Damage control for Sting vs HHH

[QBall111]

There are several threads started and I posted on what's next for Sting but clearly there are several upset about the way this match was handled. Without going into detail what was going on I personally felt it was bad writing.

So why did Sting agree to such terms? Is it cause this feud is not over and he's promised a bigger win? So thinking. What is larger than a win a mania? And it came to me.... Could Sting pursue a rematch and request it in in HHHs playground, hell in a cell and actually get the win? I know that's a brutal match but Hunter could carry Sting in this match.

Or is he promised a win over Undertaker next year? Taker looked great last night but also props to Bray Wyatt for his carefulness in the match. it's hard to see Sting going over the Underaker but we never know what the big picture is.
Even I was pissed at the HHH vs Sting match but it made me wonder what the big picture actually is.


Wrestlers are great when going into interviews and Sting saying he'd consider a match at Survivor Series or Wrestlemania so I feel he's not done even though he says last night would probably be his last

 

[Vader]

I think the bigger question now is who is Sting going to get over on in the WWE?

He has maybe a year tops and no doubt worked beyond the thresholds of his age to pull off last night's match.

Does the WWE come in and let Sting get over on the Undertaker? After the vast amount of butt hurt last year, I don't see this happening.

Without the WWE making returns of previous stars I don't see anything that's marketable for the WWE worth putting Sting in that would justify the build up for his limited schedule.

At the end of the day the WWE has always had the rights to what Sting did in WCW. Frankly, I don't see what was in it for Sting coming to the WWE.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I know many would have preferred Sting to go over and I'm wondering if the match was essentially turned into something of a WWE vs. WCW spectacle as it was probably the best way to get the match over. The live crowd loved it, I thought it was okay but, then again, I'm just not in a big nostalgic mind set right now. Sting's not in his prime, nowhere close, so I'm wondering if last night was a means of giving fans an enjoyable experience while disguising some of Sting's limitations.

I think there's a chance for another match between them at some point in the relatively near future.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Or is he promised a win over Undertaker next year?

Could that be the trade-off? Did Paul Levesque actually go to Steve Borden and say: "Let me go over you at WM31 and we'll sign a contract that lets you beat Undertaker at WM32."

Is that possible? Why in hell would Triple H even care about a victory over Sting? What, has that been his secret desire for the past 20 years? It just doesn't make sense, yet nothing about last night's result makes sense.

I liked the match; the two worked old-style, like wrestlers from the 1950's, probing for weakness, sizing each other up, and delivering moves with practiced efficiency, saving Borden's energy for the theater that followed when the others interfered. Although NWO and DX blew apart the flow of the match, I enjoyed the spectacle. Triple H and Sting in the ring represented nostalgia.....seeing the other guys just reinforced it.

Still, why did Sting lose his only match in WWE? Surely, there's some quid pro quo somewhere in here. Is it revenge over Triple H? Okay, but what for? Couldn't Sting just win last night and be done with it? How many times do they think the fans will clamor for Sting vs. Triple H?

Do they have something even bigger in mind for Sting? What could it be....winning the world title? (God forbid).

Whatever it is, I hope it becomes evident real soon. We waited a long time for Sting to finally show up in WWE. Enough is enough.

 

[Blade]

I think that Sting agreed to those terms because I can't see Sting having a big ego. If that's his one and only match in WWE, I believe Sting is traditional enough to want to put someone over. And I think it's important for Triple H to regain some credibility after losing to Daniel Bryan last year. Triple H is still needed to help put younger guys over, like he did last year.

While I still would've liked to see Sting win, his loss isn't the end of the world. When two legends face off like that, it shouldn't be about the result, because the result means fuck all in the long run. It should be about enjoying the damn match.

 

[rbv13]

So much is being made over the H vs. Sting match. Fans are just over thinking it. H went over as a swerve on a very Face friendly card. Being a veteran and true great Sting realizes how business works and did the job. It is not like Sting went out just putting over H. The match featured a crazy turn of events for some throwback marks and it took a sledgehammer to the face to end it. This match wasn't about some grand plan moving forward. It was just good fun creating a moment.

