83 Weeks - Sting's 1999 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today we’re discussing Sting’s 1999….and its kind of surreal to see Sting in the spot he is in from 98 to 99. When 98 started…Sting was WCW Champion - sort of - coming out of Starrcade 97. By the end of the year he’s in the Wolfpac and losing to Bret Hart in a US title match at Halloween Havoc before going off TV due to an injury.

As 1999 begins, the nWo merges back together between the Wolfpac & Hollywood to form the nWo Elite…there was no way you’d have Sting return as part of that group was there?

With Sting off TV and awaiting a return…he does work a few live events during those early months in the year, where he would defeat the likes of Wrath, Bam Bam Bigelow and even Bret Hart. Why did you have Sting working on house shows and not on television?

Sting’s return is hyped for the April 5th, 1999 Nitro with a new look and a new set. The main event is Goldberg vs. Hollywood vs. Flair vs. DDP for the WCW Title. During the match the fans chant “We Want Sting”...the match ends in a no contest and Ric Flair retains the title. Sting drops from the ceiling with a baseball bat and Flair powders out…Sting points to the video screens and Randy Savage announces the Spring Stampede main event would be Sting getting a WCW Title shot at Spring Stampede this Sunday in a four corners match with Savage as referee. I mean, this is Sting’s return - back in the Crow look - and here he is inserted into the main event in 6 days of the pay-per-view…1999 was a mess creatively for WCW wasn’t it?

Was there any discussions of Sting coming back with any different look?

At Spring Stampede 1999, DDP would win the title in a match featuring Hogan, Flair & Sting in 17:27 with Savage as the referee.

From the Observer

Page did the Bret Hart figure four around the post on Hogan, who sold it big. Sting saved Hogan but trainer Danny Young ran out and Hogan was helped to the back selling his knee big-time. Eric Bischoff came out looking concerned to sell the injury. It was real sad, or maybe it wasn't, that with Hogan being helped out a few weeks after the big face turn, all you could hear from the crowd is people screaming at Hogan to retire. The match got a lot better once Hogan was out of there, but it still wasn't good. Page reversed a tombstone on Sting but Flair saved Sting. Sting used a superplex on Flair. They did the double sleeper spot and double jawbreaker spot. Sting got the scorpion on Flair but Page saved. Sting used the scorpion death drop (reverse DDT) on Page but Flair saved. Flair got the figure four on Sting but Sting made the ropes. Savage refused to break it and instead dragged them from the ropes to the middle of the ring, theoretically helping Flair. He then jumped off the top with an elbow onto Flair. Finally Page used the diamond cutter on Flair for the pin. *¼

This…this is all just a mess isn’t it?

The next day Nitro is sold out…6279 fans paying $159,629 in the Yakima Sun Dome. The show opened with a Sting interview…and it was long and not good. This really wasn’t Sting’s strong suit was it?

Meltzer would point out that Sting got less over the more he spoke to the point there were some boos by the end. He wound up challenging Page for a title shot. Sting claimed he was the guy who built the house and seemed mad at people like Rhodes and Hogan who had claimed differently, being he was the only one who had been there since the company was formed.

This direction for Sting makes him sound like an old grizzled veteran doesn’t it?

Page comes out…and doesn’t accept the shot but Flair comes out and somehow Flair and Sting work together again on Nitro. 15 minutes later Sting gets the win with the scorpion death drop and these two really just know how to work together don’t they?

A couple of weeks later, Roddy Piper forces DDP to put his title on the line against Sting and Sting gets the win for the WCW Title. He also wore some ridiculous looking white tape over his boots…not the best look was it?

Later that night on Nitro…Sting drops the title back to DDP in a 4-way featuring Nash & Goldberg as well. What’s the reasoning or thinking behind this?

Does this help anyone do you think?

What is your relationship with Sting like at this point?

Coming off that show Sting and Flair seem to be having issues and it leads to them trading punches…but Flair calls out Goldberg as well and it turns into Sting and Goldberg brawling with each other. I mean you’re talking two of the biggest babyfaces in WCW…why was this a direction?

