a Sunday Wrestling post

Out of no where, WWE started to tease Undertaker and Sting on a show. While fans would love to finally see the two men in the ring against each other, due to age and retirement that will never happen. But what is happening? Earlier, WWE dropped a 15 minute YouTube show where wrestlers and personnel speculate on what would have happened if the Undertaker jumped to WCW during the height of the Monday Night Wars.

Overall the show is a disappointment. Of course the Undertaker vs Hollywood Hogan or Goldberg would have made a ton of money. Obviously a wrestler of this magnitude switching companies this late in their ratings battle may have turned the results. However, why the retired Sting felt the need to don his facepaint and decree that he would defeat the Undertaker in a promo that should have been given 20 years ago is beyond me. Don’t ask me if I would like to eat cake and ice cream tonight when there’s no cake and/or ice cream in the house. Unless…

This reminds me of the video for WWE’s new video game featuring Goldberg. His music starts, and Goldberg marches towards a waiting police escort. In the window’s reflection is “Suplex City”. While many thought this was merely showing Goldberg vs Brock Lesnar could take place in the video game, in reality is was a hint this dream match was nigh. Could this be the beginning of a new long term surprise from WWE? Undertaker is wrestling at the Extreme Rules event this month, which would be a good warm up to a major SummerSlam match.

Back to the fantasy. What would have happened if Undertaker and Sting faced off in the late 90’s? First, the show only theorizes Undertaker jumping to WCW, not Sting coming to WWE for whatever reason. Let’s continue with that set up. He could not be called The Undertaker in another company. It’s not leading up to Sting vs. Dead Man, or Zombie, or the Dark Cowboy. Worst case he wrestles under his legal name much like Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. Mark Calaway does not strike fear like the Undertaker. Unless WCW stumbles across some great new name (the same company that also created General Rection, Major Gunns, and Mr JL) some of the Undertaker’s mystique is instantly gone.

Also, this is the era of guaranteed contracts and wrestlers writing their own stories. Undertaker would go in with at least the same contract as others that we’re aware of if not more. Millions a year, less dates, only working pay per views and Nitro. Plus most likely a guaranteed title reign and approval over not only all of his matches but also whether he would win or lose. A deal that at this point Sting would have to have as well.

Now the only way to have this dream match happen is to get both men on the same page. At best they agree to a series of three matches over the course of a year. Split the wins for the first two and come up with something for the finale. Sting would make the most sense to go 2-1 but the company would want to keep their new highly paid star happy. There’s many stories of Undertaker acting as locker room leader in WWE but would that veteran status continue into another company? Would he have the right to stand up to Sting – who has been there a decade longer? Despite his legendary status, he’s still the new person in someone else’s home.

In a way it’s “who would win between Batman and Captain America?” Well, whoever is writing the comic decides that – so there’s no real answer. But neither Batman nor Captain America are writing the comic themselves. Undertaker or Sting could write this story they are involved in.

Maybe Undertaker keeps his aura. Maybe he and Sting agree to do business together and make a lot of money through alternating wins and losses. Or maybe they both work for the same company that screwed up the year plus build to Sting vs. Hollywood Hogan with a bad 3 count.