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With all the buzz surrounding the 2.21.11 Promo that aired on Raw there has been rampant speculation on the internet about who the “man in the rain coat seeking shelter from a monsoon in a secluded desert shack” could be. The possible candidates, for the most part, have been narrowed down to two. The safe bet is a returning Undertaker while the long-shot is a debuting Sting. More likely than not the “anonymous wet desert dweller” will turn out to be the Deadman returning from the grave yet again. But what if it turned out to be the more far fetched choice of the Stinger? What would that mean to the wrestling world?

TNA could have lost its Icon for good
No wrestler in the history of TNA has been more important than Sting. There could possibly be arguments made for Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, or Jeff Jarrett but the statistics would quickly silence them. He is called TNA’s Icon for a reason. Nobody has enjoyed a more consistent run in the company’s main event scene than the Stinger. Out of the six Bound For Glory mega Pay-Per-Views TNA has produced Sting has main evented four. When a promotion puts on its most important show it turns to its most important star. In addition to being a 3x (NWA)TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Sting has helped make new stars in TNA for example: AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and Matt Morgan. Perhaps more important than that, Sting has a recognizable face to a wide range of fans including the casual fans that does not watch as frequently as they did in the 80s and 90s. But when they flip on Spike TV looking for a marathon of UFC Unleashed or 1,000 Ways to Die and they catch a glimpse of Sting’s painted mug they’ll stay and watch for a while because it conjures up memories of their childhood where it was okay to watch pro wrestling. In order for TNA to attract fans their audience has to give a shit about your characters so their willing to invest they’re time into your TV show and money to your live events and Pay-Per-Views. Sting is someone that the fans care about. If Sting has signed a deal with WWE or does in the future it will probably close the door on a return to TNA. A WWE deal complete with a nice salary and Wrestlemania bonus would probably land the Icon enough cash to hang up his black boots for good. It also would allow him the chance to go out like a legend should, on top.

Wrestlemania 27 Gets a boost of interest
Let’s face it this year’s ‘Mania lineup is lacking a definite “it” factor. While the tentative card seems to consist of some interesting match-ups, it does not yet have the feel of the biggest show of the year. Wrestlemania has a spectacular lure associated with it, but it’s not supported by the proposed plans. However, if Sting is thrown into the mix (a WCW legend in the defunct organization’s former capital city of Atlanta Georgia) then WWE would be onto something special. Wrestling fans have waited for Sting to make the jump up north since he made his name in the NWA almost a quarter century ago. There was a long stretch where it looked like there was zero chance the Stinger would ever cross the line into WWE territory. But now it seems like the planets have aligned and there is a small seemingly perfect sized window for both Vince McMahon and Steve Borden to capitalize. His arrival would bring up so many burning questions. Questions that can only be answered by watching hours of WWE programming. Questions like: why did he come? who would he face at his first ever Wrestlemania? Does he still have what it takes to perform on a grand stage?

Sting cements his legacy
Barring an utterly embarrassing performance at Wrestlemania 27, a high profile appearance at the “Grandaddy of’em All” would assure Sting a spot on the elite list of wrestling’s all time greats. Right now Sting’s credentials qualify him for any wrestling hall of fame. He has several reigns as World Champion in every promotion he’s wrestled for, his list of memorable matches and rivalries is lengthy, and he has selflessly given back to the industy he loves. However one or two ‘Mania appearances would be the proverbial cherry on top that would overshadow any second thoughts Vince could have about inducting the Stinger.

WWE has to push a ’rival’ talent
Although Wrestlemania 27 seems to be a perfect opportunity for Sting to make his WWE debut, Sting still remains a long shot to appear. This is due to the fact that his entire career has been spent working for Vince McMahon’s opposition. Whether its WCW or TNA, Sting has always appeared for the WWE’s competition. And don’t think The Chairman has forgotten this fact. He is not a fan of pushing stars that were not created by his own billionaire brain cells. Only a handful of outside talents found success up north: Big Show and Ric Flair are two names that come to mind immediately. Guys like Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, and Chris Jericho got their first exposure to mainstream American audiences in WCW but were not given the opportunity to be a bonafide star until they jumped ship to the WWE(F). Vince gave it a shot with others like Scott Steiner, Goldberg, and Lex Luger with whom they achieved short term moderate success. Besides the above mentioned names, very few workers that carry the label of a ”WCW guy” or ” TNA guy” have had the opportunities to be real main stay stars under McMahon’s banner. What’s working in Sting’s favor is where he currently is in his career. Vince knows he can bring in Sting, use him as a novelty act for a year or so, put him in WWE’s Hall of Fame, and send him home with enough money to retire for good with. He may even throw a legends contract in there so he can label Sting a WWE Legend. We can only hope that egos will be set aside and a deal can be reached before the big show on April 3rd for everybody’s sake.