1992 Year End Awards (Best Matches And Wrestlers)

Hello everyone and welcome to my final article on 1992. In this special piece, we will take a look back at the best wrestlers in both the WWF and WCW. Then we will mention the top five matches for each company, followed by a top five list for both companies overall. After that, we will see who were the wrestlers in both companies (followed by overall, much like with the matches) that got more points. This will be according to the point system I use on every show, which you can see here. We’ll finish by looking at the PPV buyrates and TV ratings.

Before starting, one last announcement regarding the point system: the wrestlers involved in the 5th best match of their particulary company get 1 point, those in the 4th best get 2 points, those in the 3rd best get 3 points, those in the 2nd best get 4 points, and those in the best match of the year will get 5 points. As for the overall list (both companies put together), the points will double – meaning the participants in the 5th best match will get 2 points, and so on.

Check out the 1991 piece.

TOP 5 WWF MATCHES

Note: The Royal Rumble match is not eligible for this list. I will always give the edge to regular wrestling matches, since it’s pretty hard (not impossible, but pretty hard) to see a Rumble match that isn’t fun. Thus, I don’t include it in order to open the door for other matches, and also to prevent you from seeing “Royal Rumble match” mentioned as most of the wrestlers’ best match of the entire year in the top wrestlers segment of this article.

5) Randy Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior – WWF Championship (SummerSlam)

We start off the 1992 list with Randy Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior from SummerSlam. This was their rematch from the retirement match at WrestleMania VII the previous year, winner of the 1991 match of the year award here on the blog. It was hard to top the ‘Mania 7 retirement bout, and while it did not, the two put on yet another exciting matchup at the Wembley Stadium extravaganza. Macho Man always managed to bring out the best in Ultimate Warrior, sharing great chemistry with each other. With Savage’s WWF Heavyweight Championship on the line, the two colorful megastars had a dramatic back-and-forth contest that had the fans in attendance, as well as those watching on TV all over the world, on the edge of their seats. The bout featured constant interference from Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect, who promised to be in cahoots with one of the participants, only for it to end via count-out, resulting in the eventual formation of the brief Ultimate Maniacs tag team. (Check out the full match review here)

• Rating: ****

4) Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels – WWF Championship (Survivor Series 1992)

The WWF Championship was defended on all four PPVs of 1992 (not counting UK Rampage). All those four matches were some of the very best of the year, including the annual 30-man Royal Rumble match won by Ric Flair. The final WWF pay-per-view of the year saw the two most technically-gifted up-and-comers in professional wrestling battle over the World Championship in a brilliant technical masterpiece. The match told an awesome story, with Shawn wearing Bret down due to Bret’s recent grueling schedule as the defending champion as the match went longer, whilst Bret had been able to outwrestle the arrogant challenger at first. The final few minutes in particular were very exciting, climaxing with Bret Hart forcing Michaels to submit to the Sharpshooter in his first World title defense on PPV. (Check out the full match review here)

• Rating: ****1/4

3) Roddy Piper vs. Bret Hart – WWF Intercontinental Championship (WrestleMania VIII)

WrestleMania VIII featured two all-time ‘Mania classics – one of those being this dramatic tussle between cousins for the prestigious Intercontinental Championship. Roddy Piper entered what would be his farewell match in the Hoosier Dome as the defending champion, whilst Bret was looking to snatch the biggest win of his career to that point in order to reclaim the gold at ‘Mania. Both professionals gave it their all during the time they got, keeping the crowd in the palm of their hands whilst delivering a highly-emotional encounter, filled with superb storytelling. The shot of Piper teasing to use the bell while the crowd beg him not to do it in the background is priceless, and proof of how great workers both these pros were. This stands as one of the greatest Intercontinental Title matches of all time in my opinion, and my personal favorite WWF Roddy Piper bout ever. Bret did indeed reclaim the title with a rare clean win over the Hot Rod, continuing his meteoric journey to the top of the Federation. As for Piper, he would not work a wrestling match in more than two years. (Check out the full match review here)

• Rating: ****1/2

2) Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage – WWF Championship (WrestleMania VIII)

