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Impact Wrestling: Is TNA Making Plans for Sting's Eventual Retirement?

Posted: Jan 20th 2012 By: mikeiles

While it seems Ric Flair will be involved in wrestling until he falls over, it looks like TNA is making plans for the eventual retirement of the Icon, Sting.

In a story on NoDQ.com, Dixie Carter talks openly about how TNA is planning for the day the "General Menace" will hang up his boots for good.

In his mind, I think this is his last year as far as the wrestling is concerned. When we booked this, that?s the way he was talking about it??I haven?t played there in a decade, and before I retire, I need to come back there and wrestle.??Based on where he?s at and what he?s saying, barring something extraordinary this is the last time.

This is something all wrestling fans knew would eventually come. Sting has been in the business for more than 26 years, having been the face of WCW in the 1990s and into the new millennium.

He held 24 championships in various promotions throughout his career and is a 15-time world heavyweight champion, having held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship twice, the WCW World Heavyweight Title six times and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship four times.

He is currently the only man to hold the NWA, WCW and TNA World Titles in his career.

While Sting has been instrumental in the new year as booker and general manager, his presence is more of an enforcer in and out of the ring. He has been at odds with current TNA World Champion Bobby Roode and has rallied around Jeff Hardy and James Storm in their pursuit of Roode's strap.

He even entered the ring as late as two weeks ago in an effort to help Hardy rid Roode of his belt.

While touring the UK is important to making TNA a more viable company overseas, the impending matches are also possibly a preview of things to come. Bobby Roode stated in an interview with The Sun, that he, in fact, wants to wrestle Sting.

"I'll defend my belt against anyone who comes after it but my dream is to battle Sting. He's been a real thorn in my side so it would be great to beat him up all over the UK. It's his first trip there in a decade, which makes the thought of pinning his shoulders to the mat even more appealing."

If Sting does retire from the wrestling aspect of his career, will he continue to help build the talent pool in the company and help establish the younger wrestlers as the future of the brand?