03/07/1993 WCW Main Event 

WCW World Title Match: Vader (C) def. Cactus Jack in 12:00

The crowd was super hot and repeatedly chanting for Cactus, who had only been a babyface for about a month when this match was taped. This was a little clunky in the beginning, but once it broke down into a match with a mix of brawling outside and working in the ring, it got better. It seemed like Cactus tried to work this more like a little man because of the size difference, which seemed unfamiliar for him at times, but they still worked their asses off. Vader won when Cactus was bringing Harley Race into the ring, and Vader snuck in a splash on Foley. This was a fun way to wet the old whistle as a beginning to this feud. ***1/4

04/17/1993 WCW Saturday. Night 

WCW World Title Match: Cactus Jack def. Vader (C) by CO in 10:42

This was much more fucking brutal, specifically telling the story of Vader beating the shit out of Cactus, with him surviving and pulling off the upset countout win. Vader’s strikes were purposely stiff, and Cactus took them like a champ. They did a little more brawling on the floor in this one, but this was an excellent beginning to their story. Cactus sneaking the win was fantastic. ****

04/24//1993 WCW Saturday Night. Night 

WCW World Title Match: Vader (C) def. Cactus Jack by CO in 10:42

Everything was executed beautifully by the time we got to the third match. Jack’s shit made perfect storyline sense because after getting pelted hard in the last match, Cactus threw some bombs himself, and it was another way of selling Vader from the first match. They brawled all the way behind the curtain kn Center Stage, and even Harley Race ate a Cactus elbow off the apron. Jesus. You know the drill – all of this built until Vader almost murdered Cactus with a powerbomb on the floor. All of this was fucking wild.  ****

05/29/1993 WCW Worldwide

WCW World Title Match: Vader (C) def. Ricky Steamboat by CO in 11:53

Steamboat worked this as the great underdog selling babyface you’d expect, and Vader still mauled the Dragon, but with far more respect than most of his opponents. The dynamic was great here. Harley Race took a bump over the top and may rival Memphis Jimmy Hart for sheer volume in this era. They fought to the floor, and Vader finished Stramboat with a splash on the concrete, getting the countout win. I didn’t mind the finish. Vader beat the guy up enough and got back in, not snuck in like a coward. ***

07/10/1993 WCW Worldwide

British Bulldog def. Vader by DQ in 8:34

I questioned whether to include a non-title match, but this is more about his run as champion. Weirdly, this was on free TV a week before the Beach Blast PPV, with these guys on opposite sides of the exploding boat tag match. This match felt condensed, but still good. Vader always ends up brawling on the floor, and Harley has a one-bump minimum. Sid ran in for kind of a lazy DQ, but this was a good TV main event. **3/4

Closing Thoughts

We still have matches with Bulldog, Sting, and Steamboat to watch, but this was an excellent start to Vader’s run as WCW champion. He had five TV matches here that ranked between good and great, and told a beautiful story with Cactus on Saturday Night. It’s too bad he never gets put in a similar position anywhere again.