3. WCW Nitro - Sting Declares Himself A Free Agent
In the summer of 1996, WCW was under attack by the New World Order: Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. The so-called Outsiders (Hall and Nash) were implied to be invaders from the World Wrestling Federation and promised to destroy WCW. Hulk Hogan turned heel for the first time in over a decade at Bash at the Beach, suddenly, WCW had wrestling's hottest angle. At Fall Brawl 1996, the New World Order and an unnamed fourth member challenged WCW to send out their best four guys for a War Games match. The nWo spread rumours that Sting was going to be their fourth member, even doctoring video that appeared to show Sting talking the New World Order members from a limo. Sting was also eerily absent at the final Nitro before the event and Lex Luger openly stated he did not trust Sting. Finally, at the event, it was time for the nWo's fourth member to enter and it was revealed to be Sting...kind of. To sharp-eyed viewers, they could tell it wasn't actually Sting but an impostor. As the announcers bemoaned the end of WCW, the real Sting charged the ring and took out all four members of the nWo while the WCW guys stood around and watched him. Dismayed at his teammates not trusting him, Sting walked out on the match. The next night, Sting came out to no entrance music and no pryo. He launched into a tirade against WCW and set the stage for the feud that would carry WCW to being the number one wrestling promotion in North America: "And I've carried the WCW banner, and I have given my blood, my sweat, and my tears for WCW! So for all of those fans out there and all those wrestlers and people that never doubted the Stinger, I'll stand by you if you stand by me! But for all of the people, all of the commentators, all of the wrestlers, and all of the best friends who did doubt me, you can stick it! From now on I consider myself a free agent." With that one promo, surfer Sting was dead and Crow Sting was born.