Section 7: Scorpions and A GiantAfter Sting’s incredible win over Ric Flair at the Great American Bash ‘90: New Revolution, Flair remained a top contender to the NWA World Heavyweight Title. However, another Horsemen in Sid Vicious was a top contender as well. Considering both Flair and Sid were top contenders to the NWA World Heavyweight Title, the Horsemen’s chances of regaining the gold were good. In September of ‘90, a new contender began to challenge Sting. This Wrestler called himself The Black Scorpion. He wore solid black, including a mask to hide his identity. The Black Scorpion claimed that he knew Sting back in Tulsa and California. All rumors pointed to The Ultimate Warrior since he met the criteria of the rumors, however, he was the WWF World Champion so it was not likely. Sting accepted The Black Scorpion’s challenge, and a Match was signed for them to wrestle at the Clash of The Champions in September of ‘90. Sting dominated The Black Scorpion from the opening bell in a good Match, but another person in a similar costume appeared on the entrance way. Sting left the ring to go after the Scorpion, but it was just a mind game. Sting returned to the ring and finished off The Black Scorpion to retain Championship. When Sting came out for an interview the same night, he was attacked by Sid Vicious. This attack led to Sting defending the NWA World Heavyweight Title against Sid Vicious at Halloween Havoc ‘90. The Match between Sting and Sid went back and forth until the end. While fighting near the mist filled entrance way, the Horsemen dragged Sting to the back and Barry Windham came out dressed as Sting. Windham let Sid pin him, and everybody thought Sting had lost the Title. However, Sting finally made it back to the ring and told the referee what happened. The Match was restarted, and Sting retained the Title after a Stinger Splash and a Inside Cradle. Sting put an end to the threat from Sid, but The Black Scorpion still remained. Sting would fight a few more Matches against The Black Scorpion, but every time The Black Scorpion would claim Sting was only “fighting a messenger”. Sting finally decided to put an end to The Black Scorpion’s mind games. Sting signed to defend the NWA World Heavyweight Title against The Black Scorpion in a Cage Match at Starrcade ‘90: Collision Course. The stipulations of the Match were if Sting wins, The Black Scorpion must un-mask. If The Black Scorpion wins, he is the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Also, the late Dick The Bruiser was the special guest referee. The Black Scorpion controlled the match until Sting slammed The Black Scorpion face-first into the cage. Sting dominated the rest of the match, and he pinned The Black Scorpion with a Flying Body Press. After the Match, the 4 Horsemen and some fake Scorpions came down and attacked Sting and Dick The Bruiser. Sting and Dick The Bruiser held them off until they were outnumbered. Other Wrestlers tried to help them. but were locked out of the cage. The Steiner Brothers came to ringside with bolt cutters and got the Cage open. Sting finally got The Black Scorpion’s mask off to reveal that Ric Flair was The Black Scorpion the entire time. Sting was furious about this whole Horsemen scheme. A re-Match was signed for January 11, 1991. The re-Match saw Ric Flair put his feet on the ropes for leverage and knock Sting’s foot off the rope to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title. In February, Sting teamed with The Steiner Brothers, and Brian Pillman to take on the 4 Horsemen in a War Games Match. The Horsemen won the Match when Sid Vicious knocked out Brian Pillman with two Power Bombs. Sting’s war with the Horsemen ended for the time being, but 1991 was far from over.
Section 8: New CompetitionAt the beginning of 1991, the NWA changed its name to World Championship Wrestling, and all of the Titles were now recognized as WCW Titles. The time is March of ‘91. WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling are working a joint-PPV together that consists of many WCW vs New Japan Matches. Sting was signed to Wrestle The Great Muta at the PPV, WCW/New Japan SuperShow I. A few weeks earlier, Sting defeated The Great Muta in a Match in the United States. The Great Muta won the Match when he spit the green mist into Sting’s eyes, and then followed with a Flying Body Press. Sting recovered quickly, and got his payback. Sting hit the Stinger Splash and applied the Scorpion Deathlock on The Great Muta. Sting held it for nearly a minute before releasing the hold. Sting returned to the United States where he was signed to a WCW World Tag Team Titles Match at Super Brawl I. Sting and WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion, Lex Luger, were to Wrestle the WCW World Tag Team Champions and their close friends, The Steiner Brothers. The Match began slow, but when Luger hit Rick Steiner with a Clothesline that sent him for a flip all hell broke loose. The Steiner’s looked to be on their way to victory until Sting reversed Scott Steiner’s Tombstone Piledriver with one of his own. After a brawl between all four, Sting hit Steiner with the Stinger Splash. Sting was about to apply the Scorpion Deathlock when Nikita Koloff began to walk towards the ring. Koloff tried to give Luger a Russian Sickle with a chain wrapped around his arm, but Sting pushed Luger out of the way to take the hit. A dazed Scott Steiner covered Sting to win the Match. When Sting made it to his feet, he was busted open. He ran to the dressing and a brawl between Sting and Koloff erupted. Both men Wrestled two Matches. Sting defeated Koloff at the Clash of The Champions in June of ‘91, only to lose a Russian Chain Match to Koloff at the Great American Bash ‘91. Koloff may have cost Sting the WCW World Tag Team Titles, but another Title would be coming Sting’s way in the near future.
