Sting vs Larry Zbyszko (WCW, 3-10-1991)

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WCW Main Event, Anderson, SC

Sting had dropped the world title back to Ric Flair by this point after a frankly terrible run that wasn’t really his fault. Larry Zbyszko has hit WCW with his eye on Flair’s belt, and called Sting the “James ‘Buster’ Douglas of wrestling” on The Danger Zone the week prior. Then they got into a fight, a real 50/50 pull-apart where nobody looked weak. It was probably the best thing Sting had been involved in in months.

Sting is out second and he’s not here to fuck around, running right to the ring, full entrance cut off, and going right after Zbyszko, taking the fight to the floor and introducing Larrold to some GUARDRAIL. Back in and Sting keeps up the excitement with a … sleephold.

But it’s just to wear Larry down, and it’s back to the punching. Sting goes for the Scorpion Deathlock, but Larry kicks him away and takes over on the offense, and it is STING who is introduced to GUARDRAIL. Zbyszko’s offense is lots of choking, knees that keep Sting from gathering himself, shit like that. It’s dirty and mean. “This is a fight, this is not a wrestling match,” Tony Schiavone says on the solo call. “This is a scrap in the backyard.”

Zbyszko uses an abdominal stretch with the ropes for leverage very effectively, crowd is mad about it. Out of that and Sting gets his shoulder posted outside, but then drags Zbyszko back out from the ring and drops him chest-first on the railing twice. Back in, Stinger Splash! Scorpion Deathlock! But Larry’s right in the ropes. Sting doesn’t care. “I ain’t gonna let it go!” he says when the ref warns him to break. And that’s a DQ. Sting even uses the ropes for leverage and throws TWO referees out of the ring when they try to break the hold.

This is a blast. Really is a scrappy fight, Sting’s temper and edge come out which is actually kind of great to see after almost a year of just shit, first a terribly-timed injury and then his promised world title reign being booked into the ground because WCW had no particularly ready, credible title challengers they seemed to trust at all. They didn’t want to go back to Flair, they felt they had to, and that’s even WITH Flair ultimately being involved in the Black Scorpion debacle at Starrcade.

This is short, hateful, and good character work from both guys.

Rating: 3.5/5