Starrcade

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Starrcade logo

StarrCade was the primary supercard of the NWA and World Championship Wrestling from 1983 until 2000. Often billed as "The Grandaddy of Them All," StarrCade was the first annual wrestling supercard to be broadcast on closed-circuit television, before even the legendary WrestleMania.

Perhaps the highest moment in StarrCade history was in December 1997 when Hollywood Hogan lost the WCW/nWo World Heavyweight Title to Sting, despite the change of hands for the title being mired in controversy, after holding it for over a year. The following year, rookie world champion Bill Goldberg's undefeated winning streak came to an end when he was defeated by Kevin Nash with help from Scott Hall who jabbed Goldberg with a taser to help Nash win the match. Ric Flair is widely considered to be the "flagship" of StarrCade, as he headlined 9 of these supercards, the first of which had been subtitled A Flair for the Gold.

The final four Starrcades all took place at the MCI Center (now Verizon Center) in Washington D.C.

Jim Crockett Promotions

1983: A Flair For the Gold

November 24, 1983 in Greensboro, NC (Greensboro Coliseum)

• The Assassins (with Paul Jones) def. Rufus R. Jones and Bugsy McGraw
• Kevin Sullivan and Mark Lewin def. Scott McGhee and Johnny Weaver
• WWC Universal Champ Carlos Colon def. Abdullah the Butcher by DQ
• Dick Slater and Bob Orton, Jr. def. Mark Youngblood and Wahoo McDaniel
• Charlie Brown def. The Great Kabuki (with Gary Hart)
• Roddy Piper def. Greg Valentine in a Dog Collar Match
• Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood def. Jack Brisco and Jerry Brisco to win the NWA World Tag Team Title
• Ric Flair def. Harley Race to win the NWA World Title in a Cage
• Ray Stevens defeated Jim Brunzell to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Title

1984: The Million Dollar Challenge

November 22, 1984 in Greensboro, NC (Greensboro Coliseum)

• Denny Brown def. NWA Junior Heavyweight Champ Mike Davis to win the title
• Brian Adias def. Mr. Ito
• NWA Florida Champ Jesse Barr def. Mike Graham
• The Assassin and Buzz Tyler def. the Zambaui Express (with Paul Jones)
• Manny Fernandez def. Black Bart (with James J. Dillon)
• Paul Jones def. Jimmy Valiant in a Tuxedo Street Fight Loser-Leaves-Town Match
• NWA Mid-Atlantic Champ Ron Bass (with James J. Dillon) def. Dick Slater by DQ
• Ivan and Nikita Koloff def. Ole Anderson and Keith Larson (with Don Kernodle)
• NWA TV Champ Tully Blanchard def. Ricky Steamboat in a $10,000 Challenge Match
• NWA US Champ Wahoo McDaniel def. Superstar Billy Graham (with Paul Jones)
• NWA World Champ Ric Flair def. Dusty Rhodes in a $1,000,000 Challenge Match

1985: The Gathering

November 28, 1985 in Greensboro, NC (Greensboro Coliseum)/Atlanta, GA (The Omni)

• Pez Whatley def. Mike Graham
• Don Kernodle def. Tommy Lane
• Thunderfoot (with James J. Dillon) def. The Italian Stallion
• NWA Junior Heavyweight Champ Denny Brown def. Rocky King
• Krusher Khruschev def. Sam Houston to win the vacant NWA Mid-Atlantic Title
• Ron Bass def. Black Bart (with James J. Dillon) in a Bullrope Match to win a match against Dillon
• James J. Dillon (with Black Bart) def. Ron Bass in a Bullrope Match
• Buddy Landel (with James J. Dillon) def. Terry Taylor to win the NWA National Title
• Magnum T.A. def. Tully Blanchard (with Baby Doll) in an I Quit Cage Match to win the NWA US Title
• The Rock 'N Roll Express (with Don Kernodle) def. Ivan and Nikita Koloff (with Krusher Khruschev) in a Cage to win the NWA World Tag Team Titles
• Manny Fernandez def. Abdullah the Butcher (with Paul Jones) in a Mexican Death Match
• Superstar Billy Graham def. The Barbarian (with Paul Jones) by DQ
• NWA National Tag Team Champs Ole and Arn Anderson def. Wahoo McDaniel and Billy Jack Haynes
• Jimmy Valiant and Miss Atlanta Lively (Ron Garvin) (with Big Mama) def. The Midnight Express (with Jim Cornette) in an Atlanta Street Fight
• Dusty Rhodes def. NWA World Champ Ric Flair by DQ

