Foley is Pod - Sting [Show Notes] (Patreon)

In just a few days Mick - our subject today - The Man They Call Sting - is celebrating his 64th birthday on March 20th and you two have had quite the story together haven’t you?

Now we had a poll on our Twitter account asking fans - well of this podcast so I think they were a little skewed - who had the bigger impact on professional wrestling during their prime…and after a whopping 2,146 votes - Mick you won with 62.7% of the vote with Sting getting 37.3% of the vote.

I think that’s the perfect button to put on that discussion wouldn’t you?

Anyway - Sting’s career began on the indies teaming with the future Ultimate Warrior. He’d get his start in California, and eventually make his way to what would be your stomping grounds - the Continental Wrestling Association based out of Memphis and under Jerry Jarrett.

Did you see Sting & Warrior at that time in Memphis?

Any stories or anything you remember hearing about Sting during his time there?

It’s not long before he moves on to the UWF - Mid-South Wrestling - working for Bill Watts and it’s there Sting really begins to separate himself and get noticed. Was this when you first saw Sting?

He’s got a bodybuilder look - muscular - bright hair - he just looked like a wrestler didn’t he?

After the UWF is purchased by Jim Crockett Promotions - you can tell they’re ready to get behind him as right away he’s calling out the Nature Boy…do you think anyone saw what they saw in him at this point in time?

Sting - going one-on-one against Flair - at the first Clash of the Champions - is really the best star making night in the history of just one person in this business is it not?

What did you think of the match?

Flair has a reputation of taking anyone to a really good match - when you watched this - did you see Sting hold up his end of the bargain?

Eventually you will get your chance to work with Sting and we have discussed that some on this show so be sure to check out our archives.

But you have an Interaction with Sting on your second night in WCW in Dec 89, but not followed up on during Mick’s first run.

Foley’s book:

“The next night, we worked at the Dorton Arena in Raleigh, where I had my first singles match with a talented young wrestler on the rise named Flyin’ Brian Pillman. I went a full-tilt eight minutes with Brian, and we turned out a match that was excellent in quality and intensity. Terry Funk was doing the color commentary on the show and if you listen closely, you can hear the Funker’s admiration shining through. I lost the contest but refused to leave the ring and was still there when Sting came out for his match. Being the hero to “the little Stingers” that he was, Sting didn’t take kindly to my poor show of sportsmanship and proceeded to beat me up all around ringside, including a backdrop over the guardrail that had the Dorton Arena fans oohing in unison. Despite the fact that I had been both beaten and beaten up, I was on cloud nine when I got back to the dressing room because I knew that I’d done well. Minutes later, Sullivan, Funk, and even Buzz Sawyer were congratulating me on the match.”

Yes that’s your second night in the company rubbing elbows with Sting - what was he like back then?

Did you see a program with him at some point?

Were you disappointed it never got to be anything early on?

When your run ends in WCW - did you think Sting needed to get out of WCW to really get to the next level?

Everyone always talks about Sting money - what was that like in those days?

Do you think he deserved it?

When you return in 1991 you’re immediately programmed with him. Was this a surprise to you?

Do you think Sting had any reservations about working with you?

Your first match I could find in my research of you & Sting was you teaming with Arn Anderson, Kevin Sullivan & the One Man Gang losing to Barry Windham, El Gigante, Sting & the Yellow Dog - Brian Pillman in Jacksonville in a War Games. What a way to finally get in the ring with some of those guys huh?

Just a week later you’re putting him over in the Meadowlands in your first singles match. Did you feel chemistry right away with him?

You had written in your book he was excited to work with you after the first couple of matches - what was it about you personally that made people like working with you?

-Returning to WCW in 1991 and immediately Cactus (with Abdullah) feuding with Sting.

In WCW you two would have quite the cast of characters working with you. El Gigante, One Man Gang just to name a few - any horror stories of those?

In the Carolinas in mid-November 91 - you and Sting are working every night in US title cage matches with you putting him over. Any memories of these?

When Sting wins the WCW title for the second time in February 92 - did you expect an opportunity at a world title program with him?

We covered your match with Sting at Beach Blast in our archives so be sure to check that out - but do you think it hurt you that it was a non-title match?

You would turn babyface as we talked about earlier this year in 1993 and you’re on the same side teaming with Sting against Vader & Paul Orndorff. Anything different being on that side?

Did you consider yourself the #2 babyface behind Sting at the time?

Sting had this to say about working with you:

"Cactus was a fun guy to work with, he was a great personality outside of the ring as well. Talk about somebody who sacrificed his body – I mean I have stories about him. In Germany, against Vader...

I have stories about him in Atlanta with me. Some of the things that he did and hearing the sound of his body and his flesh hitting the pavement from

I don't know how many feet, I mean just ridiculous!”

Is that how you think you’re remembered by most? What you were willing to do to yourself in the ring?

Sting would continue:

“I was in Germany by the way when he wrestled Vader and you could see him wrestling and you could see the end of the match. You can see blood coming off the side of Mick's head. He thought he got busted open somehow and no big deal but the next thing you know a ring announcer comes walking into the dressing room with half of an ear or three-quarters of an ear in his hands. The thing is I have my ears. And I went yep...That's an ear! It was Cactus Jack's! I mean he came back in the dressing room and said something like, 'BANG BANG' and that was it. I think he wanted to have that thing preserved somehow in some kind of liquid. They didn't want to let him do it.