It would lead to their first singles match at Slamboree and man oh man was this panned in the build by many - but Wade Keller was the strongest…

“Sting vs. Goldberg might be the most underpromoted match in WCW PPV history. Mike Tenay made an effort at the start of the PPV to explain that Flair booked these two against each other in order to limit their power by getting them to fight each other rather than unite. But to throw the Sting vs. Goldberg match on PPV without hyping it to the moon is inexcusable. The (so-called) WCW franchise of the past ten years against the WCW franchise of the next ten years should have alone been enough to pop a huge buyrate. Instead, they brawl briefly early in Nitro six days earlier for no apparent reason, then the match isn’t mentioned again on Nitro.”

I mean this is a failure of promotional efforts is it not?

Was there concern about getting the match to happen and that’s why it wasn’t promoted?

Meltzer’s review of the match

8. Sting no contest Bill Goldberg in 8:17.

The two messed up a lucha spot early. The crowd didn't boo either guy, but didn't cheer either guy much either. A couple of things were off but Goldberg did some cool power moves and Sting had his working shoes on (you know, the ones all taped up with that white tape, although some days they aren't working shoes). Sting hit two Stinger splashes and when he went for a third, Goldberg powerslammed him. Bret Hart showed up at this point and decked referee Mickey Jay and delivered several chair shots to Goldberg. After Hart left, the Steiners came out and attacked by Sting and Goldberg. **¼

This is not the ideal first time match…and then there’s no finish. Is this just WCW in 1999 in a nutshell?

The next night…Sting answers Rick Steiner’s open challenge for a match for the TV title…and it ends in a double count out. This…is about to get super interesting Eric…

From the next Nitro…

Rick Steiner (w/Scott Steiner) fought Buff Bagwell to a no-contest in 3:00….

Suddenly, a loud noise distracted both Steiners. A man, who appeared to be Sting, drove Sting’s monster truck to ringside. The Steiners approached the truck but when they did, the man removed his mask revealing himself to be Luger. Luger pointed to the ring where Sting was already standing. Since cameras missed his entrance, Schiavone pointed out that Sting came out of the crowd…

Sting’s monster truck and Lex being Sting…we’re just trying anything aren’t we?

This leads to a cage match next week…but with Tank Abbott as special guest referee. Where did Tank Abbott coming into WCW come from?

From the Observer

They clearly hadn't trained Tank one second before throwing him out there to be lost. This was boring. Tank didn't even know to count pins. Those idiot announcers were building Tank up as having the fastest hands in the world, as if. He's got a devastating power punch but his hand speed is nothing special. Anyway, he clocked Sting and left the cage. Rick Steiner beat on Sting but Sting made his own comeback

Sting and Tank Abbott…chat me up Eric. What could THAT had looked like?

At Great American Bash 1999…

From the Observer

7. Rick Steiner beat Sting in 10:35 of a falls count anywhere match. Another nothing match.

These guys just have no chemistry against each other. Then again, they don't have any chemistry against anyone else either. After Sting missed a Stinger splash, Steiner undid the protective mats around ringside and then piledrove Sting right on a protective mat. Explain that one. Sting came back with two splashes off the middle rope and a nice splash off the top rope more than halfway across the ring. Sting used two Stinger splashes into the corner and it was this point that pointed out loud and clear that WCW is really in trouble. Sting put on the scorpion and if you look back at the tape, you'll see every head in the building turn to the back. There was no run- in, but fans are conditioned to believe that every finish involves a run-in. This is what killed Crockett in 1987-88 and that company was on fire in 1986. Steiner ended up getting a rope break although nobody in the building actually saw that. They ended up waltzing together to the back with the exception of Sting suplexing Steiner on the ramp. When they went backstage, the crowd was majorly po'd and this killed the show. Backstage we saw Tank Abbott with a towel choking Sting when some dogs attacked Sting, with Scott back there as well. It was actually not Sting being attacked but actually the dogs trainer dressed up to look like Sting. The cameras quickly cut away. Rick & Scott came to the ring with ref Mickey Jay intimidating him and ordering him to raise Jay's hand saying Sting was pinned backstage. He did, and then Scott attacked him and threw him out of the ring. Scott grabbed the house mic and said WCW sux. Nobody was arguing with him. Rick said that Baltimore was the shittiest town in America. I think he meant to say the Bash was the shittiest show in America. At the end of the show a graphic read that no animals were harmed in the production of this show. What about all us humans who had to watch this? -*”

This is one of the worst all-time moments in my mind in WCW’s history. How does this all come together?

