10 Pivotal NWO Moments On WWE Network's WCW Monday Nitros

2. Sting's Transformation (Multiple Occasions)

In the late-1980's and early-1990's, you could compare Sting to 2004 to 2006-era John Cena. Super popular with crowds, a muscular look, essentially learning on the fly, but able to put on good matches with the right opponents. You looked at them, and you knew they had bright futures ahead of them. In 1996, the nWo got into the heads of the WCW roster, telling everyone that Sting had joined the group. People were skeptical, but Sting continued to face accusations, many of which were coming from his fellow WCW wrestlers, and some of his best friends. Because of this, you could say Sting went "emo". Because nobody believed him that he wasn't aligned with the nWo, he declared himself a "free agent", and would eventually go on to be completely silent for well over a year, not saying a single word during his appearances on WCW programming. Much like Hulk Hogan turning into Hollywood Hogan, Sting transforming from a "Surfer" to "Crow" was just the refreshment that his character needed. It gave him something different to do. It accentuated his positives, while hiding his negatives, giving him more life. Crowds all across the country ate it up, giving Sting some of the biggest and best pops of his entire career. He did such a great job as an anti-hero, and it was just the edge he needed to fit in with that time, when wrestling fans weren't as interested in cheering for the "white bread" babyfaces anymore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdV0_14DwqM It would all lead to one of the biggest matches in wrestling history at Starrcade 1997, with Hogan defending the WCW Title against Sting after a year-plus worth of exciting build, but it all started in 1996, with Sting's slow transformation into madness.