Well, here’s the other classic from the eighth WrestleMania mentioned in the previous entry! Ric Flair arrived onto the WWF scene in late 1991, claiming to be the real World’s Champ. He followed that up by winning the vacant WWF Title in the annual Royal Rumble matchup, last eliminating Sid Justice. While the NWA/WCW alumnus was arriving, the Macho Man was just returning from his short-lived retirement. After winning a heated feud with Jake Roberts, Savage was challenged by the cocky champion, who claimed to have been with Miss Elizabeth in the past. This infuriated Randy, who walked into Indianapolis on a mission to dismantle the Nature Boy. His emotions allowed Flair to dominate most of the match, combined with timely interference from Mr. Perfect, as well as Savage’s injured leg. However, the cockiness of Ric Flair is what ultimately cost him, as he became more focused on showing off to Liz rather than putting Macho Man away. Not too long afterwards, the returning hero surprised Flair with a roll-up that gave him his second WWF Heavyweight Championship. Despite the loss, the arrogant Naitch still had the last laugh, planting a kiss on Elizabeth that pushed Savage past his breaking point. This was a great matchup with some terrific selling by Savage, that also left the door open for future business between the pair. (Check out the full match review here)

Rating: ****1/2

1) Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog – WWF Intercontinental Championship (SummerSlam)

It’s incredible how relevant this match still is today, nearly 30 years later. It is also still a brilliant match to rewatch nowadays. The work is very smart throughout the entire bout, with Bret subtlety working a more heelish style (whilst still following all the legal rules) as the match progressed. It was technically awesome as well, an intense struggle between two proud men who knew each other very well. It was Hart’s wrestling ability versus the British Bulldog’s insane feats of strength. In the end, Bret tried to wrestle Davey Boy down into a sunset flip, only to get caught and pinned to the mat by the powerful Englishman. He picked up the victory much to the delight of the 80.000 patrons packing the England national football team’s stadium that evening. This will remain a classic no matter how many decades or generation pass, and a perfect showcase of professional wrestling. (Check out the full match review here)

• Rating: *****

TOP 5 WCW MATCHES

5) Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Flyin’ Brian Pillman – WCW Light Heavyweight Championship (SuperBrawl II)

On Christmas night in 1991, the exciting Light Heavyweight Champion ‘Flyin Brian lost the belt to the international sensation at a house show. Their rematch was booked for WCW SuperBrawl in February. Pillman’s strategy was to keep Jushin grounded, preventing him from getting an edge through the use of his classic aerial moves. That is exactly what happened in the first couple of minutes, until the pace got quicker near the end. Both men gave it all they had in the opener of the very first WCW PPV of the year, going back-and-forth in an exchange of athletic moves. Eventually, it was through mat-wrestling that Pillman recaptured the short-lived strap. Liger climbed up to the top rope, only to miss a huge splash. Pillman caught the Japanese superstar in a pinning predicament, making good on his promise and reclaiming the Light Heavyweight Title after an amazing matchup. (Check out the full match review here)

• Rating: ****1/4

4) Sting vs. Big Van Vader – WCW World Heavyweight Championship (The Great American Bash)

After some one-off appearances throughout the last couple of years, Big Van Vader was finally a full-time WCW wrestler by early 1992. He made an impact in short order by targeting the top dog around, WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting. A couple of months later, the two went at it for Sting’s title at The Great American Bash. This was a brilliant “David vs. Goliath” type of wrestling match, with Sting somehow being able to withstand the beating of his life at the hands of the unforgiving monster. Sting’s last adrenaline-driven comeback was amazing, picking up the big man on spaghetti legs for a huge Samoan drop. Ultimately, this is what took him out of the equation, though. Sting knocked himself out cold on the turnbuckle on a missed Stinger Splash, allowing Vader to put him out with a massive Powerbomb to claim the WCW title. (Check out the full match review here)

• Rating: ****1/4

3) Sting vs. Big Van Vader – King of Cable Tournament Final (Starrcade)

Their rematch happened in December’s Starrcade, as part of the final of the King of Cable tournament, held to celebrate 20 years of pro wrestling on TBS. And while the final of a rather forgettable one-off tournament doesn’t sound half as exciting on paper as a World Championship match, I personally enjoyed the Starrcade bout slightly more. They followed up on the title bout at The Bash very well, delivering an intense physical battle with Sting getting another epic beating courtesy of the giant from the Rocky Mountains. This time around, though, Sting outsmarted the big man by asking for more punishment. Vader obliged and got even more vicious in his shots, only to eventually run out of gas in a brilliant touch. Not long afterwards, the exhausted monster climbed up to the top rope but got caught with a powerslam in mid-air, allowing Sting to quickly pin him after 17 minutes of brutality. (Check out the full match review here)

• Rating: ****1/2

2) Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat – 30 Minute Iron Man Match (Beach Blast)

Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat had chased the United States title throughout the first half of 1992. Although Steamboat’s title shot at SuperBrawl did not result in victory, thanks to Paul E. Dangerously dressing up as a ninja and attacking the Dragon, the feud continued after the Dangerous Alliance’s leader broke Steamboat’s nose with his telephone. The two met in the blow-off in this Iron Man match. Rude might have survived with his US title intact, but the feud was now more personal than ever. This matchup is a masterclass in psychology for aspiring wrestlers, with Rude constantly attacking Steamboat’s previously broken nose whilst the Dragon targeted the ribs and midsection of the United States Champion. The selling by both workers was just as perfect. Steamboat got his revenge in the end with a 4-3 win, which was the cherry on top. It’s a shame that Bill Watts’ short-lived dumb rules (like jumping off the top rope being a DQ) resulted in a couple of lame spots and falls, but apart from that this was nothing short of brilliant. (Check out the full match review here)

• Rating: ****3/4

1) WarGames (WrestleWar)

Regarded by many as the best WarGames match of all time, this brutal bout saw multiple rivalries come into play, creating over 20 minutes of quality drama and storytelling. Sting’s Squadron consisted of the returning newly-turned babyface Nikita Koloff, Ricky Steamboat with a broken nose, Dustin Rhodes, TV Champion Barry Windham and, of course, the WCW World Champion and team captain, Sting. The Dangerous Alliance was composed by Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbyszko, ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin and the team leader, Rick Rude. Steamboat was in a heated feud with Rude, as previously addressed, and was looking for payback. Nikita had been last seen in a feud with Sting in mid-1991, and his recent change of attitude was questionable. Furthermore, Sting was coming into this bout with broken ribs courtesy of an attack by the number one contender to his World Title, Big Van Vader. To make matters even worse for the faces, the Alliance had both Paul E and Madusa at ringside. However, the Alliance was recently facing issues too: Larry Zbyszko was in the midst of a losing streak, and they lost the TV title (Austin to Windham) and the tag titles (Arn & Eaton to the Steiners) within the last few weeks on television. Long story short, there was enough action and drama going on to carry this to the next level. The biggest pop of the match came when Nikita sacrificed himself to save Sting from a double-team attack by Anderson and Austin, taking the beating himself. Sting finally understood Nikita was being honest and the two embraced in the ring, proceeding to clean house together to a thunderous ovation! Zbyszko’s bad luck cost his side the victory, as he grabbed the steel hook from a broken turnbuckle and took a swing at Sting, but errantly hit Eaton in the shoulder instead. Sting followed that up by smartly locking in an armbar on the injured ‘Beautiful’ Bobby, who gave it up to end this awesome fight. The Alliance blamed Zbyszko for this loss, kicking him out of the group shortly afterwards. (Check out the full match review here)

• Rating: *****

TOP 5 MATCHES OVERALL

5) Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage – WWF Championship (WWF WrestleMania VIII)

4) Sting vs. Big Van Vader – King of Cable Tournament Final (WCW Starrcade)

3) Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat – 30 Minute Iron Man Match (WCW Beach Blast)

2) WarGames (WCW WrestleWar)

1) Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog – WWF Intercontinental Championship (WWF SummerSlam)

TOP 10 WWF WRESTLERS OF THE YEAR

Note: the following part is based on my point system used throughout each and every show of the year

10) Sid Justice

• 12.75 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

Sid’s first stint in McMahonland as Sid Justice was rather short, however it was still á quite impactful one. First debuting as a babyface to referee the “match made in hell” at SummerSlam 1991, Sid turned heel and joined forces with Harvey Wippleman in the beginning of the year. Sid Justice was the final man eliminated by Ric Flair in the Royal Rumble match for the vacant WWF Championship, eliminating the odds-on favorite Hulk Hogan in the process. A short partnership between the two was used to set up Sid’s inevitable heel turn, and the pair went on to main event WrestleMania VIII. The master and ruler of the world followed that up with a short program with the returning Ultimate Warrior, but allegedly left when he found out Warrior wanted to constantly kickout of Sid’s Powerbomb around the house show loop. Right before his departure, Sid had an interesting encounter with The Undertaker at UK Rampage, which would turn out to be the main event of WrestleMania 13 a few years later when Sid returned.