1986: Night of the Skywalkers

November 27, 1986 in Greensboro, NC (Greensboro Coliseum)/Atlanta, GA (The Omni)

• Tim Horner and Nelson Royal def. Don and Rocky Kernodle
• Hector Guerrero and Baron Von Raschke def. Shaska Whatley and The Barbarian
• Wahoo McDaniel def. Rick Rude (with Paul Jones) in an Indian Strap Match
• Jimmy Valiant (with Big Mama) def. Paul Jones in a Hair vs. Hair Match with Manny Fernandez locked in a Cage
• Tully Blanchard (with James J. Dillon) def. Dusty Rhodes to win the NWA TV Title in a First Blood Match
• NWA World Tag Team Champs The Rock 'N Roll Express def. Ole and Arn Anderson in a Cage
• Brad Armstrong battled Jimmy Garvin (with Precious) to a draw
• NWA US Tag Team Champs Krusher Khruschev and Ivan Koloff def. Bobby Jaggers and Dutch Mantel
• NWA Central States Champ Sam Houston def. Bill Dundee by DQ
• Big Bubba Rogers (with Jim Cornette) def. Ron Garvin in a Street Fight
• The Road Warriors (with Paul Ellering) def. The Midnight Express (with Jim Cornette & Big Bubba Rogers) in a Scaffold Match
• NWA World Champ Ric Flair battled NWA US Champ Nikita Koloff to a double disqualification

1987: Chi-Town Heat

November 26, 1987 in Chicago, IL (UIC Pavilion)

• Mighty Wilbur def. Ivan Koloff (with Paul Jones)
• UWF Tag Team Champs The Sheepherders defeated New Breed in a Cage

The rest were included on the Home video release

• Sting, Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin (with Precious) fought Eddie Gilbert, Rick Steiner and Larry Zbyszko (with Baby Doll) to a draw
• UWF Champ "Dr. Death" Steve Williams def. Barry Windham
• The Rock 'N Roll Express def. The Midnight Express (with Jim Cornette) in a Scaffold Match
• NWA TV Champ Nikita Koloff def. UWF TV Champ Terry Taylor (with Eddie Gilbert) to unify the titles
• NWA World Tag Team Champs Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard (with James J. Dillon) def. the Road Warriors (with Paul Ellering) by DQ
• Dusty Rhodes (with Johnny Weaver) def. Lex Luger (with James J. Dillon) in a Cage to win the NWA US Title
• Ric Flair (with James J. Dillon) def. Ron Garvin in a Cage to win the NWA World Title

1988: True Gritt

December 26, 1988 in Norfolk, VA (Norfolk Scope)

• Junkyard Dog won a Bunkhouse Stampede Match
• Kevin Sullivan and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams def. The Fantastics to win the NWA US Tag Team Titles
• The Midnight Express (with Jim Cornette) def. Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose (with Paul E. Dangerously)
• Russian Assassin 1 and Russian Assassin 2 (with [[Paul ivan mendoza ( don bosco )def. Junkyard Dog and Ivan Koloff
• Rick Steiner def. Mike Rotunda to win the NWA TV Title with Kevin Sullivan locked in a Cage
• NWA US Champ Barry Windham (with James J. Dillon) def. Bam Bam Bigelow (with Oliver Humperdink)
• Dusty Rhodes and Sting battled NWA World Tag Team Champs Road Warriors (with Paul Ellering) to a double disqualification
• NWA World Champ Ric Flair (with James J. Dillon) def. Lex Luger in a No DQ Match