Section 9: New Gold, New EnemiesOn the same night Sting lost a Russian Chain Match to Koloff, Lex Luger won the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Title. Luger also hired Harley Race to be his manager. The WCW U.S. Heavyweight Title was now vacant, and in August Sting entered a One-Night Tournament with the winner becoming the new WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion. Sting defeated Arn Anderson first, followed by The Diamond Stud. In the Finals Sting defeated “Stunning” Steve Austin to become the new WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion. Holding the U.S. Title made Sting an automatic top contender to the WCW World Heavyweight Title, however, Luger was reluctant to give Sting a Title Match. Instead Luger began to send Sting some “gifts”. The first gift was in the form of Abdullah The Butcher. Abdullah attempted to injure Sting, but the Stinger survived the attack. The second gift was Cactus Jack. Sting was prepared this time. The two attacks led to a Chamber of Horrors Cage Match at Halloween Havoc ‘91. Sting, The Steiner Brothers, and El Gigante teamed to take on Cactus Jack, Abdullah The Butcher, The Diamond Stud, and Vader. Rick Steiner moved when Abdullah tried to put him in the chair and Cactus Jack threw the switch causing his team to lose. One more important event happened on the same night. Rick Rude made his WCW debut with Paul E. Dangerously and Madusa. They formed the beginning of the Dangerous Alliance, and they made Sting their first target. Sting signed to Wrestle Rick Rude at the Clash of The Champions in November of ‘91. Over an hour before the U.S. Title Match Sting came to ringside for an interview. Sting was then given his third and final gift: Madusa scantily clad on an Arabian style carriage. While Madusa was distracting Sting, Luger appeared from behind the carriage and clipped Sting’s left knee, which was injured for five months in ‘90. Sting was immediately rushed to the hospital to have his knee checked out. Paul E. Dangerously came out a little later and said that if Sting didn’t return to Wrestle Rude then Rude would win the U.S. Title by forfeit. Sting courageously returned to the Arena from the hospital, and he limped to the ringside area hoping not to be counted out. Sting’s injury proved to be too much, and Rude defeated Sting to win the U.S. Title.
Section 10: Battle BowlIn December of ‘91, WCW decided to have a special Match called Battle Bowl. Here is how it worked: All of the WCW Wrestlers would have their names drawn randomly for Tag Team Matches. The winners of these Tag Team Matches would go on to compete in Battle Bowl, a two-ring, over-the-top Battle Royal. Sting’s partner ended up being Abdullah The Butcher, and their opponents were Brian Pillman and Bobby Eaton. Sting finally got the pin on Eaton to move on to Battle Bowl. Lex Luger ended up winning in Ring #1. Sting, Ricky Steamboat. Rick Rude, and Steve Austin were the final four in Ring #2. Sting ended up eliminating Rude to win Ring #2, but Rude rolled back into the ring and gave Sting a Rude Awakening before leaving. Luger allowed Sting to enter Ring #1, but the second Sting was in Ring #1 Luger punished Sting. Luger knocked Sting over the top rope, but Sting was able to hold on without hitting the ground. Luger, thinking he had won Battle Bowl, began to celebrate in the ring. He then turned around to see that Sting was not eliminated. Sting finally eliminated Luger to win the inaugural Battle Bowl. WCW awarded Sting with a WCW World Heavyweight Title Match against Luger at Super Brawl II for winning Battle Bowl. Sting was ready to get his payback on Luger for the “gifts”. Then came the end of February and Super Brawl II. Sting dominated the Match early, but Luger was able to gain control with a little cheating. Harley Race tried to Piledrive Sting on the floor, but Sting reversed it. Sting then climbed to the top rope and hit Luger with a Flying Body Press for the win. Sting was now a Two Time World Heavyweight Champion. Rick Rude challenged Sting to a WCW World Heavyweight Title Match soon after Super Brawl II. Sting accepted the Match, and he defeated Rude to retain the Title. Things were not over between Sting and Harley Race though. Race had other plans.
