Sting is one of the most popular professional wrestlers who has ever competed for the industry. For thirty years, he has reinvented himself many different times, but has still maintained his charisma which was one of the main reasons why WCW was able to compete against WWE during the Monday Night Wars. On numerous occasions, there were rumors circulating that Sting was going to make his WWE debut after WCW dissolved in 2001. However, Sting decided to take his talents to the Total Nonstop Action brand for 10 years.
In 2014, after much speculation, Sting shocked the world and entered the WWE during the Survivor Series main event, costing Team Authority a win and forcing the faction to disband. With such an amazing debut, his overall stay in the company was very underwhelming.
With a very dramatic build leading into his WrestleMania 31 match against Triple H, he came up short due to a sledgehammer shot and interference by D-Generation X.
Sting returned months later to commence a feud with then-WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. The build leading to the bout at Night of Champions was also intriguing, and the match was decent to watch. Unfortunately, Rollins executed his buckle bomb signature move on “The Vigilante”, which caused Sting to snap his neck back and lose much feeling in his body for a moment. While he was able to finish the match, his injury became career-threatening.
Sting explained the extent of his injury in an interview for the WWE website shortly after the pay per view.
“I had tingling, numbness down both arms, all the way to my fingertips. And then, later in the match, I just fell wrong, whatever it was, and this time [the tingling and numbness] went down both arms and into my legs, and I couldn’t feel my legs too well. They just felt like rubber. I don’t know how to describe it. I had to go down on all fours there for a minute, get my composure. I was a little … I was worried.”
Sting was inducted in the 2016 Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, for his supporters, he announced that his in-ring career is over.
As shown on his WWE DVD Sting: Into the Light, the 57-year-old still intensely trains to prepare himself to be involved in a pro wrestling match at any time. Now, it appears as if the door of his career is not completely shut.
Per WrestleZone, Sting stated in a recent Q&A session whether he was going to make a WWE return. He responded, “[at this point], I don’t know.”
Although it does not appear likely that we will see Sting again in a WWE ring, it would be great to see him return in some kind of non-frequent capacity. From the looks of it, one of the biggest dream matches that never happened may end up staying that way.
However, Sting is still not totally letting go of it not happening. During an interview on the Legends with JBL show, Sting stated that he is holding off on surgery, and a match with The Undertaker is still desired.
“I am supposed to have surgery, but I’m having so many mixed messages out there. And the one thing I keep hearing is ‘if you’re not having side effects and you’re okay, then don’t do it.
“Yeah, that’s the unfinished business [with Sting]. I’ve always wanted to have that match. I know wrestling fans have always wanted to see it too.”
With WWE approaching the road to WrestleMania, Sting would certainly be a name who would add a positive addition to the spectacle WWE offers every year.
[Featured Image By WWE]