 

[Miko]

Could that be the trade-off? Did Paul Levesque actually go to Steve Borden and say: "Let me go over you at WM31 and we'll sign a contract that lets you beat Undertaker at WM32."

Is that possible? Why in hell would Triple H even care about a victory over Sting? What, has that been his secret desire for the past 20 years? It just doesn't make sense, yet nothing about last night's result makes sense.

Triple H kind of has to beat everyone though, doesn't he? For a guy that's never been "the guy" his win/loss record against pretty much everyone not named Batista is incredible, he still retains the most convincing defeat Brock has suffered since returning, think about that for a second, 45 year old Triple H looks better than everyone, still.

His whole character seems to be having the stats but no one actually giving a shit, as brilliantly shown in that 'wrestling isn't wrestling' vid, now he can say "I beat Sting-uuuuuurrrrrrr! Just like I beat everyone else-uuuuuurrrr!" and most of the audience will still be thinking "so what? Those guys are still better."

Occasionally, very occasionally, we get a great payoff against Haitch's general dominance which will help a Batista, Bryan, Benoit and even Cena, which we should be grateful for, but the trade-off for that for Triple H is that its pretty much him standing tall for the other 364 days a year, what a good guy, making that sacrifice...

I sincerely hope that this is one of those times where we get some sort of pay-off, though, and its important to note that HHH is a slow burn guy, so there might be yet. I don't think Sting should be losing to Triple H.

 

[chuckmdubya]

This was the one match on the card that most thought we knew the outcome. We all thought it made perfect sense for Sting to win. But we weren't taking into account that this one may not have been about creating a lasting feud, but creating a great WrestleMania moment. They did their best to create a mark out moment by putting the nwo against DX, probably the most wished for moment in Wrestling history. It certainly wasn't given to us in the way we would have wanted, which would have been a monster match 15 years, but it was what we could get in modernity.

After looking at the fall-out there is one thing that is for sure, Sting still has fans on his side, and we still want him to succeed, and we don't like it when he doesn't.

But at the same time, all that nostalgia could've been present with a Sting victory. Maybe they thought that wwe fans wanted to see wwe win?
So maybe there is more to come, we'll have to see.

 

[mizowns]

Triple H stroking his ego fopr the 100422159 time.

Triple H ego wanted to beat Sting at Wrestlemania.

It was a great match, NWO/DX mark out moment was epic.

But the ending just sucked.

Suddenly shaking hand with Triple H after he has beating and humilating Sting?

That was shit.

 

[SoulTrain4]

HHH hasn't won a match in 2 years, yet here we go again about his "ego". Last match he won was against Lesnar at WM 29, which was a rebound win due to his losing to Lesnar at Summerslam. Lost to Daniel Bryan...clean, Loss to the Shield TWICE....CLEAN. Are you really upset an almost 60 year old Sting didn't win??

I think the match was awesome personally, it wasn't a catch as catch can classic and nobody with a luck of sense should have expected it to be but as far as great WM moments are concerned it's pretty high.

The randomness of it all was so well done and the crowd came to life, they didn't even care that HHH won. It was just a great spectacle.

Nothing like it has ever taken place before, Sting has no future because he didn't really have anything in the tank. This was the equivalent of Bret Hart vs Vince McMahon @ Wrestlemania 26, except much shorter and way more fun to watch.

I swear sometimes these internet dweebs will ruin a wet dream, the kind of people to talk themselves out of sex. It was what it was and for many folks it was fun to see after all these years.

 

[relentless1]

yes, it is ego don't kid yourself into thinking otherwise; HHH is the guy who went over all the ex WCW guys: Booker T, Scott Steiner, Goldberg, Nash and now Sting... how can you sit there and tell me its not ego on his and Vinces part? were you even listening to the announcers last night? This was all about the perception that WWE is better than WCW, good job Vince you won another one great job burying Sting too

 

[XXJJ]

I don't really care that Sting lost. I just thought the match ended up being very corny. I grew up during that era, but enough of this nostalgia crap. I didn't like the handshake at the end either.

 

[OYDK]

I'm fearful that this match was only used to put HHH over, so he can look strong post-Mania in whatever the hell The Authority does next. Truth is, he didn't need it. HHH doesn't need a win to look strong, while I think Sting did in this situation. I mean, really what the hell? People can try and sugar coat the finish all they want, Sting should have gone over, period.