The next day at Nitro…

Rick Steiner no contest Hak in about 7:00. Hak took a bump off the roof of a Ford Explorer. They destroyed a Harley that Bischoff acted like it was his. Finally Steiner shoved him through the roof of the Explorer and Sting came up and attacked Steiner. That was pretty clever. Sting whipped Steiner through an RV. Sting then grabbed the house mic. Sting said a Joker-like rhyme (“Riddle me this, riddle me that, who is afraid of Sting’s big black bat?”) Sting then nailed Rick in the chest with the baseball bat

This is really the first time we saw something like Sting acting like the Joker or the Riddler…do you think it was always something in his mind he wanted to do?

Next week at Nitro

Savage, Sid, and the entourage came to the ring and Sid powerbombed Kidman and Psychosis during their match.. Sting ran out and made the save. A short time later, Nash came to the ring and confronted Sting. Nash said he saw Sting get out of a black hummer on last week’s show. Sting denied being the hummer mystery driver. Nash said he wasn’t accusing Sting of anything but said if he finds out it was him, Sting will have to deal with him. Ric Flair and Roddy Piper sat in their office and discussed plans for the show and the PPV. They decided the PPV main event would be Sid & Savage vs. Nash & Sting. They also decided to let Sid wrestle Sting later in the show….

The infamous hummer driver/angle. Was Sting ever considered to be the driver as teased here?

Was Sting comfortable with Sid returning to the company after everything that happened with Sid & Arn way back when?

“Sting beat Sid Vicious by DQ at 6:11 when Savage interfered. Before Sting and Sid locked up, Savage and his entourage came to ringside and had a conference with Sid. Just as Sid and Sting were about to lock up again (at 2:30), Savage grabbed Sting’s boot. Finally, Sid punched Sting and the crowd began chanting “Goldberg.” Sid punched, kicked, and choked Sting for the first five minutes of the match. Sting came back with (what else?) several punches and kicks of his own. Finally, Sid hit Sting with a clothesline for the first identifiable wrestling move. Sting came back and hit the Stinger Splash but Savage ran in for the DQ. Sid set up Sting for a powerbomb but Lex Luger ran in with a chair and cleared the ring of the heels. After standing around for a couple of minutes, Savage grabbed the mic and told Luger and Sting to enjoy their small moral victory. Sid took the mic and said they will feel the madness. Sting took the mic and actually said, “We’ve got two words for ya.” The crowd yelled, “Suck it” to end the show…”

WHAT IS STING DOING CLOSING WITH THAT? HOLY SHIT ERIC…

The go-home Nitro for Bash at the Beach…

The show's ending was the most criticized of all, a Nash vs Sid title match which went all of 1:26 before the run-ins. The crowd was chanting "Goldberg," since he'd shown up minutes earlier, rather than paying attention to the match. When Savage did his run-in, it elicited more "Goldberg" chants. When NWO Sting ran out, literally nobody reacted, as the past week of the announcers trying to lead fans into believing Jeff Farmer's actions were those of Sting's weren't bought by anyone, which only made Kevin Nash booking himself to look as lame as the announcers and the company when he bought into them. The real Sting made the save, but the show in the ring ended with Nash giving the real Sting a power bomb after he had saved him. Backstage, Savage threatened Torrie Wilson, and even gave her a slap, who noticeably laughed playing the role and ruining the scene.

This is one of those moments when you look back and go…what are we doing here? Randy slapping Torrie Wilson…Nash powerbombing Sting…using nWo sting again…did anybody care what was happening?

At Bash at the Beach 99…

“8. Randy Savage & Sid Vicious defeated Sting & Kevin Nash in 13:21 with Savage pinning Nash to capture the WCW heavyweight title.

