20 Wrestling Gimmicks That Got WEIRD Rip-Offs
4. Sting (The Hornet)
What sounds more dangerous and exciting? Sting or The Hornet? The latter insect defo still stings when it feels threatened by your presence, but it rarely goes on the attack just for no reason. That doesn't sound very appealing for a pro wrestling character. Look out for The Hornet! Just don't put him in a headlock first and he'll never move from the corner of the ring! Hard sell there.
Ron Oaks was the wrestler behind this Sting rip off in the USWA. On reflection, he should've picked Scorpion as his ring name, or something similar. Maybe that would've led to legal action from the WCW star, who knows? It's 100x better than The Hornet though. Oaks used that name in Memphis for a spell, but he usually had to go by his real name when working enhancement matches elsewhere for bigger promotions.
The Hornet gimmick was defo cartoonish in a bad way, but Oaks had a decent physique on him. He was in impressive shape compared to most who rolled through the Memphis territory at that time, but he couldn't play a discount store Stinger for too long before it caused some trouble. That's assuming Sting and/or WCW's legal department even knew he existed.
It's hard to get a good picture or footage that isn't grainy for obvious reasons. USWA content pops up on YouTube here or there, but it always looks like it was filmed on the world's worst flip phone from 2005. The old Memphis cameras weren't that bad.
Sting had nothing to worry about. The Hornet wasn't going to steal his spot.