8. Sting Haunts TNA Talent Like The Joker Does Batman
The whole 'Spin The Wheel, Make The Deal' saga was never going to be the last time that Sting was featured on this list. Steve Borden has arguably tied movies in with wrestling more than any one man over the past 25 years, and even this entry won't be his last! Looking to shake things up somewhat in TNA, Borden decided that he really liked the performance of one Heath Ledger as The Joker in the 2008 movie, The Dark Knight. A franchise such as Batman seems tailor made to go hand in hand with pro wrestling, mainly due to the overt camp feel which often accompanies much of the action, along with the distinct, over-the-top styling of many of the characters. The Joker is perfect foil for a wrestling heel, but Sting wasn't a heel in 2011, he was a grappling legend who fans respected and enjoyed watching collide with younger talent. Re-dubbed the 'Insane Icon', Sting started to borrow mannerisms from Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight, creating an off-the-wall danger about his character and freaking out everyone from Eric Bischoff to Hulk Hogan. Designed mainly to unnerve Immortal, the chief heel faction in the company, 'Joker' Sting didn't do much to affect ratings, but it was a bold experiment for Borden so late in his career.