10 Times Great Wrestling Was Ruined By Bad Writing
1. Hulk Hogan Vs. Sting (WCW Starrcade 1997)
Billed as “The Match of the Century,” Hulk Hogan vs. Sting should have been WCW’s greatest match - not necessarily in terms of pure workrate, but spectacle significance. Hogan had turned heel to join the New World Order and effectively taken WCW over 18 months prior. The angle had sent TV ratings through the roof, and after the nWo had eviscerated the competition, Sting stood-up as WCW’s prime defender.
Aside from the nWo’s rise, the match also coincided with the birth of Sting’s most iconic character. His “Crow” persona was a mute loner who’d wait silently until the rafters until it was time to strike, and he’d regularly appear to throw a spanner in the nWo’s plans. Hogan vs. Sting was eventually booked for Starrcade, and after over a year of build-up, the stage was perfectly set for Sting to give the fans what they wanted - and send The Hulkster packing.
Instead, the esteemed WCW writing team (which, funnily enough, Hogan was contractually free to override) "opted" for a finish that all but killed Sting’s mystique. Hogan reportedly didn’t want to lose cleanly, and after manufacturing the excuse that Sting was out of shape and not dedicated to his work, Eric Bischoff concocted a screwjob. Referee Nick Patrick made a “fast” count in Hogan’s favour - but it wasn’t that fast at all. The match was restarted, Sting looked like a complete and utter loser, and while he eventually “won” via submission, the damage was already done.