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Sting Recalls the Scary Moment He Almost Died in WCW

Sting Recalls the Scary Moment He Almost Died in WCW

Posted: Mar 12th 2024 By: prowrestlingstories.com

As Sting stepped off the edge of the platform, suspended 140 feet above 17,000 fans, he quickly realized something was very wrong.

Sting and His Brush With Death 140 Feet Above The Ring

In an interview with WrestlingEpicenter.com (H/T: ‘Wrestling’s Glory Days’ Facebook page), Sting opened up about his first time rappelling from the rafters the chaotic moments that ensued after realizing he had been strapped in incorrectly.

"You know, it was scary. And we did it a couple of different ways, and it didn’t matter which way we did it; it was always scary.

"My training happened on the very first day that I did it, which was Chicago at the United Center. We had a couple of stunt guys there working with me, and I rappelled four times earlier in the day to practice. I actually did some rappelling with the same stunt guy out here in California, off some cliffs and rocks – you know, practicing and getting ready.

"The United Center was 140 feet, so high that when we were up there trying to talk to the guys on the ground earlier in the day, they couldn’t hear us. We had to use walkie-talkies.

"So, it was high, and I was having a tough time with it. It wasn’t working very well. I came back to Eric [Bischoff] and said, ‘I can’t do this.’

"He says, ‘What d’you mean?’

"I said, ‘I tried it four times, and it’s just not working very good.’

"I was spinning; I kept spinning real bad, And the stunt guy kept assuring me that the reason why was because I wasn’t just sliding fast enough down the rope. I was crimping with my hand because it was scary, man.

"He said, ‘Look, if you just go down it [at] one speed, and just control your speed on the way down – but just go a little faster – you’re not going to spin.’

"The only other chance I had to try it again would be live [on TV]. And I knew that it was make or break – I knew that if I ended up spinning, I knew that that was going to be the end of the career – you know, the laughing stock – and it would’ve been over.

"I don’t know what happened up there [with Owen Hart’s accident in 1999]. I mean, I’ve heard what happened up there, but I don’t even wanna say, but the night that we did it in Chicago at the United Center was as scary as can possibly be.

"The cue comes – the crowd is as loud as you can imagine, and the sound just travels up — it’s deafening. And then we’re talking to each other up there, and then you’re screaming at each other- the pyro’s going off, the lights, and suddenly you can’t even think straight; you can’t even hear yourself think. That’s how chaotic it is up there.

"And when I stepped over, we realized we had the thing set up backward – so while I was standing on the edge, we had to flip the rope around and then reweave it through…

"I’m telling you if I’d stepped over and done it, the same thing that happened to Owen would have happened to me."

Thankfully, Sting and the technicians caught the error in time and were able to readjust his cables moments before his dramatic descent from above.

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1959 The Zebra Kid def. The Golden Giant for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 1970 Johnny Valentine def. Killer Kowalski for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 1984 Terry Taylor def. Krusher Khrushchev for the MSW Television Title
  • 1986 Buzz Sawyer def. Chris Adams for the WCCW Television Title
  • 2006 Bobby Burns def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 2006 Beau Dalton became the SRPW X Division Champion
  • 2006 Ray Martinez became the SRPW X Division Champion
  • 2012 Big Business (Kevin Morgan & Damon Windsor) def. The Old School Suckas (Gary Tool & Randy Price) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 2017 Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders & Chaz Sharpe) def. Cursed (Kuda & Blade [2nd]) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 2017 Nytronis A'Teo def. Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders, Shawn Sanders, & Chaz Sharpe) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 2023 Jason Simon became the MajCW Native American Champion
  • 2023 Dan Webber def. Cappuccino Jones for the UWE Heavyweight Title

