It’s Sting!
Growing up I was a Hulkamaniac. I loved his larger than life charisma and I always thought it was cool when he tore his shirts. I watched both the WWF and NWA religiously on Saturday and Sunday’s and dreamed of one day becoming a wrestler myself. As I mentioned I was a Hulkamaniac, but I also loved Dusty Rhodes and the Rock n Roll Express.
Then one day I saw this wrestler who looked like a true superhero. He had face paint like the Road Warriors and a blonde flat top. This wrestler was called Sting! He was colorful and full of energy. I loved his finisher combo of the Stinger Splash and The Scorpion Deathlock. Sting changed everything for me as I was consumed with wanting to paint my face and master the Scorpion.
I remember watching Sting come back from a neat career ending knee injury to win the NWA World Title from Ric Flair at The Great American Bash.
Sting would go on to win the title many times after that as well as changing his look. Sting would go on to change from the surfer Sting to Crow Sting as he fought off the NWO. Sting would go to TNA and become Joker Sting from time to time. Sting finally went to WWE where he was inducted into the HOF and in so many words was wasted. After a neck injury it looked like Sting would retire and not get the hero’s exit he deserved.
until…Tony Kahn created AEW
AEW was around for a bit and they announced Winter was coming. For all I knew it was going to be the return of Glacier (more on him at another time). Needless to say when Sting walked out both Brandon and I marked out like little kids (in our own homes respectively). I wasn’t sure if it was just an appearance or would it be more.
Thankfully it was so much more. Sting has been wrestling and stealing the show in tag matches with Darby Allen. This has been such an exciting time for fans of Sting. In November Brandon and I went to Wrestlecade in Winston Salem NC, where we met Sting (me for the 2nd time) and got our picture with him.
Standing next to Sting is always an awesome feeling even if its for a few seconds. I write this as the year 2021 ends knowing that many of my favorite wrestling memories of this year centered around The Man Called Sting!
