Steamboat a title shot against Flair, the reigning(and 5 time) NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Steamboat beat Flair for the title in 23 minutes at the Chi-Town rumble PPV, Feb 20, 1989 in what was universally regarded as a great technical match, with lots of dramatic near falls. There was no immediate televised rematch, but they did wrestle a series of house shows, largely to hone their performances, and generate interest around the country. Steamboat defended the title in Japan, raising the ire of Flair, who claimed Steamboat was ducking him.

The rematch was finally scheduled for April 2, 1989 at the Clash of the Champions at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, a televised special on TBS in prime time. A best 2/3 falls match, Flair reversed an inside cradle to pin Steamboat for the first fall in 19:34, Steamboat made Flair submit to the double chickenwing for the second fall at 34:14, but the third fall was controversial. Both men went down after a hard collision at 55:49. Steamboat got a shoulder up before the 3-count, but Flair did not, giving the fall and the match to Steamboat. The replay, however, clearly showed Flair's foot on the bottom rope, meaning there should have been no count. The wrestlers kept the audience in the palm of their hands thru out this nearly 2 hour long event that was praised as another 5-star performance-perhaps even surpassing Chi-Town Rumble. Of interest, this was one of the first big matches in which the heel (Flair) received nearly as many cheers as the face(Steamboat). The audience was beginning to recognize that both wrestlers were giving outstanding performances, and applauded the quality of the match as much as the face/heel status of the opponents.

On regular TV the next week, Steamboat was shown the video replay, and acknowledged that the match should not have ended. In classic face form, Steamboat graciously agreed to another rematch with Flair. This was to be Flair's "last shot" at the title, which would be his 6th world championship, tying him with Lou Thesz for the most championship runs ever. During the buildup, Flair even hinted at retirement should he lose. He also began to blur the traditional face/heel boundaries during promos by recognizing Steamboat as a great champion and worthy challenger for what he considered "his" title. The cheers for Flair got louder thru a series of house shows around the country staged to promote the big rematch to come.

The finale (or blowoff in wrestling terms) was the Wrestle War PPV on May 7, 1989 in Nashville. Three former NWA world champions(Terry Funk, Pat O'Conner, and Lou Thesz) were brought in as special judges to prevent another controversial outcome. Much was made of Flair's attempt to tie Thesz' record by winning the World title for a 6th time. Flair's pre-match promo stunning in it's intensity and drama. He again lauded Steamboat's ability, and promised this would be his last shot at the title if he lost. By match time, the cheers for Flair were perhaps louder than for Steamboat, still the ostensible face. Flair countered a bodyslam attempt by Steamboat into an inside cradle for the pin and the title at 31:37 in yet another incredibly dramatic match. Veteran observers remarked that it was as it they were watching a ballet duet, so precise, complimentary, and believable were the moves of the two combatants. Somehow Flair and Steamboat had topped their previous two title matches with a 5+ star classic.

But the drama wasn't over yet. After the match Flair gave a moving, tearful interview at ringside on what the title meant to him, when Terry Funk approached from the judges table. Funk congratulated Flair on the win, and immediately challenged him for a title shot of his own. Flair, by now playing a full-blown face, acknowledged Terry's outstanding record as a former champ, but pointed out that he hadn't been active in several years and that the "Championship Committee" would probably want him to work his way up thru the roster of contenders first. Funk went berserk at being disrespected, sucker-punched Flair, and proceeded to put him in a piledriver thru a folding table, all while still on the air. This level of violence was nearly unheard of in 1989, and Flair sold a resulting "neck injury" to take some time off.

This was the best best example I've seen before or since of a wrestling feud, and should remain a model to this day for potential bookers. Brilliant planning and execution which enhanced both men's careers.

Easily the #1 feud of all time.

[ICBM]

Hard to follow an entire novel but I'll give it a shot. Flair vs Sting. It made more money over a longer period of time and while the Flair/Steamboat series in 88-89 is the greatest set of matches IMO, Flair vs Sting is one of the alltime fueds up there with Hogan/Andre, Taker/Kane, Kerry and Jerry Lawler, Warrior/Rude