After what happened at Starrcade ‘95, Sting vs Lex Luger seemed like a strong possibility. However, Sting and Lex Luger began to tag together. They set their goal on Harlem Heat and the WCW World Tag Team Titles. It did not take long for Sting and Luger to capture gold. Sting and Lex Luger defeated Harlem Heat to win the WCW World Tag Team Titles on January 22, 1996 on Monday Nitro. This was the first time Sting had held a Tag Team Title since his UWF days even though he almost won the Belts with Luger in 1988 and 1991. Their first Title defense was only one night later on the January Clash of The Champions. Sting and Luger retained the Belts when they defeated The Blue Bloods, Steven Regal and Bobby Eaton, when Eaton submitted to the Scorpion Deathlock. Sting and Luger were signed to a re-Match with Harlem Heat for Super Brawl VI. Sting and Luger retained the Tag Titles against Harlem Heat when Luger pinned Stevie Ray. Sting and Luger weren’t finished for the night either. They had to defend the WCW World Tag Team Titles against The Road Warriors. The Match ended in a Double Disqualification. A re-Match between the two Teams was signed for Uncensored ‘96. Sting and Lex Luger were to defend the WCW World Tag Team Titles against The Road Warriors in a Chicago Street Fight, however, Luger decided that he wouldn’t defend the Titles against The Road Warriors again. Sting thought he would have to defend the Titles alone against The Road Warriors, but Booker T of Harlem Heat made Sting an offer. Booker T would take Luger’s place in the Match if Sting would give Harlem Heat a re-Match if they won the Match. Sting agreed to the stipulation. Sting and Booker T won the Match when Booker T pinned Hawk. In the re-Match Sting granted Harlem Heat, Sting and Luger retained the Titles. Sting and Luger also defended the Titles successfully against The Road Warriors and The Steiner Brothers. During Sting and Luger’s Tag Team Title reign, The Giant had defeated Ric Flair for the WCW World Heavyweight Title. Luger decided that he wanted a Title Shot, and he made the challenge to The Giant. In their Match on Nitro, The Giant Choke Slammed Luger through a table putting Luger out for a couple of weeks. Sting wanted revenge against The Giant so he challenged him to a WCW World Heavyweight Title Match at Slamboree ‘96. The Giant accepted. Sting was dominated the entire Match due to the size difference. Then Sting hit The Giant with a Body Slam, a move that nobody thought Sting could due to The Giant. Sting then hit the Stinger Splash and applied the Scorpion Deathlock on The Giant. Sting had the Match won until the referee got distracted, and Jimmy Hart hit Sting with the Mega-Phone. The Giant went on to win the Match with the Choke Slam. Little did WCW know, but an invasion was about to begin.

On the last Nitro of May, a man by the name of Scott Hall (formerly Razor Ramon in the WWF) showed up, and he told WCW that, “we are taking over.” Sting confronted Hall on the following Nitro. Hall threw a tooth pick in Sting’s face, and the Stinger responded with a slap. This led to a small brawl before it got broke up. A week later Hall introduced Kevin Nash (former Diesel in the WWF). At the Great American Bash ‘96 Sting defeated Lord Steven Regal with the Scorpion Deathlock in their Match, however, a more important event happened. Eric Bischoff was Power Bombed from the entrance ramp to the floor, through a table, by Kevin Nash. The Outsiders then made a challenge for a Six Man Tag Team Match at Bash At The Beach ‘96 against any three Wrestlers that would defend WCW. Two weeks later on Monday Nitro, Sting and Lex Luger WCW World Tag Team Title reign came to an end. Harlem Heat won a Triangle Match against Sting/Luger and The Steiner Brothers to win the WCW World Tag Team Titles. WCW then selected that Sting, Lex Luger, and Randy Savage would defend WCW in the Six Man Tag Match at Bash At The Beach ‘96 against The Outsiders and a mystery partner. The Outsiders entered the Match without their partner to Wrestle the Match. However, the odds would become even when Luger got knocked out and forced to leave the Match. The Outsiders dominated most of the Match, and then Hulk Hogan showed up. The crowd thought he was there to fight The Outsiders, but he had other plans. Hogan gave Savage a Leg Drop showing that he was with The Outsiders. The Match was declared a No Contest but that really didn’t matter. In a post-Match interview Hogan let it be known that they were to be known as the New World Order. Sting and Luger tried to slow the NWO down before it got started, but they didn’t succeed. At Hog Wild ‘96, Sting and Luger lost to The Outsiders when Hall pinned Luger. Sting and Luger tried to regain the Tag Team Titles at the Clash of The Champions in August ‘96, but the Triangle Match against Harlem Heat and The Steiner Brothers went to a No Contest. At Fall Brawl ‘96, WCW decided that they would put an end to the NWO in the War Games Match. WCW was going to be represented by the 4 Horsemen, however, Sting and Luger asked Flair to let them substitute for Benoit and McMichael. Flair agreed and War Games was set. Two weeks before Fall Brawl, Lex Luger was told he was needed by Sting in the parking lot. When Luger got there a Fake Sting attacked him, however, Luger really thought it was Sting. A week later on Nitro Sting returned from his tour with New Japan Pro Wrestling. He told Luger, Flair, and Anderson that he was in Japan, but they didn’t believe him. In the War Games Match, Team WCW was getting beat down by the NWO with the odds at 4 to 3. Then the real Sting entered the ring, and he cleaned house. Sting hit Hall, Nash, and Hogan with the Stinger Splash putting them down. Sting then took out the Fake Sting with a Stinger Splash and the Scorpion Deathlock. Team WCW then believed Sting, but Sting still left the ring feeling betrayed. The NWO came back to win the War Games Match. Sting showed up on Nitro the next night. He told WCW to “stick it”, and he made it known that he was a free agent. Sting disappeared, and he wouldn’t be seen again for weeks to come.