"A lot of fun working with Cactus. I loved his creativity. His willingness to just try stuff and do something different, step out of the box."

Is Sting one of your favorite opponents?

Was it frustrating that after you left WCW it would take to TNA to get the chance to work with him again?

Did you & Sting have a relationship outside the business at any point before TNA?

Sting was WCW’s franchise was he not?

Do you remember watching Starrcade 97 - seeing how badly WCW messed all that up - and felt bad for him?

Did you think it was an opportunity when that happened for the WWF to step in and take the #1 spot or do you think it was just a mountain of things building for the WWF to end the 83 week streak of Nitro over Raw?

What would Sting had looked like if he could’ve come into the WWF at any point during the Monday Night Wars?

Were you surprised he never came to the WWF when WCW closed?

Sting was one of the few top guys to hold out of going to the WWF and instead chose to work with TNA for many years. When Sting signs full-time with TNA - does that put the company on the radar for you?

When you came close to signing with TNA - was their relationship with Sting something you considered?

Your first main event program has you and Sting on opposite sides. How much was that something you wanted to do?

At Destination X in 2009 you’re the guest enforcer with Jeff Jarrett as the guest referee. Sting defeats Kurt but during the match you accidentally hit him with a chair. Were you surprised they were programming you with the TNA champion right away?

We will cover you winning the TNA title next month with your match against Sting at Lockdown…so stay tuned for that!

How different was Sting at this point in his career?

The Main Event Mafia was the top heel stable in the company - what did you think of the group of Sting, Angle, Booker, Scott Steiner & Kevin Nash.

Was it odd to have Sting as a heel do you think?

There’s a 4-way match with you, Sting, Kurt Angle & Jeff Jarrett called the Ultimate Sacrifice match where you put your title up, Sting put his career up, Angle put the leadership of the Main Event Mafia and Jarrett putting up ownership of TNA…

Mick - is this all too much?

From the Observer:

“Sting won the match, but since he didn’t pin Mick Foley, the champion, the title stayed with Foley. Sting instead won leadership in the Main Event Mafia.

The match wasn’t bad, but this one I had problems with regarding the logic. Earlier in the show, Sting came to the arena and a whole bunch of the younger wrestlers were in line shaking his hand, and we were told it showed how much respect these guys have for Sting. Wait a minute. Wasn’t the entire reason Sting joined the heel group was because the babyfaces showed him no respect? And now Sting is the top babyface. I guess there are storyline possibilities of the top face leading the group of heels, but it would work better if the heels weren’t over as the faces. And wasn’t the whole idea of Jarrett, Angle and Sting being in this match was they all wanted to win the title. I could see beating Jarrett in the sense that you would have voting shares in the company, but nobody except Foley did any promos in that direction. Why would Jarrett, for example, want to pin Sting and make him retire. Or Angle for that matter. And why didn’t they all target Foley, since his prize was what they were primarily fighting over.”

I mean…this is all hard to disagree about isn’t it? Was this something TNA had constant issues with?

This did tickle me:

“At one point a few minutes into the match, Foley went to the announcers table and started doing commentary. His explanation? He was all blown up and needed a breather. And even though beating him was the avowed goal, for several minutes, everyone continued to fight and trade near falls and saves. Finally, the only heel, was the one who ran to the desk and did a flip diver over the desk and knocked Foley out of his chair and got him back in the match. At one point Foley pulled out two socks, one for each hand, and did the sock claw on both Jarrett and Sting. Angle made the save.”

I think that spot was great - but putting something together like this - couldn’t have been easy could it?

Well…let’s discuss the finish…

“Sting used the scorpion death drop on Angle but no ref. Jarrett hit Sting with a guitar, but no ref. Why would Jarrett cheat behind the refs back to get Sting to retire when he’s clearly been kissing up to him as one of the company’s most valuable people? Foley hit Jarrett with a chair, but the ref recovered and Jarrett kicked out. Angle used the Angle slam on Foley for a near fall. Crowd was chanting “This is Awesome” at that point.

They continued doing big moves. Sting suplexed Foley on the floor as a receipt for the earlier piledriver. Angle went to the top to jump on Jarrett, but Jarrett climbed the ropes and used a stroke onto the chair that had been left

in the ring. But Sting jumped back in the ring and jumped on Angle for the pin, beating Jarrett and stealing his pin. People popped thinking Sting won the title, only for it to be announced Sting had become the leader of the Mafia. The match had problems in spots but for the most part was very good. But the problems with the match made it feel when it was over like it was a lackluster main event. ***”

Was this a disappointment for you? What do you think of all those ref bumps and stories in there?

You’d have one more match with Sting, a 3-way tag match where Samoa Joe & AJ Styles defeated Sting & Kurt and you & Jeff. The story of the match was you & Jeff not getting along. Do you wish your match with Sting at Lockdown was the last time you two were in the ring together?

Eventually you would both leave TNA - and Sting would finally join the WWE - as an enemy of Triple H & the Authority. What did you think of the story between him & Hunter leading to that WrestleMania where it was portrayed as WCW vs. WWE?

Did you watch Sting’s match with Seth Rollins live?

What did you think when you saw it?

Did you talk with Sting about it - did both of you think his career was over?

Do you think he was sad to have retired at that point and inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame?

Do you think Sting vs. the Undertaker is the one great match that should’ve happened that never did?

Seeing what Sting is doing in AEW now - being Foley esque of just jumping off balconies and going through tables - how shocked and surprised are you?

What is Sting to you - his legacy?