It's Showtime!
WWE Hall of Famer Sting has had some epic rivalries over the years, between his runs in the UWF, NWA/WCW, TNA, WWE and AEW. Which are the biggest feuds?
For this list, we're focusing on storyline rivalries The Stinger had with wrestlers and non-wrestlers alike, not speculating on what may have happened backstage..
In counting down the Top 50 Sting Rivalries, Wrestling Merchandise and Memories looked at the following criteria:
-
How prominent was the rivarly?
-
What type of stage(s) did it play out on?
-
How memorable were the matches and/or segments?
-
How much did the rivalry do to advance either person's career?
If you'd like to be a part of this conversation, Tweet us at @canadianbulldog using the hashtag #Top50, or leave a comment below.
Ready? Here we go!
50.
Lord Steven Regal
Sting and Lord Steven Regal (a/k/a William Regal) clashed several times during the mid-1990s in WCW. Most notably, they battled on the undercard of The Great American Bank in 1996, where Regal submitted to The Stinger's Scorpion Deathlock.
48.
Big Bubba Rogers
When Big Bubba Rogers (a/k/a WWE Hall of Famer Big Boss Man) returned to WCW in the mid-1990s, one of his very first major opponents was Sting. They fought at Slamboree 1995 in a Lights Out Match and in an early episode of WCW Nitro.
46.
Kevin Sullivan
Sting and Kevin Sullivan were frequently at odds, both in Jim Crockett Promotions and in WCW, where Sullivan led heel factions including Sullivan's Slaughterhouse, The Varsity Club, The Three Faces Of Fear and The Dungeon Of Doom.
44.
KroniK
Sting wasn't often a tag team guy, but in 2000, he often found himself opposing Kronik (Bryan Clark and Brian Adams) at live events and on television. In one Lethal Lottery match, Sting teamed with Scott Steiner against Kronik, and later on, Sting managed to team with Kronik as well.
42.
AJ Styles
Sting's very first match in TNA was in 2003, a one-off tag team match against AJ Styles and Syxx-Pac. Years later, Sting and Styles met in a variety of singles and tag team matches, including the main event of Bound For Glory 2009, where Styles retained his World Championship.
40.
Meng
When Meng (a/k/a Haku) was in WCW in the mid-to-late 1990s, he faced Sting several times, including when he was part of The Stud Stable and The Dungeon Of Doom. The two battled in the finals of the U.S. title tournament at The Great American Bash in 1995.
38.
Rick & Scott Steiner
Some of Sting's best tag team efforts in WCW were matches against Rick and Scott Steiner. Sting teamed with Lex Luger against The Steiners at Super Brawl '91 and in another bout, he teamed with Teh Great Muta. The Stinger would later feud with Scott Steiner in WCW and TNA.
36.
The Nasty Boys
Sting battled The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobs and Jerry Sags) several times over the years. His partners included Lex Luger, Davey Boy Smith and Randy Savage. In 1993, Sting and Road Warrior Hawk challenged The Nasty Boys for the tag team titles at Starrcade (and won by DQ).
34.
Goldberg
Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg first met on Nitro in 1998. Later, the two battled at Slamboree 1999 in a match that was ruined by outside interference by The Steiner Brothers and Bret Hart. And even later that year, Goldberg defeated Sting to (briefly) hold the World Title.
32.
Jeff Hardy
A rivalry between Sting and Jeff Hardy began in TNA, when Sting returned to TNA and quickly dispatched of Hardy. Complaining that he didn't have time to prepare for his opponent, Hardy was granted a rematch at Victory Road, which lasted all of 1:28 when Hardy showed up in no condition to perform.
30.
Bully Ray
In 2013, Sting had been exiled by TNA general manager Hulk Hogan for doubting the intentions of Bully Ray (a/k/a WWE Hall of Famer Bubba Ray Dudley) as Bully opposed Aces & Eights. Later it was revealed that Bully Ray was the faction's leader, and he battled Sting at Slammiversary XI.
28.
Scott Hall
Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall were constantly at odds following the nWo's arrival in WCW in 1996. After Sting defeated Hollywood Hulk Hogan at the end of 1997, he turned his attention to Hall and the two had a singles match at WCW Uncensored 1998.
26.
Jeff Jarrett
Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett first began their rivalry in WCW, with Jarrett defeating him via nefarious means at Hallowe'en Havoc 2000. They met again several times in TNA, most notably at Bound For Glory 2006 where Sting won the TNA World Title.
24.
Sid Vicious
Sting and Sid Vicious first crossed paths in 1990 when Vicious was deemed the future of The Four Horsemen. The two signed for a match at Hallowe'en Havoc after Vicious attacked Sting numerous times on television. After interference by Barry Windham dressed as Sting, The Stinger rallied and won the match.
22.
