6. Chi-Town Rumble
1989 is considered by many to be the NWA’s best year from an in-ring standpoint, and Chi-Town Rumble set the tone.
A rock-solid undercard was highlighted by a Midnight Express vs. Original Midnight Express rematch from Starrcade, a Rick Steiner-Mike Rotunda TV Title match, and a much-anticipated Lex Luger-Barry Windham US Title showdown. But of course the centerpiece was the Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat World Title classic, where after 23 near-perfect minutes of wrestling, Steamboat dethroned the NWA’s franchise player for his first and only World Championship. Thus began their legendary 1989 trilogy of matches, all of which were instant Match of the Year nominees. Chi-Town Rumble initiated a banner NWA year, where four of their five PPVs were good-to-great, while the fifth (WrestleWar) contained arguably the best match of 1989.
5. Starrcade ’88
The first PPV broadcast during the Ted Turner era, Starrcade ’88 stripped away the multiple gimmick matches so prevalent in Jim Crockett’s NWA and presented a loaded wrestling show that took the company back to basics. Every major title was on the line and multiple top feuds were represented here. Lex Luger was in the middle of a huge babyface run as he challenged former mentor Ric Flair for the World Title in a 31-minute war, Sting and Dusty Rhodes teamed up to get revenge on former allies the Road Warriors, and US Champion Barry Windham faced NWA newcomer Bam Bam Bigelow.
Also once-Varsity Club teammates Mike Rotunda and Rick Steiner faced off for the TV Title, and Jim Cornette’s Midnight Express faced Paul E. Dangerously’s Original Midnight Express in a spectacular tag team battle.
Top-to-bottom, Starrcade ’88 was a streamlined, well-rounded PPV that kicked off the Turner era with a bang. Also the original theme song for this show, entitled “Knockout,” was BOSS. Not owning the rights to the song, WWE of course changed the music for the Network.