Reports are stating that H went over last night, because WWE doesn't know how or if Sting is going to be used going forward. If it's true, that's a really bad reason... they basically stopped Sting's momentum in his tracks whether they use him or not again. That being said, there has to be a second match right? Sting came to the WWE to put an end to The Authority, this can't be the end of this program. An analogy that I related to this feud is that of a super-hero. Sting was the Vigilante; the face-painted, justice keeping hero who came from a strange land called WCW. HHH was the tyrannical, violent villain who ruled an oppressed nation. The villain can't win... not in the end.

 

[rbv13]

I really don't want to start over thinking this match but I'm coming around on the idea of the handshake not making much sense. At the time I was thinking maybe it was Trips realizing he needs to stop being a dick and it would lead to a much cooler and neutral boss. It would've been like a moral victory for Sting. Then of course later in the show H is right back to A-hole Authority gimmick. I was half expecting for all involved to recreate the Curtain Call following the match.

 

[MC_Live]

Some people look a little too closely into somethings. Should Sting have won? Yes, he absolutely should have. But it's not completely ridiculous to think he only lost because he was promised future wins. Wins and losses don't actually matter that much to a performer. Sting is a professional. So when Triple H and Vince hire Sting to do his job, and they tell him that his job is to lose, Sting isn't going to argue. He's going to take what he's supposed to do, and make the best of it. Like a professional. I guarantee Sting didn't care about the match result. He just cared about giving the fans a good show. Which I think they accomplished. Will we ever see Sting again? Who knows? Maybe he has one more match, maybe three, maybe none, and maybe he has 50 more matches for WWE. But I guarantee you that if Sting is told to go out there and lose 50 matches, he's going to lose 50 matches, or whatever number it is, because he is a professional doing what his boss is telling him to do. Nobody knows the future with Sting. Not Triple H, not vince McMahon, not Sting. We're going to have to wait and see if he ever wrestles again. But trust me, there is no way that Sting said, "I'm not losing unless you put me over later." That is for sure.

 

[hollowpoint]

the whole match was a bit confusing to me. Everything from the entrances to the finish. When I say that I mean it didn't add up to the storyline that was presented. Maybe if some of you knowledgeable folks could clear a couple fo things up for me.

- Why does HHH get the face entrance? NOrmally in a big match like this, the heel (HHH) comes out 1st so no matter what his entrance is, the crowd still loves the babyface (Sting). The actual way it went down, Sting was in the ring looking confused and so was the crowd. HHH actually got a bigger pop than Sting did.

- At what point did you find out it was "No Disqualification"? I didn't find out until it was mentioned in the commentary. Apparently no one told Sting because when he had HHH locked up in the Scorpion Death Lock and HHH grabbed the ropes to break the hold, he let go in fear of a Disqualification....hmmm

- DX/NWO - Although it was awesome to mark out and see all the guys I grew up watching as a teenager, I was confused at everything about this. It's clear they wanted to re live the Monday Night Wars, but I saw XPac/Syxx/123Kidd and was like "wasn't he part of both groups?" Then I was looking at the age difference between the two. the NWO all looked liked they escaped the Senior assisted living facilities, while DX looked like they were ready to have another run at the WWE. HBK's involvement did nothing to clarify my confusing. It only muddied it more.

- The Finish - So HHH nails Sting with the Sledgehammer head for the 3 count and they shake it out like they are all boys at the end? I don't get it and I am afraid they are gonna brush over it like it didn't happen.

In summary, this match had the build up that made sense. I could follow it and everything. Once the actual match hit, the writers must've taken a break and let the talent run the show....Oh well

 

[Starkiller]

Fantastic match. As a hardcore sting fan it would of been awesome to see him win his only wwe match on the grandest stage of all.

But if it's his last match which most likely is, he is 56 and in great shape but still. There is nothing wrong with losino. It was a great finish.

Hhh and sting shook hands at the end so that ends that fued. Also on wwe website they talk about how wwe go ally put the nail in the coffin when it comes to wcw...