National Wrestling Alliance

1989: Future Shock

December 13, 1989 in Atlanta, GA (The Omni)

• Iron Team Tournament
• The Steiner Brothers def. Doom (with Woman & Nitron)
• Road Warriors (with Paul Ellering) def. Doom (with Woman & Nitron)
• Steiner Brothers def. Road Warriors (with Paul Ellering)
• The Samoan Swat Team (with Theodore Long) def. Doom (with Woman & Nitron)
• The Samoan Swat Team (with Theodore Long) def. The Steiner Brothers
• Road Warriors (with Paul Ellering) def. The Samoan Swat Team (with Theodore Long) to win the Tournament
• Iron Man Tournament
• Lex Luger def. Sting
• Ric Flair def. The Great Muta (with Gary Hart)
• Sting def. The Great Muta (with Gary Hart)
• Lex Luger and Ric Flair fought to a draw
• Lex Luger def. The Great Muta (with Gary Hart) by DQ
• Sting def. Ric Flair (with Ole & Arn Anderson) to win the Tournament

1990: Collision Course

December 16, 1990 in St. Louis, MO (Kiel Auditorium)

• Bill Irwin def. T.C. Carter
• Bobby Eaton def. Tom Zenk
• Michael Wallstreet (with Alexandra York) def. Terry Taylor
• The Skyscrapers def. Big Cat and The Motor City Madman
• Tommy Rich and Ricky Morton (with Robert Gibson) def. Fabulous Freebirds (with Little Richard Marley)
• Lex Luger def. Stan Hansen to win the NWA US Title in a Bullrope Match
• NWA World Tag Team Champs Doom (with Theodore Long) fought Arn Anderson and Barry Windham to a no contest in a Street Fight
• NWA World Champ Sting def. The Black Scorpion in a Cage and unmasked him as Ric Flair.
• Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament
• The Steiner Brothers def. Sgt. Krueger and Col. DeKlerk
• Konnan and Rey Misterio, Sr. def. Chris Adams and Norman Smiley
• The Great Muta and Mr. Saito def. Jack Victory and Rip Morgan
• Victor Zangiev and Salman Hashimikov def. Danny Johnson and Troy Montour
• The Steiner Brothers def. Konnan and Rey Misterio, Sr.
• The Great Muta and Mr. Saito def. Victor Zangiev and Salman Hashimikov
• The Steiner Brothers def. The Great Muta and Mr. Saito to win the Tournament

World Championship Wrestling

1991: BattleBowl

December 29, 1991 in Norfolk, VA (The Scope)

• Marcus Bagwell and Jimmy Garvin def. Tracy Smothers and Michael Hayes
• Steve Austin and Rick Rude def. Big Josh and Van Hammer
• Richard Morton and Dustin Rhodes def. Larry Zbyszko and El Gigante
• Bill Kazmaier and Jushin Liger def. Diamond Dallas Page and Mike Graham
• Ricky Steamboat and Todd Champion def. Cactus Jack and Buddy Lee Parker
• Lex Luger and Arn Anderson def. Tom Zenk and Terrance Taylor
• Sting and Abdullah the Butcher def. Bobby Eaton and Brian Pillman
• Big Van Vader and Mr. Hughes def. The Nightstalker and Rick Steiner
• Scott Steiner and Firebreaker Chip def. Arachnaman and Johnny B. Badd
• Thomas Rich and Ron Simmons def. Steve Armstrong and PN News
• Sting won a two-ring battle royal to win the first-ever BattleBowl championship, last eliminating current WCW World Heavyweight Champion Lex Luger

1992: The Lethal Lottery

December 28, 1992 in Atlanta, GA (The Omni)

• Van Hammer and Danny Spivey def. Johnny B. Badd and Cactus Jack
• Big Van Vader and Dustin Rhodes def. Kensuke Sasaki and The Barbarian
• The Great Muta and Barry Windham def. Brian Pillman and Too Cold Scorpio
• Steve Williams and Sting def. Jushin Liger and Erik Watts
• WCW Tag Team Champs Shane Douglas and Ricky Steamboat def. Barry Windham and Brian Pillman
• Sting def. Big Van Vader to win the King of Cable tournament
• WCW World Champ Ron Simmons def. Steve Williams. Williams was a substitute for the injured Rick Rude.
• NWA World Champ Masahiro Chono def. The Great Muta
• The Great Muta won a battle royal to win the BattleBowl championship

