02/03/2024
People use the phrase "the end of an era" for all kinds of things, but in the case of Sting, it's not enough. With his final match about to happen, he is at the end of several eras. I don't think any wrestling fan, or wrestling geek like me, no matter their age can truly say they've not seen at least one incarnation of the legend that is Sting. I have been lucky enough to see them all. From WCW to WWE to TNA Impact and finally, to AEW.
People talk about their Mount Rushmore of wrestling and they choose between each promotion. Well Sting is one of very few who is on my Mount Rushmore of the entire wrestling industry. He became the face of WCW when he beat Ric Flair for the Heavyweight Championship in 89, Flair passing the torch as such, to the new generation, and he inspired so many people to take up the sport. He was amazing to watch. Strong, athletic and filled with so much energy he made the Duracell bunny look lazy. Many will remember him as a Crow incarnation, his inner demons and pent up hatred of what was happening within the WCW. Back to bring rough justice to the NWO. Victorious against Hollywood Hulk Hogan and bringing the big gold belt back into the hands of WCW. Fast forward a few years and Tna Impact. A lot of people will remember him as very similar to the Crow character, trying to forget his version of the Joker. But I think when he did that, it just showed what an amazing character wrestler he was. The way he portrayed this Joker Sting was so good. Yeah ok it might have been a bit cringe, but that was part of the magnificence of it. I enjoyed watching him play an entirely different version of himself, the madness, the sickness, the darkness he showed, to me was genius.
And when he appeared in WWE, beginning a feud with HHH, stalking Seth Rollins, and having a match at Wrestlemania with HHH, with DX and NWO in their respective corners, it was epic. Some will say he was too old to wrestle in AEW but to those people I simply say, f**k you. He has helped it grow, helped the careers of young talent, especially Darby Allen, and even proved that a man over 50 can still kick it with the younger talent.
Not only has he put over people in his long and illustrious career, but he has helped push talent, grow talent and show that you are never too old to be a part of one of the greatest sports industries in the world.
Thank you Sting for everything you have done and for entertaining and inspiring generation after generation of people. Happy retirement from V.W.E