Michael Buffer claimed it was the first time in history that the WCW title was ever put up in a tag team match. Nobody ever explained how it would be possible for Sting to pin Nash when they were on the same team even though that angle was pushed the last several days. I guess it makes as much sense as everything else. Sting got no crowd reaction coming out and Nash got only slightly better. Fans started changing for Goldberg. George went into Nash's corner. Sting was mainly beat up after missing a Stinger splash onto Savage and hitting the guard rail, being dropped on the guard rail by Sid and posted by the women. The only pop of the match was Sting giving Miss Madness and Madusa a double noggin knocker. Sting accidentally hit the Stinger splash on Nash. Sid choke slammed Sting. George went in the ring to give Nash a low blow. Her first low blow came nowhere close. Nash didn't sell, and she froze. Nash stood there and waited and finally she hit him with another one. Sid then bodyslammed Nash and dropped him in the wrong position, making it even a harder angle for Savage to hit the elbow for the pin. Nash and Sting did shake hands after the show went off the air in front of the crowd. -*”

This is one of the lowest points in WCW history at this point is it not?

Where is Sting’s mind at do you think at this point? I’m just here to get my check and go home type of thing?

The next night on Nitro…

Ric Flair beat Malenko in 8:47 with Charles Robinson as ref…. Flair & Anderson beat on Malenko until Sting saved. Sting challenged Flair to a match for the company. He also blamed Flair for holding back himself, Luger and the Steiners for the last ten years. Does anyone realize following Sting's career that whenever he flies on his own, he usually does well briefly, then crashes, then at some point they program him with Flair and he gets over again? Let's see, Flair has put Sting over five billion times over the last ten years and Sting has put Flair over maybe a dozen times in the same period, all with gimmicked finishes.

It wound up with David Flair vs. Sting, and if Sting won, he'd get a match with Ric for the company….

Sting wrestled David Flair for the U.S. title. Sting got the scorpion right away and David was tapping but Robinson ignored it. Sting used the scorpion death drop on Robinson for Ref bump #4 and beat up Flair & Anderson as well and didn't sell a thing. Sting was getting over as these guys bumped like pinballs for him reminiscent of a 1987 Dusty Rhodes chorus line. He then did a Stinger splash on Flair and Asya. Somehow in all this, the match ended and Sting didn't win. But later they announced Harvey Schiller and Brad Siegel were watching and they have more power than Flair and next week Ric faces Sting with the company at stake. I guess the fact Sting didn't win has nothing to do with it. So next week Flair can put Sting over for the 5,000,000,001st time and then Sting can give the Presidency to Bischoff. Damn, if Schiller and Siegel actually watched this show, they'd have fired Nash and the rest of the people booking this crap months ago….

What do you think of the criticism here by Meltzer regarding Sting and even Nash as a booker?

Do you think Sting needed Ric to stay relevant at this point?

What did you think of Charles Robinson in his role as a heel ref here?

Well the next week the match takes place between Flair & Sting…

“Sting beat Flair in 8:40 to win the company. They did a false finish where Sid interfered leading to Flair putting on the figure four but Sting kicked out. It was mainly Flair and Anderson selling for Sting like he was God himself, and Sting no selling for Flair, all the while Bischoff blaming Flair for keeping Sting and the rest of the talent down the last ten years. There's something in this picture that doesn't make any sense. Sting was dead two weeks ago, and after doing two weeks with Flair, he's over like a superstar. Next thing you know they'll put Dusty out there for commentary and he'll complain about the referees getting bumped in every single match. This match had three ref bumps alone before Bischoff ran in and ruled Sting the winner as Flair was in the scorpion and Mickey Jay was down having been bumped a second time. The reason there was so much hesitation in making the call and ringing the bell is that Flair was supposed to win due to Sid's help as late as one hour before the show started (they had changed the plan again during the week), but they changed it without telling anyone so they all froze for a second when Bischoff signalled. Hudson played it pretty well, but the guy ringing the bell wouldn't ring it figuring the Bischoff thing was a swerve. Crowd went nuts for the finish. Sid attacked Sting and power bombed Bischoff until Hogan showed up and Sid took a powder.”

I really enjoy the thought process that the timekeeper was worried you were doing a swerve - what about you?

How often did the plans change like this - being an hour before the show?

