Up until 2014, Sting had about as strong of a case as anyone for being the greatest wrestler to never appear in a WWE ring. That ultimately changed during a brief run from 2014-15, but ultimately, his time as an in-ring performer with the company was short and he retired upon getting inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame … although a potential match with himself and The Undertaker might throw a monkey wrench into his retirement.
Sting’s most well known, of course, for his time in WCW, but after his run with the promotion came to an end, he didn’t head right to WWE. Instead, Sting opted to join TNA, where he spent more than a decade before joining Vince McMahon and co. As it turns out, McMahon knew that Sting heading to TNA was coming, and according to Stinger, he tried to talk him out of this decision by saying TNA would hurt his legacy.
Sting spoke to The Apter Chat and gave a look into McMahon’s reaction to learning Sting — who had turned down WWE in the past — would join TNA. Understandably, McMahon wasn’t especially happy about the arrangement.
“I ended up going to TNA and I’ll never forget having that conversation with Vince.” Sting said, per Wrestling Inc. “He’s on the phone with me and he says, ‘you know, Sting,’ he said, ‘I find this hard to believe. The legacy that you leave behind and the thought of you going to TNA is just, blah.’ That’s exactly what he said, ‘blah!’ And so then you fast forward to me coming back to do WrestleMania, I sent out a text to Vince and Triple H, and I simply said, ‘have you guys turned the page on Sting yet?’ because I honestly didn’t know. Did they turn the page? Are they done or would they consider a run up there?”
As for why he joined TNA, Sting explained that it was for reasons beyond how much he’d be compensated, citing things like the schedule the promotion gave him and some of the talent the company boasted. Still, it is very Vince McMahon to say that going to TNA would have such a negative impact on a person’s broader legacy, although seeing as how Sting is in the WWE Hall of Fame, it’s safe to say that didn’t happen, at least not to the extent Vince predicted.
(Via Wrestling Inc.)