I don't see anyone else he can have a match with at mania that makes sense. Taker is a little younger but looked older and way more out of ring shape it could be a disaster.

 

[bioshock]

The whole thing is weird. Not the finish cause thats OK that Triple H won, the guys in better shape, and hes been on or above Stings level for the past 14 Wrestlemania events (since WM16 when he became a legit big star).

But when they shook hands, they could have really done something from there on. Maybe book them in a tag match. Example: They are doing a "respect" kind of promo on Raw, and some up and coming tag team that WWE is really behind comes out and gives them some beef, or just 2 stars that want it to be their time.

So then at the next PPV they could of booked Sting & Triple H vs (example) Cesaro & Kidd or Usos, and let Sting and Triple H get the win, with Sting getting the pin, in a non title match. Then from there the feud and storyline is put to rest unless they want to wrestle some more.

But instead they shook hands, and later in the night Triple H comes out as if he was never in a match, and did his heel thing with Stephanie, starting what looked like a feud with the Rock.

Say what you want, but I don't need Sting to only be in a singles match. The older stars like him and Undertaker right now are better suited for tag matches. Which is exactly how Flair was used with Batista & Orton.

 

[SoulTrain4]

I like the idea of Sting & Undertaker as partners.

I would love this match for next year: The Brothers of Destruction & Sting vs The Wyatt Family.

It can be done and Kane can still work at a passable level, by bringing each guy in and giving the next one a break it makes the match better for them.

It would be cool to watch all three babyfaces ride off into the sunset as winners or lose their careers to the upstarts (have Kane take the fall who gives a shit about him?)

That would be dope as fuck!!

 

[Navi]

I thought the match was weird as well. All of a sudden we had a no DQ stipulation, which I don't remember hearing about, and lot's and lot's of outside interference.

Honestly the match was kind of flat for me, yes it was great seeing Sting in the ring, and he is in fantastic shape for his age, but HHH can clearly still go.

I had hoped that Sting coming back would be a catalyst to ending the Authority storyline, but the handshake at the end, all but blew that notion away. It would be hard for Sting to come out now and interfere in their shenanigans after the way the match ended.

Don't know what there is going forward for Sting. It just seems to me that this might have been a huge waste of time. Unless we see him against Taker, or becoming a tag partner with Taker, don't know what else there is for him to do.

 

[ilapierre]

I cant help but believe that Triple H won this match because it was put into the context of WWE vs WCW. Never ever ever ever does the outsider or WCW guy get the win in a big money match over a WWE creation. Lesnar had to lose two to Cena and Triple H before he got dominant a year ago. Hollywood Hogan had to lose to Rock at Wrestlemania. Scott Hall had to lose to Stone Cold at Wrestlemania. The NWO was brought into WWE in 2002 to look weak and mediocre in comparison to WWE. The same could be said about last night. DX goes over NWO. Ive been saying this the entire Triple H - Sting buildup that this whole propping up of Stings legacy had more to do with enhancing Triple Hs. And that was what we got last night. Triple H should have been out first with an extended Sting entrance. Sting should have been the coolest entrance of them all because WWE had the opportunity to showcase a living legend. And the only one who never ever stepped foot in a WWE ring for a match. Instead Triple H, the heel, comes out last to the lamest ever Terminator crap and hes wearing that stupid Kings of Kings crap. Triple H is the heel boss not a face. He was booked as one last night..which contradicts the past four month storyline. To top it off the heel, who wins via sledgehammer, offers his hand to the lesser WCW loser. Even the commentators addressed the NWO and Sting as them vs us (DX). I mean cmon WCW ended 14 years ago. The original NWO in WCW ended 16 years ago.

The match should have ended with the scorpion death drop when the NWO came out. There really was no need for Triple H to be put over for the millionth time at the expense of this legends first ever Wrestlemania. Paul Levesque is extremely selfish and Vince McMahon really is a complete pussy punishing anybody or anything that wasn't his own creation. No matter how he has mishandled the NWO since 2002, there is just no way on earth he can sell the b team DX pulverizing the New World Order. Fans in the audience didn't like it either. Nobody liked it because it was flat out stupid. Major reason why WWE has never ever been able to reclaim the audience of 15 years ago. So many of us loved WCW and Sting and NWO. Us casual fans would have tuned in regularly had our favourites been showcased and put into every day roles the way they should have been.