• Sid’s best WWF match in 1992: W/ Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair & The Undertaker (Saturday Night’s Main Event #30 February 8^th)

9) Rick Martel

• 12.95 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

‘The Model’ finished up with the WWF after the previous year’s WrestleMania due to the death of his sister. He made his return to the WWF in time for the Royal Rumble. While Rick Martel was not involved in any major program throughout the year, he was apart of some good one-off matches in 1992. While he did feud with newcomer Tatanka for most of the calendar year, with them wrestling at both WrestleMania and Survivor Series, the feud did not provide any notable bouts or moments. The most memorable part of Martel’s 1992 was arguably the unique “no hitting in the face” encounter with fellow bad guy Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam, which was highly entertaining.

• Martel’s best WWF match in 1992: Vs. Bret Hart (UK Rampage)

8) The Undertaker

• 13.05 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

1992 was yet another important year that helped establish The Undertaker in the WWF. It was the first time that the persona was presented as a babyface, coming off a main event program with Hulk Hogan that saw ‘The Deadman’ briefly hold the WWF Championship. When ‘Taker first turned face, it set up a rivalry with veteran Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts. Jake became the second victim of the Streak at ‘Mania 8 in what would turn out to be his final match in the company. A long feud with Kamala followed, culminating in a coffin’ match at Survivor Series. While the feud wasn’t exactly out of this world, it at least kept the freshly-turned Undertaker gimmick involved in a featured program.

• Undertaker’s best WWF match in 1992: W/ Ric Flair vs. Hulk Hogan & Sid Justice (Saturday Night’s Main Event #30 February 8^th)

7) Irwin R. Schyster

• 15.95 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

This is the fourth wrestler we have addressed so far, and it’s also the fourth new entry into the WWF list. This shows how much of a transitional year 1992 was for the World Wrestling Federation. After years of multiple gimmick changes, and wondering if his name ended with an O or an A, Mike Rotunda finally nailed it as Irwin R. Schyster – IRS. The gimmick was so simple, which is what made it effective. Mike played it well, and he shared huge chemistry with Ted DiBiase and Jimmy Hart as part of Money Inc. Alongside the ‘Million Dollar Man’, IRS dominated the WWF’s tag team division in 92, winning the company’s Tag Team Championship twice that year.

• IRS’ best match in 1992: Vs. The British Bulldog (UK Rampage)

6) Roddy Piper

• 16.9 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

Much like Sid Justice, the Rowdy one was only apart of WWF programming until the spring, finishing up after WrestleMania. However, while his run that year was short, there’s no questioning the impact that Roddy Piper had on WWF in 1992. His Intercontinental Title win over The Mountie at the Royal Rumble was brilliant, ranking amongst one of the all-time greatest title changes in WWF/E history. Later on that very same night, Piper entered the Rumble for the vacant WWF World title at #15 and lasted over half an hour, nearly winning yet another belt. Eventually, Piper entered a program with the former Intercontinental Champion, Bret Hart. Of course, this culminated with their terrific matchup at WrestleMania VIII, which saw The Hitman reclaim his championship in Piper’s final appearance of that year, outside of a very brief cameo at SummerSlam.

• Piper’s best WWF match in 1992: Vs. Bret Hart (WrestleMania VIII)

5) Shawn Michaels

• 29 points
• Position in 1991: 9^th (+4)

Kicking off WWF’s top five list is a man who truly elevated his game throughout 1992, Shawn Michaels. He started the year still as a member of The Rockers, throwing Marty Jannetty into the barber shop window in January to kickstart his singles run as The Heartbreak Kid. Shortly after gaining Sensational Sherri as his new manager, Michaels got his first huge win as a singles wrestler at WrestleMania, over the legendary Tito Santana. After a rare dream match with ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage for the WWF Championship at UK Rampage, and an equally rare and quite entertaining heel-versus-heel “no hitting in the face” match with Rick Martel at SummerSlam, Michaels secured his first title by beating The British Bulldog on the last episode of WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event. Arguably, the final two months of the year were Michaels’ best – starting a hot feud with the returning Jannetty, and working a tremendous World Championship bout with Bret Hart in the main event of Survivor Series.

• Michaels’ best WWF match in 1992: Vs. Bret Hart (Survivor Series)

4) Ric Flair

• 31 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

The Nature Boy is synonymous with NWA/WCW, being arguably its most legendary champions of all time. Throughout the 1980s, Naitch was to Jim Crockett Promotions what Hulk Hogan was to the WWF. When Flair joined McMahonland in 1991, it was shocking to say the least. Whilst Flair’s run was extremely brief, lasting around a year and a half, Flair did all he could to make it good and memorable. There is no doubt he accomplished it. First debuting as the real World’s Champion carrying the Big Gold Belt, Flair entered WWF history in short order by winning the vacant WWF World Title in the Royal Rumble match, quite possibly the best ever. From there, Flair feuded mostly with Randy Savage, culminating with their incredible WrestleMania match. He was heavily involved in the Warrior/Savage title bout at SummerSlam, which set up the main event of Survivor Series, with Flair’s assistant Mr. Perfect replacing the departing Warrior. Furthermore, Flair briefly won the World title for a second time, dropping it to Bret Hart in Canada in an amazing match. So yes, it might’ve been short, but Ric Flair’s WWF run was pretty darn awesome.

