Is Sting on par with WWE main event legends, within WWE canon?

[Creepy Old Man]

WWE recognizes WCW Championship reigns, making Sting a six-time world champion within the "WWE Universe".

They own the WCW tape library, and have published Sting's matches against stars who are synonymous with WWE like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Mick Foley, Jake Roberts, Kevin Nash, Big Show and so on. So the "Universe" can access footage of him against the big WWE guns, often coming out on top in those matches.

He was dubbed the "franchise" of a wrestling company that was the industry leader for two (arguably three) years; WWE acknowledges this. In his WWE bio, he is described as "one of the most popular and respected competitors of all-time".

I'm discounting TNA, since WWE does. So, does Sting stand alongside the WWE legends in WWE canon, or is he still that step below? And what would make him worthy of being positioned among the WWE elite?

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Of course he is. WWE has acknowledged the WCW title since 91 and Ric Flair, Booker is the 5-Time, 5 Time WCW Champion.

You look at the talents Sting has defeated who are WWE Hall of Famers/World Champs in WCW.. Flair, Hogan, Nash, The Big Show, Stone Cold, Mick Foley, Bret Hart, The Iron Sheik, Chris Benoit, Booker T, Randy Savage. Those are just the ones in WCW who held a WWE title... anyone who has beaten all those guys, whenever it took place is on their level. Factor in those who didn't hold the belt like Rude, Perfect, Jake, Terry Funk, Scott Hall, Abdullah, Trips and Lex Luger and there is no question.

That he hasn't been in a WWE ring makes no difference, if anything it just makes him "the one that got away" and whatever match he ends up having will be important. Personally I think Bray Wyatt or Jericho (amazingly that match never happened) as Taker is clearly too banged up now. Don't see him v Trips today being a good match.

 

[FarFromFine]

Of course he is. WWE has acknowledged the WCW title since 91 and Ric Flair, Booker is the 5-Time, 5 Time WCW Champion.

You look at the talents Sting has defeated who are WWE Hall of Famers/World Champs in WCW.. Flair, Hogan, Nash, The Big Show, Stone Cold, Mick Foley, Bret Hart, The Iron Sheik, Chris Benoit, Booker T, Randy Savage. Those are just the ones in WCW who held a WWE title... anyone who has beaten all those guys, whenever it took place is on their level. Factor in those who didn't hold the belt like Rude, Perfect, Jake, Terry Funk, Scott Hall, Abdullah, Trips and Lex Luger and there is no question.

That he hasn't been in a WWE ring makes no difference, if anything it just makes him "the one that got away" and whatever match he ends up having will be important. Personally I think Bray Wyatt or Jericho (amazingly that match never happened) as Taker is clearly too banged up now. Don't see him v Trips today being a good match.

You did a great job of making a case for Sting but it's not enough.

The question is Sting on par with WWE main event legends within WWE canon. The short answer is no.

You mentioned Booker T, he isn't either.

Sting beat a lot of guys that are, but beat them when they weren't who they became or were no longer who they used to be. You can't say that when he beat them doesn't matter. Getting a pinfall victory over Stunning Steve Austin is a lot different than Stone cold. Stunning Steve Austin wasn't one of the 5 biggest names of all time.

And WCW was in the lead for 2 to 3 years but it wasn't because of Sting, it was because of the NWO and Goldberg. People weren't flipping from Raw to Nitro to see what Sting was up to. He was a nice addition and almost always a good match to watch but he is not anywhere near being on the level of Austin, Rock, Hogan, Brock, Macho Man, Michaels, etc. and the guys at WWE realize this.

In my opinion, Sting made a great self-promotion manuever by never joining WWF/E because, if he had, he would have never amounted to much there.

 

[Creepy Old Man]

WCW was in the lead for 2 to 3 years but it wasn't because of Sting

Let's not forget that Starrcade 1997, headed by Hogan vs. Sting, was WCW's biggest ever buy. One could credit Hogan for that, but why then weren't Hogan's matches with Flair, Savage or Piper bigger? Sting was also the second-biggest merchandising draw in the industry in 1997, behind only Steve Austin.