1993

December 27, 1993 in Charlotte, NC ( Independence Arena)

• Paul Orndorff and Paul Roma def. Marcus Bagwell and Too Cold Scorpio
• The Shockmaster def. King Kong
• TV Champ Steven Regal fought Ricky Steamboat to a draw
• Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne def. Tex Slazenger and Shanghai Pierce
• International World Champ Rick Rude def. The Boss
• Steve Austin def. Dustin Rhodes to win the US Title
• Sting and Road Warrior Hawk def. WCW World Tag Team Champions The Nasty Boys by DQ.
• Ric Flair def. Vader to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Flair put his career on the line in the match.

1994: Triple Threat

December 27, 1994 in Nashville, TN (Nashville Municipal Auditorium)

• Vader def. Jim Duggan to win the US Title
• Alex Wright def. Jean Paul Levesque
• TV Champ Johnny B. Badd def. Arn Anderson
• The Nasty Boys def. Harlem Heat
• Mr. T def. Kevin Sullivan
• Sting def. Avalanche
• World Champ Hulk Hogan def. The Butcher

1995: World Cup of Wrestling

December 27, 1995 in Nashville, TN (Municipal Auditorium)

• Jushin Liger def. Chris Benoit
• Koji Kanemoto def. Alex Wright
• Lex Luger def. Masahiro Chono
• Johnny B. Badd def. Masa Saito
• Shinjiro Ohtani def. Eddie Guerrero
• Randy Savage def. Hiroyoshi Tenzan
• Sting def. Kensuke Sasaki
• Ric Flair def. Lex Luger and Sting
• Ric Flair def. Randy Savage to win the World Title
• Kensuke Sasaki def. One Man Gang

1996

WCW Starrcade 1996

WCW Starrcade 1996

December 29, 1996 in Nashville, TN (Municipal Auditorium)

• Ultimo Dragon def. Dean Malenko to win the Cruiserweight Title
• Akira Hokuto def. Madusa to win the Women's Title
• Jushin Liger def. Rey Mysterio Jr.
• Jeff Jarrett def. Chris Benoit
• Tag Team Champs Scott Hall and Kevin Nash def. Meng and The Barbarian
• Eddie Guerrero def. Diamond Dallas Page to win the US Title
• Lex Luger def. The Giant
• Roddy Piper def. WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hollywood Hogan in a non-title match

1997

December 28, 1997 in Washington, D.C. (MCI Center)

• Cruiserweight Champ Eddie Guerrero def. Dean Malenko
• Randy Savage, Scott Norton and Vincent def. Ray Traylor, Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner
• Bill Goldberg def. Steve McMichael
• Perry Saturn def. Chris Benoit
• Buff Bagwell def. Lex Luger
• Diamond Dallas Page def. Curt Hennig to win the US Title
• Larry Zbyszko def. Eric Bischoff
• Sting def. Hollywood Hogan to win the World Title

This is considered by some as the beginning of the end for WCW. Hogan was heavily criticised for not doing a clean finish which confused and irritated fans who had waited over a year to see Sting take down the nWo. The finish actually involved a recently-introduced Bret Hart coming down to the ring after Hogan "won" the match through a supposedly fast count by referee Nick Patrick, ostensibly to "make things right" and protect Sting from being "screwed," a la the Montreal Screwjob. Unfortunately, the "fast" three-count which Hogan used to win was quite obviously a normal-speed count, requiring the announcers to act as though it was fast, since that was the finish they had been told - though everyone viewing the show had just seen a clean pinfall. Rather than the triumphant victory that one would expect the most popular wrestler in the company to gain over the hated man he had been chasing for over a year, as Sting had Hogan, the finish was confused and chaotic, with the live audience visibly displeased at the entire spectacle. Hart "restarted" the match, and Sting quickly won the title, but given the circumstances, excitement was rather muted. It is rumored that Hogan paid Patrick a sum in cash backstage before the show in exchange for failing to execute the planned finish, with the intent of protecting Hogan's image. The entire debacle resulted in the title being held up for another Hogan-Sting pay-per-view match, which many WCW fans took as a slap in the face and a hapless attempt to draw additional money to see the result WCW had failed to deliver the first time around.