• Flair’s best WWF match in 1992: Vs. Randy Savage (WrestleMania VIII)

3) The British Bulldog

• 37.55 points
• Position in 1991: 6^th (+3)

When one thinks of The British Bulldog’s 1992, one instantly thinks of the historic Intercontinental Title match with Bret Hart at SummerSlam. However, there was more into Dave Boy Smith’s year that helped him secure the third place on our list. Bulldog had a spectacular run in the Royal Rumble match, entering at number one and lasting over 23 minutes, being one of its highlights. The match in which he dropped the Intercontinental Championship, to Shawn Michaels at Saturday Night’s Main Event, was also a really good one. He also main evented UK Rampage, winning a fun house show-esque bout over IRS. The fact that he participated in the best match of the year helped boost his rating as well.

• Bulldog’s best WWF match in 1992: Vs. Bret Hart (SummerSlam)

2) Randy Savage

• 44.2 points
• Position in 1991: 5^th (+3)

The Macho Man had a career resurrection in 1992 after his in-ring return in December 1991, having his last great year in his historic run with the World Wrestling Federation. At the beginning of the year, Savage was still involved in his storyline with Jake Roberts, which is a really underrated program. Savage put ‘The Snake’ away for good at Saturday Night’s Main Event #30 in February, before moving on to another deeply personal rivalry, this time with WWF Champion Ric Flair. Macho won the World title for the second time in a true WrestleMania classic, continuing the feud with Flair all the way until Survivor Series. Savage’s second reign featured some amazing title defenses, in particular the rematch with Ultimate Warrior at SummerSlam, but also the UK Rampage bout with Shawn Michaels, and the rematch with Flair on Prime Time Wrestling where Naitch won it back. Randy Savage was one of the highlights of the year.

• Savage’s best WWF match in 1992: Vs. Ric Flair (WrestleMania VIII)

1) Bret Hart

• 48.5 points
• Position in 1991: 1^st (same)

For the second year in a row, Bret Hart secures the top spot in the WWF list. ‘The Hitman’ kicked off the year as the reigning Intercontinental Champion and ended it as the reigning WWF Champion, a clear sign of progress throughout the year. The Canadian had great moments in both divisions in 1992. While working in the IC division, Hart was involved in amazing storylines with Roddy Piper and The British Bulldog, which resulted in a pair of all-timers at WrestleMania and SummerSlam, respectively. Once he moved on to the World title scene, he killed it in some fantastic matches with Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels, and him wanting to set a record schedule as defending champion made the reign stand out from all the previous ones. I will finish with the exact same line from the 1991 piece: Let’s see if he can keep this spot in 1993!

• Bret’s best WWF match in 1992: Vs. The British Bulldog (SummerSlam)

TOP 10 WCW WRESTLERS OF THE YEAR

10) Steve Austin

• 34 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

This is the first appearance on the list for someone who would be wrestling’s biggest star across the next decade. In Steve Austin’s first full-year in WCW, putting on consistenly good matches as a part of the Dangerous Alliance. Austin held the Television Championship for a really long time, showcasing the belt in some fun matches with the likes of Barry Windham, before dropping it to Ricky Steamboat at September’s Clash of the Champions in another good one. By the end of 92, with the Dangerous Alliance splitting, Austin moved on to the tag team division, where he’d shine in 1993 alongside Brian Pillman.

• Austin’s best WCW match in 1992: WarGames (WrestleWar)

9) Arn Anderson

• 34.5 points
• Position in 1991: 3^rd (-6)

Arn Anderson was coming off a great 1991, in which he held the Television Championship and the Tag Team Championship alongside Larry Zbyszko. He also participated in some awesome matches, especially at SuperBrawl against Bobby Eaton, or the tag title match with Larry against Ricky Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes at a Clash. In 92, the 34-year-old Anderson did hold the tag straps with Eaton as a member of the Dangerous Alliance, and later joined the ‘tag team of the 90s’ alongside Eaton and Michael Hayes, but he wasn’t prominently featured as much. His work was good as always since he was a tremendous worker, but seeing Arn Anderson being used to submit to Erik Watts (on weekly television, no less) is total bullsh-t. Anyways, it’s great to still see him on the list.

