WWE Hall of Famer Sting was recently interviewed by the Two-Man Power Trip of Wrestling to discuss his legacy in the business, his feud with the late Big Van Vader, and how he connected so well with fans. Highlights can be found below.
On his legacy:
Man, I hope people remember things like my worth ethic, being dependable, I didn’t pull no shows, I didn’t milk injuries, I had longevity. When I was in the ring I tried to bring in every night. I tried to be as entertaining as I could, keep the crowd involved in the match. I’m hoping fans will remember my gear, staying in shape, being believable, trying to always be better, always be innovative, and creative, the way I was able to change and evolve. I hope they remember those things about me.
How he connected so well with the fans:
There was just something about my character, that resonated with the fans. The fans shared with me a thousand times, that there was something about me that connected with them. Whether it was my demeanor, I helped fans get through tough times, I helped them through bullying, or whatever their issue was at the time. Fans have told me the relationship with their fathers was watching wrestling and watching me, so it’s very powerful stuff. Whether I came out of the babyface locker room or the heel locker room, it didn’t matter, there was something about the character Sting that there is something even beyond wrestling that was connecting with them.
His multiple feuds with Big Van Vader:
You know, its amazing, I don’t have one match with Leon, Vader that stands out. I have images, pictures, moments of matches, memories that really stand out with him, both in and out of the ring. There are so many great moments I shared with him, which to me ranks right up there with my feud with Ric Flair. I was solely responsible for taming him when he came over to the United States from Japan. I preferred for my matches to be stiff and believable. I didn’t want to leave any doubt in the fans minds that Vader was literally trying to kill me. I was able to spend the last 8 months of his life with. I live in the Dallas area now and he was living in the area at the time. I was able to go to his funeral and speak at the funeral. So it was great to connect with him before he died because we always had a great relationship and had great matches.
Full interview is below. (H/T and transcribed by Wrestling News)