THE RETURN OF STING: A CANDID INTERVIEW
By Gerry Strauss

Courtesy: http://www.tnawrestling.com/content/view/673/84/

"It's dangerous, maybe even career-threatening. There's absolutely no way to predict what might happen in there, and there's no guarantee that I won't end up seriously injured. Most people would find something like this intimidating. In fact, most would run the other way. I, on the other hand, am just crazy enough to find it irresistable."

So says Sting, wrestling legend and the newest member of Team Cage for the upcoming "Lethal Lockdown" war, part of April 13th's TNA Lockdown pay-per-view event. His surprise return on the first-ever live broadcast of iMPACT not only shocked the world...it changed the face of the biggest team showdown in TNA history.

"After the wars that we've had, the last person I'd ever expect to get a call from was Christian Cage," admitted Sting. "Trust me, we won't be exchanging Christmas cards any time soon, but he really did seem sincere in his pitch to bring me onboard his team. I may not always agree with his attitude, but he's a straight shooter these days, and I have no problems standing alongside him to achieve a common goal."

"Still," he murmured. "I have to wonder if this will end up being the worst decision of my career. I mean, when I think about what I'm stepping into."

Sting trailed off, deep in thought. How can you blame him? After all, the former World Champion has certainly experienced his share of violent cage matches throughout his career, both alone and as part of a team. He's been fairly successful in the six sides of steel, actually scoring wins for his team in 2006 and 2007's Lockdown events. Yet, his track record doesn't ease his mind.

"Look, I've fought tooth-and-nail against the best in the sport in every type of cage imaginable," declared Sting. "Without a doubt, the entire 'Lockdown' event is the most hard-hitting, psychotic night of wrestling that I've ever seen. You've got singles matches inside the steel. You've got tag team matches inside the steel. You've got X-Division matches with these young daredevils flying all over the place inside the steel. Just when you think it can't get any crazier. well, it's showtime. It's 'Lethal Lockdown' time, and the whole ring fills with weapons, blood, sweat, tears and two teams of maniacs who want to hurt each other real bad."

So why would Sting put himself in this position at all?

"Even I'm not totally sure," smirked Sting. "At this stage of the game, it's definitely not about the money. It's not about being in the main event, or making all the headlines the next day. Been there, done that. But I've also been in these situations before. I've felt that rush in the heat of battle when adrenaline and emotion take over. That's where I thrive, and on some level, I think I crave it. Being in that cage is definitely living on the edge, and that's where I'm at my best."

"I used to fight with my head," continued Sting. "Now, I fight with my heart. Right now, my heart is telling me that I need to fight alongside this team. I see Rhino, a man I respect immensely for beating his personal demons, finding the inner strength to rekindle an old friendship. I see Cage owning up to his past actions the way that a real man should. I see my old buddy, Kevin Nash, sharing his knowledge to support a cause that he truly believes in. This is a team that I want to be a part of. This is team that I want to stand behind. This is a team that I will risk my neck for."

"Then I look at the opposition, and I gotta tell ya, I get sick to my stomach. I see AJ Styles, a true superstar in this sport. I've fought with him and I've fought against him, and I've always been impressed with his abilities, but he is headed down a bad, bad path. His head is not in the right place, and if I have to take it upon myself to beat some sense into him, so be it. You've got Team 3D, a couple of bullies that I don't have much history with, but I'd love to teach them a lesson. Then there's Tomko, a real hard-hitter who doesn't care about anyone but himself. As usual, the bad seeds in this company are working together, and as usual, I've got no problem making it my mission to do my part to take them down. Why? Because it's worth it."

With that, Sting stood up and ambled off into the night. Will it all truly be worth it? We'll all find out together at Lockdown.

Credit: A1 Wrestling Newsletter