• Anderson’s best WCW match in 1992: WarGames (WrestleWar)

8) Brian Pillman

• 35.75 points
• Position in 1991: 9^th (+1)

For the last couple of years, Brian Pillman had already established himself as a great wrestler who could have a good match with just about anyone. However, 1992 was Pillman’s breakthrough year. The exciting young man held the short-lived Light Heavyweight title in the first half of the year, having constantly good matches with the likes of ‘Z-Man’ Tom Zenk, Scotty Flamingo, Brad Armstrong and Jushin Liger in particular. The second half of the year saw Pillman destroy the injured Brad Armstrong, which cost Pillman his rematch at the Light Heavyweight title. From there, Brian adopted a new ‘give zero f-cks’ heel attitude that helped carry him to the next level. His match with Ricky Steamboat at Halloween Havoc was really good, and the tag title match alongside Barry Windham and Steamboat and Shane Douglas at Starrcade was even better.

• Brian’s best WCW match in 1992: Vs. Jushin Thunder Liger (SuperBrawl II)

7) Big Van Vader

• 36.25 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

Vader had made numerous one-off appearances in WCW ever since Great American Bash 1990. But in the spring of 1992, he finally joined the promotion on a full-time basis, managed by one of the greatest World Champions of all time in Harley Race. Vader absolutely killed it in his feud with Sting, having awesome matches with the Stinger at both Great American Bash and Starrcade, even winning his first World Championship. Another notable moment from Vader’s year was at Halloween Havoc, where the monster replaced Rick Rude in his United States title defense against Nikita Koloff. Vader not only successfully retained Rude’s title, but retired the Lithuanian in the process. Just before the end of the year, Big Van Vader recaptured the WCW Championship from Ron Simmons and closed 1992 as the reigning champ. I have no doubt Vader would’ve been even higher on the list had he been a regular presence in the first half of the year as well.

• Vader’s best WCW match in 1992: Vs. Sting (Starrcade)

6) Nikita Koloff

• 38 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

Nikita Koloff made his return to WCW for the first time in over a year, suspiciously saving his arch nemesis Sting from a beatdown by the Dangerous Alliance. Heading into WarGames in May, many fans awaited the predictable outcome of Nikita dropping the Stinger on his ass to resume their program. Nikita was the final man to enter WarGames in a smart booking decision, milking the story until the end. However, Nikita did side with Sting & co., embarking on a face run against the Dangerous Alliance throughout the summer, namely against the Alliance’s top dog in Rick Rude over the US title. Nikita’s hatred towards Rude created a short alliance with Ricky Steamboat, who disliked the Ravishing one just as much. They entered the tournament to crown the NWA Tag Team Champions in June, pulling double-duty at The Great American Bash as they reached the semi-finals. Nikita’s feud with Rude led to a series of matches with Vader, including at Halloween Havoc. Before the end of the year, Nikita Koloff would leave WCW and professional wrestling altogether after a good final run.

• Nikita’s best WCW match in 1992: WarGames (WrestleWar)

5) Rick Rude

• 55.5 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude held the United States Championship for the entirety of 1992. First winning it over Sting at Clash of the Champions way back in November 1991, Rude had the gold for over a year. In mid-December 92, Rude was forced to vacate the title due to an injury, also missing a scheduled WCW World title match against Ron Simmons at Starrcade as a result of the diagnosis. Rick Rude had a spectacular 1992, filled with countless memorable moments and great matches. His best were arguably the battles with Ricky Steamboat, but he also had other great ones, such as his King of Cable semi-final against Sting, and several tag matches alongside different members of the Dangerous Alliance. Rick Rude established himself as one of the all-time greatest United States Champions in history during this year.