 

[King502]

The match was awesome I never in million years expected the Dx vs nWo angle to play out but once Dx was out there I knew nWo would soon follow match was the longest match of the night which I'm happy with it was a awesome mania but I think sting should of won unless they got something els in mind which will explain hunter winning then it's cool I guess

 

[Pedigree1]

I think people are making this a bigger deal than it needs to be.. It has nothing to do with Trips ego at all.. Fact is,Sting was never going this match.. It was a great match and sting looked good for someone who is 56 years old,got rid of his gut and put on a great performance..

People are asking a lot of good questions though. Why would sting come back and lose his only match in the WWE? what was the purpose in that? Is their a bigger purpose that we can't see yet? Perhaps.. God Forbid Stinger throws himself into the title picture (Shudders at that thought).. Another thought that was presented was sting going over Taker at next years WM?

I doubt that because if taker retires no way taker retires on a loss! Their has to be some sort of pay-off coming though,time will tell what it is though

 

[powerwrestler90]

I'm calling it what it is. Sting is this generation's Warrior of 98. brought in to only do the job for someone's else ego. Triple H can now brag about beating/burying every WCW star Goldberg, Hogan, Nash, Steiner, Booker, Flair, and now Sting. Hell he can now claim DX was better than the nWo if he wanted to.

He no sold the match an hour later with Steph. Then got beaten up by a WWE guy The Rock and a woman. Bad ass UFC Champion, but still he let her get over on him but not the person he was IN A MATCH WITH!


WWE just can't help to bury WCW in DVDs, Network shows, and Matches.

Sting probably regretting leaving TNA. cause he said he knew for years they'd do that to him.

 

[FlairFan2003]

I cant help but believe that Triple H won this match because it was put into the context of WWE vs WCW. Never ever ever ever does the outsider or WCW guy get the win in a big money match over a WWE creation. Lesnar had to lose two to Cena and Triple H before he got dominant a year ago. Hollywood Hogan had to lose to Rock at Wrestlemania. Scott Hall had to lose to Stone Cold at Wrestlemania. The NWO was brought into WWE in 2002 to look weak and mediocre in comparison to WWE. The same could be said about last night. DX goes over NWO. Ive been saying this the entire Triple H - Sting buildup that this whole propping up of Stings legacy had more to do with enhancing Triple Hs. And that was what we got last night. Triple H should have been out first with an extended Sting entrance. Sting should have been the coolest entrance of them all because WWE had the opportunity to showcase a living legend. And the only one who never ever stepped foot in a WWE ring for a match. Instead Triple H, the heel, comes out last to the lamest ever Terminator crap and hes wearing that stupid Kings of Kings crap. Triple H is the heel boss not a face. He was booked as one last night..which contradicts the past four month storyline. To top it off the heel, who wins via sledgehammer, offers his hand to the lesser WCW loser. Even the commentators addressed the NWO and Sting as them vs us (DX). I mean cmon WCW ended 14 years ago. The original NWO in WCW ended 16 years ago.

The match should have ended with the scorpion death drop when the NWO came out. There really was no need for Triple H to be put over for the millionth time at the expense of this legends first ever Wrestlemania. Paul Levesque is extremely selfish and Vince McMahon really is a complete pussy punishing anybody or anything that wasn't his own creation. No matter how he has mishandled the NWO since 2002, there is just no way on earth he can sell the b team DX pulverizing the New World Order. Fans in the audience didn't like it either. Nobody liked it because it was flat out stupid. Major reason why WWE has never ever been able to reclaim the audience of 15 years ago. So many of us loved WCW and Sting and NWO. Us casual fans would have tuned in regularly had our favourites been showcased and put into every day roles the way they should have been.

Not always....Flair did beat HHH in Hell In A Cell, he beat HBK on PPV, he beat Foley at S-Slam, he beat R. Orton three times in high profile RAW matches, he beat Edge on PPV....he lost a few as well and he did put over Austin & Rock but he won some really big matches over really big WWE guys, not too mention beating Vince in the ultimate WWE vs WCW match at R-Rumble 2002