HELP! My memory has become faded.

[RedRegan1005]

I need the help of my fellow posters and die hard wrestling fans of WZ forums. We all know who Sting is. He is, for many people, the first single star you think of when someone says WCW. Unfortunately, I found his last couple years with TNA to be underwhelming, and his match quality to be quite poor honestly. This has caused my memory of the Icon to become foggy. So this is where you guys come in. . . .

I need you guys to tell me what is your favorite, and/or in your opinion best Sting match. I have the WWE network and all the content that comes with that, and I don't mind doing some digging on the web. If you can, give me one from his blonde hair days, and from his crows days after that ect. Heck if you want, I wouldnt even mind a match from his early TNA days. I hope you guys can help me remember the great side of the Icon. I recently watched his falls count anywhere match with cactus jack, so no need to mention that. So without further ado, its SHOWTIME!!!

 

[Bobbywoodhogan]

Sting is truly one of the greatest of all-time especially in those early years. I see you've already watched the great Cactus Jack match from Beach Blast.

Matches I'd recommend:

Sting vs Flair matches
Clash of the Champions 1988
Starrcade '89: Future Shock
The Great American Bash 1990

Sting & Lex Luger vs the Steiner Brothers (Superbrawl I)

Sting vs Rick Rude (Clash of the Champions XVII)

Sting vs. Vader (Starrcade ’92)

Sting vs. Vader (SuperBrawl 3)

Sting vs Rick Rude (Spring Stampede 1994)

Sting vs Vader (Slamboree 1994)

Sting vs DDP (WCW Nitro, April 26 1999)

 

[tvcolosi]

When the 1997 Nitros are added, the 18 month build to Hogan vs Sting at Starrcade is really fun. It will be hard to pick and choose but it will be worth it .

 

[psours]

my favorite was already mentioned the sting vs flair mach from the clash of champions

 

[enviousdominous]

A personal favorite of mine was when Sting went up against The Iron Sheik back in '89.

,[YOUTUBE]eyl1io2ZzIg[/YOUTUBE]

I was a huge fan when Sting wore the TV Title. He made that belt look like a World Championship. I wanted to include a match that Sting had against Muta for the TV Title, but for the life of me I can't find the one I remember on YouTube and I can only remember that it was for the TV Title.

 

[mral82]

I think a couple of his best TNA matches were against Kurt Angle in an Empty Arena Match when both were part of the Main Event Mafia and his Match vs AJ Styles a few yrs ago at Bound 4 Glory. Steve has proven he can still go for a 55 year old in which the true fans have watched TNA and not only think of his WCW run.

 

[Bobbywoodhogan]

A personal favorite of mine was when Sting went up against The Iron Sheik back in '89.

,[YOUTUBE]eyl1io2ZzIg[/YOUTUBE]

I was a huge fan when Sting wore the TV Title. He made that belt look like a World Championship. I wanted to include a match that Sting had against Muta for the TV Title, but for the life of me I can't find the one I remember on YouTube and I can only remember that it was for the TV Title.

God I love that old Sting entrance music, much better than the Man They Call Sting

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

A few of my favorites that haven't been mentioned:

Sting Vs. The Great Muta - The Great American Bash 89, WCW/New Japan Supershow 1991

You cannot go wrong Sting and Muta. If I had to pick Sting's greatest opponent, I would have to say it's a toss up betwen Vader and Muta. They were both very different competitors, and both brought out the best stuff out of Sting.

Wargames: Sting's Squadron Vs. The Dangerous Alliance - Wrestle War 92

Probably one of the most brutal WCW matches ever, and absolutely loaded with talent. Sting, Nikita Koloff, Ricky Steamboat, Barry Windham, and Dustin Rhodes Vs. Rick Rude, Steve Austin, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, and Larry Zbyszko. I was in pure awe of that match.

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

So I think the obvious ones are already stated:

Sting vs Ric Flair - Clash of the Champions 1988
The match many people say put Sting on the map as a main event player

Sting vs Ric Flair - Great American Bash 1990
Sting's first World Heavyweight Championship win

Sting & Lex Luger vs The Steiner Brothers - SuperBrawl I
A lot of Sting's time was spent as one half of this tag team, which was wildly popular. Though later on when Sting was face and Luger was heel was a fun dynamic

Sting vs Vader - SuperBrawl III or Starrcade '92
Both are great matches and a great feud...

As he evolved from surfer Sting to the Crow, there isn't necessarily a single match that stood out in this era, but watch a lot of his Nitro segments from late '96 and throughout 97. His entire evolution and build to Hogan is arguably his most over period in the business, and he didn't even wrestle or speak for over a year. Sometimes angles are > than matches, and this is a perfect example of that:

- Sting claims to be a free agent
- Sting's "only thing that's for sure is nothing's for sure" segment
- Sting attacks n.W.o. Sting
- Sting first repels from the rafters
- Sting's loyalty tests vs multiple WCW stars
- Sting terrorizes n.W.o.
- Kevin Nash pretends to be Sting at WWIII

As for matches as The Crow... There really wasn't much.

Sting/Hogan at Starrcade and the rematch SuperBrawl both aren't very good and couldn't live up to the hype, but are both memorable moments in WCW history.

Sting/Savage at Spring Stampede should have been way better than it was.

Sting/Bret Hart at Halloween Havoc (much like Savage above), should have been a way bigger feud and match, but more screwy booking here.

Sting admits 1998 wasn't the best time in his life, and his ring work wasn't great due to a lot of the personal issues he was going through.

Sting vs Diamond Dallas Page - Nitro April 1999
Wasn't much good about 1999, but this match is great

 

[Bobbywoodhogan]

Sting/Hogan at Starrcade and the rematch SuperBrawl both aren't very good and couldn't live up to the hype, but are both memorable moments in WCW history.

I actually think Sting and Hogan had a good match on Nitro in 1995 and again in 1999. Seems the times the matches (97/98) should have been good they weren't though.

 

[CrucifiedRaven]

I actually think Sting and Hogan had a good match on Nitro in 1995 and again in 1999. Seems the times the matches (97/98) should have been good they weren't though.

By late 97/98 Hogan was getting progressively worse in the ring and was finally forced into having knee surgery in Spring of 1999. Likewise, Sting admitted 1998 was rock bottom for him personally and it was effecting him professionally. The business was hot and their feud was a major catalyst for this, but neither man was in the right place to deliver a classic payoff. They still made the money though.