Professional wrestling returns to Long Beach Arena with a Sting

By Gerald Frazier
Daily Forty-Niner

Ooooooow, professional wrestling is back in Long Beach.

After a nine-year absence, World Championship Wrestling will be making its return to the Long Beach Arena on Tuesday Oct. 3 to tape its weekly "Thunder" show.

One of the big names on the ticket will be WCW's long-time superstar Sting, who has been known to excite the crowd by shouting "ooooooow" and by sporting multi-colored face paint. He said that he looks forward to returning to Long Beach.

"Why not spread it out a little bit," Sting said while signing autographs at the Long Beach Arena last weekend. "To have the Long Beach Arena full would be nice."

His career in the ring has included many alliances and titles. He has been the world heavyweight champion seven times and after 15 years he is still among the most well known wrestlers around.

"Without question the rush of the crowd," is the number one thing that gets him pumped up for competition, Sting said. However, he is also pumped up by people when he is not in the ring.

Sting, whose real name is Steve Borden, is a native of Venice Beach and currently resides in Santa Clarita with his wife, two boys and a brand-new baby girl. In his down time Sting spends a lot of time with his family. He also works with the Make-A-Wish and Starlight foundations.

"To see a kid smile when he hasn't smiled in months is really big," Sting said. "It's worth every single second."

With his dedication and his 6'3" 252lb frame, no one may wonder if Sting was destined for wrestling.

In fact, wrestling found him 15 years ago, when a talent manager walked into a Gold's Gym co-owned by Sting. With him were three rather large men, and it didn't take long to convince Sting to be the fourth man in what would be a tag team called "Power Team U.S.A." Two members would eventually leave; Sting and the second member, who later would be known as the Ultimate Warrior, would form the Blade Runners.

Sting and his fellow wrestlers of the WCW are now in a process of trying to regain control of the market, which the World Wrestling Federation now has in a strangle hold.

"They (WCW) have cleaned house with guys of my generation." Sting said. "They are trying to come up with a new generation of guys."

That generation might not include Sting. There are rumors floating around that Sting may jump to the more popular WWF, though he is still under contract for another year and a half.

"Unless there is some kind of buy out, I can't see that I would be leaving," Sting said. "But never say never."

The arena is expected to be full to see Sting and his counterparts Kevin Nash, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner and Booker T. All of whom must trust one another to put together a successful show.

"I give my body and the other guy gives his and we trust one another," Sting said.

After his wrestling days are over a full-time career in acting may by next on the horizon.

"I have fun acting and I want to branch off and do more," Sting said. "I want to pay my dues and earn my way."

He already has a few credits under his belt including a feature role in the TNT original "Shutter Speed" with co-star Daisy Fuentes, whom Sting said he enjoyed working with.

"Daisy was great, we had a good time," Sting said. "It was a good experience."

Other roles have included the independent film "The Real Reason" and Hulk Hogan's television series, "Thunder in Paradise."

Sting's first act will be in pleasing the Long Beach crowd, who will do its best to keep the superstar pumped on Oct. 3.