After years of speculation, Sting finally appeared on WWE TV…sort of. He appeared in a commercial, as the special pre-order DLC for WWE 2K15. And not only do we get Sting, we get TWO Stings – “Crow” Sting, and classic NWA/WCW “surfer” Sting. That’s cool as hell.
So after years of begging, WWE fans get exactly what they want…and run straight to the Internet to complain about it.
For the people complaining that Sting didn’t show up in person… just wait. If years past offer any precedent, you can expect a Sting Hall of Fame induction (likely as the headliner), a Sting appearance at Wrestlemania, and Sting’s presence the following night on Raw, and maybe continued appearances for years to come. I’d love to see him square off with longtime rival Ric Flair…but I’d probably prefer they don’t wrestle.
If you need help understanding why, go rewatch some TNA. Or, better yet, ask Dave to sum it up for you.
And hey, I get it. Some WWE fans are just underwhelmed by non-WWE legends being featured in WWE 2K15. But if you think that’s the only special content we’re getting, you’re out of your mind.
If Sting is the headliner, I’d say WWE would be best served to include some other WCW names, both familiar to WWE fans, but previously unseen in the 2K games. There are about 15 weeks until the game is released, so here are the names I would include, announcing them each week on Raw.
The Steiner Brothers: Rick and Scott were far ahead of their time as a tag team. They had incredible matches in WWF, WCW and Japan. We all know what Scotty would go on to become, but these two together? They were about as good as it got. I’d love to put them up against the Wyatts, the Usos, RybAxel, the Rhodes brothers…
Lex Luger: Stick with me here. WWE Lex Luger sucked. But in WCW, he was better showcased, and treated like a star, without being shoved down our throats with god-awful gimmicks like the Narcissist, or “new Hulk Hogan.” If you need to be convinced, consider this: you’ll be able to put Big Show and Great Khali in the Torture Rack. ‘Nuff said.
The Outsiders: This one really shouldn’t need an explanation. When Scott Hall and Kevin Nash showed up on Nitro, they changed the face of professional wrestling, forever. Whether that’s for better or worse is debatable. What isn’t debatable is that these two guys saved WCW, and arguably, the wrestling industry as a whole. And that is just TOO SWEEEEEEEEEET.
Booker T: This could be Harlem Heat, but I think it’s safe to say Booker was far stronger on his own, than he was carrying Stevie Ray’s dead weight. Booker was a breath of fresh air in late-era WCW, and he belongs in any WCW-retrospective.
Rey Mysterio: This is another one I shouldn’t have to explain. Rey helped introduce a brand new style of wrestling to fans. Forget what you know about Rey now. Before he was a tiny, roided-up fat guy, he was a tiny, highly-athletic performer who pulled off awe-inspiring acrobatic feats on a nightly basis.
Diamond Dallas Page: Okay, so DDP wasn’t the best looking guy, the youngest guy, or the most incredible guy in the ring. But he was a middle-aged Daniel Bryan who defied the odds to become one of the biggest stars in the company. Remember the pop when he unmasked, revealing himself as Sara Undertaker’s stalker? (Yes, I said Sara Undertaker.
It’s far more interesting than “Mrs. Mark Calloway.”) DDP was OVER. He was the real deal. He really was THE PEOPLE’S CHAMPION in WCW. He belongs.
Sid: Forget the leg snap. Sid may have sucked, but he sucked his way to the top in both WCW and WWF. He was over. And with the right opponent, he was damn…watchable. Yeah, let’s go with watchable. The best part about including him in the game is you’d still be able to use his character during softball season.
Eddy Guerrero: Yes, Eddie Guerrero had a great run in WWE. We know. Viva la raza, lie, cheat and steal. All good stuff. But it’s important to remember Eddy’s contributions to WCW, as well. He had great feuds, great matches, and made the midcard “can’t-miss.” I’d love to recreate some classic Mysterio-Guerrero matches.
Raven: Raven had a great run in WCW. The Flock was pretty cool. I wouldn’t mind seeing Saturn and Billy Kidman, but Raven made his biggest mark in WCW. I’d like to see an updated version of classic Raven (not toned-down WWF Raven) in WWE 2K 15.
Curt Hennig: Of course, Curt is better known by his WWF gimmick, Mr. Perfect. And while I loved Mr. Perfect, I’m (not-so) secretly holding out for the inclusion of not just Curt, but Barry Windham and either Kendal Windham or Bobby Duncam, Jr. Know why? ‘Cause there’s one thing I hate, ‘cause it’s a bunch of crap… sorry. But you see where
I’m going with this. West Texas Rednecks 4-Life.
Dean Malenko: Okay, the guy may not have been a cult of personality, but you’re not buying these games for the promos. Dean was a technical machine in the ring, may have very well overachieved in WCW, holding the United States Championship. It’d be fun to pit him against today’s workers. Imagine an in-his-prime Dean Malenko taking on Daniel Bryan?
Lance Storm: If I could be serious for a moment, Lance was never used better than he was in WCW. If WWE gives us the option to rename the WWE World Heavyweight Championship the Canadian World Heavyweight Championship, they can charge me whatever they want.
Billy Kidman: Kidman introduced American wrestling fans to the Shooting Star Press, and he never met a powerbomb he couldn’t reverse into an X-Factor. Sure, he may not have had much else, but out of all of WCW’s “little guys,” Kidman seemingly had the most potential to break out of the cruiserweight pack and “make it.” It would be fun to relive that…or to just kick his ass a couple dozen times. Either way.
Hulk Hogan: I need to preface this by saying I’m so sick of Hulk Hogan. I’m sick of him in the video games. I’m sick of him making random appearances to shill the Network. And my god, am I sick of him taking money out of the paychecks of the guys who, you know, are actually taking all the bumps. That said, Hogan will sell copies, whether he’s “American Made” (can’t use Real American, brother!) or New World Order Hogan. Maybe have him lead a new nWo in WWE? I don’t know. Whatever it is, the marks will love it.
Goldberg: Last but not least. I can’t stand Goldberg, but for a while he was THE reason to watch WCW. He was no BS, no filler, all killer. The crowd loved it until WCW destroyed. A career-mode option where you play as Goldberg, building up and defending the streak? That could replace the Undertaker’s streak mode from 2K14, since, well, you know.
So, that’s my list. Not that WWE has to go all-WCW, but it would freshen up the pool of legends that seem to get recycled every couple of years. I left a few guys out on purpose. Chris Jericho, for instance, was old-school in 2K14. Chris Benoit, for example, killed his entire family. You get the deal.
Whether WWE 2K15 stinks of WCW or not, you know there’s a lot of good stuff coming over the next few weeks and months. Instead of taking the piss out of Sting, 30 seconds after his introduction, how about you just sit back and look forward to what’s sure to be a great game.
RT @JuiceMakeSugar: WWE is dissing #DanielBryan, Snubbing #Sting, and the #Impact of Rising Prices. That makes @AndyMIllerJMS Angry. http:…