Section 11: VaderSting was the reigning WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and he had successfully defended against Rick Rude. Sting was standing alone at the top of WCW, however, another Wrestler was ready to knock him off the top. Harley Race was now managing Vader. Vader’s goal was to destroy Sting, and win the WCW World Heavyweight Title. During one of Vader’s Matches, Sting came down to help a Wrestler Vader was giving a severe beating. Sting ended up receiving a Power Slam from Vader, and he was left laying. This led to Sting and Vader Wrestling Matches all over the country in March and April. Sting was able to defeat Vader and retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title every time. In one of their Matches at the end of April, Vader reversed a Flying Body Press attempt by Sting into a Power Slam. Vader almost had the Match won, but he was disqualified for hitting the referee. Vader continued to punish Sting after the Match. Vader did not win the Title, but the damage was done. Sting had some broken ribs and a bruised spleen, and those injuries kept him out for another month. Nikita Koloff took Sting’s place in a Match against Vader. Because of this Sting asked Koloff to be on his team for the War Games Match at Wrestle War ‘92 against the Dangerous Alliance. Sting’s Squadron consisted of Koloff, Barry Windham, Dustin Rhodes, and Ricky Steamboat. The Dangerous Alliance was represented by Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Steve Austin, Bobby Eaton, and Larry Zybszco. This was Sting’s first Match since the injury and it was questionable if he would be able to do well. Another question was about Koloff and his loyalty to Sting. That question was answered as soon as Koloff hit the ring. He pushed Sting out of the way and took a Double Clothesline for him. They then made a comeback and hugged afterward. The War Games Match ended when Bobby Eaton was forced to submit to an Armbar after being hit in the shoulder with a steel bar. In June Sting defended the WCW World Heavyweight Title against Cactus Jack in a Falls-Count-Anywhere Match. Sting and Cactus Jack fought all over the Arena. Sting finished Cactus Jack off with a Flying Clothesline from the top rope onto the entrance ramp for the pinfall. Sting didn’t waste any time giving Vader his re-Match either. The re-Match was signed for the Great American Bash ‘92. Sting had Vader pinned at one point of the Match with a German Suplex, but the referee’s attention was away long enough to let Vader kick out. Sting hit a Stinger Splash partially, but he ended up going over Vader and busted his head on the ring post. Vader made it back to his feet to see a bloodied and weary Sting. Vader gave Sting a devastating Power Bomb to win the Match and the WCW World Heavyweight Title. A re-Match with Vader seemed to be Sting’s top priority, but things would not go as planned.
Section 12: A Snake In The GrassSting finally got his re-Match with Vader on August 2, 1992. While Sting was doing commentary with Jim Ross during a Rick Rude vs Nikita Koloff Match, Cactus Jack entered the ring and attack Koloff. Sting left his commentary position and helped Koloff. While all four men were brawling, a man in black jumped over the railing and entered the ring. The man gave Sting a DDT onto a chair not once but twice. The man took of his hood revealing his identity to be Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Roberts was fined by WCW for his actions, but he didn’t care. Due to the attack, Sting was knocked out of his Title Match against Vader. Ron Simmons was the highest ranked contender so he was given the Match. Simmons went on to defeat a injured Vader to win the WCW World Heavyweight Title, which made Simmons the first African-American to become a World Heavyweight Champion in any Wrestling Promotion. Sting was happy that his good friend Ron Simmons was the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, but bitter than Jake Roberts cost him his chance of becoming a Three Time World Heavyweight Champion. Sting and Roberts started to Wrestle each other frequently, but the Matches never ended with a decisive winner. The most memorable Match of the feud took place at Halloween Havoc ‘92. They were to fight in a Spin The Wheel, Make The Deal Match. The wheel was spinned, and it landed on a Coal Miner’s Glove Match. Sting climbed the pole and got the coal miner’s glove. At the same time, Cactus Jake brought a snake to the ring for Jake to use on Sting. Sting hit Jake with the coal miner’s glove, and the snake ended up biting Jake. Sting made the pinfall to win the Match and end the feud with Roberts.Next Page
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