Lex Luger vs. Ricky Steamboat (WCW - 7/23/1989)

A thread for this match is long overdue. Luger threatening to walk out unless the no-DQ stipulation was waived is the best kind of bait and switch because the resulting match is far better than a no-DQ Luger/Steamboat match likely would have been. And it’s not like anyone who hoped to see a bloody brawl was shortchanged because Flair/Funk more than delivered on that front. Luger may have been lazy and useless in the later part of his career, but he had his working boots on here. This match is constant action and motion with Luger really laying in his clotheslines and Steamboat his chops. Luger yelling at Tommy Young to count faster immediately followed by Young providing a fast count on a Steamboat rollup was pure chef’s kiss. Young preventing Steamboat from throwing a punch followed by Luger punching Steamboat while he was restrained was too reminiscent of a Mexican rudo ref spot for my liking, but they made up for it when Luger threatened Young shortly afterward. The guy did you a favor, albeit inadvertently, and that’s how you repay him? More than anything, this match shows that wrestling doesn’t have to be rocket science. Have a simple but smart structure in place, lay your shit in, and keep things moving and you’ll hit the mark every time.