There has been a feeling among some fans that Sting’s legacy has been tarnished by how he’s been booked in WWE. He lost both his Pay-Per-View matches and his only win came during a tag match on an episode of Raw, although it was a victory earned by making the WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins submit. Personally, I don’t believe Sting’s legacy has been tarnished at all. Let’s face it, not many people believe he would ever sign with WWE, let alone compete at WrestleMania 31 and if you told me three months ago Sting would face Seth Rollins at Night of Champions in the main event for the title, I wouldn’t have believed you.
The only thing you have to do to see that Sting’s legacy hasn’t been tarnished is to look at his career. He is a multiple world champion and the face of WCW. He is, was, and always will be the franchise player of WCW and it’s most loyal employee, never once jumping to the WWE during the Monday Night Wars or any other period of time where WWE and WCW were in competition. He main evented both the first and last episodes of WCW flagship show Nitro, thus further proving his loyalty. He was there for both the best and worst moments. If there’s anyone responsible for any of the success that WCW did have when it was in business, Sting is one of those people. He was loved by kids and adults like. Many fans compare him to how The Undertaker is with WWE and how respected and loyal he has been. Sting was to WCW what The Undertaker is to WWE. Will a dream matchup between them ever actually take place, giving Sting’s recent injuries, as well as Vince being reluctant to book the match for whatever reasons, don’t hold you breath on that.
When WCW went out of business in 2001, Sting could have signed with WWE, but he didn’t. He was afraid of how WWE would book the WCW wrestlers. It turns out he was right because WCW was make to look like a joke throughout the entire invasion storyline. Surely Sting would have been no exception. He took a few years off from wrestling then signed with TNA. TNA didn’t tarnish his legacy either, in fact, he was successful there, becoming a world champion and his presence their gave TNA big name recognition. Eventually after years of competing in TNA, Sting let his contract expire and didn’t resign. He had a hall of fame career on multiple levels by this point, so if he would have never signed with WWE, Sting was still a hall of famer.
However, years and years of speculation, Sting finally signed with WWE in 2014. It was what many fans had wanted to see for a long time, but didn’t know if it would ever become a reality. Sting made his official debut at Survivor Series 2014 by attacking Triple H, setting the stage for a match at WrestleMania 31. Sting competing in a match at WrestleMania was promoted as a huge deal, and indeed it was. In a shocker, Sting lost the match to Triple H, and it was uncertain what the future would hold for him. Sting would return six months later to face Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a match that I didn’t think would ever happen. Sting lost the match and was injured in the process, but he put in a great effort despite the loss and injury and made Seth Rollins, who has not been booked strong as champion, look a little bit legit. If that ends up being the last match of Sting’s career, then it was not a bad way to go out.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ga6d-jtEns[/youtube]
Even though he didn’t have big wins, his time in WWE didn’t do any harm to his legacy. I’m assuming he’s doing this run as a thank you to his fans who have supported him all these years, wins and loses don’t matter, we got to see Sting in the WWE, that’s a pretty big deal. His legacy is fine and one day he will be in the WWE Hall of Fame where he belongs.
Until next time, don’t tarnish your legacy,
-Nick
