28 Years Later: Arn Anderson Finally Explains Why the nWo “Fake Sting” Gimmick Actually Worked
It has been nearly three decades since the New World Order ran roughshod over WCW, and we are still talking about one of the most confusing, yet brilliant, angles in wrestling history: The Fake Sting.
While modern fans might look back at Jeff Farmer donning the black and white face paint as a confusing mess, WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson sees it as absolute genius. On a recent episode of The ARN Show, the “Enforcer” broke down why that September 1996 angle was actually peak professional wrestling, explaining how it tricked everyone—including the boys in the back.
The Art of the Swerve
According to Double A, the ultimate goal of any good angle is to leave the audience guessing. The moment the nWo unveiled a “Sting” imposter to make the real Sting look like a traitor, it threw WCW into chaos.
“Anytime you can trip up the boys and the audience, I think you’ve accomplished something,” Anderson explained. He noted that Jeff Farmer was visually close enough to the real Sting that a casual glance was enough to cause confusion. In an era before social media and instant replay, that split-second of doubt was enough to sell the storyline. For Arn, that era of WCW succeeded because the booking kept the product “plausible and believable.”
Keeping the Wolfpack Looking “Slick”
At the time, the nWo was dominating WCW despite being the smaller group numerically. The Fake Sting angle wasn’t just about confusing fans; it was about establishing the nWo as the coolest, smartest kids in the room.
Anderson believes the angle solidified the nWo’s identity. “It made the nWo slick and clever,” he said. While some critics felt the stable was getting “too cool,” Arn argues that this specific story arc gave fans a reason to tune in weekly. It provided a tangible answer to the question, “How can smaller numbers overwhelm an entire company?” It was psychological warfare, and it worked.
The “Total Package” That Made It Work
Of course, the angle wouldn’t have hit the same without the right talent executing it. While reflecting on the era, Anderson couldn’t help but praise the man who kicked the whole door down: Scott Hall.
“He was tall, had a good physique, was physically gifted in a lot of ways, and had a great mind for the business,” Arn stated. While acknowledging Lex Luger’s talents, Anderson made it clear that Hall was the true “total package” who had the vision to make angles like the imposter Sting feel larger than life.