Now next week Sting is the new President of WCW…

“He asked the crowd if he should be Hogan’s partner and received a mixed response. Hogan came to the ring and told Sting, “I’m not the same Hollywood I was before, you can trust me.” Sting agreed to be Hogan’s partner but warned him, “If you screw me, I’ll get you.”…

Kevin Nash & Sid Vicious beat Hulk Hogan & Sting at 9:33. Before the match, the announcers speculated as to who Nash’s partner could be. They mentioned Hall’s name which gave away that it couldn’t have been him. The crowd booed when Sid came to the ring. Not much of a surprise since Sid came to the ring with Nash earlier in the show. Only in WCW could two mystery partners mean so little. It actually took away from what would’ve been a solid main event on paper. WCW managed to piss off their fans when they didn’t even need to. Once the match began, the crowd heat returned. Sting attempted to clothesline Sid over the top rope but Sid missed the move and just stood there.

Later, Hogan tagged in and began beating up Nash. Sting went for a corner splash on Sid but Sid pulled the referee in front of him. With the ref down, Rick Steiner came out and hit Sting with a chairshot. In the ring, Hogan went for the legdrop but Rick grabbed his leg. Nash took the chair and hit Hogan with it. The ref woke up as Nash covered Hogan for the pin. Goldberg ran out for the save but Rick hit him with a chair too. The show went off the air with the babyfaces left lying in the ring…”

Sting in the role as President…not his strong suit was it?

How good was WCW at pissing off its fans at this point in time?

The next week on Nitro…

They replayed Sting asking Goldberg to be his partner. Sting’s music then played and he came out again. Goldberg was about to walk out, but Rick Steiner lured him into a back room. Sid then hit Goldberg with a shovel from behind. Then they locked Goldberg in a storage room in the back. Sting ran to the back to help Goldberg, but Rick and Sid beat him with the shovel. They dragged Sting to the ring where Sting made a comeback out of nowhere on both heels. Sid, though, caught Sting in mid-flight and chokeslammed him to the mat. Goldberg broke out of the room and ran to the ring. Sid and Rick fled the scene….

This…this is something Eric is it not?

“Sid & Steiner beat Sting & Goldberg via DQ in 6:10 when Hogan got up and hit Steiner and Sid with a chair. Nash power bombed Hogan through a table as the show went off the air. The angle was fine for Hogan-Nash, but it totally established Goldberg as a bit player in the big wheel behind Hogan. They have 100 guys on the roster and the Goldberg formula to get over is so simple. So simple that they haven't done it once since he came back, and he didn't get a pop coming out anywhere close to what he used to get partially for that very reason. Goldberg did get a big hot tag and spear Steiner, but the cameras were showing Hogan and Nash for the hot tag, and the show went off the air just before the spear”

Was Goldberg struggling around this time as well?

On Nitro on August 9th, 1999…

“They announced Sting had given WCW control back to WCW and that Dusty Rhodes was put in charge of the championship committee…”

Come on Eric…

“Goldberg & Sting beat Kevin Nash & Rick Steiner & Sid Vicious at 7:58. All three of the babyfaces came to the ring to their own music with Sting appearing first, Goldberg inexcusably appearing second, and Hogan’s entrance third. Hogan came to the ring to his old cheesy music “American Made,” dressed in the red and yellow. Schiavone marked out and yelled, “My God, he’s back, Hulk Hogan is back.” Hogan no-sold everything the heels threw at him in the early part of the match. Heenan noted he is a different man when he wears red and yellow. Hogan received a great pop before the crowd began chanting for Goldberg (which must’ve killed Hogan inside). Hogan put his hand to his ear and made the tag to Goldberg. Goldberg hit Nash with a shoulder tackle and the crowd popped huge. Goldberg went for a cover on Nash but Steiner ran in and broke it up.

The cut on the back of Goldberg’s head opened. Later, Sting tagged in and hit Nash with a splash. Steiner ran in with a chair and hit Sting. Goldberg ran in and speared Steiner. Sid took the chair and hit Goldberg with it. Hogan took the chair and hit Sid. Nash set up Sting for the Jacknife but Hogan hit Nash with the chair. Sting locked in the Scorpion and got the win. Major heat for the babyfaces. Hogan succeeded in making himself appear more meaningful than Goldberg and Sting.”

