Source: IGN.com
Soon-to-be WWE Hall of Famer Sting recently spoke with IGN.com and below are some highlights:
IGN: How does it feel to be Hall of Fame bound this year?
Sting: Well, it’s very exciting. Very humbling. A little scary in some ways. [laughs] And also just a real honor.
IGN: What’s the scary part? The speech?
Sting: Oh, heck yeah. The speech for sure. Absolutely. My gosh. I’m a pro-wrestler. I can go cut a wrestling promo. [laughs] But Steve Borden has to get up there and talk.
IGN: You know, you could take a full hour up there if you wanted.
Sting: Oh, you know what? That’s the last thing I think I want to do. I’ve heard too many stories about too many guys going too long. I definitely don’t want to do that because I’ll lose everyone’s attention.
IGN: So it’s a possibility then that Ric Flair will talk longer than you do.
Sting: [laughs] Yeah, that is possible. You know, that’s Ric. And I think people just love him no matter want and he can talk.
IGN: Speaking of Flair, how does it feel to have him be the one to induct you?
Sting: It seems appropriate. It seems the way it probably should go. It’s fitting. I mean, he taught me. He showed me the ropes. Back in the early days. He put me on the map in that very first Clash of Champions and I’m forever grateful to him. It just seems to really fit. And I’m proud that it’s Ric doing it.
IGN: Looking back at your storied career in WCW, were there some favorite runs and eras of yours?
Sting: Yeah, there’s two of them. Obviously, the surfer Sting who wrestled Ric in all those world title matches. Putting me on the map. And the development of my character. All the psychology in the ring. Everything that I learned then. And then wrestling started to change and I changed with it. And so I changed into that Crow character. And so along came a new wave of good times.
IGN: What was it like when you were doing the Crow? You didn’t wrestle for a very long time. You loomed in the rafters and the background. Were you okay with that?
Sting: I was okay with it. It made sense at the time. It was working. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that less can be more. Sometimes, you know. Less is more. And it worked. And it also gave my body a chance to heal up a little bit. And I had some personal stuff going on in my life at the time. So it worked perfectly.
IGN: I saw you wrestle at WrestleMania last year, but the only time I saw you wrestle live before that was at the Bound for Glory Pay-Per-View in Irvine. And you main evented with AJ Styles. Have you had a chance to talk to Styles since he joined WWE?
Sting: No, I have not. I’ve been wanting to call him and just check up on him and see how he’s doing. I hope all’s going well for him. I’m glad that he finally go in there. He can still go. He’s just a great talent. And I’m glad WWE brought him in.
IGN: In fact, a lot of guys who you worked with in TNA are coming to WWE. Either on RAW or over in NXT with Samoa Joe. Have you had a chance to watch any NXT?
Sting: No, I’ve never seen any of the shows, but I’ve toured through the facility they have there. The Performance Center. And it’s just outstanding what they’re doing down there. I just can’t believe the machine they’ve got going that’s producing wrestlers. I walked through the place and saw the interview rooms and the training areas and all the rings. Met all the guys. All of them are already so respectful. And, of course, hopeful that they’re going to make it. It’s a cool thing.
IGN: Would you have liked to have had a training facility like that when you came up? What was the process like for you when you started out?
Sting: [laughs] There’s no comparing the way I was trained to what these guys are going through. None whatsoever. I went to a wrestling camp in California. It was, I don’t know, five times a week. For a couple months. We did learn some things, sure. But no psychology. No timing. No social skills. No negotiating skills. We didn’t have anything. And some of the moves that we learned were just basic stuff. But these guys have it all.
IGN: What WrestleMania match are you looking forward to the most this year?
Sting: All of them. [laughs] I’m sorry. I just had to. Of course, all of them. But I want to pay attention to Undertaker for sure.
IGN: Do you regret that Sting vs. Undertaker never happened? Or hasn’t happened yet? Would you still like to face him?
Sting: Uh, yeah. I’ve been very outspoken about that. Still a dream of mine.
IGN: Obviously you want the match. And so do the fans. Why do you think you two would match up so well? And what would it mean for your legacies?
Sting: I remember years ago, it seemed to be a dream match. People were asking for it. Taker’s character and mine – there are so many similarities. I mean, they’re different, but there are also a lot of similarities. The mystique of both of us and all that. I just think that we could do some pretty cool stuff that would compliment each other. And it would be extremely entertaining. I’ve had these visions and these ideas in my head for a while. And, again, it’s a dream still.
IGN: How do you feel about the two WWE PPV matches you’ve had and how they both went down?
Sting: Just fantastic. Awesome. Incredible. It was WrestleMania and Triple H. And a lot of fans, if I understand what you’re trying to say here, sort of feel “Are you kind of disappointed that you lost two times?” No, I’m not. I look back and say “Wow, great opponent in Triple H. Biggest stage and platform of them all.” You know, wrestling fans remember me wrestling there. I don’t think they’re walking away thinking it sucked because I should have won. Maybe for a minute. But more so they’ll remember that I was at WrestleMania. And then to have a world title match against Seth? Wow. I’ve been world champion many times, so it didn’t bother me.
IGN: Back to your Triple H match…what was it like to have the NWO come into the mix as well? Did that make it even better?
Sting: Absolutely. It was nostalgic all the way. For me and for the fans. Still, I’ve got fans coming up to me and saying “I’d never thought I’d see the day. I never believed it would actually happen. To see all you guys in there at the same time.” See, Sting in WWE and at WrestleMania was already something they never thought they’d see. Now when you get NWO in there, and all the guys in there, all together at the same time? I did an autograph session a few days ago and so many people wanted me to sign the picture of all of us in the ring after the match. It’s a good shot.
IGN: Now, there are a lot of rumors in wrestling. And one right now is that there may be a retirement announcement coming from you at some point. Any truth to that or is it just a rumor?
Sting: That is one of those rumors floating around, yes. [laughs] TMZ put something out and, again, I still have a dream inside of me. And it’s not dead yet.
IGN: Recently, Daniel Bryan retired from the ring and gave a vey emotional farewell promo.
Sting: Obviously, I know he wasn’t ready. So that’s the sad part there. Especially because he was in his prime. I mean, this guy utilized everything in the ring. And also outside the ring. Inside those barricades. And so it’s a bummer. He did great things. He went far. I don’t know what he said in his speech, but I know that he didn’t want to stop wrestling.
IGN: Many fans were worried about your health following your Night of Champions match with Rollins. How are you feeling now? Can you give us an update?
Sting: Yeah, I’m feeling completely normal. I’m hitting the gym. I’m training. I’m working out. I had a month or two of stiffness in the back of my neck. It’s been a roller coaster ride. It just seems like there are so many conflicting reports from doctors. Even different opinions from wrestlers. About surgery. Daniel Bryan had the surgery. John Cena had the surgery. And some of the others too. And so it’s like – wow! – what do you do? Don’t have surgery unless you really have to. I don’t have any side effects. I don’t know. So for one minute there, after the match I thought “Okay, I gotta go have surgery.” And as time went on, I was like “I’m not so sure I do.” Even if I do, is it the right thing to do? Are there non-surgical methods that might be better? So the answer to you is that as long as I’m feeling good and mobile and in the gym, I’m just leaving it alone for now.