 

[subsouljah82]

why some people continue the wwe bias i will never understand sting was the constant for wcw from the late 80s on he was for them what any of the long running stars like taker or hbk were for wwe just look at the amazing wild and crazy moments he was involved in aside from being in matchs with every major name to walk in the doors in wcw weather it was classics with ric flair to war games matchs to wwridiculous robocop deal and starcade 97 he ran with everythin wcw had to offer him and is there one true homegrown icon he is on the level of anything wwe had then yea it was the number 2 company and they didnt sell merch like wwe but he is just as big as anyone not named hogan rock austin and taker to me he is top 10 as a draw and top 5 as a gimmick not to mention top 2 in my all time favorites behind only the rock he deserves a big mania match and a win on the biggest stage and if u dont see that do some research of life before the attitude era u wont be disappointed

 

[fenderjapan]

Yes, Sting is on par with WWE main eventers in the WWE canon. He wouldn't have gotten a giant buildup for a VIDEO GAME PROMO if he wasn't. WCW title is considered a World Championship in WWE. Only one person has more WCW title wins than Sting, and that is Ric Flair.

 

[Mudlup50]

As I recall Booker T used to do the 5 time 5 time...yea you know the shtick but he only was a 5 time WCW champion. So I'd imagine they'd include Sting's reigns. They do completely ignore all TNA things as evident by Jeff Hardy's reigns but still Sting is a 6 time world champion in WCW chronology. I don't see why they wouldn't treat him on Jericho level. Well he'd be below it, being as Jericho is a 9 time IC champ, 7 time tag champ and a crapton of other accomplishments. Plus Jericho has stayed around(I mean he left for chunks but Sting has never been in a WWE ring). So I'd say Sting is below Jericho in WWE canon but the only real way to put him in spot is to debate him versus...

Booker T. And I think here is where it gets debatable. Booker T was a 5 time WCW champion but he was also a 10 time tag champ. Sting is a 6 time world champion using WWE numbers and a 3 time tag champ. So what is more legendary, 1 world title win or 7 tag title wins? Then you figure Booker came to the E won 3 more tag title, 1 more world title, and a few other belts. I'd say Sting is a level below Booker T in WWE's book. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I personally don't consider Booker that big a legend(I wasn't a fan during the attitude era and was straight up blown away by his number of tag title wins ).

But we also have to view what would happen if the WWE endorses his TNA accomplishments. That would add 5 more world title wins on and a tag title win. I think the only way they would acknowledge them is if TNA went under but could you imagine if they did?! Sting suddenly becomes an 11 time world champ and 4 time tag champ. Which puts him right over Orton level. He has 12 world title wins, 1 tag title win and a few other accomplishments.

So it depends on if TNA goes under. If it does, holy hell is Sting a legend. But if not, he still is but not quite to that level.

 

[tak161]

And WCW was in the lead for 2 to 3 years but it wasn't because of Sting, it was because of the NWO and Goldberg. People weren't flipping from Raw to Nitro to see what Sting was up to. He was a nice addition and almost always a good match to watch but he is not anywhere near being on the level of Austin, Rock, Hogan, Brock, Macho Man, Michaels, etc. and the guys at WWE realize this.

So you're just trashing the entire year buildup to Sting vs Hogan. Sting was the most popular guy in wrestling not named Steve Austin. People wanted to see what Sting was going to do, who would he attack, would he speak, which side was he on? To say that people weren't watching WCW for Sting is ridiculous. Sting was half the reason WCW was on top.

Is Sting on par with WWE main eventers? Absolutely, he is. He's a legend, an icon, and one of the top stars in wrestling history.

 

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

Without a doubt...YES! Plain and simply put...YES! There's no way in hell that he isn't. Sting has stepped into the ring and defeated a veritable who's who of wrestling icons/legends. Flair, Roberts, Hogan are just three that come to mind. And all the power to him for not being so quick to have left WCW even to its final dying breath, the man had a very good command on his self preservation and value. Something you can't begrudge him for, the fact WWE has brought him up a myriad of times in the post WWF-buyout of WCW says it all. Should he have any involvement with WWE beyond his legends and WWE 2K15 deal, WWE will definitely make sure Sting is shown in that light should he interact with anyone in WWE on a RAW (or any other WWE program) segment.

 

[MrGameTime]

100% Yes.

Sting is up there with the very best of all professional wrestlers.
You really have to give him extra credit as he is the ONLY guy who has got to that level without any help from the WWE machine, he did it of his own back creating his own legacy in NWA/WCW/TNA

You have that certain class of top tier legends, e.g Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, Rick Flair, HBK... he deserves to be included in that class, he has earned it.

 

[SSJPhenom]

You did a great job of making a case for Sting but it's not enough.

The question is Sting on par with WWE main event legends within WWE canon. The short answer is no.