You never saw the Red & Yellow Hogan teaming with Goldberg & Sting at the beginning of 1999 right?

At Road Wild 99…

“6. Sid Vicious pinned Sting in 10:40. Sid is now the 40-year-old Millennium Man. They were pushing the entire match how Sid has a winning streak that rivals Goldberg's old streak. And they wonder why people are sick of their announcers and their product. First off, except for squash matches, Sid hasn't even beaten anyone on television as all his matches are DQ finishes. Second, with only one or two exceptions, he's lost every match he's had up to this point on house shows. At least with Goldberg, it got over early on because even though the number was a fantasy (and if anyone remembers history, when the number seemed accurate, the streak angle was over huge with people bringing signs, and as soon as they started screwing with the number, nobody cared about the streak at all, but they never learn), at least the guy really won all his matches. With the internet so prevalent, you can't pretend the house show results don't happen and even forgetting about that audience, you can't have one DQ after another on Nitro and sell people there's a winning streak. Anyway, to their credit, Sid did start a one match winning streak pinning Sting clean. Sting hit two Stinger splashes, went for a third, but Sid caught him and choke slammed him. They did play it up as a huge deal that Sid scored a clean pin on Sting, to get him ready for his program with Goldberg. The two did more than you'd think in the match. *½”

Was Sid’s portrayal of a winning streak a real negative as Meltzer discusses here?

Two nights later on Nitro…

Lenny fought Rey Mysterio Jr. to a no contest at 2:27 when Sid attacked both men. Sid messed up the planned sequence for a double chokeslam and, as usual, was unable to think on his feet. Sting and Hogan then ran to the ring for the save. Sid bailed out of the ring, but smiled at Hogan.

Hogan said Sid may be happy he escaped Sting’s attack, but he said he himself is happiest because he wants Sid at 100 percent when he faces him later. He said he planned to “say my prayers, take my vitamins, and kick your ass.” He then said no one is more deserving of a title shot than Sting, so next week in Las Vegas he’d give Sting a title shot. Sting accepted. He told Sting they may be friends, but he planned to “kick his ass, too.”

The edge of Hogan here…it’s quite interesting. Did you know at this point you were turning Sting heel?

What was that discussion like with Steve Borden?

“…Hulk Hogan beat Sid Vicious via DQ at 10:30 to retain the WCW Title….

Rick Steiner ran in and stopped Hogan’s pin attempt following the leg drop. Sting ran to the ring and evened the sides. Sting clotheslined Sid over the top rope. Hogan gave Rick a big boot and legdrop. Ref Charles Robinson counted to three. The bell rang and the ref raised Hogan’s arm. Hogan and Sting hugged in the ring as the show ended”

From Starrcade 97 to this…how did you see Steve & Hulk’s relationship change over that time period?

The next week on Nitro

Sting came to the ring for a promo and hyped his match against Hogan. Lex Luger’s music played and he came to the ring in street clothes. The two men shook hands and then hugged. Luger bragged up Sting and called him the true franchise of WCW. Luger warned Sting about Hogan because he said he doesn’t trust him. Sting said he is taking the match. Luger wished him the best…

Hogan vs. Sting was an 80s style match and kind of boring. Schiavone was screaming like the match was an all-time classic. Only in WCW do guys actually have all-time classics and the announcers don't put the matches over, but they do put borefests like this over. Schiavone's nose was longer then the stem of the state of Idaho by the end of this. He talked about the crowd going crazy when they sat there. He talked about how much Hogan was being cheered when he was met with a mixture of slight boos and indifference. He talked about how much Sting was being cheered when he was met with indifference. Hogan missed the legdrop after the superman comeback. After seeing this spot live, if Sting had put on the scorpion, there would have been a big pop and Hogan booked that over the weekend and it worked. So, instead Sting went for a Stinger splash, ran into a boot on the second and missed completely on the third.

Sid and Steiner ran in for the no contest at 11:33. Fans were groaning again. Goldberg and Luger ran-in for the save and Hogan offered Sting a title rematch. During the week there was still consideration to turning Hogan, and even discussion of turning Sting (this would be the worst possible time in the history of the company to do so, so knowing WCW it'll probably happen).”

