Quick Links

• Sting's Joker Gimmick Began In Impact Wrestling With Hulk Hogan

• Sting Went Further Into The Joker Gimmick With Eric Bischoff

• Sting Speaks About Why He Adopted The Joker Character Change

There has long been a history in professional wrestling of drawing inspiration from media such as film, television, and comic books. They have been done time and time again, with varying degrees of success. However, one of the most famous instances was seen in Impact Wrestling in 2011 when Sting began to show a far more unhinged and unpredictable side to himself. He drew the inspiration for this period from one of DC Comics’ most infamous villains and the arch nemesis of Batman, The Joker.

RELATED: Surfer Sting VS Crow Sting: 5 Best Matches From Each, Ranked

Sting's Joker Gimmick Began In Impact Wrestling With Hulk Hogan

This change in Sting began to be seen when in a backstage segment with Hulk Hogan. His voice began to increasingly get louder, and he started laughing, almost joyful at what he was doing. He then attacked Hogan, calling him by his real name, smearing paint on his face, as had been done to Mr. Anderson previously. Eric Bischoff then called Sting, who made his way to the ring wearing a new design of face paint reminiscent of “The Clown Prince of Crime.” Sting was going all in on this new persona, changing the tone of his voice, laughing through promos, and delivering dialogue that seemed like it was ripped straight out of the pages of a comic book. He then also painted Bischoff’s face and beat him down.

This period of Sting’s career saw him in a feud with Immortal, Hogan and Bischoff’s faction in Impact Wrestling. Mr. Anderson was the World Champion and Sting wanted the title. He delivered a number of eerie and sinister promos. Lights would go out and Sting would appear to attack people with his bat. He tried to get into Hogan’s head, wanting the “real Hulk Hogan” to appear. Sting often referred to the past, such as his own career, his relationship with Bischoff, and Hogan’s changes in character. He appeared anywhere and everywhere, creating chaos at every turn.

Sting Went Further Into The Joker Gimmick With Eric Bischoff

Sting’s antics were getting deep into the minds of the members of Immortal. On one occasion he walked into the office of Bischoff and Hogan during a meeting with Immortal. Dressed in a red suit, Sting brought in a cage with a black covering on it. Sting said that he was a Network Executive and made matches, but in a segment with Bischoff later on, he revealed it was a lie. Sting then opened the cage, releasing a crow to scare Bischoff and locked him in the room with it.

Sting was still also channeling the traditional elements of his character as well. Like in WCW, he kept bringing the baseball bat out and would appear in the rafters of the arena.When Sting finally received his opportunity for the World Heavyweight Championship, Sting interrupted a gathering of Immortal and showed that he had allies in the rafters in clown masks to support him. In the end, Sting claimed the title from Mr. Anderson.

RELATED: 10 Differences Between Sting In WCW And TNA

The “Insane Icon” then set his sights on a match with Hogan at Bound for Glory. Despite losing his championship to Kurt Angle on the way to this journey, Sting continued to pursue a match with Hogan. He got Hogan to agree to match against him at Bound for Glory, where if Hogan lost he would give up his power in Impact Wrestling. Hogan immediately regretted it. The match took place at Bound for Glory 2011, where in Hogan’s final pay-per-view match, he lost to “The Insane Icon”. It was a bloody match that saw an attack on Sting by Immortal, where he pleaded with Hogan for help. Hogan then turned face, helping his former longtime rival. Following this, Sting mostly retired the use of “The Insane Icon”.

RELATED: Every Sting Match At TNA Bound For Glory, Ranked Worst To Best

Sting Speaks About Why He Adopted The Joker Character Change

This was an interesting period during the time of the wrestling legend’s career. The inspiration from the notorious Batman character, specifically Heath Ledger’s portrayal of him in The Dark Knight by Christopher Nolan, is something Sting enjoyed. In an interview with The Ringer, he said of the gimmick, "“That’s really an extension of me. Most people don’t see that unless you get to know me. But I do have a personality, and I love to have fun."

It was organic for Sting to pay the character, and it was something he truly enjoyed. He further said, "I love that kind of stuff with the ‘Joker’ Sting.” Sting’s ability to adapt and reinvent himself overtime, as seen in Impact Wrestling before and now in AEW, is what has helped contribute to his massive success. The “Joker” Sting is another example of his talent when it comes to his character work.