Sting

Sting, despite a WWE record of 0-1, is going into Night of Champions against Seth Rollins for the WWE Title.  He’s also seemingly slipping back into his Joker character, which made an appearance in TNA.  The question is, is this the right way to use Sting?  And is there any world in which him becoming WWE Champion is a good idea?

The easy answer is yea, it could be a good idea.  For five minutes.  Sting winning the WWE title would be a moment, a moment that many people thought they would never see.  However, in the long term it is an awful idea.  Sting isn’t Brock Lesnar, he can’t pop up every few months and beat the crap out of someone before disapearing.  He’s a special attraction but in a very different way.  He can’t do classic matches anymore, he’s much more in the mold of the Undertaker.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean this isn’t the best way to use Sting.  He is still a big name and Seth Rollins beating Sting could still be a dig deal for him.  Now, I don’t think he goes over clean.  That would be too much, particularly with Sting having lost on ‘Mania.  But Rollins cheating to beat Sting can still give him a lot to brag about, something which he excels at doing.

Writing this, the thought that keeps coming back is that it doesn’t really matter what WWE do with Sting now, because they already ruined it.  They ruined it by putting together a match against Triple H which for some reason was built as being part of the Monday Night Wars and having Hunter go over.  It just made no sense.  If Sting had won that match you could have had Rollins pin him clean at Night of Champions and it’s just one more thing that could play a part in the inevitable Rollins and Triple H feud.  But that particular piece of fantasy booking will always be just that, fantasy.

I don’t like Sting’s joker character, I prefer silent and brooding Sting, but him and Rollins could still do something special.  Whether it’s Sting winning and the decision being overturned/Sheamus cashing in or Rollins coming out of yet another PPV by hook or by crook with the the title round his waist, both feel like they could be part of something good.  However WWE needs to be careful about where they go with Sting from here.  He’s an aging talent who can’t go the way he used to.  If that’s shown up, the magic he has will quickly disappear.