Around the Circuit: Sting’s Out Again, Vampiro Leaves WCW, Van Dam’s Status, and more

Sting. Six-time WCW champion Sting is scheduled for elbow surgery. As a result, he will miss additional time away from the ring, possibly up to six months. While the character Sting, is still a force in this business, the man behind the persona, Steve Borden, 41, has seem to lost his luster for the squared circle.

Since becoming a born again Christian, Borden has attempted to distance himself from the negative aspects of the business. Sting’s WCW contract expires in the spring of 2002, but I’m starting to doubt he will be around at that time.

Sting’s program with Vampiro over the summer was supposed to evaluate his younger opponent, but did nothing of the kind. Speaking of Vampiro:

Vampiro. Vampiro (Ian Hodgkinson) has officially quit WCW. His musical friends, Violent J and Shaggy Too Dope of the rap group the Insane Clown Posse, have convinced Vampiro, 33, to leave the business in favor of touring with them as a bassist. The Posse recently left WCW when the promotion’s creative staff suggested that they break up and feud.

When reached for comment, Vampiro’s agent Bob Barnett confirmed Hodgkinson’s decision to leave WCW, “He’s through! Even if they (WCW) wanted him, his doctor told him to quit. He opens with ICP January 29th in Boston.” Vampiro suffered a concussion in a match against Lance Storm. Even after sustaining the injury, WCW official wanted him to continue to wrestle.

Barnett comment on WCW head writer Vince Russo, “he has no business doing anything with wrestling” though an interview for an independent wrestling web site. Both Barnett, and Vampiro himself, took harsh parting shots at WCW through various interviews.

Rob Van Dam: The twenty-nine year old superstar recently returned from filming a role in the motion picture “Black Mask 2” in Thailand. Rumors starting circulating about his status with ECW, which was fueled when it was learned that Van Dam (Robert Szatkowsky) is not scheduled to wrestle on the December 3rd “Massacre on 34th Street” PPV.

Van Dam’s agent, Mike Meltzer, told me on Thanksgiving Day, “Rob is still with the ECW and that is the latest for the moment.” Van Dam himself commented on his situation through an interview posted on his official web site, “I am owed a lot of money. A lot of guys are really concerned because the shows have been cancelled for the last couple weeks. There's a lot of speculation going on right now.”

On an unrelated side note, plans to create a comic book based on Rob Van Dam have been halted.

Molly Holly. Noreen Greenwald, 22, better known now as Molly Holly in the WWF, seems to have finally caught a break. She has wrestled as Starla Sexton on the independent circuit prior to landing in WCW. The company used her as Miss Madness with Randy Savage’s entourage (which also included Gorgeous George and Madusa), before wrestling simply as Mona.

Despite the lack of push in WCW, the WWF took a liking to Greenwald, and offered her a contract when WCW foolishly released her.

April Hunter. Keep an eye on this future wrestling diva. Hunter, 29, departed WCW earlier this year on friendly terms. You may remember her as the beautiful red head in the New World Order. She is currently training with Killer Kowalski in Boston. In the past, Kowalski has trained Triple H, Chyna, Perry Saturn, and Albert of T&A.

[ HOME | [ LEGENDS/FREE AGENTS | [ WWE ROSTER | [ WWA ]