Event: WCW Great American Bash
Location: Baltimore, MD
Announced Attendance: 12,500

They chase each other around the rings to start the match (there were two rings due to the War Games later on that night), with Muta catching Sting with a chop off the top turnbuckle. Chop by Muta, Irish whip to the corner and he delivers the Space Rolling Elbow as a "Muta" chant starts. Muta goes for the moonsault, Sting moves but Muta lands on his feet. Muta delivers a trio of kicks that knocks Sting out to the floor, and Muta sails out onto him with a pescado. Muta gets back in the ring as the crowd is pretty evenly split between the two wrestlers. Sting returns, kick through the ropes by Sting and he hits a lariat from the apron. Sting goes up top and hits a diving lariat, cover, but it gets a two count. Standing dropkick by Sting, Muta falls out of the ring and Sting quickly goes out after him. Punches by Sting, Muta gets back in the ring with Sting right behind him. Scoop slam by Sting, cover, but it gets a one count. Sting goes for a vertical suplex but Muta lands on his feet and applies the sleeper hold. I think I lied, crowd seems pro-Muta. Reverse chinlock by Muta and he kicks Sting in the ribs. Irish whip by Muta, reversed, but Sting delivers a military press slam. He goes for an elbow drop but Muta rolls out of the way. Snapmare by Muta and he delivers the Flash Elbow. Muta applies a reverse chinlock, Sting returns to his feet but Muta applies an abdominal stretch while he uses the ropes for additional leverage. Roll-up by Muta but it gets a two count. Muta throws Sting out of the ring but Sting immediately rolls back in and connects with a series of punches. Muta rakes Sting's eyes to regain the advantage and he kicks Sting in the legs and ribs. Irish whip by Muta from the corner but Sting avoids the Space Rolling Elbow. Lariats by Sting and he delivers the face crusher. Standing dropkick by Sting, as Muta rolls out of the ring. Muta slowly gets back in, Irish whip by Sting, Muta goes to use the Red Mist on Sting but Sting ducks, and the referee is hit with it instead. Irish whip by Sting from the corner but Muta avoids the Stinger Splash. Muta picks up Sting as a new referee checks on the original, moonsault by Muta but the referee is slow to get in the ring to count and he only gets a two count. Muta goes for a high kick, Sting ducks it and hits a backdrop suplex hold, and the referee counts to three. Your winner..... ???

Post match: First, they declare Sting the champion, but after the referees talk with Gary Hart, they argue with who had their shoulders down and who didn't. Great Muta leaves with the belt, but in the end it is decided the belt would be held up due to the controversial ending.

Match Thoughts: I don't care what anyone says, Muta was one of the baddest mother fuckers on the planet by the summer of 1989 and Sting's feud with him really helped his ascent to the main event in WCW as the crowd was absolutely crazy in this match. You had the undefeated "evil" Great Muta against the lovable young upstart Sting, what is not to enjoy? The match was very exciting and entertaining, and the crowd really helped as they cheered just about everything since they liked both wrestlers (even though this was the first time I remember hearing a "Muta" chant). The ending was fine as it didn't take away from the match and set up them having another match down the road, which no one was going to complain about. Just a fast paced sprint that in my opinion did wonders for both of them in the long run. Score: 8.5

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