Chairshot Top 5: NWA/WCW Clash Of The Champions Matches

The Chairshot takes a walk down history lane with a review of the Top 5 Matches in the legacy of the NWA/WCW Clash Of The Champions!

Two signature WWE PLE events, the “Clash In…” series and “Night of Champions,” can trace their roots back to the legendary NWA/WCW Clash Of The Champions events from the 80s and 90s. Let’s take a look at the best matches of the series in this latest Top 5!

5. The Midnight Express vs. The Fantastics (Clash of the Champions I, 1988)

By the time Clash of the Champions debuted in 1988, tag team wrestling was already a major strength of Jim Crockett Promotions, and this match showed exactly why. The Midnight Express and The Fantastics opened the inaugural Clash with a pace and intensity that immediately made the event feel important.

What made the match stand out was its structure. The Midnight Express worked as the perfect antagonists, constantly cutting corners and controlling momentum, while The Fantastics brought energy and athleticism that kept the crowd engaged from start to finish. Long before “workrate” became a buzzword, this match established a standard for televised tag team wrestling that still holds up today.

4. Rey Mysterio vs. Dean Malenko (Clash of the Champions XXXI, 1996)

Cruiserweight wrestling existed in the United States before this match, but few audiences had seen it presented at this level on a national stage. Rey Mysterio Jr. and Dean Malenko delivered a style that felt dramatically different from the heavyweight-focused wrestling most fans were used to seeing at the time.

The contrast between Mysterio’s speed and innovation and Malenko’s technical precision made the match feel fresh from the opening bell. More importantly, it helped establish the cruiserweight division as something meaningful within WCW rather than just an undercard attraction. Looking back, this was one of the clearest early signs that wrestling was evolving stylistically in real time.

3. Ricky Steamboat vs. “Stunning” Steve Austin (Clash of the Champions XXVIII, 1994)

Ricky Steamboat and Steve Austin produced a United States Championship match that balanced technical wrestling, athleticism, and storytelling at an incredibly high level. Austin was still years away from becoming “Stone Cold,” but performances like this made it obvious he was destined for something bigger.

The match also carries historical weight because it became Steamboat’s final bout before a lengthy retirement caused by injury. Even with that context, the match never feels slowed down or overly dramatic. Instead, it feels like two elite performers operating at their absolute peak, creating one of the strongest hidden gems in WCW history.

Honorable Mention: Ric Flair & Arn Anderson vs. The Hollywood Blondes (Clash of the Champions XXIII, 1993)

The Hollywood Blondes against Ric Flair and Arn Anderson felt like a collision between generations. The Blondes brought confidence, charisma, and athleticism, while Flair and Anderson countered with experience and chemistry that only seasoned veterans could provide. The result was one of the strongest tag team showcases of the era and another reminder of just how deep WCW’s roster was during the Clash years.

2. Ric Flair vs. Sting (Clash of the Champions I, 1988)

The first Clash of the Champions needed a main event that could make people take notice, and Ric Flair vs. Sting accomplished exactly that. Going to a 45-minute time-limit draw, the match immediately established Sting as a legitimate main event star while reinforcing Flair’s reputation as the standard-bearer of the NWA.

What makes this match so important historically is how effectively it elevated Sting without requiring Flair to lose the championship. Sting entered as an exciting young talent and left looking like someone capable of carrying the company. At a time when wrestling television was becoming increasingly competitive, this match helped prove that WCW and the NWA could deliver marquee-level wrestling on free TV.

1. (TIE) Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (Clash of the Champions VI, 1989)

When people talk about the greatest matches in wrestling history, Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat is always part of the conversation. Their two-out-of-three falls match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Clash of the Champions VI represented the peak of an already legendary rivalry.

The brilliance of the match comes from how layered it feels. Every fall builds naturally, every counter matters, and neither man wastes movement or momentum. It is technical without becoming cold, dramatic without becoming excessive, and athletic without sacrificing psychology. More than three decades later, it remains one of the clearest examples of professional wrestling executed at the highest possible level.

1. (TIE) Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk (Clash of the Champions IX, 1989)

By late 1989, Ric Flair and Terry Funk had transformed one of wrestling’s most intense rivalries into something deeply personal. Their “I Quit” Match at Clash of the Champions IX was violent, emotional, and completely different from the more traditional technical classics often associated with Flair.

What made the match stand out was its rawness. Funk brought chaos and unpredictability, while Flair fought from underneath in a way audiences rarely saw from him at the time. The result felt less like a polished championship match and more like two men trying to survive each other. In many ways, it helped pave the way for the more emotionally driven and hardcore-influenced rivalries that would become increasingly common throughout the 1990s.

Did your favorite make the list? Sound off in the comments!