WWE News: Update On Sting — Will He Wrestle Again?
It’s been about a month since Sting was injured at WWE’s Night of Champions pay-per-view, and at the time of the injury, many believed that “The Icon” may have suffered a broken neck. But, according to reports that have come out since the injury, it seems like Sting didn’t suffer a fracture of any kind. However, his neck still isn’t in the best shape.
Sting, who is 56 years-old, has been able to stay relatively healthy throughout his professional wrestling career. In fact, the injury that Sting suffered at Night of Champions probably was the worst injury that he’s had in his 30-year career.
There are two questions on everybody’s mind — one is, how is Sting doing? And the other is, will WWE allow Sting to wrestle again?
On Thursday’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer provided an update on Sting, saying that the pro wrestling legend is in good shape for every day life, but his wrestling days may be over.
“[Sting] isn’t doing too bad. I don’t know if he’s going to wrestle again, and I don’t know what treatment he’s going to need, or where he is. But, I know that, as far as getting around, he’s fine for every day life.”
The general feeling within WWE is that Sting was asked to do too much at Night of Champions, and that a man his age should have worked a much safer match. Basically, WWE backstage officials believe that Sting should have never been put through the announcer’s table, or taken a single buckle bomb.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, who was Sting’s opponent at Night of Champions, appeared on Sam Roberts’ Wrestling Podcast two weeks ago and seconded the opinion of the WWE officials, saying that the buckle bomb is a tough move to take, especially for a 56 year-old man, even if he’s in as good of shape as Sting is.
“I mean nothing against Sting – he’s in phenomenal condition, but he’s also a 56-year-old man. I have taken the buckle bomb myself many times. It’s just one of those things. It’s a freak accident.”
Since Jerry “The King” Lawler’s heart attack following a match on live television in 2012, WWE has been extremely hesitant to let anybody above 50 wrestle, and if they’re going to allow it, the individual must undergo a series of physical tests, and if they don’t pass, they won’t be allowed to wrestle.
Sting, who, as previously mentioned, is closer to 60 than he is 50, was diagnosed with spinal stenosis following his match at Night of Champions, which is a condition that forced both Edge and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to retire from their in-ring role’s in their 30’s. So, Sting’s in-ring future doesn’t look promising, due to the fact that he’s 20 years older than both Edge and Austin were when they were diagnosed with the same condition.
We still don’t know the severity of Sting’s spinal stenosis, which is an important detail, as Edge’s condition was so bad that WWE will never allow him to wrestle again, but Austin was just strongly advised to never wrestle again. However, WWE will allow it under the right circumstances. So, if Sting’s condition is more like Austin’s, he may be able to get back in the ring again.
In an interview on WWE’s website following his injury, Sting mentioned that he needed to get his neck “taken care of,” which has led many to believe that he needs neck surgery before he can return to the ring. However, even minor neck surgery at this point in Sting’s life may, and likely would, end his in-ring career.
If Sting is able to wrestle again, the original direction was Sting vs. Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 32. So, that match could still be on the table if “The Icon” can have one last match.
[Images via WWE]