• Rude’s best WCW match in 1992: WarGames (WrestleWar)

4) Dustin Rhodes

• 61.25 points
• Position in 1991: 4^th (+1)

The young son of ‘The American Dream’ improved massively compared to his work the previous year, especially in the first half of 1991. His runs tagging with Ricky Steamboat and later Barry Windham played a huge part in developing Dustin Rhodes’ skills early on. Dustin spent nearly the entire year working in the tag team division, opposing the Dangerous Alliance in the first half of the year, and chasing gold in the latter part of 1992. Alongside the veteran Windham, Rhodes reached the final of the NWA tag title tournament, pulling triple-duty at The Great American Bash and main eventing the show. They ultimately succumbed to the Miracle Violence Connection, but they did beat Williams and Gordy in a rematch for the now-unified WCW & NWA tag straps. Dustin was betrayed by his partner in a great match and angle at November’s Clash, resulting in them losing the titles to Shane Douglas and Ricky Steamboat, Rhodes’ former partner. As a singles wrestler, Rhodes reached the semi-finals of the King of Cable tournament in the fall, only losing to the monstrous Big Van Vader. The future seemed bright for young Dustin at the end of 1992, and he surely would enjoy a very successful wrestling career that is still going on today!

• Rhodes’ best WCW match in 1992: WarGames (WrestleWar)

3) Barry Windham

• 63.75 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

Much like any other babyface in WCW’s upper-midcard/main event echelon in early 1992, Barry Windham found himself at odds with the Dangerous Alliance. Windham was looking for revenge from Halloween Havoc 1991, in which the Enforcers (Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko) broke Windham’s hand in the parking lot before the show. Windham was involved in Sting’s winning team at WarGames in May, and also briefly held the WCW TV Championship after ending ‘Stunning’ Steve Austin’s 329-day reign. That run was short as Windham would drop the gold back to Austin a month later, but he soon enjoyed tag team success alongside Dustin Rhodes. However, as mentioned in the previous entry, Windham embarked on a great heel run in November setting his sights on his first World title.

• Windham’s best WCW match in 1992: WarGames (WrestleWar)

2) Sting

• 70.25 points
• Position in 1991: 2^nd (same)

After a 1990 marked by a horribly-timed injury and a disappointing first World title run, and a so-so 1991 that had its moments, Sting finally had his first amazing year as an established main-eventer in 1992. Sting won battlebowl at Starrcade 1991 by last eliminating then-champion Lex Luger, securing a World title shot against him at SuperBrawl II. Sting won that match and the title that night, before moving on to feuds with the Dangerous Alliance and Big Van Vader. That turned out to be a huge positive, as it resulted in some of Sting’s best matches of his career. Throw in the falls count anywhere encounter with Cactus Jack at Beach Blast, and you’ve got yourself one heck of a year.

• Sting’s best WCW match in 1992: WarGames (WrestleWar)

1) Ricky Steamboat

• 74.75 points
• Position in 1991: none (new entry)

Let me start by admitting that even I was surprised at Steamboat getting the most points out of everyone in both companies, and becoming the wrestler of the year. However, looking back at Ricky Steamboat’s 1992, it’s nothing short of amazing. He was involved in one of the feuds of the year with Rick Rude, which gave us three terrific PPV matches (including WarGames). Outside of that, Steamboat reached the semi-finals of the NWA tag team tournament at The Great American Bash alongside Nikita Koloff, featuring an underrated quarter-final tournament matchup against Brian Pillman & Jushin Liger. In the latter part of 1992, Steamboat ended Steve Austin’s lengthy run as Television Champion in another great matchup. Finally, he won the Unified World Tag Team Championship with Shane Douglas, closing the year with bangers against Windham & Rhodes at Clash and later Windham & Pillman at Starrcade for the titles. For Ricky Steamboat, the wrestler of the year according to our point system, consistency was the key in 1992.

• Steamboat’s best WCW match in 1992: WarGames (WrestleWar)

TOP 10 WRESTLERS OF THE YEAR OVERALL

10) Big Van Vader (WCW)

• 36.25 points
• Best match in 1992: Vs. Sting (WCW Starrcade)
• Position in 1991 overall: none (new entry)

9) The British Bulldog (WWF)

• 37.55 points
• Best match in 1992: Vs. Bret Hart (WWF SummerSlam)
• Position in 1991 overall: none (new entry)

8) Nikita Koloff (WCW)

• 38 points
• Best match in 1992: WarGames (WCW WrestleWar)
• Position in 1991 overall: none (new entry)

7) Randy Savage (WWF)

• 44.2 points
• Best match in 1992: Vs. Ric Flair (WWF WrestleMania VIII)
• Position in 1991 overall: none (new entry)

6) Bret Hart (WWF)

• 48.5 points
• Best match in 1992: Vs. The British Bulldog (WWF SummerSlam)
• Position in 1991 overall: 7^th (+1)

5) Rick Rude (WCW)

• 55.5 points
• Best match in 1992: WarGames (WCW WrestleWar)
• Position in 1991 overall: none (new entry)