Randy Savage
Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Randy Savage were more or less on the same page when the Macho Man joined WCW in 1994. But when Savage decided to abandon WCW in favor of the nWo, it created issues. Savage defeated Sting at Spring Stampede 1998 to win the WCW World Title.
20.
Jake The Snake Roberts
WWE Hall of Famer Jake The Snake Roberts surprised fans when he emerged in WCW in 1992, immediately attacking Sting. Roberts only fought Sting once (his only WCW match, in fact), losing in a Coal Miner's Glove Match at Hallowe'en Havoc.
18.
Bret Hart
During the early 1990s, Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart were almost clones of each other right down to the ring wear and finishing moves. When they were both in WCW, the two battled several times, including a World Title match on Nitro and the semi-finals of the WCW Mayhem tournament.
16.
The Road Warriors
Sting was teaming up with WWE Hall of Famers The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal) in 1988 when The Warriors turned against their partner and became heels. Over the next decade, Sting would team with the likes of Lex Luger, Dusty Rhodes and The Great Muta against them.
14.
Kurt Angle
Although they once held the TNA Tag Team Titles together, Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle faced off against each many times, including Bound For Glory 2007 in which Sting beat Angle for the TNA World Championship, and the two battling within The Main Event Mafia.
12.
Aces & Eights
Sting was always skeptical of the motives of Aces & Eights, and fought to destroy the faction before it gained too much power within TNA. Sting battled the various members for months, eventually helping AJ Styles, Hulk Hogan and others systematically dismantle the group.
10.
The Four Horsemen
WWE Hall of Famers The Four Horsemen had many run-ins with Sting over the eyars. Although Sting was briefly a Horseman himself, he found himself turned on by members of the group in 1990 -- and again in 1995! Sting was usually at odds with the legendary faction.
8.
The Great Muta
When they first met at The Great American Bash in 1989, Sting and The Great Muta were extremely similar - both were high-flying, charismatic and covered in warpaint. Predictably, their match was a draw and they traded the NWA Television Title back and forth before teaming up late in their respective careers.
6.
Triple H
Although their match at WrestleMania XXXI didn't have the most satisfying conclusion for Sting enthusiasts, WWE Hall of Famer Triple H took Sting to his limit in their one and only encounter. The fact that Sting was the "newcomer" to the company and lost makes the result all that much more shocking.
4.
Vader
Shortly after winning the WCW World Title in 1991, Sting was injured at the hands of Vader and lost the championship to him later that year. They actually traded the championship back and forth and later fought on opposite sides in the King of Cable tournament and in a 1993 tag team feud.
2.
Hulk Hogan
When WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan joined the nWo in 1996, one of the first people willing to call him out on the move was Sting, who underwent a dramatic image chance (consistent with his "Crow" look that lasted for decades). Sting defeated Hogan for the WCW World Title at WCW's biggest-ever event, Starrcade '97.
49.
Stunning Steve Austin
Sting and Stunning Steve Austin (a/k/a WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin) had numerous encounters during their time together in WCW. Notably, Austin lost to Sting in August 1991 in the finals to crown a new United States Heavyweight Champion.
47.
Abdullah The Butcher
In 1991, Sting received a series of gift-wrapped boxes at ringside from a mysterious sender. One of them was WWE Hall of Famer Abdullah The Butcher, who, along with Cactus Jack, generally made life miserable for The Stinger.
45.
The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) had the honor of wrestling Sting in his final match. Teaming with Darby Allin and having Ric Flair in his corner, Sting defeated the brothers to retain the AEW Tag Team Championship at AEW Revolution 2024.
43.
Rob Van Dam
When Rob Van Dam made his TNA debut in March 2010, his very first opponent on Impact was Sting. RVD defeated the former World Champion with relative ease, and The Stinger attacked him after the match with his baseball bat, setting up a rematch at Slammiversary that year.
41.
Booker T
Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T first found themselves on opposing sides when Sting was with Lex Luger and Booker with Stevie Ray. They also battled when Booker was part of New Blood, including a featured match at Spring Stampede.
39.
Diamond Dallas Page
The first major rivalry between Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page took place in the late 1990s. They faced each other in a champion vs. champion match, and later on, Sting was chasing Page's WCW World Championship.
37.
Team Taz
Shortly after making his debut in All Elite Wrestling in late 2020, Sting was found defending Darby Allin against Team Taz, whose members included Powerhouse Hobbs, Brian Cage and Ricky Starks. Sting and Allin defeated Cage and Starks in a Streetfight at AEW Revolution 2021.
35
Dixie Carter
In 2010, Sting confronted TNA President Dixie Carter about her hiring of former rivals Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. Years later, when Carter was a heel, she returned the favor, sending her nephew Ethan Carter III and others after The Stinger.
33.
