Todd Matthy.com

By Todd Matthy

It’s been awhile since I’ve written a wrestling post. But this merits attention. When I started this blog a few years back, to amuse myself and hone my writing skills I did a fantasy booking scenario where Sting came to WWE.

I laid out on a week-to-week basis, everything that would’ve been done had Sting become a full-time member of WWE’s roster. Was it good? That’s for you to decide. I consider what I did my scratching of the itch to be a WWE Writer. I still want to write wrestling, (and may in another format ;)) but if it doesn’t happen, at least I know I put my ideas out there. Then something happened.

At Survivor Series on November 23rd, Sting made his first appearance in a WWE ring. And he did it to conclude a major story. I screamed. I couldn’t believe it. The moment I dreamed of was here and it didn’t disappoint. Sting laid out Triple H, allowing Dolph Zigger to pin Seth Rollins and free the WWE Universe from the oppression of the Authority. It was perfect. Now what?

WWE gave us the moment everyone dreamed and how did they follow it up? Mentioning Sting’s name in only two segments and resurrecting a concept wrestling fans have been trying to forget. Making matters worse, they drew nearly FIVE MILLION VIEWERS.  Those people weren’t there to see the return of the Anonymous GM, they wanted Sting! I was surprised but realized I shouldn’t be.

WWE has never been very good at delivering dream matches and angles. I’d go so far as to say Vince goes out of his way to RUIN dream angles and matches because he didn’t come up with half the participants. If you don’t believe me read this list: Hogan/Flair at Wrestlemania, The Summer of Punk, The Daniel Bryan Phenomenon (the fans had to make that happen), Austin/Goldberg, Hogan/Austin, Goldberg’s WWE run, cutting the legs off of anyone that could be bigger then Cena, and last, but certainly not least, the WCW Invasion! All of these were things fans wanted to see and WWE killed. To say WWE can screw up Sting isn’t an understatement, they can and if Vince wants to they will. So, barring Vince’s ego, how can they not screw it up?

(If you think I’m going to say use my angle. I’m not. That was a fan amusing himself and hopefully some others.)

Know who Sting is. Don’t try to WWE-ize Sting. He should not be put into skits with Santino. Sting has always been WCW’s super-hero. For WCW, Sting was “the repository of all that is good and worthy” in pro wrestling. He was the one who led the charge against the Horsemen, his “Squadron” routed the Dangerous Alliance, and when everyone had fallen, he defeated Hulk Hogan and rescued the WCW title from the NWO. (Forget the details of those matches. As George R.R. Martin says, “when truth and legend conflict, print the legend.”) Sting should be portrayed as wrestling’s King Arthur; the hero who returns when his people need him most. Sting is here to stop the Authority (a proxy for Vince) from imposing their idea of what wrestling is and who the stars should be on the people (the fans and wrestlers). Now, how do we build toward this?

Have the entire WWE roster wonder why Sting came. Have Renee Young ask wrestlers in the back. Have the announcers talk about it during the broadcasts. Have Triple H interrogate Ric Flair on RAW about Sting’s motives. Keep people asking questions about Sting so when he’s not in the arena or on TV his presence is felt. When Sting finally appears, follow the adage, “less is more.”

It was mistake not to have Sting on RAW this past Monday. He could have skulked about the rafters or at least done a Pre-Tape. But, he should not be on the show weekly. He is 55 years old and physically is not the same as he was. But he can still have a presence. Since they appear to be building toward a Sting/Triple H match, have him leave Hunter cryptic messages. Take a page from V For Vendetta, have scorpion graffiti appear at WWE events. Have a group of people in Sting masks surround the ring on RAW when Triple H cuts a promo. Culminate with Triple H going into the rafters, discovering Sting’s jacket with a note saying he’ll be at the TLC PPV. At the PPV, Sting challenges Hunter to a match at the Royal Rumble. From there go right into a program with the Undertaker, rumored for Wrestlemania.

You won’t get this opportunity again, WWE. There is no wrestler that has never appeared in a WWE ring that has the name recognition Sting has. And with the current model of the wrestling business, there never will be. Don’t blow it!