The Cageside Seats (CSS) Pro Wrestling Tournament continues today with a match-up pitting number two seed Sting against number 15 seed Rick Rude.
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) recently named Sting the greatest superstar in the history of World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and there's certainly an argument to be made for that claim. From 1987 all the way up until the company's demise in 2001, the Stinger was a major player in WCW, winning the heavyweight title six times and held in wide regard as one of the top babyfaces the promotion had ever seen.
Rude rose to fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the late 1980s with a brash playboy character that kissed the girls and made 'em cry while pissing off the fellas. He played it to perfection, too. He was also one hell of a worker inside the ring, routinely getting great matches out of lesser men than himself. He also had a solid run in WCW before a bad bump on the outside ended his in ring career. He died on April 20, 1999, of heart failure.
The man responsible for Rude's bad bump was none other than the man he faces in this match-up. Sting went flying over the ropes to the outside during a match between the two in Japan and Rude landed wrong on the corner of a raised platform, injuring his back bad enough to end his career.
Is it time for Rude to get his revenge? Cast your vote in this opening round match-up and take a look at the updated bracket after the jump. For the complete round one schedule click here.
Bracket artwork by: June M. Williams