Hulk Hogan and Sting – The Mess at WCW Starrcade 1997

With over a year of buildup, the stage was perfectly set. Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Sting were to finally face off in the main event of WCW Starrcade 1997. It only made sense for it to happen at this show, one with such history and prestige.

Unfortunately, the finish was botched terribly. It was a demonstration of WCW’s difficulty in delivering a great finish, and it sits atop the mountain of ruined, lackluster climaxes to great WCW storylines.

Hulk Hogan and Sting – The Tan That Wasn’t

The story began with nWo Sting. The New World Order had welcomed in an imposter version of Sting — a tactic used to stoke division and distrust within the ranks of WCW. Sting was the hero of the promotion. If he couldn’t be trusted, the good guys were in trouble.

Sting was WCW’s strongest soldier, and the nWo took him off the board with pure mind games. It was a brilliant start. He’d soon change his look and retreat into the rafters to watch events unfold from afar, only to interfere when he was needed. He made saves, delivered beat downs, and looked like a badass while doing so.