Avalanche
Avalanche (a/k/a Earthquake) was aligned with Kevin Sullivan and determined to take out Hulk Hogan. To do that, he had to get through Sting in singles and tag team matches. They battled some time later, when Avalanche was transformed into The Shark.
31.
Kevin Nash
Sting was the first person to target the nWo, whose membership included WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash, including the first Bash at the Beach match where Hulk Hogan turned heel. Sting and Nash also had several singles and tag team confrontations, before and after they were members together in nWo Wolfpac.
29.
Barry Windham
Bad blood between Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Barry Windham began at the third Clash of the Champions, when Sting defeated Windham by DQ in a match for Windham's United States title. And at Hallowe'en Havoc in 1990, Windham dressed up as Sting, a ploy to help fellow Horseman Sid "pin" The Stinger.
27.
Arn Anderson
Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson have almost always on opposite sides of the tracks in WCW. The Enforcer was in factions such as The Four Horsemen and The Dangerous Alliance where Sting was a frequent target.
25.
Bobby Roode
In 2012, Sting teased retirement from TNA and wrestling, citing frustration from the antics of Bobby Roode. Upon hearing this, Roode came out to gloat, only to find that his rival had transitioned back into "Joker" Sting and was competitive as ever. This led to a pair of PPV matches.
23.
Samoa Joe
In 2008, Sting surprisingly attacked Samoa Joe following his TNA World Title defense against Booker T. Sting explained that Joe didn't have "respect" for legends like Sting. They wrestled at Bound For Glory 2008, which led to a full-blown heel turn for both Sting and Kevin Nash, setting up The Main Event Mafia.
21.
Nikita Koloff
When Nikita Koloff returned to WCW in 1991, his first target was Lex Luger, which ultimately affected Luger's tag team partner Sting during a misguided attack. Sting and Koloff battled several times during that summer, including a Russian chain match at The Great American Bash, which Koloff was victorious in.
19.
Abyss
Sting's first major loss in TNA came at the hands of Abyss, who defeated him (by disqualification) to win the TNA World Title in 2006. Although Sting then tried to reform "The Monster" away from Abyss's manager James Mitchell, Abyss and Sting engaged in a prolonged feud.
17.
Christian Cage
When Christian Cage arrived in TNA in 2005, his first tag team partner was Sting. The two had their share of ups and downs, and by the following summer, Cage finally turned on Sting by smashing him with Jeff Jarrett's guitar, setting up a match between the two at Final Resolution.
15.
Eddie Gilbert
Before his NWA days, Sting was managed by Eddie Gilbert as part of Hot Stuff International, a stable that included Rick Steiner and, for a brief period of time, a pre-Ultimate Warrior Jim Hellwig. Eventually, Sting left Gilbert's group, feuding with Gilbert and Steiner.
13.
The Black Scorpion
Shortly after Sting won his NWA World Title, a mysterious figure from his past began haunting him, doing scary vignettes and magic tricks. Eventually, this figure - The Black Scorpion - revealed himself to be Ric Flair following a match against Sting at Starrcade '90.
11.
nWo
It can be argued that the new World order (nWo) was only as successful as the people it played off of. The Hulk Hogan-led faction had no greater a rival than Sting during its first year, with The Stinger finally getting his ultimate revenge at Starrcade '97.
9.
The Dangerous Alliance
The Dangerous Alliance was formed in 991 by Paul E. Dangerously (a/k/a Paul Heyman), who threatened to take apart WCW "brick by brick". They began their assault with Sting and kept on him for the faction's entire duration, with The Alliance facing Sting's Squadron at War Games.
7.
Mick Foley
In 1992, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley (then Cactus Jack) targeted Sting, leading to an incredible Falls Count Anywhere match at WCW's Beach Blast. When both were in TNA years later, they engaged in a steel cage match at Lockdown 2009, with Foley leaving the cage with the TNA World Title.
5.
Ravishing Rick Rude
WWE Hall of Famer Ravishing Rick Rude showed up in WCW in 1991 and immediately targeted Sting. The two had an incredible match at Clash of the Champions 17. Due to a previous injury earlier in the evening by Lex Luger, Sting was working hurt and dropped the U.S. Championship to Rude.
3.
Lex Luger
Sting and Lex Luger have been portrayed as best friends (which is true off-camera as well), but they always seemed to make better enemies. Although they clashed numerous times throughout the history of WCW, perhaps their biggest match was at SuperBrawl in 1991 when Sting defeated Luger for the World Title.
1.
Ric Flair
Sting and WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair headlined the first Clash of the Champions special in 1988, battling to a 45-minute draw. Sting's first NWA World Title came at the hands of Flair in 1990. The two competed in the very first -- and very last -- edition of WCW Monday Nitro. Plus, Flair and his Horsemen turned on Sting twice in WCW, cementing one of the greatest rivalries of all time.