The Great Muta © vs Arn Anderson – WCW
WCW Television Title Match
01/02/1990
For many, the WCW Television Title is one of the best championships to have ever existed. When a match was contested for the title, you often knew that you were getting some of the most technically able competitors in the ring for ten to fifteen minutes. The title, with some exceptions, was often only held by wrestlers who the company knew could go out on television week in, week out, and provide something worth watching.
The Great Muta, especially at the turn of the decade, was just that. Winning the title off of Sting, no slouch in himself, Muta was enigmatic and engaging in equal measure. Though you could question his overreliance at times on stalling and shtick, but there truly was nothing like him on American wrestling television at the time. The combination of paint, mist and a moveset that was utilised with viciousness combined to create a legitimate contender in WCW 1989.
At the start of the 90s, the bloom was somewhat off of the rose. With a 0-3 record at the recent Starrcade PPV in the Iron Man Challenge (losing to Sting, Lex Luger and Ric Flair), Muta’s unbeatable aura seemed diminished. At a time when he was perhaps at his most vulnerable, Muta’s TV Title seemed to be there for the taking. However, it would take someone who was able to see through the gimmickry and prove himself to be a better wrestler.
On the first Power Hour of the new year, it would be Arn Anderson who got that title shot. A TV champion last in 1986, and so often involved in tag team wrestling, this match afforded Anderson a chance to hold some singles gold once again. Muta seemed to mean business before the bell; a throat slitting gesture was followed by spitting the green mist up into the air. When the bell did ring, a quick schoolboy in the opening moments showed Anderson’s technical nous and dangerousness, but Buzz Sawyer and The Dragonmaster’s arrival at ringside seemed to signal a change in momentum for Muta.
Against a veteran, an unorthodox offense was always necessary to catch them off guard, and this was seen when Muta used an inverse spinkick to drop Anderson on the mat. Muta’s control of Anderson saw the use of the guardrail at ringside, as well as staples of Muta’s offense such as a top rope chop and a handspring elbow. There was even an early airing of the Cattle Mutilation (or ‘Japanese Submission Move’ as Jim Cornette calls it on commentary). With all of this unique offense, it almost felt poetic that the good old fashioned reverse atomic drop finally allowed Anderson to halt Muta’s charge to regaining his title.
Arn Anderson’s patented spinebuster forced the Dragonmaster and Buzz Sawyer to finally get involved; Dragonmaster distracting the referee, Sawyer hitting Anderson off of the top rope. Just as it seemed the title was still Muta’s, Anderson kicked out at two to a huge pop from the crowd. This was only increased as the veteran blocked Muta’s moonsault with two knees, leaving the champion doubled over and vulnerable for the DDT. Three second later, we had ourselves a new WCW TV Champion.
What helped make this title change was how much the crowd was behind a face Arn Anderson. With this being somewhat of a novelty across Anderson’s time as a wrestler, the fans were able to show their genuine appreciation for his craft within the ring, before going back to booing him when the Four Horseman turned on Sting. He held the TV Title this time for almost a year, only to lose to the Z Man – somewhat of a blot relative to other wrestlers who had held the title.
As for Muta, he would return to NJPW a little more than a month after this loss. This run ended up being the catalyst for multiple Muta runs in WCW.
