Triple H's victory over Sting at WrestleMania 31 was understandably one of the most criticized booking decisions in recent WWE memory.
WrestleMania 31 marked Sting's first WWE match, which came four months after he made his unforgettable company debut at the end of Survivor Series 2014. Given the high anticipation of the match with Triple H, his role as a giant babyface as well as the simple fact that this was Sting's first WWE bout, logic suggested that he would defeat The Game on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
But in a bit of a surprise, it was actually Triple H who won the match via pinfall after hitting Sting with a sledgehammer. The two superstars shook hands in the middle of the ring after the match; many interpreted this as Vince McMahon's way of reminding everybody that he won the Monday Night Wars against WCW.
But for Sting, simply competing at the "Show of Shows" against a WWE legend was rewarding enough. He explained this in an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated ahead of the AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
"WrestleMania is a great memory, too," Sting said. "I know so many fans have said to me, ‘You should have won that match.’ But when you think about that WrestleMania, what do you remember about it? Hulk (Hogan), (Scott) Hall, (Kevin) Nash, and DX, that was surreal. I hope that’s what people remember."
The match featured plenty of nostalgia for the fans who grew up watching the Monday Night Wars. D-Generation X interfered on behalf of Triple H, but Sting received some assistance from the New World Order (Hogan, Hall and Nash), his longtime WCW rivals. The two legendary stables fought outside of the ring during the match.
Sting's Final WWE Match
The Icon wrestled his final WWE match against Seth Rollins at Night of Champions for the 2015 World Heavyweight Championship. Sting suffered a neck injury during the bout, but he managed to finish the match (won by Rollins). He retired from in-ring competition at the 2016 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, but Sting has since wrestled two matches in AEW since joining the company late in 2020.