Talk about it here.

Jim Ross is saying "physically intense", so maybe it's not just a WWF thing. We get a clip of Sting vs Rude at the Omni on Thanksgiving night, which looks to be a great match. The last few minutes of the match are good. We can't see the entire match, and I liked that they milked the knee injury from the Clash for weeks instead of just making it a one-night injury that cost him the title, even though I think they could have taken that even farther. Paul E. distracts the referee when he locks Rude in the scorpion. Madusa runs in to attack Sting behind the referee's back, but it doesn't really work. Sting throws Rude to the floor from a press slam with Rude taking a hellacious bump, then follows with an awesome plancha to the floor. Rude and Co. work over Sting's knee with a chair - throwing out the match - until the babyfaces save. This feud is hot, and not a moment too soon -- Sting needed a hot feud pretty desperately at this point.

I wonder if they focused on knee a lot during match as thought Sting seemed fine from what was shown before finish. Sting press slams Rude over the top rope to the floor in front of the referee. That’ll earn him a disqualification. Plancha right after was a nice touch. After match, Rude then goes to work on Sting’s knee.

I do love how many variations Rude has of the "block the Rude Awakening" spot. Here Rude tries to counter the counter with a clothesline, but Sting ducks and hits the Rude Awakening himself. Great action here but Sting blatantly heaves Rude over the top rope and then conks him with Paul E.'s phone, which the USWA would have picked up on, or at least concocted an explanation post hoc, but here it's just ignored. Eventually Sting is overwhelmed by the combined forces of Rude, Paul E., and Madusa. Rude starts whaling away on Sting's knee with a chair until Big Josh (who else?) makes the save. Good tease of a hot full-length match between the two to come.

This looked really hot. I was alarmed at Sting's timing in this match. The press slam > plancha > grabbing Paul E's phone > catching Madusa > selling the leg was an intricate minute where he was in the exact right spot during all of this. Would have loved to have seen an extended clash match or even PPV match between these two.

I would really love to see the full version of this and the 45:00 TLD of Steamboat/Rhodes-Arn/Eaton that they show the last 4:00 of. Someday, someday, maybe. Agree that Sting looks great here.

This might be the most athletic that I've ever seen Sting. He clearly dominated Rude in what we saw, and had answers for both Medusa and Heyman besides. Unfortunately, his temper got the best of him as he fired Rude over the top right in front of the referee to earn a disqualification and save Rude's title.

 

As wild as this was, I think the following month's finish would have worked better. On Christmas night at The Omni, they had another rematch, which again went to Rude on a DQ when Sting refused to break the Scorpion. As wild as the finish we saw was, I think the other would have fit better for a serious blood feud, and it wouldn't have made Sting look like an idiot in the bargain.

 

Medusa looked like she was in for a spanking from the Stinger before Rude clipped him. She knew her way around the rung pretty well, having been a former AWA World ladies' champion, and they seem willing (at least so far) to use that to the DA's advantage.

 

Borne making the first save is a bit strange, since he wasn't involved in the Sting/DA feud, at least not as a main player. Steamer and Dustin should have been the first two out of the locker room.

 

Line of the segment: JR calling Heyman "The original Thanksgiving turkey".

 

I wish we had at least the finish of the rematch; as I said, it sounds even more intense than this one!

Really great action from the Omni. Sting looks like a world beater, taking on Rude's cronies as well. The post-match attack on the knee is well done and everyone comes out looking good. Was there some kind of guest booker for this feud?