Before Survivor Series 2014, Sting was known as the one wrestling legend who refused to wrestle in WWE. The Icon was known as the heart of WCW and was the one man to reject Vince McMahon after WWE bought WCW and McMahon completely ruled wrestling in 2001.
After WCW folded, Sting signed with World Wrestling All-Stars (WWA) in 2002 before signing with upstart promotion Total Nonstop Action (TNA) in 2003. Sting forged himself a legendary career in TNA, becoming a five time World Champion in the company and being inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame in 2012.
Once he left TNA in 2013, he finally singed for WWE and made his debut at Survivor Series 2014. At the show, he attacked Triple H to set up Sting vs Triple H at Wrestlemania 31. It was 13 years after WWE first tried to sign him after WCW folded, and when Sting and Vince McMahon first locked horns in the negotiation room.
Sting and Vince McMahon
However, Sting and Vince McMahon did not immediately speak once McMahon bought WCW. On an episode of the AEW Unrestricted Podcast with Tony Schiavone and Audrey Edwards, Sting revealed Vince McMahon did not speak to him until over a year after WCW folded. Sting was under contract with Time Warner and was being paid his full salary to sit at home and not wrestle, hence his extended time off between leaving WCW and joining WWA.
“After it ended? We never did talk,” said Sting about Vince McMahon “There was never any discussion, at least not immediately after. It was, I don’t know, maybe a year after, something like that, that Vince reached out and we had conversation, and talking with Vince was always good.”
“But then you get his group of attorneys and my attorney and, you know, and then it all kinda falls apart. And I just, long story short, I just wasn’t willing to make the commitment that he wanted.”
The pair did continue to negotiate into 2003, however, The former WCW star revealed that the Sting Vince McMahon talks continued, with rumours of a Sting vs The Rock match at Wrestlemania seeming even more credible with this information. We could have even got the dream match of Sting vs The Undertaker if he had signed to the promotion.
When Sting revealed to Vince McMahon that he had committed to sign with Jeff Jarrett’s new promotion TNA, the WWE Chairman was none too please. Sting revealed McMahon’s disgusted reaction to the news and what he thought of Sting’s legacy upon rejected WWE for TNA.
I was called by, it’s funny, Jerry Jarrett’s son, Jeff, Jeff Jarrett,” said Sting. “So you know, the guy who gave me my break originally, Jerry Jarrett, his son Jeff, all those years later, struck some kind of deal with Dixie Carter.”
“And he called and said, ‘hey, would you want to come and just do a show?’ And I did one. ‘You want to do another one?’ All right. And then that it was like, could we get you to sign a deal or maybe do something with us.”
“‘Ahhhh I really don’t want to.’ And it took some twisting, really, of my arm, really, at the time to do it, but I decided I was gonna do it. And Vince was in the picture once again during that time.”
“I’ll never forget. You know, I’m talking to him on the phone. I said, Vince, I’m going to go to TNA. And he said, ‘the thought of you and the legacy that you leave behind and you going to TNA is just… bleggh. He literally said ‘bleggh.'”
Vince McMahon being so disgusted at Sting he would literally say the word “bleggh” doesn’t sound like something that would happen in most contract negotiations, but fits in perfectly with what we know about the Chairman of the WWE.
Sting in AEW
Sting since signed for WWE was forced to retire after four matches due to neck injuries. However, he later came out of retirement to sign for AEW, where he currently teams with Darby Allin as one of the companies top tag teams.
He is now 62 and still wrestling semi-regularly, and amazing feat. Whether he is surfer Sting, crow Sting or simply Steve Borden, Sting is one the most legendary characters in wrestling history, and Vince McMahon is furious he and Sting never managed to work together in their primes.
Bleggh.
What did you think about that Sting Vince McMahon conversation? Should Sting have signed for WWE in 2003? Let us know in the comments or click below to read more