5 Most Memorable Great American Bash Moments

It's been a whole 35 years since "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes created a name that soon cemented itself forever into the legacy of the promotion, The Great American Bash. It began in 1985 as the handle for a supercard held before 27,000 fans at a North Carolina baseball stadium. The Bash grew to take on different forms, including a touring circuit, singular pay-per-views, and later a pale resurrection on the part of WWE.

The Bashes through the years have been varied in quality. Some of the older ones, like 1989 and 1990, are an indelible part of the legacy of the event, while the 1996 card, at the onset of a black-and-white invasion, was an all-around excellent show. Then there are the clunkers, including the infamous 1991 event, and the final pair that WCW coughed out in 1999 and 2000. Point being, Bashes have ran the gamut.

But we're here today to talk about moments. As we prepare for the NXT rendition of the event, let's look back at the five most memorable Bash moments ever.

It's been a whole 35 years since "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes created a name that soon cemented itself forever into the legacy of the promotion, The Great American Bash. It began in 1985 as the handle for a supercard held before 27,000 fans at a North Carolina baseball stadium. The Bash grew to take on different forms, including a touring circuit, singular pay-per-views, and later a pale resurrection on the part of WWE.

The Bashes through the years have been varied in quality. Some of the older ones, like 1989 and 1990, are an indelible part of the legacy of the event, while the 1996 card, at the onset of a black-and-white invasion, was an all-around excellent show. Then there are the clunkers, including the infamous 1991 event, and the final pair that WCW coughed out in 1999 and 2000. Point being, Bashes have ran the gamut.

But we're here today to talk about moments. As we prepare for the NXT rendition of the event, let's look back at the five most memorable Bash moments ever.

5. Vader Conquers Sting (1992)

Sting was essentially WCW's answer to Hulk Hogan: an indomitable hero beloved by children, and could display an invincible streak in the clutch. As World Champion, Sting took on all comers, but came to meet his match in the monstrous Big Van Vader.

While not as one-sided as the Cena/Lesnar match from the 2014 SummerSlam, the spirit was there, as Vader systematically cut Sting down piece by piece, before polishing him off to capture the WCW title. Few could beat the face-painted hero so thoroughly, but Vader was an obvious exception.

4. "We Want Flair!" (1991)

Of the many blunders of WCW VP Jim Herd's three years running the ship, the most notorious was his firing of World champion Ric Flair in the midst of a pay dispute. The firing came two weeks before The Bash, which Flair was to headline, and he possessed the physical belt.

A cheaply-made knockoff of the belt was made for the Lex Luger-Barry Windham top contenders Cage Match, but irate fans had none of it. A night of bad action was made worse by impassioned choruses of "WE WANT FLAIR" at every turn, and rang out even louder for the title bout.

3. The Outsiders Attack Eric Bischoff (1996)

Shortly after each man jumped ship to WCW, founding the not-yet-named New World Order, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash crashed The Bash for a powwow with Bischoff. Both affirmed that they no longer worked for WWF (for legal reasons), and then got to the heart of the matter.

The interview centered around a challenge match for the following month's Bash at the Beach, but Bischoff refused to name the Outsiders' opponents then and there. Angry, Hall struck Bischoff, and passed him off to Nash, who sent the boss flying from the stage.

3. The Outsiders Attack Eric Bischoff (1996)

Shortly after each man jumped ship to WCW, founding the not-yet-named New World Order, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash crashed The Bash for a powwow with Bischoff. Both affirmed that they no longer worked for WWF (for legal reasons), and then got to the heart of the matter.

The interview centered around a challenge match for the following month's Bash at the Beach, but Bischoff refused to name the Outsiders' opponents then and there. Angry, Hall struck Bischoff, and passed him off to Nash, who sent the boss flying from the stage.

2. Sting Wins The Big One (1990)

Ric Flair had reigned for 14 months as NWA World Heavyweight champion, spending more than half that run as a valiant titleholder. When fellow babyface Sting challenged him, Flair and the Horsemen beat the top threat down, turning "Nature Boy" heel once more.

Coming off of a serious knee injury, Sting's long, winding chase culminated at The Bash. With a horde of babyfaces there to ward off any Horsemen chicanery, Sting overcame a flare-up of the injury late in the bout, cradling Flair to win his first-ever World title.

2. Sting Wins The Big One (1990)

Ric Flair had reigned for 14 months as NWA World Heavyweight champion, spending more than half that run as a valiant titleholder. When fellow babyface Sting challenged him, Flair and the Horsemen beat the top threat down, turning "Nature Boy" heel once more.

Coming off of a serious knee injury, Sting's long, winding chase culminated at The Bash. With a horde of babyfaces there to ward off any Horsemen chicanery, Sting overcame a flare-up of the injury late in the bout, cradling Flair to win his first-ever World title.

1. The Birth Of War Games (1987)

Before it became a William Regal-centric meme, War Games was the ultimate gimmick match: teams of four or five settling things inside a two ringed steel cage, often with the shedding of blood, and the creative use of the limited weaponry around the combatants.

The first-ever War Games match took place in Atlanta on July 4, 1987, and pitted Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, The Road Warriors, and Paul Ellering against Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Lex Luger, and JJ Dillon. Needless to say, history was made that night.