Sting "burned" and other storylines from WCW in 2000?

[UFOcalling]

I apologize if this has been discussed recently, I searched the forums and couldn't find anything about it.

Do you guys remember back in 2000 when Sting was "burned" on WCW programming, and was then coming to the ring in a mask and goggles? I was trying to find a photo, or video of it last night...but after an exhaustive internet search of more than an hour, I came up short.

I'm assuming that these "burns" happened during his lengthy feud with Vampiro, but I think he only wore the mask for a few weeks. I remember him coming out on Nitro one night, only to throw the mask off (and have his "crow" makeup on underneath).

After remembering the "Human Torch" match Sting had with Vampiro at the Great American Bash (in 2000), I thought maybe that was the start of the mask-wearing Sting. After doing some more searching, I found out that wasn't it.

I guess my post is two-fold: did you like Russo's idea of "reinventing" Sting's character as a "burned" guy who wore a mask with new ring attire?

When did all of that go down, and how long did it last?

Do you think that the angle would have worked, if Sting would have went along with it? -- it's my understanding that Sting himself put the kibosh on the angle, as he hated the ring-attire.

Thoughts?

 

[MancMark]

I recall the human torch match with Sting falling from the top of the screen or whatever on fire. I actually didn't think the feud was too bad at the time. It worked with it being two face painted wrestlers with opposite beliefs and moral standards. I think it's a shame the other guy was Vampiro.

 

[UnBEARaBULLfan]

I remember the fued and I remember the match where vampiro had lit Sting on fire on the jumbo tron, but I vaguley recall Sting wearing a mask, I'm assuming your're talking about Stings mask they sold with the crow face paint.

 

[UFOcalling]

Originally Posted by larry5434
I'm assuming your're talking about Stings mask they sold with the crow face paint.

No, this was an actual mask that Sting wore to the ring. It was almost like a black ski mask, from what I remember...and there were some "Mr. Freeze"ish goggles that went on top of the mask. Like I said, I think this only lasted a few weeks.

Originally Posted by Defekt
what you describe is Kane's gimmick. Worked for him, but Sting already had a cool persona.

You are exactly right, they (I believe it was Russo) slapped Sting with Kane's gimmick. Like I posted before, I think I remember reading (at the time, on the dirt sheets) that the reason Sting didn't keep the mask on is because he hated the angle.

I agree with you, Sting didn't need a new gimmick. At the time, he was coming out to Metallica's "Seek & Destroy", and was still beloved by the fans. I always thought his crow gimmick was cool as well.

It's crazy that this almost seems like it was erased from existence, I can't find any evidence of it on the internet at all. Maybe it just was too nuts to even remember.

 

[pauliminator]

Is this the video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKAHNMY4b1U&feature=related

[YOUTUBE]XKAHNMY4b1U[/YOUTUBE]

yes it is

if you want to watch the videos after this ppv, check out the youtube channel of mrwcw2000. he has all nitros, thunders, and ppvs up from january-july 2000 and is trying to post for the whole year. a few weeks after the ppv, vampiro would be attacked by a guy dressed up in a ski mask and goggles and the announcers would speculate whether or not it was sting. sting won a fan voting to become #1 contender and vowed to unmask before the match but was attacked before it even started. turns out, it was only delayed one week and they didn't even make that big a deal about it

 

[UFOcalling]

Originally Posted by ShakilKingofKings
Is this the video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKAHN...eature=related

Yes, that's the angle that I thought might have started the whole "masked Sting" gimmick. For those that don't actually want to find the first part, Vampiro had covered Sting in gasoline, then dragged him up to the top of "Nitro-Vision". From what I understand, the whole reason for the lights going out and all is because the one who was actually on fire was a stuntman.

Tonight I actually decided to skim through all the "entire" episodes of Nitro on youtube, and finally found it! Here's the video, Sting finally shows up (with the mask & goggles) to confront Vampiro around 1hr24mins

[YOUTUBE]2Uo3IGUOrNM[/YOUTUBE]

So, I guess I was wrong. The mask gimmick did happen as a result of the Human Torch Match. If you're interested in finding more, there's a guy on youtube with the username "MrWCW2000" who has uploaded every episode of Nitro from that year (I think). Just start at July 10, 2000 and keep going forward.