Sting was at a cross road in his Career. He felt betrayed by WCW for not trusting him, and he didn’t know what to do. Sting then began to appear on Nitro sitting in the rafters no longer wearing the colorful facepaint and ring attire he once wore. Now Sting only wore black and white. The NWO Sting continued to Wrestle a couple of Matches until Sting showed up to put an end to it. Sting beat down the NWO Sting, which prompted the NWO to come out. They offered Sting a position in the NWO, but Sting’s only response was, “There’s only on thing for sure with the Stinger, and that’s that nothings for sure.” WCW Wrestlers began to call Sting a traitor, claiming he betrayed WCW at the time WCW needed him most. Some of those Wrestlers were Jeff Jarrett, Rick Steiner, and Jim Duggan. Sting would get his payback on them. Sting would appear at times they least expected it, and he would give them the Scorpion Deathdrop. In January of ‘97, Randy Savage returned to WCW. He refused to leave the ring until he was re-instated. However, Sting entered the ring, pointed the bat at him, and they then left together. For the next couple of weeks Sting and Savage would appear together in the crowd. Then in the weeks before Uncensored ‘97 Randy Savage joined the NWO. Even though Sting was never seen with the NWO, WCW thought Sting had joined. At Uncensored ‘97 WCW would get their answer. The Main Event of Uncensored ‘97 was a Team WCW vs Team NWO vs Team Piper Match. The NWO won the Match, and all hope for WCW seemed lost. Then Sting descended from the rafters, and he gave Hall, Nash, Savage, and Hogan the Scorpion Deathdrop. When the NWO fled the ring Sting pointed his bat at Hogan, making it known that Hogan is who he wanted. For the rest of 1997, Sting would appear randomly and attack the NWO. J.J. Dillon finally gave Sting what he wanted in October. The Match was signed for Starrcade ‘97. Sting vs Hulk Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Title. Hogan dominated most of the Match, but Sting got in some good offense. Sting had a little ring rust, but he Wrestled good for someone who had not Wrestled in 18 months. Hogan hit the Leg Drop, but the referee made a quick three count. However, Bret Hart came down to the ring, knocked referee Nick Patrick out, and then took over as the new referee. Sting won the Match and his Sixth World Heavyweight Championship with the Scorpion Deathlock. Almost all of WCW’s locker room hit the ring for the celebration. All seemed well for Sting and WCW...until the following night on Nitro.

The next night on Nitro Hogan demanded a re-Match, and Sting quickly accepted. The re-Match on Nitro ended the same way as the Match at Starrcade did. On January 8, 1998, on Thunder, the WCW World Heavyweight Title was declared vacant by J.J. Dillon. Dillon then signed another Match between Sting and Hogan for Super Brawl VIII. In this Match, Sting hit Hogan with the Scorpion Deathdrop, but the entire NWO hit the ring. Sting held them off, and went on to win the Match and his Seventh World Heavyweight Championship. This time Sting was the Undisputed WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Sting’s next opponent would be Scott Hall. Back in November of ‘97, Scott Hall won the 60 Man Battle Royal at World War 3. Winning that Match earned Hall an automatic World Heavyweight Title Shot, however, it wouldn’t come until four months later at Uncensored ‘98. In the Match, Hall tried to cheat his way to victory many times. Sting kicked out of Dusty Rhodes’ Bionic Elbow, and Sting kicked out after being hit with a pair of brass knuckles. Sting retained the WCW World Heavyweight Title against Hall by reversing Hall’s attempt to hit his Finisher, the Razor’s Edge, into the Scorpion Deathdrop. Sting’s night at Uncensored ‘98 wasn’t over though. Sting dropped down from the rafters to help Randy Savage fight Hulk Hogan and The Disciple. Savage then turned on Sting by giving him a Piledriver. Sting then signed to defend the WCW World Heavyweight Title against Savage at Spring Stampede ‘98. Before Spring Stampede Sting defended the World Heavyweight Title against Nash on two consecutive Monday Nitro’s. In the first Match, Sting had Nash in the Scorpion Deathlock, but Konnan helped Nash make it to the ropes. They then doubled teamed Sting until Hogan interfered. In the second Match, Sting had Nash in the Scorpion Deathlock again, but Savage came out and attacked Sting. Hogan then made his way to the ring and attacked Savage. Finally Spring Stampede arrived. Sting was able to retain the Title in two, hard-fought Title defenses. Sting dominated most of the Match with Savage until Savage hit Sting with a foreign object. Savage was about to hit the Flying Elbow Drop, but Hogan knocked Savage off the top rope. However, Nash had other plans. Nash came to the ring and gave Sting a Jack-Knife Power Bomb. Nash rolled Savage onto Sting, and Savage won the Match. Savage lost the Title to Hogan the following night on Nitro. All of these events led to a split in the NWO, and Sting was involved.

