Wolfpäc Sting - Cool But Unnecessary?

There has been one topic that I’ve always wanted to discuss here with The Big Bang May 6. In truth, this doesn’t have to do with the final year, but probably the absolute peak of WCW in the Summer of 1998, And I have to start this article off with a simple question:

WAS STING IN THE nWo WOLFPÄC NECESSARY?

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Everyone knows the story about Sting and the New World Order. Sting was WCW’s franchise and became a silent, face-painted vigilante defending his promotion against Hulk Hogan and the Outsiders’ band of renegade invaders. At Starrcade 1997 and SuperBrawl 1998, Sting defeated “Hollywood” in back-to-back matches to definitively become the World Heavyweight Champion.

However, Sting became a pawn in the middle of the impending nWo Civil War in the Spring of 1998. So much so that at Spring Stampede in April, during his match with “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Hogan, who despised Savage immensely, shoved him off the top rope as he went for his flying elbow drop, subsequently helping, albeit intentionally, his mortal enemy. 

Nash then got involved, Jackknifing Sting and placing “Macho Man” on top of his prone carcass, getting the three-count and losing his World Championship in the process.

It was then announced that at the next pay-per-view Slamboree, Sting and the Giant, WCW stalwarts, would take on the Outsiders of Nash and Scott Hall for the WCW World Tag Team Championships. 

This is where things started to get intriguing.

On May 11, 1998 during Nitro, during an interview between Nash and new World Heavyweight Champion Hogan, all Hell broke loose. A week prior, Nash announced that he had created his own side project called the nWo Wolfpäc, rocking the red-and-black, straying away from the black-and-white, now dubbed nWo Hollywood. After a back-and-forth insult battle, including Nash inferring that “Hollywood” wore his wife’s sunglasses, Hogan said that he had recruited someone that “Big Sexy” couldn’t handle.

That someone was GIANT.

Stunning everyone, Giant, who was a former member of the nWo and sworn enemy of the group, took out Nash and spray painted him with nWo on his back. The commentary team stated that Giant’s hatred for Nash, going back to Souled Out in January after being Jackknifed on his neck, overtook his animosity for the New World Order and rejoined the group that spurned him in 1996.

A few nights later on Thunder, Sting and the Giant were face-to-face after shenanigans ensued during the Stinger’s match with Savage. Giant decided to offer him an nWo t-shirt and to join him. As Sting pondered, Lex Luger, Sting’s best friend, ran out to the ring and tried to reason with him as the program went off the air.

A few nights later, in one of the biggest swerves of all time, Hall turned on Nash in the main event of Slamboree, as well as Dusty Rhodes, and cost the Outsiders the World Tag Team Titles. Sting, who was still conflicted about joining nWo Hollywood, stood on the apron completely flabbergasted, with Tag Team Championship over his shoulder, as the Giant and Hall, now affiliated with nWo Hollywood, celebrated.

After a few weeks of wonder, the Stinger made his decision on the June 1 Nitro. 

The week before, Luger, with nudging from Nash, Savage, and Konnan, joined the Wolfpäc, and tried to help persuade his best friend to join as well. 

During the main event between Luger and Nash against “Hollywood” and Giant, after nWo Hollywood got themselves disqualified, Sting came down from the rafters wearing an original nWo t-shirt. Hogan and Giant, so proud of themselves, thought they had finally gotten the Crown Jewel of WCW to join them.

They thought WRONG.

The Stinger leveled Hogan with a strike and then SLAMMED the 500 pound Giant to the canvas. Sting then took off that shirt and displayed the black-and-red nWo apparel instead.

The nWo Wolfpäc was whole.

At The Great American Bash on June 14, 1998, Sting and Giant would face off in the main event to determine who would remain WCW World Tag Team Champions. With both men on opposite ends of the New World Order Civil War, coexisting as partners would not suffice. After a Scorpion Deathdrop off the turnbuckles, an all-red Sting pinned Giant to win both Tag Team Championships.

The next night on Nitro, Sting chose Nash to be his new Tag Team Championship partner. The duo held the belts until July 20, 1998, when they lost the belts to Hall and the Giant, thanks to interference from Bret “Hit Man” Hart.

However, there was a bit of a change in the Stinger. After a near two-year silence, Sting began to talk and let loose. Although he was far from the Surfer Sting he once was, Sting still showcased his personality and edge alongside Konnan, Nash, and Luger.

On the September 14, 1998 Nitro, Sting became the closest man to date to unseat Goldberg's reign as WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Sting, after multiple Stinger Splashes, avoided the Spear, and put Goldberg in the Scorpion Deathlock. After a tough minute in the hold, Goldberg was saved by “HOLLYWOOD” HOGAN! The nWo Civil War took precedence over WCW’s stranglehold over the World Heavyweight Championship. “Da Man” ultimately Jackhammered Sting in the center of the ring for the three count. But the Wolfpäc came close to the ultimate power move.

Sting finally moved on to a rivalry with “Hit Man” Hart, after Hart turned on Sting following a match with Hogan on the September 28 Nitro. The Stinger actually grew a goatee that, with the red face paint, looked absolutely bad-ass. All roads lead to Halloween Havoc on October 25, 1998 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, NV for Bret’s United States Championship.

The match was looked at as a dream match by many, mainly due to the similarities of their finishing submission holds. The Sharpshooter vs the Scorpion Deathlock. Who would win?