Sting Finished with TNA?

[It's Damn Real!]

The Wrestling Observer is reporting that Sting is expected to be "gone from TNA" following last night's iMPACT! tapings, due to the same lingering shoulder injury he's been nagged by for the last few years and because he's yet to sign a new deal with TNA citing plans to take time off to assess his situation with TNA which has reportedly been unhappy.

Could this be a work? Sure. Afterall, Nash "finished with TNA" in the same respect, and there are plenty who don't believe the sincerity of that report either.

Thoughts on all this?

 

[Mitch Henessey]

You know something, I seriously thought Hogan wouldn't show at Bound For Glory. The footage of Hogan's surgery and Bischoff's reports about him being in a lot of pain had me convinced. So you know what, I'm not buying this. Sting is going to hang it up as soon as this major storyline(which he will undoubtedly play a part in) picks up? No, I just can't believe it. Sting might disappear from TV for a while to help sell this whole thing, but I surely don't think he's going to hang it up right now. When Sting does decide to leave TNA, he will probably have a huge sendoff. He won't go quietly.

 

[shattered dreams]

My guess is that these two disappear for a while during which the new heel group can dominate. Then just when you have forgot about them they pop back up out of nowhere in swervetacular fashion. Have to see what happens on impact though. Then again hopefully vince is not writing huge checks for this wcw hall of fame bit. It really is a shame that sting has been hampered by injuries basically this whole year.

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

I really hope that Sting is just taking time off and will return later down road. Sting is nursing a shoulder injury so he might just taking time to heal up and then come back at a later time. I would love to see the New Heel Hardy in a feud with Sting putting his career on the line. If Sting is really done than he has had a great career and he's done alot to help TNA through the Years.

 

[Dizzy]

This should make everyone happy since TNA is getting younger and fast. Nash, Rhino, Sting, Angle, 3D all leaving or taking a break.

Most of the interest they have in new talent are young guys. So, I really hope this shuts up this section.

Now, I really would love to see a Hardy/Sting feud before he goes. If anyone remembers the Promo between Hardy and Undertaker on SmackDown last year. It would be amazing to get that out of a heel Hardy and Sting.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

Even though I doubt it's legit, I really wish it was. Can you say Sting v Undertaker at Wrestlemania in Atlanta? I could just see it now, the lights are flickering, Sting looking down from the rafters, months of mind games before the match we've all been waiting nearly 20 years to see. Classic Mania moment right there.

 

[ABMorales787]

To my understanding, it's just time-off. It was the same case last year following his match AJ where he said he might retire, but wasn't absolutely sure. I really doubt he or Nash would just vanish never to be seen again. They aren't exactly the kind of names that can be kept down and just become obscure without one last big performance.

 

[deadelviX]

Even though I doubt it's legit, I really wish it was. Can you say Sting v Undertaker at Wrestlemania in Atlanta? I could just see it now, the lights are flickering, Sting looking down from the rafters, months of mind games before the match we've all been waiting nearly 20 years to see. Classic Mania moment right there.

i don't really go for big dream matches all that often... more often than not they fall WAY short.
however, that being said... i would kill to see this one. Sting/Undertaker has the potential to be epic. and what sucks the most is that, unlike others, it's a dream match with 2 currently active workers that there is a VERY good chance we may never see EVER.

 

[tjfjr4488]

sting vs taker wont happen bc i douibt that sting would wanna sign and fight for vince mcmahon + lose in his only match... now a tag team match with taker n sting as a team that would be crazy.... taker and sting vs cena and kane! that would be awesome. finally have cena turn heel and have him vow to end the streak but kane comes out and say he wants to kill the undertaker for good and what better place then wrestlemania.....weeks pass lights go out sends hints nothing to give it away more making it like its undertaker until taker says at mania itll be a tag match with taker find a dark mystery partner. come mania kane n cena are in the ring taker makes his way then after moments of nothing happen stings old metallica music hits and there is sting as takers partner at wrestlemania...image the erruption of the crowd. .... but i think sting should just quit tna dont sign new deal n go into the HOF this year

 

[Robert Wolfe]

"Sting plans to take some time off and assess his situation with Tna" More than likely Sting will take a little time off, then return for a short run just to announce his retirement.. I dont see sting going to wrestle the Undertaker at wrestlemania next year, as he seems pretty much burnt out as of late, who knows if his shoulder is really as bad as it seems, or if he's just lost his flame. If he does infact retire before then i do expect him to be inducted into the hall of fame, considering the fact that wwe is going for as some would put it, a wcw type induction year.

 

[Notorious718]

I'm taking this report with a grain of salt. If and when Sting finally retires, as someone mentioned earlier, he would and should get a big send-off. If he really is leaving, it would just be to take time off. For him to really hang up the boots this abruptly... it just doesn't feel right to me.

 

[goodlay]

Bischoff and company really love do trying to swerve and work the IWC. I wasn't surprised to see Hogan at BFG, because Bischoff knows a lot of people who watch TNA are the people who read the dirt sheets and what not. With Hogan though, if they feigned the seriousness of his back problems, that'd be pretty messed up. But at BFG he did look pretty frail, as he could barely walk on his own.

Nash and Sting gone forever? Doubt it. Taking time off to sell the "they" angle? Probably.