Week of Sun 06-14 to Sat: 06-20

  • 06-14 1970 Fritz Von Erich def. Boris Malenko for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-14 1982 Fritz Von Erich def. King Kong Bundy for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-14 2004 Team Shenanigans (Tyler Bateman & Kenny Campbell) def. Li'l Joe & Al Farat (substituting for Se7en) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-14 2008 Kenny Campbell became the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 06-14 2008 Nathan Sensation & Striker def. The New Age Syndicate (Shawn Sanders & Scott Sanders) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-14 2008 Anarchy [2nd] def. The Enforcer for the SECW Tri-State Title
  • 06-14 2008 Dane Griffin def. Mo'Body Gillespie for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 06-14 2009 El Super Colibri became the TAP Adrenaline Champion
  • 06-14 2009 Reckless def. The Canadian Red Devil for the TAP Heavyweight Title
  • 06-14 2009 Shane Morbid def. Jon Cross for the TAP Oklahoma Heritage Title
  • 06-14 2013 Clint Cox became the BPPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-14 2014 The Rising (Justin Riker & Abel) def. Psycho Sawyer & Diamond for the SRPW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-14 2014 Omega X (Brett Stopp & X-Static) def. The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 06-14 2025 Pastor Brent def. Dr. Corvus for the WAH Living Hope Title
  • 06-14 2025 Skylar Slice became the WAH Womens Champion
  • 06-14 2025 Military Express (Sgt. Todd & Sgt. Hartman) def. Speeding Bullet (Mike Gunnz & Stephen Nitro) for the NAW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-14 2025 Scotty Rose def. Floyd Maystorm for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-14 2025 Floyd Maystorm def. Scotty Rose for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-15 1982 King Kong Bundy became the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-15 2003 Tyler Bateman def. Jef Tiger for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-15 2003 John O'Malley def. Tyler Bateman for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-15 2008 El Culo Intruso def. Dane Griffin for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 06-15 2018 Sam Stackhouse def. Abyss for the BCW Buzzsaw Title
  • 06-15 2019 Double D became the WFC Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-15 2019 Prince Mahalli def. Damon Windsor for the WCR Revolutionary Title
  • 06-15 2024 Cade Fite became the TIW No Pressure Champion
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  • 06-16 1959 The Zebra Kid def. The Golden Giant for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-16 1970 Johnny Valentine def. Killer Kowalski for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-16 1984 Terry Taylor def. Krusher Khrushchev for the MSW Television Title
  • 06-16 1986 Buzz Sawyer def. Chris Adams for the WCCW Television Title
  • 06-16 2006 Bobby Burns def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-16 2006 Beau Dalton became the SRPW X Division Champion
  • 06-16 2006 Ray Martinez became the SRPW X Division Champion
  • 06-16 2012 Big Business (Kevin Morgan & Damon Windsor) def. The Old School Suckas (Gary Tool & Randy Price) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-16 2017 Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders & Chaz Sharpe) def. Cursed (Kuda & Blade [2nd]) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 06-16 2017 Nytronis A'Teo def. Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders, Shawn Sanders, & Chaz Sharpe) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 06-16 2023 Jason Simon became the MajCW Native American Champion
  • 06-16 2023 Dan Webber def. Cappuccino Jones for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 06-17 1957 Billy Raborn became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-17 1958 Bull Curry def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-17 1983 Jimmy Garvin def. David Von Erich for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-17 1983 Kerry Von Erich & Bruiser Brody def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-17 2005 Kenny Campbell def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW X Division Title
  • 06-17 2006 The Party Express (Mitch Carter & Cade Sydal) def. Impact Inc. (John Zorthos & Bernie Donderwitz) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-17 2008 Kunna Keyoh def. El Culo Intruso for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 06-17 2017 Prince Mahalli def. Paul Puertorico for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 06-17 2017 Michael Wolf def. Aaron Anders for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-17 2017 Randy Price def. Double D for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 06-17 2023 Alex Royal def. Justin Lee for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 06-18 1964 Karl Kox def. Louie Tillet for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-18 2004 Shane Morbid def. Dirty Harry Sanchez for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 06-18 2004 Codie Mullins def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 06-18 2004 Dexter Hardaway def. Codie Mullins for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 06-18 2004 Pork Chop def. Dexter Hardaway for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 06-18 2004 Dexter Hardaway def. Pork Chop for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 06-18 2004 S.K. Fulton def. Dexter Hardaway for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 06-18 2004 Dirty Harry Sanchez def. S.K. Fulton for the SRPW Hardcore Title
  • 06-18 2006 Ryan Davidson def. Angel Williams for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 06-18 2011 Michael Barry def. Kenny Campbell for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 06-18 2016 Spyder became the SRPW United States Champion
  • 06-18 2016 Skylar Slice became the IZW Womens Champion
  • 06-18 2021 Lady Sensacion became the FIW Women’s Champion
  • 06-18 2021 Rodeo (Chandler Hopkins & Malico) def. Cam Cole & Johnny Bedlam for the TexPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-18 2022 Duke Cornell def. Blue Bolt for the WFC Prime Title
  • 06-18 2022 Maddox Jones def. Striker for the EPW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-18 2022 Mike Gunns def. Jake Danielsson for the NAW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-19 1977 Fritz Von Erich def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-19 2010 Aaron Neil def. John O'Malley for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-19 2015 Bree Ann def. Claudia for the NWA-TXO Rose Title
  • 06-20 1972 The Continental Warriors (Bobby Hart & Lorenzo Parente) def. Tom Jones & Ivan Putski for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 06-20 1977 Bill Watts became the TSW North American Champion
  • 06-20 1987 Barry Windham became the UWF Western States Heritage Champion
  • 06-20 2004 X-Cal def. John O'Malley for the ACW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-20 2009 Dustin Heritage def. Dane Griffin for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 06-20 2009 BLK-OUT (Montego Seeka & Jermaine Johnson) def. Impact, Inc, (Johnny Z & Bernie D) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-20 2014 Bree Ann def. Miss Diss Lexia for the NWA-TXO Rose Title
  • 06-20 2021 DNR (Drake Gallows & Revan) def. Malik Mayfield & Maui Mike for the ASP Tag Team Titles
06-16
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  • Ultimate Warrior Jun 16th Today!
  • Ted Arcidi Jun 16th Today!
  • Jef Tiger Jun 16th Today!
  • Chuck Hinds Jun 16th Today!
  • Ray Martinez Jun 17th
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  • Bad Boy Jun 18th
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  • Cam the CODA Jun 18th
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  • Top Dollar Bill Jun 19th
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  • Canadian Red Devil Jun 19th
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  • David Kyzer Jun 20th
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  • Super Star Jun 21st
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  • Athena Jun 23rd
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