 

[Carpathian Florist]

I thought this storyline had a lot of potential actually, I remember being disappointed by it at almost every turn but I was naive enough to think something might happen to fling the entire thing forward into something enjoyable. Seems characteristic of Russo's reign to me, so much potential yet so many misfires.

 

[UFOcalling]

Originally Posted by Carpathian Florist
Seems characteristic of Russo's reign to me, so much potential yet so many misfires.

So true...I was still watching WCW (at least Nitro) until until the very end. I would usually watch Nitro live, but tape Raw (or vice versa). I think the main problem wasn't Russo, but that a lot of the performers (including Sting) had creative control over their characters. It was Sting himself (if I remember correctly) that nixed this new "look" and angle.

 

[wrestling89]

i give props to anyone who can remember storylines from WCW 2000 - 2001. Other than the New Blood deal, the only thing I can remember was the Cruiserweight Tag Team Titles. Now that was some bad-ass stuff. They should have started that one in 96 with the rest of the luchadores.

 

[UFOcalling]

Originally Posted by wrestling89
Other than the New Blood deal, the only thing I can remember was the Cruiserweight Tag Team Titles.

Oh man! I completely forgot about the Cruiserweight Tag Titles until you mentioned them! Decent idea, but it seemed like a lot of people didn't seem to care much about them. Kinda like the lame WCW Hardcore division...it was decent at first, when Hak (Sandman) and Bam-Bam were fighting for the belt, but ended up super lame with guys like Vito & Brian Knobbs (however you spell his name) at the forefront of the division....although Norman Smiley was pretty entertaining in the football get-up. I totally agree with you though, '96/97ish would have been a better time for the cruiserweight tag belts.

I was one of those lame-os who actually stuck with WCW until the end, but I forgot a lot of what happened in those days. For instance, I thought the Masked-Sting gimmick lasted a lot longer than it did...it probably only really seemed like an eternity to me, because I was such a Sting-mark back then. Lol! ...I was so into that angle at the time. I marked out like crazy when Sting finally returned with the mask. What a nerd! Ha!

 

[GrandSword]

Sting won an internet poll to face Booker T for the title but when he came out heel Goldberg came out and superkicked him in the face (they had sort of been pushing Goldberg's kick after it ended Hart's career).

It would have been better if the facepaint was different when Sting pulled the mask off, maybe WCW could have gone to their movie department and made the make-up look like it was burned into his face or something really cool, more of a scar than paint...

 

[wrestling89]

wow, Norman Smiley. Now there is a name I haven't heard in a long time.

I had a friend in high school, who never really joined in on the wrestling talk. But when Smiley started doing his Big Wiggle, that's all he could talk about outside of class.

Man Norman Smiley was great.

The whole feud with the Jung Dragons - 3 Count - Noble and Korageous (I forget how to spell that guy's name) and then they brought in some future TNA guys to that CW Tag Title mix. I think AJ Styles might have been there, and Christopher Daniels, but I can't remember. Those tag matches had me watching Thunder till the bitter end.

Hell, I think I actually sat to watch MORE of Thunder than Nitro in the final weeks. When they took off Heenan from Nitro, there was nothing left in 2001.

 

[UFOcalling]

Originally Posted by GrandSword
It would have been better if the facepaint was different when Sting pulled the mask off, maybe WCW could have gone to their movie department and made the make-up look like it was burned into his face or something really cool, more of a scar than paint...

I completely agree. It would have been cool to do something different with Sting's character (even if it was just his makeup), and this would have been the perfect time to do it. Too bad Steve Borden just wasn't willing to change. IMHO, Sting was the only veteran WCW at the time that was still absolutely amazing in the ring, his character could have used an overhaul then. He might have got a bigger push, and could have had an amazing feud with a heel Goldberg. Ah, memories....

@wrestling89 - I'm totally with you on the Jung Dragons & Three Count. Wasn't Shannon Moore or Gregory Helms (sp?) in 3count as well? ...maybe I'm remembering wrong. I was such a fan of wcw2000, even if most remember it as a train-wreck. I was on the edge of my seat almost every week. I especially loved it when Bischoff & Russo were both involved with the show. I know most of the IWC hates their booking, but I was thoroughly entertained. WWF was a lot better back then too.