10 Times Companies Have Dropped The Ball With Sting

2. The Big Return Falls Flat

Unquestionably, the way WCW booked Sting for almost a year before his titanic clash with Hollywood Hogan at Starrcade 1997 was brilliant. Showing remarkable restraint, Eric Bischoff decided he wouldn't give away the match quickly, even though it was sure to pop a monster buyrate for the company. Sting's transformation form bleach-blonde and brightly coloured to long, dark hair and monochrome was striking, and fans lapped it up. The character, based on Brandon Lee in The Crow, was a revelation, something completely fresh, and everyone was giddy at the thought of this man saving WCW from the tyrannical New World Order, which had seized control of the promotion. It seemed only natural that Sting would vanquish Hogan at Starrcade and leave WCW World Champion. He did, but there was one serious bump along the way - this should have been a match which gave the fans exactly what they wanted, but instead, Hogan pasted the hero, pinning him clean after his trademark leg drop. Fans were led to believe that referee Nick Patrick had made a fast count, but he hadn't. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x74slx_hogan-vs-sting-starrcade-1997-part_sport Bret Hart, a recent signing to WCW, stopped the bell from ringing, and restarted the match, after which Sting would finally defeat Hogan and win the belt. It felt flat, and wasn't quite the celebration and moment all that build up deserved.