Sting and Lex Luger

The professional wrestling tag team of Sting and Lex Luger were best known for competing in Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), which later became World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling All-Stars (WWA). The team debuted in 1988 and disbanded in 2002.

History

Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling

Sting and Lex Luger first teamed up in April 1988 after Luger found himself without a tag team partner for the 1988 Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament in the wake of former partner Barry Windham turning on Luger and taking Luger's old spot in The Four Horsemen and Ron Garvin's injury at the hands of the Varsity Club. They won the tournament and would periodically team up in between their careers as singles competitors. Their team was seemingly defunct after Luger turned heel in June 1989, but Sting was also the cause of Luger's face turn in February 1990, as Luger replaced Sting as the #1 contender for Ric Flair's NWA World Title while Sting was out with a knee injury. While Luger failed to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, he would end up winning what would eventually become WCW's primary World Title, the WCW World Title on two occasions.

They teamed up again as part of the Dudes With Attitudes in World Championship Wrestling to battle The Four Horsemen in 1990. They did not form a regular team again at this point, although they would pair up occasionally, most notably to challenge the Steiner Brothers for the WCW World Tag Team Championship at the first SuperBrawl. The two would feud again in 1991 when Flair left WCW for the World Wrestling Federation and Luger turned heel while winning the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Sting won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Luger at SuperBrawl on February 29, 1992. Luger left WCW after losing the title.

The next time they teamed was in September 1995 in WCW when Luger made a return to WCW on the first Monday Nitro. Sting was helping Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage in their feud with The Four Horsemen and the Dungeon of Doom and Luger joined up. Luger bickered with Savage and Hogan, and Sting always had to keep the peace. At WCW Halloween Havoc 1995 on October 29, Luger joined Jimmy Hart and turned heel when he attacked Hogan. He continued his team with Sting and they won the WCW World Tag Team Championship on January 22, 1996 on Nitro when they defeated Harlem Heat. During their reign, Luger was a heel and Sting was a face. During their reign, they feuded with Harlem Heat and the returning Road Warriors. They finally lost the titles on June 24, 1996 to Harlem Heat when The Outsiders caused a distraction at ringside, during a match, which also included The Steiner Brothers.

Their team ended in September 1996 when Luger believed that Sting joined the New World Order (nWo). In reality, it was The nWo Sting, and Sting soon turned his back on Luger. They eventually made peace when Sting saved Luger from a gang attack by the nWo. They both joined the nWo rebel faction "Wolfpac" in May 1998 when the nWo split and teamed together occasionally. However, Sting disappeared from WCW in October due to a severe knee injury and the team was dissolved after the Wolfpac rejoined with the rest of the nWo in January 1999. Luger remained a part of the reunited faction while Sting returned to feud with nWo leader Hogan and others when he returned in March 1999.

In September 1999, Luger and Sting reunited when Luger helped Sting defeat Hogan at Fall Brawl, turning Sting heel in the process. However, the team was broken up after Starrcade in December 1999 and began a short feud which ended when Luger broke Sting's wrist by stomping on it while it was enclosed in a steel chair. The two later became allies again in the Millionaire's Club, but Luger was injured shortly thereafter and he and Sting went their separate ways.

World Wrestling All-Stars

In November 2002, Luger and Sting briefly teamed together in World Wrestling All-Stars until Luger turned on him starting another feud over the WWA World Heavyweight Championship.

Championships and accomplishments

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked them # 52 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
  • PWI Match of the Year (1991) - vs. the Steiner Brothers at SuperBrawl I for the WCW World Tag Team Championship

• World Championship Wrestling
  • WCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
  • Jim Crockett, Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament (1988)

See also

• Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)
• Millionaire's Club
• New World Order (professional wrestling)

References