4) Dustin Rhodes (WCW)

• 61.25 points
• Best match in 1992: WarGames (WCW WrestleWar)
• Position in 1991 overall: none (new entry)

3) Barry Windham (WCW)

• 63.75 points
• Best match in 1992: WarGames (WCW WrestleWar)
• Position in 1991 overall: none (new entry)

2) Sting (WCW)

• 70.25 points
• Best match in 1992: WarGames (WCW WrestleWar)
• Position in 1991 overall: 2^nd (same)

1) Ricky Steamboat (WCW)

• 74.75 points
• Best match in 1992: WarGames (WCW WrestleWar)
• Position in 1991 overall: none (new entry)

PPV BUYS & TV RATINGS

WWF

Pay Per Views

Royal Rumble – Jan. 19^th: 260.000 PPV buys (main attraction: Royal Rumble match for the vacant WWF Championship)

WrestleMania VIII – April 5^th: 390.000 PPV buys (main attractions: Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice; Hulk Hogan’s last match?; Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage for the WWF Championship; Roddy Piper vs. Bret Hart for the WWF Intercontinental Championship)

SummerSlam – Aug. 29^th: 280.000 PPV buys (main attractions: Randy Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior for the WWF Championship; Whose side are Flair and Perfect on?; Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog for the Intercontinental Championship)

Survivor Series – Nov. 25^th: 250.000 PPV buys (main attractions: Randy Savage & Mr. Perfect vs. Ric Flair & Razor Ramon; Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship)

TV specials

Saturday Night’s Main Event – Feb. 8^th: 8.2 TV rating (main attractions: Hulk Hogan & Sid Justice vs. Ric Flair & The Undertaker; Randy Savage vs. Jake Roberts)

Saturday Night’s Main Event – Nov. 14^th: 6.1 TV rating (main attractions: Money Inc vs. The Ultimate Maniacs for the WWF World Tag Team Championship; Bret Hart vs. Papa Shango for the WWF Championship)

WCW

Pay Per Views

SuperBrawl II – Feb. 29^th: 160.000 PPV buys (main attractions: Lex Luger vs. Sting for the WCW Championship; Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat for the United States Championship)

WrestleWar – May 17^th: 105.000 PPV buys (main attraction: The Dangerous Alliance vs. Sting’s Squadron – WarGames)

Beach Blast – June 20^th: 70.000 PPV buys (main attractions: Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat in an Iron Man Match; Sting vs. Cactus Jack in a Falls Count Anywhere Match)

The Great American Bash – July 12^th: 70.000 PPV buys (main attractions: Big Van Vader vs. Sting for the WCW Championship; NWA World Tag Team Championship tournament)

Halloween Havoc – Oct. 25^th: 165.000 PPV buys (main attractions: Sting vs. Jake Roberts; ‘spin the wheel make the deal’ stipulation reveal for Sting vs. Roberts; Ron Simmons vs. The Barbarian for the WCW Championship)

Starrcade – Dec. 28^th: 95.000 PPV buys (main attractions: Battlebowl; Sting vs. Big Van Vader in the King of Cable tournament final; Ron Simmons vs. Rick Rude for the WCW Championship)

TV specials

Clash of the Champions XVIII – Jan. 21^st: 3.7 TV rating (main attractions: Sting & Ricky Steamboat vs. Dangerous Alliance’s Rick Rude & Steve Austin; The Steiners vs. Big Van Vader & Mr. Hughes; Big Van Vader returns to WCW)

Clash of the Champions XIX – June 22^nd: 2.8 TV rating (main attractions: first round matches of the NWA World Tag Team Championship tournament)

Clash of the Champions XX – Sept. 2^nd: 3.7 TV rating (main attractions: Sting, The Steiners & Nikita vs. Roberts, Vader, Rude & Super Invader; Ron Simmons vs. Cactus Jack for the WCW Championship; Steve Austin vs. Ricky Steamboat for the Television Championship; special celebration of 20 years of wrestling on TBS)

Clash of the Champions XXI – Nov. 18^th: 3.2 TV rating (main attractions: Sting vs. Rick Rude in a King of Cable tournament semi-final match; Madusa vs. Paul E Dangerously; Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes vs. Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas for the WCW/NWA Unified World Tag Team Championship)

Here are the files with the point system for both companies.

That’s it. We’re officially closing the book on 1992 here on the site and moving on to 1993. It will be another year with a lot of changes, beginning in January immediately with the debut of RAW. Make sure you keep following the blog as we take a closer look at yet another year. Until next time!