You mentioned Booker T, he isn't either.

Sting beat a lot of guys that are, but beat them when they weren't who they became or were no longer who they used to be. You can't say that when he beat them doesn't matter. Getting a pinfall victory over Stunning Steve Austin is a lot different than Stone cold. Stunning Steve Austin wasn't one of the 5 biggest names of all time.

And WCW was in the lead for 2 to 3 years but it wasn't because of Sting, it was because of the NWO and Goldberg. People weren't flipping from Raw to Nitro to see what Sting was up to. He was a nice addition and almost always a good match to watch but he is not anywhere near being on the level of Austin, Rock, Hogan, Brock, Macho Man, Michaels, etc. and the guys at WWE realize this.

In my opinion, Sting made a great self-promotion manuever by never joining WWF/E because, if he had, he would have never amounted to much there.

Did you even watch wrestling back then or are you just talking about things that you absolutely have no idea about? From my POV, you're just talking about things that you have no idea about because if you actually do know what you are talking about and you still said what you said; then that kind of makes you an idiot.

I absolutely changed channels from Raw to Nitro to see what Sting was doing. From late '96 through early '98, I think it can easily be said that Sting was one of (if not THE) most popular wrestlers around. He was easily WCW's #1 face and let us not forget that Starcade '97 remains WCW's best selling PPV of all time. Who headlined that PPV? Hogan vs Sting! All the credit for the success of that PPV cannot go to Hogan because if that were the case, then all of Hogan's matches should have sold just as well. The fact is, yes the nWo was very popular, however, they would not have been nowhere near as popular if they hadn't have had a great foil in Sting to go up against. I remember going to school on Tuesdays after having watched wrestling the night before and from late '96 through early '98, all my friends and I would talk about was Sting and what he had did.

To answer the question of the thread; hell yes Sting is easily on par with the legends of the WWE. I'm confident in saying that if there had been no Sting in WCW during the Monday Night Wars, then the Wars wouldn't have lasted nowhere near as long as they did. As I said, the nWo were great heels, however, they needed a great hero to go up against and Sting was just that. When you add together his success, longevity, popularity, and etc., then yes; Sting is every bit the legend that WWE alumni are.

 

[FarFromFine]

Did you even watch wrestling back then or are you just talking about things that you absolutely have no idea about? From my POV, you're just talking about things that you have no idea about because if you actually do know what you are talking about and you still said what you said; then that kind of makes you an idiot.

I absolutely changed channels from Raw to Nitro to see what Sting was doing. From late '96 through early '98, I think it can easily be said that Sting was one of (if not THE) most popular wrestlers around. He was easily WCW's #1 face and let us not forget that Starcade '97 remains WCW's best selling PPV of all time. Who headlined that PPV? Hogan vs Sting! All the credit for the success of that PPV cannot go to Hogan because if that were the case, then all of Hogan's matches should have sold just as well. The fact is, yes the nWo was very popular, however, they would not have been nowhere near as popular if they hadn't have had a great foil in Sting to go up against. I remember going to school on Tuesdays after having watched wrestling the night before and from late '96 through early '98, all my friends and I would talk about was Sting and what he had did.

To answer the question of the thread; hell yes Sting is easily on par with the legends of the WWE. I'm confident in saying that if there had been no Sting in WCW during the Monday Night Wars, then the Wars wouldn't have lasted nowhere near as long as they did. As I said, the nWo were great heels, however, they needed a great hero to go up against and Sting was just that. When you add together his success, longevity, popularity, and etc., then yes; Sting is every bit the legend that WWE alumni are.

I suppose I should have clarified. Other than when he changed his character and got to be involved against the NWO no one, other than Sting marks, were flipping from Raw to Nitro to see what Sting was up to.

Yes, Starrcade 1997 was headlined by Sting and did was their best buyrate they ever accomplished for a PPV. He was also facing Hogan and it was billed as WCW vs NWO. Hard to give Sting, personally, a ton of credit for selling that one. You mentioned that Hogan main evented other times and didn't draw those ratings again, I think you're neglecting how many times Sting main evented WCW PPV's and the buy rates were abysmal. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the Sting vs Vader PPVs and always loved a Sting vs Flair match but we saw what WWE thought of Vader when he was brought over. As for Flair, the WWE does look at him as on par with their greats because he is on par with their greats.

Sorry boys but Sting is no Ric Flair and Flair is basically the only "WCW guy" that WWE recognizes as an equal to their main event stars.