Though Starrcade 1997 drew the biggest pay-per-view buyrate in the company's history, afterwards WCW seemingly entered a creative stall, and while they were still profitable well through 1999, most of 1998 saw the competing World Wrestling Entertainment drawing television ratings, gate money, and buyrates that would ensure they returned to their position as the #1 "sports entertainment" company in the United States. Four months after this StarrCade, during a peak in Monday Night RAW viewership due to the intrigue surrounding Steve Austin, Mike Tyson, and Shawn Michaels, the WWF ended WCW's stranglehold on the Monday night ratings after 83 consecutive weeks of WCW victories.

1998

December 27, 1998 in Washington, D.C. (MCI Center)

• Cruiserweight Champ Billy Kidman def. Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Juventud Guerrera
• Cruiserweight Champ Billy Kidman def. Eddie Guerrero
• Norman Smiley def. Prince Iaukea
• Perry Saturn def. Ernest Miller
• Brian Adams and Scott Norton def. Fit Finlay and Jerry Flynn
• TV Champ Konnan def. Chris Jericho
• Eric Bischoff def. Ric Flair
• Diamond Dallas Page def. The Giant
• Kevin Nash def. Bill Goldberg to win the World Title

This PPV marked the end of Bill Goldberg's winning streak. As head booker at the time, Kevin Nash chose himself to win. Many people look at this as being the beginning of the end for WCW, as the WWF began to outmatch them in most every event up until WCW's demise in 2001.

1999

WCW Starrcade 1999

WCW Starrcade 1999

December 19, 1999 in Washington, D.C. (MCI Center)

• Big Vito and Johnny the Bull def. Disco Inferno and Lash LeRoux
• Madusa def. Evan Karagias to win the Cruiserweight Title
• WCW Hardcore Champ Norman Smiley def. Meng
• Shane Douglas, Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn and Asya def. Jim Duggan, Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda and Rick Steiner
• Vampiro def. Steve Williams
• Vampiro def. Oklahoma
• Creative Control and Curt Hennig def. Harlem Heat and Midnight
• Jeff Jarrett def. Dustin Rhodes
• Diamond Dallas Page def. David Flair
• Sting def. Lex Luger
• Kevin Nash def. Sid Vicious
• WCW US Champ Chris Benoit def. Jeff Jarrett
• World Champ Bret Hart def. Bill Goldberg

Note: The World Title match between Bret Hart and Bill Goldberg is infamous for the fact that Bret Hart suffered a career-ending injury towards the end of the match, resulting from a misplaced kick to the head from Goldberg. Although Bret wrestled for a few weeks after the injury, he was forced into retirement shortly after.

2000

WCW Starrcade 2000

WCW Starrcade 2000

December 17, 2000 in Washington, D.C. (MCI Center)

• 3 Count def. the Jung Dragons and Jamie Noble and Evan Karagias in a ladder match
• Lance Storm def. Ernest Miller
• Terry Funk def. Crowbar to win the WCW Hardcore Title
• KroniK def. Big Vito and Reno
• Mike Awesome def. Bam Bam Bigelow
• WCW US Champ General Rection def. Shane Douglas
• Jeff Jarrett, Ron Harris and Don Harris def. Konnan, Rey Mysterio Jr. and Billy Kidman
• Diamond Dallas Page and Kevin Nash def. Shawn Stasiak and Chuck Palumbo to win the Tag Team Title
• Bill Goldberg def. Lex Luger
• World Champ Scott Steiner def. Sid Vicious

See also

• National Wrestling Alliance
• World Championship Wrestling
• Jim Crockett Promotions
• List of WCW pay-per-view events