Isaiah Laing, promoter of Sting, says the clash involving Merciless, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer and Ninjaman in 2000 is one for the books.

“It ranks among the best of them all. There are other clashes that were ‘A Class’ like the Ninjaman and Super Cat, Mavado and Kartel, but the fact that he [Merciless] had three of them [against] him and held his composure and thought on his feet, you really had to give him his credit,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Leonard “Merciless” Bartley was found dead in a guest house on Walker’s Avenue, off Beechwood Avenue in Kingston on July 19 . He was 51-year-old.

Laing said the three versus one matchup at Sting almost 22 years ago was unplanned. The original clash was supposed to involve Ninjaman; however it escalated.

“The most memorable moment for me was when he [Merciless] said, ‘Laing, why you send this yah junkie? Send Bounty’ and Bounty ran on the stage immediately. That was a surprise for me and the crowd. I didn’t know Bounty was going to be part of that clash, but I later found out that it was planned by him and Ninja. That made it more exciting,” he recalled.

“Merciless called Beenie Man to come and assist, but when yuh tek a stock, Beenie Man turned on Merciless, so Merciless grabbed the mic away,” the promoter added.

Laing said there was no specific incentive for winning clashes at the annual Boxing Day show. Participants were remunerated double.

Started in 1984 by Laing, a popular police officer, Sting was last staged in 2015. It found a spiritual home at the JamWorld Entertainment Complex, in Portmore, St Catherine.

The promoter said Merciless proved his talent after ‘slaying’ three dancehall giants.

“I knew he was talented. If he wasn’t then I couldn’t put him up with Ninjaman. You cyaa talk to Ninja if you nuh come off the top shelf. But that clash really solidified things,” he continued.

Laing said he spoke to Merciless a couple of days after the win and he was “elated. Their last conversation was three weeks ago.

“He sent me a song and I sent it to a guy in Miami. The guy wanted a dub plate from it, so I said I was going to get money from him and send it to Merciless to do the dub plate. But it just never happened,” he said.

Laing suggests that the Government put serious thought into a posthumous award for the late entertainer.

“You have to think about something that is fitting. He has contributed a lot to reggae and dancehall so he’s one that should be honoured properly,” he said.

Merciless hailed from Chapleton in Clarendon. He made his recording debut in 1994 with Lend Out Mi Mercy and broke through the following year with Mavis.

His other songs include Gal Gizzada, Mama Cooking and Mr Whodini.