Just more than a year after his debut in Vince McMahon's promotion, Sting will receive its highest honor: being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
The company revealed Monday afternoon on Twitter that "The Vigilante" will headline the Class of 2016. The WWE always announces the headliner early to maximize ticket sales, and tickets for the event go on sale Friday.
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Congratulations to @Sting, @WWE #HallOfFame Class of 2016 Inductee! Details: https://t.co/zvGvBSVQMC pic.twitter.com/gnMOHTLw0y
— WWE (@WWE) January 11, 2016
Sting rose to fame in WCW, where he won the Heavyweight Championship six times, before moving over to TNA and carving out a great career there, winning that promotion's biggest belt five times.
There were many rumors throughout the years that Sting would make the jump to the WWE, but all the speculation didn't amount to anything until he finally made an appearance at the Survivor Series in November 2014. This dazzling debut led to his first ever WrestleMania match, a loss to Triple H last March.
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The legendary wrestler made a handful of appearances in the WWE, but his induction is happening mainly because of everything he accomplished in the NWA, WCW and TNA. "The Icon" last appeared in a WWE ring at Night of Champions in September when he battled Seth Rollins in his first and only crack at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Sting lost that match, but the defeat paled in comparison to the real-life complications of the bout. During a segment of the match, Rollins went to hit the Buckle Bomb on the challenger, but Sting landed wrong and legitimately injured his neck. The ailment called for the match to be shortened and it was the last time Sting was seen on WWE television.
Now, he'll play a huge role in WrestleMania weekend. Sting resides in Dallas, Texas, so it makes sense for the WWE to enshrine him this year, but the decision may also tell the tale of his career coming to an end.
Sting hasn't wrestled since the injury and at age 56, he might be getting ready to hang up his boots. The Hall of Fame induction for one of the greatest wrestlers of his generation could be one last chance for Sting to take a bow after an amazing career.
While it's unfortunate to think that his injury in the ring at Night of Champions may have been his last moment as an active competitor, the Hall of Fame induction could be a sign that Sting is ready to call it a career.
Anything can happen in the WWE, so maybe Sting has one more fight left in him. If not, he's had a legendary career and it will be honored on April 2 in Texas.
