Sting Recalls His Reaction To WWE Buying WCW, Feeling Second Class

No one is more associated with WCW than Sting. Considered the franchise of the promotion, Sting carried the company through dark times, went dark to become the light, and was the victor in the final WCW match in history.

In 2001, WWE purchased WCW, marking the end of the company that was once on top of the wrestling world. 

Appearing on AEW Unrestricted, Sting recalled his feelings when he found out Vince McMahon had purchased WCW. 

“It was surreal. It’s like we were second class citizens for many years. We launched Nitro, killed it for so long, almost put WWE completely under and out of business. All of a sudden, you have the Monday Night Wars, the ratings are coming up, it’s neck-and-neck, they catch us, they’re ahead of us every week. You hear all these rumors that we’re going to be bought out and you find out Vince McMahon might buying us out. Sure enough, Vince McMahon is going to buy us out. They show up in Panama City and want Ric and I to leave the fans with something good and positive, so we have a short match. It felt like the enemy came in and took the women and children. There was pillaging and raping and there was chaos,” he said. 

He continued by saying, “I remember Ted Turner meeting with us in the very beginning and going, ‘I have the suits and ties around me and they complain about you guys. They don’t like you wrestlers because we’re always in the red. You know what I tell them? I tell them I love wrestling and I have deep pockets. You guys keep doing what you’re doing.’ The billionaire, in the end, doesn’t even know what’s going on, I guess. We were put on the chopping block and sold for next to nothing. We were number one in the world and next thing you know, we get bought out and it’s over and done. You disappear like a puppy with its tail between its legs.”

After WWE purchased WCW, Sting couldn’t reach a buyout agreement with AOL Time Warner. Instead of signing with WWE, he finished out his contract with the company. 

“It was a horrible time for me. I had a contract that had 18 months or two years left on it and I had a paycheck coming in. That was good. No job duties to perform anymore. What a way to go out,” he said.

When Sting was ready to commit full-time to wrestling again, he chose to sign with TNA despite having talks with Vince McMahon and WWE. 

Elsewhere on the podcast, Sting revealed Vince’s reaction to the news that he’d be signing with TNA. You can view his full comments by clicking here. 

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