8 Hyped Wrestling Matches RUINED By Backstage Politics
3. Sting Vs. Triple H (WWE WrestleMania 31)
Sting made three critical errors before eventually agreeing to sign with WWE.
1) In an attempt to feed himself and secure his family’s future, he worked in WCW; 2) He criticised the tacky, controversial one of Attitude Era and Ruthless Aggression programming; 3) He took an age to actually go, which probably convinced WWE that he thought he was better than them.
Sting did arrive, at Survivor Series 2014, and it was promising, Too promising; the idea that he would bring an end to the Authority was extremely fanciful, since WWE never seemed particularly interested in wrapping that stuff up, even if the storyline stopped making sense within months. Certainly, some ex-WCW guy was never going to do it.
By the time WrestleMania 31 actually happened, the point of the story shifted. Suddenly, with zero explanation, this became a tale of WWE Vs. WCW. D-Generation X came out to help Triple H. Sting’s old friends in the New World Order forgot all about the entirety of their history together and the entire crux of the ‘Crow Sting’ character to help him. It was the Monday Night Wars all over again! Except not at all how any of it actually happened!
The match needed the shortcuts, yes, but isn’t the point of nostalgia to relive the good times? And not to, you know, get the good times entirely, 100% incorrect?
Sting got buried at WrestleMania 31 so that Vince McMahon could play politics and get one over on Ted Turner - even though Sting was there to make Vince McMahon money, and WCW had shuttered 14 years prior. A political hit job without a target, this existed to remind you that WWE has a big old hog. You’re better off tilting your head and looking at it sideways to get the correct angle, but it is massive.