The NWO split into two groups. One remained known simply as the NWO. It was led by Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart. The group that broke away became known as the Wolfpac. Kevin Nash was the leader. Randy Savage and Konnan were the members. The Wolfpac started recruiting, and their first recruit was Lex Luger. Luger accepted quickly, and he decided that he would recruit the Stinger. Both sides of the NWO were heavily recruiting Sting. Sting was one half of the WCW World Tag Team Champions with The Giant, and The Giant was on Hogan’s side. In June of ‘98 on Nitro, a brawl between both sides of the NWO erupted. Sting dropped from the rafters, and took his trench coat off to reveal a black and white NWO T-shirt. Hogan and The Giant were celebrating, and then Sting Clotheslined Hogan and Body Slammed The Giant. He ripped the black and white shirt off to reveal a Wolfpac shirt. Sting was officially the newest member of the Wolfpac. This led to a problem with Sting and The Giant since they were WCW World Tag Team Champions. The Giant had both Belts so he named Bryan Adams his partner. A Tag Match between DDP/Luger vs Giant/Adams took place on a Thunder in June of ‘98. DDP/Luger won the Match making them the new WCW World Tag Team Champions, but J.J. Dillon came down and reversed the decision. Since the Belts were not defended by the Tag Team Champions a Title change could not take place. J.J. then said that a Match would take place between Sting and The Giant at the Great American Bash ‘98, and the winner would be one half of the WCW World Tag Team Champions. The winner then could name his partner. In a very hard-fought Match, Sting defeated The Giant with a Scorpion Deathdrop from the second rope. Sting then named Kevin Nash his Tag Team partner on the following Nitro making them the Tag Team Champions. Sting and Nash wouldn’t hold on to the Belts very long though. In July of ‘98, The Giant and Scott Hall defeated Sting and Nash to win the Titles. The Match ended when Bret Hart distracted Sting leading to Hall connecting with the Razor’s Edge for the victory. Bret claimed that he was Sting’s friend, but Sting wasn’t buying it. This was only the beginning of what would go down with Bret Hart.

In August of ‘98, Sting was still trying to regain the WCW World Tag Team Titles with Lex Luger. On a Nitro in August of ‘98 Goldberg had an interview where he said he would go through everybody in WCW, including the Stinger. Sting decided to confront Goldberg over these words, but Goldberg ran off after The Giant. On that same night Sting was scheduled to Wrestle The Giant and Scott Hall for the Tag Team Titles, however, Lex Luger was jumped in the back and injured. Bret Hart decided to take Luger’s place to prove to Sting he was really his friend. They did not win the Titles, but Sting gained a little trust for Hart. On September 14, 1998, Sting was signed to a WCW World Heavyweight Title Match against Goldberg. Both men hit each other with every move they had, but neither could gain the advantage for long. Sting then dodged the Spear, and applied the Scorpion Deathlock on Goldberg. Sting had the Match won, but Hogan hit Sting out of the referees view. Goldberg retained his Title after hitting Sting with The Jackhammer. Bret Hart explained what went down, and Sting and Goldberg shook hands. Hogan challenged Hart to a Match on Nitro two weeks later, and Hart accepted. Hogan injured Bret’s leg in the Match, and Sting had the Wolfpac put Hart on a stretcher and carry him out. Sting took over the Match and dominated, however, it was all a NWO hoax. Bret was faking the injury. He returned to the ring while Sting had Hogan in the Scorpion Deathlock and gave Sting a DDT. The next week on Nitro Sting and Hart had a big brawl all over the locker room area. It ended with Sting putting Bret in the Scorpion Deathlock and releasing it. This led to a Match at Halloween Havoc ‘98. Bret Hart used Sting’s bat against him while the referee was knocked out. Bret beat Sting down with the baseball bat, then applied The Sharpshooter. The referee woke up and raised Sting’s hand three times, but Sting was unconscious. Bret Hart won the Match. Sting was taken out of the Arena on a stretcher.

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