 

[johnbragg]

At this point, Sting is only worthwhile for two things

1. His dramatic return. "It's Sting! He's back in the Impact Zone! We haven't seen him for X months!" and then for a couple of shows after that, and

2. Either a teary-eyed farewell a lot like the one he had at BFG 2009, or a vicious beatdown sending him (back) into retirement and putting someone over as a badass.

So, if I were TNA, I'd definitely give Sting a few months off. I'd even let him become a free agent. The most I could see WWE doing with him is a run from the Royal Rumble through whatever the new PPV after Wrestlemania is. STing could do his WWE Hall of Fame induction, work a feud with someone in WWE, and be back in TNA for Slammiversary.

 

[Kenny Powers]

If Kevin Nash is legitimately gone and Sting is unhappy, then maybe Sting might be finished with TNA. It could be a work since most of the posts on twitter by wrestlers are works it seems. It would suck to see Sting go without a major sendoff. He may come around and sign another deal, but Sting is at the age now where he doesn't need to be in the ring. He can still go, but the years have probably took a toll on him. I hope TNA gives him a nice sendoff if he is leaving though. Deception may be behind the scenes here.

 

[Navi]

After all he and Nash have been saying for the last few months, I can't believe that he would just up and leave. Maybe he's just taking some time off to take care of injuries and let "They" do their stuff, then I can see him coming back to take them on.

He's done a lot for TNA over the years and just to let him leave without a lot of fanfare just doesn't make sense. He deserves a huge send off similar to Flair's at Mania, on a smaller scale of course.

 

[Tattooed Jesus]

I fully expect that Sting will retire from TNA when his contract ends at the end of this year.

I also expect that by the end of the year Mick Foley and Kevin Nash will be done with TNA as well.

I also expect that all 3 of these men will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame at WM27 in Atlanta Georgia next year. If WWE is going for a WCW theme these would be 3 awesome guys to get inducted next year. Vince could offer them a nice sum of cash to do so and you know Nash is all about the money!

 

[johnbragg]

How short is the memory of the average TNA fan?

Sting had a big retirement sendoff one year ago.
At Bound For Glory. On Sting's home turf in southern California.
He "passed the torch" to AJ Styles. The crowd chanted "thank you Sting."

It was a very good retirement sendoff. The only thing missing was the retirement.

So if Sting hangs it up today, or at the end of this year, or next year, there isn't going to be a big retirement ceremony with fanfare and pomp and circumstance, because Sting just had one. Jeez.

 

[TheTheDude]

It seems to me that the only long time main eventers that really retire from wrestling are those who cannot continue to wrestle anymore (Austin) or can make more money doing something else (The Rock, JBL). Everyone else "retires." How many times has Ric Flair "retired"?

Sting is not retired, he is just out while the They angle builds.

 

[thecat42]

Yeah I don't believe Sting is done either. I think both he and Nash will be off TV for a little while and then when it seems like "They" is unstoppable, they'll come back and lead a group against them.

 

[hatehabsforever]

Come on guys, you cannot be serious. The retirements of both Kevin Nash and Sting are so obviously a work that I cannot believe it is even seriously being discussed here. For the first time in as long as I can remember, TNA is trying to move forward with a major angle. Granted it is and will be an epic fail, but that's another discussion for another time. We have "them" versus the world and a major storyline which will dominate TNA for the next several months.

Obviously Kevin Nash will turn heel and re-join Hogan and Bischoff. Don't be surprised if they drag Scott Hall out of a bar somewhere and bring him into it too. Not to mention Waltman, if he isn't in rehab at the time. Maybe he legitimately doesn't have a contract yet, and this is a bargaining tool for him, but either way, it wouldn't be nWo 2010 without Kevin Nash.

And of course, Sting has to return after a hiatus from TNA to oppose Hogan and the rest of them. It's as plain as the nose on Triple H's face. Count on a face-off between Sting and Hogan, and provided he is still able to move, don't be shocked if they face off against each other in the ring.

Sting's isn't going anywhere WWE, forget that foolishness. He certainly isn't going after the Undertaker's streak. How would that work? Sting would come to WWE after thumbing his nose at them for years, to end the most significant streak in professional wrestling history? Or would he finally come to WWE after all of these years, only to lose. Not happening either way.

He's not being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame either, not this year, not ever. You cannot induct a guy into the WWE Hall of Fame if he has never ever competed, not one day, not one match, in the company, regardless of who owns the rights or has the legal standing to do it. Just ask Doc, he knows, he'll back me up on this one.

Look for a 2-3 months hiatus from Sting to take a breather, heal his injuries, renegotiate his contract, and then he'll be back front and centre against them. Or with them. Or whatever tickles TNA's fancy at the time.

 

[shattered dreams]

How short is the memory of the average TNA fan?

Sting had a big retirement sendoff one year ago.
At Bound For Glory. On Sting's home turf in southern California.
He "passed the torch" to AJ Styles. The crowd chanted "thank you Sting."

It was a very good retirement sendoff. The only thing missing was the retirement.

So if Sting hangs it up today, or at the end of this year, or next year, there isn't going to be a big retirement ceremony with fanfare and pomp and circumstance, because Sting just had one. Jeez.

Except it was not a retirement sendoff. He cut a promo after the match specifically saying he was not sure what he was going to do and that the fans made him never want to retire. Sure as hell does not sound like a retirement to me. If Sting was really intending to be done for good they would absolutely do some sort of sendoff for him.