WWE Network Deep Cuts (August 27, 2014): Michaels vs Lawler! Angle vs Undertaker! Dusty and Dustin!

Terry Funk & Bunkhuouse Buck vs Dusty & Dustin Rhodes (WCW Clash of the Champions XXVIII)

Dusty re-entered the ring in 1994 to aid his estranged son in a war with The Stud Stable, managed by Col. Robert Parker and consisting of Funk, Buck, Meng, and most recently, Arn Anderson, who had turned on Dustin during a tag match, which everyone but fool ass Dustin saw coming a mile away. Arn was not a solo act. Arn liked to run in a pack. It was obvious that would happen, but Dustin was desperate and needed help.

After that, he was even more desperate, so his dad cut this tearjerker promo about loving him and all that, and they teamed up at the Clash against Funk and Buck. Tony Schiavone theorized that the plan all along was for Terry Funk specifically to lure old rival Dusty back into the ring, which was a nice commentary touch. Heenan is on his A-game here, too, saying that Dusty and Funk had always hated each other, that the families didn't like one another, and that this went back 25 or 30 years.

It's a fun match, mostly just because the crowd cares, which is always a big help. Dustin carries the work for his side, obviously, but Funk and Buck sell their asses off for both of the Rhodes men, before Arn runs in for a DQ finish. After that, Dusty gets a shot in on Arn, then turns to face Meng, who dares him to swing. Dusty retrieves a chair. It doesn't go well, really:

This led to a War Games match at Fall Brawl, which saw The Stud Stable (Funk, Buck, Arn, and Parker) take on Dusty, Dustin, and their new friends, the Nasty Boys.

Sting vs Lord Steven Regal (WCW Great American Bash 1996)

Regal was a fine performer in mid-90s WCW, but rarely got a chance to shine in a main event-type match. This wasn't a main event, as this went on third from the top (under Giant vs Lex Luger, Sting's current tag partner, and the Flair/Anderson vs Mongo/Greene novelty), but it was in a key position on the show to provide a good wrestling match, as the end of the show was filled more with "entertainment" type stuff.

This match also followed the chaotic and famous match between Kevin Sullivan and Chris Benoit, when they wound up in the crapper at the Baltimore Arena. So this had the unenviable role of both needing to settle the crowd a bit, and keep them up with a good, totally different showcase.

This is one of Sting's better matches. After this, Sting went into a rest-of-career funk where he barely had any actual good matches ever again. If you think that can't be right, well, try to think of actual good Sting matches after this. There really aren't many at all. There's a good argument this is Regal's best WCW match.

Hulk Hogan vs Harley Race (WWE Saturday Night's Main Event #15 - March 12, 1988)

Hulk Hogan only bows to one man, brother, and that big dude walks on water. (Jesus Christ, is who he means. Or God. I think he got mixed up.) This isn't a WWF title match, a rarity for Hogan in 80s WWF, because the title was vacant after the Andre-Hogan deal on SNME before this, with WrestleMania IV and the terrible tournament coming up in just a couple of weeks.

In its way, this is a dream match, because it's a former NWA ruler taking on the standout man from the WWF's explosion. Race had been an NWA mainstay before deciding to cash out with Vince McMahon, as he felt the NWA thing was "falling apart" at the time, which it was, at least as he knew it. Harley was a great wrestler in his time, but by this point, his body was pretty much shot. He was slow, and frankly looked hokey trying to bump or deliver offense at this point.

This match is most notable for an injury suffered by Race. Harley hits the edge of a table stomach-first in the early part of the match, which caused a hernia that required surgery. He also later goes through a table with a swandive headbutt, which Hogan avoids, proving that a 45-year-old Harley Race was still one of the baddest MFers to ever lace 'em up. This is also a pretty fun match, for what it's worth. The crowd is hot, Hogan is in good form, and Race makes up for what he can no longer do by being middle aged and crazy.

Kurt Angle vs The Undertaker (WWE Smackdown - September 4, 2003)

This episode isn't on WWE Network, but the match is, listed in the Video Vault section under the Vault heading, and I'm glad to see this one has made its way to the service, because this is one of the best TV matches in wrestling history. Smackdown was crazy hot at the time. Just two weeks after this, Angle and Brock Lesnar had their epic Iron Man match, but honestly, I preferred this one then, and prefer it now. This is one of the best matches either of these guys ever had, even with the no contest finish after 20 minutes of crazy action. Kurt Angle was just insanely good at this point in his career, and Taker was up to fly with him. This honestly might be my favorite match in Smackdown history.

Shawn Michaels vs Jerry Lawler (WWE Monday Night Raw #154 - April 1, 1996)

This is a non-title match just after Shawn had won the WWF belt from Bret Hart at WrestleMania XII, with HBK facing wily veteran Lawler, who does his usual job in going out and making a top WWF guy look good, with no belief that he's really going to win the match or anything. It's a fun TV novelty, little more. The real money here is Diesel on commentary, just before leaving the WWF, which he got to do by having his all-time best match with his buddy at the next pay-per-view.

Watch these matches! Share your thoughts! DO YOU LOVE DUSTY'S OUTFIT?