Triple H Vs. Sting Preview: Is Triple H Trying To Bury WCW And Put The Final Nail In Their Coffin?

WCW vs. WWE was always something so natural. It was something we wanted to see. What if our favorite stars from WCW just showed up on Raw one day, laid down the gauntlet and challenged our favorites from WWE. Well, it happened, and unfortunately it wasn't the dream scenario we'd all imagined.

Fast forward 14 years, and we're getting a WCW vs. WWE battle, it's even billed as such. This, much like WCW's Invasion of WWE, isn't exactly what we expected. A watered down version of WCW showed up while the big stars sat at home and collected their guaranteed paychecks from Time Warner. One of the greatest potential storylines in wrestling history was flushed away.

For years, a posisble Sting vs. Undertaker match was talked about, dreamed about, and rumored. Unfortunately for all parties involved, Sting didn't sign a WWE deal until 2014. The delay threw a huge monkey wrench into those plans. Combined with The Undertaker's declining health, alternate plans had to be made.

Enter Triple H, WWE COO and natural heel. Triple H actually missed out on the entire Invasion angle in 2001 as he was out for the year with his first torn quadricep injury. His interaction with WCW has been limited to encounters after his return, and questionable feuds featuring the likes of Scott Steiner, Goldberg and Booker T. After underwhelming matches with all of them, a bad taste was left in the mouthes of WCW faithfuls. Oh yeah, Triple H beat all of them, too.

Sting has been part time since leaving WCW. During his TNA run, he worked limited house shows and television dates. His in-ring shape went down the drain as did the product TNA was putting on TV. This wasn't how anyone wanted to see Sting go out. His mic work actually improved, but he looked like a shell of his former self.

On the WWE side of things, Triple H hasn't worked a full-time schedule since 2009. While remaining an on-screen character, Triple H sporadically makes returns to the ring, often to put talents over. It's a far cry from where Triple H was in the prime of his career, playing politics and keeping himself look strong. Still there are instances that put his motives into question.

Bothe CM Punk and Brock Lesnar were red hot talents in 2011 and 2012, and both lost to a part-time Triple H without much reason or resolve. This had smart fans fuming. Why would someone helping run the company compromise it in such a way? And still, people paid. Still, people watched. And still, people cared. Triple H wasn't necessarily a draw himself at this stage in the game, but seeing if he'd put himself over became a draw in it's own right. Sting vs. Triple H has turned in to WCW's legacy vs. Triple H's WWE power.

WWE and Sting's working relationship was a long courtship before anything came to fruition. The long-rumored Undertaker match was off the table– the WWE couldn't count on the two to carry each other for the duration of a WrestleMania match. Triple H, without any reason on the surface, was put in the match. When you scratch the surface, HHH's role is evident; he's there to carry Sting.

Folks can thing however they want about WWE's COO, but he's a well documented ring general. He's been accused of "playing down to his competition" in the past, but since stepping out of the ring full-time, he's become a special attraction and a wild card that has served WWE well when used right. He's coming off of four straight four-plus star matches, at that.

Sting is beloved, there's no way around it. At a time when WCW was burying every face on the roster at the expense of the NWO, he was protected. In a time when WCW needed an answer to WWF's clean as a sheet babyface Hulk Hogan, the bleached blonde Sting carried that WCW flag. Then he continued to wave that flag when Hogan showed up. Then again when Hogan turned. Then again as the company went down the drain. You get the picture.

Sting has no one. He has himself. Triple H has the McMahon family. He has Big Show and Kane in his pocket. He has Seth Rollins and J&J Security at his disposal. He has millions of dollars, employees, and he's still been unable to thwart Sting. It's an underdog story, with one of the biggest stars in wreslting history portrayed as the underdog, despite always coming out on top. It's a different dynamic than anything we've seen of late.

Sting is often associated with our most positive memories of WCW. Triple H, despite his huge contributions, is often associated with the dark, political memories of the WWE. WrestleMania is more about WCW vs. WWE. It's truly about good vs. evil.