Why do you think people speculated that this would be the worst possible time in the history of the company to do so, considering Sting’s long time success as a babyface…

The next week on Nitro…

Okerlund interviewed Luger in mid-ring. Luger said he wasn’t taking pleasure in showing that Hogan is a scam artist. He called Sting a friend of his for 13 years and then called him to the ring. Sting came out. Luger said he has a photo that proves Hogan was driving the white hummer that almost ended Nash’s career and life. Okerlund said that is just a picture of Hogan standing next to a hummer, but it could mean a lot of things. Hogan ran to the ring and said, “That doesn’t prove anything.” He asked Luger where he got that picture. Sting seemed skeptical of Hogan. Hogan told Sting to look into his eyes. Page ran into the ring and hit Hogan from behind, then fled the scene with Bam Bam Bigelow and Kanyon. Sting yelled at Hogan and told him, “How many times have you stabbed me in the back already?” Schiavone said he needed to see more evidence…

At the end of the show, they went to the back where Sting barged into Hogan’s dressing room. Randy Savage and Gorgeous George were sitting in there, adding suspicion that Hogan has turned back heel”

Was it too much swerves at this point and not enough good wrestling?

Finally a week later on Nitro…

“Sting & Luger went into Hogan's dressing room, where he was sitting with Bret Hart. The lights went out and Sting was knocked out. Hogan and Luger blamed the other guy for attacking Sting while Hart blamed Luger. They had a Battle Royal with the winner to get a WCW title shot at the Hogan-Sting winner next week on Nitro….

. In a cage match, Hogan & Sting & Goldberg beat Sid & Page & Steiner in 4:24. Late in the week they had decided to make this a War Games match, since they traditionally do War Games on the September PPV but weren't going to this year. Unfortunately, they had already sold tickets for a normal, as opposed to a two-ring set-up, and these kind of changes can't be made last minute. Some day this company will get someone in charge who can plan things out in advance and they may turn it around. Goldberg came out to his old music and got a huge reaction. First Bigelow & Kanyon jumped Goldberg so Hogan was getting triple-teamed. Then they threw an injured Goldberg into the cage, but he recovered instantly. The heels took advantage until Sting finally came out. Luger tried to stop him. Hogan legdropped Page for the pin. Luger yelled at Sting after the match and punched him. Sting started punching back as the show went off the air. How any of this builds any heat for a Hogan vs. Sting match on PPV in six days is beyond me.”

Do you think this whole Sting-Luger story diluted Hogan with the boxing heavyweight title…

Sadly that would be the last time you’d work with WCW on TV until 2000…

They did the heel turn at Fall Brawl but you were gone by then. What did you think of the Sting heel turn and did it play out with you differently?

Is Sting ready for a backlash?

Now the match…

9. Sting won the WCW heavyweight title pinning Hulk Hogan in 13:55.

Bret Hart came out before the match started. They tried to do a scientific match, but it was pretty bad because Hogan moves so slow and the crowd didn't seem into either guy after seeing Goldberg. Hogan threw the first punch and choked Sting with a chord but even then he wasn't really booed. Sting hit the Stinger splash twice, but Hogan moved on the third and started his superman comeback. Page came out with Sting's baseball bat and KO'd ref Nick Patrick, so he couldn't make the count when Hogan legdropped Sting. Page gave Hogan the diamond cutter but Hogan kicked out of Sting's pin attempt. Page then gave Patrick a diamond cutter and went after Hogan but Hart ran in after Page. Vicious ran in after Hogan but was met with the big boot, and Lex Luger ran in and met the same fate. With Luger cowering in the corner, Sting got the bat and Hogan told him to use it on Luger. Sting instead hit Hogan twice with it while Luger attacked Hart. Sting put the scorpion on Hogan and the ref stopped the match. Sting got a total face pop. Awful match but the finish came off well. This was total 1988 Dusty hanging on to the top spot booking. 1/2*

Did you see the show? The match? The turn? What say you…

Sting would finish off 1999 bouncing around the top of the card but still waiting for Logan to change his number…