Sting: Moment of Truth

This ain’t your Grand Daddy’s wrestlin’ movie! Are… You… Ready??? R-R-R-R-!! Let’s rock and roll for JESUS!! The STINGER rules for Christ in this hip, rockin’ biographical romp. It had me laughing and crying all the way through. As Steve Borden gives his life to Christ and proclaims Him Lord of his life, I just wanted to stand up and cheer!

“Sting: Moment of Truth” is an amazing true story told with real depth, plus real heart. Sting (AKA Steve Borden) is a surprisingly good actor, who plays it straight. The actual wrestling sequences are brutal, but the real deal—no stunt men here.

Steve Borden builds the foundation of his life story and his search for God upon 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

In this fast paced, slick rock video style film, Steve captivates the viewer with his honesty about himself and his deep devotion to his family and exactly how Christ won for him the biggest bout of Steve’s life, the battle for his own redemption.

Steve and his brother Jeff were born into a family of men who had a great respect for fitness. Steve’s Grand Dad had a lot of Charles Atlas in him, and Steve’s Dad was a devout football fan. Between these two roll models, Steve found his nitch in body building.

Growing up in southern California afforded him the perk of Venice Beach, the body building capital of the world. Young Steve fit easily into the laid back lifestyle of athletics, cars and girls. He tried his turn at college, bartender and bouncer, but none seemed his forte. As he puts it, “even a blind squirrel gets a nut sometimes…” He was in the right place at the right time when a body building buddy asked him to become a partner in a health club. It was in this club he met Hulk Hogan. Little did he know then that they would one day meet again in the ring.

As luck would have it a second time, wrestling manager Rick Bassman chose him and three other guys to be a tag team. Steve didn’t know anything about wrestling at the time, and this man taught him everything he needed to be the best. Rick taught the tough nature of the wrestling world as “no pain no gain.” “Make ’em believe the ballet is real. Your body and your mouth has to tell the story. Make ’em believe the unbelievable!” Steve found out none too soon that professional wrestling is not fake—it really does hurt, but he found it challenging and exhilarating.

Soon, the four made a name for themselves at local wrestling bouts and rode on the crest of Hulk-A-Mania—with girls screaming and pressing for autographs. Steve and his new friend, Georgia-native Helwig, were soon chosen as the Freedom Fighter tag team and toured the wrestling circuit. They both discovered just how green they were as they drove their own car to matches for two years clocking in 200 to 300 miles a day and sometimes only making $25 to $50 a bout. So much for the “glamorous world of professional wrestling.”

Culture shock and loneliness for his girlfriend set in. Poor and in love, Sue and Steve were married and took up residence in Alexandria, Louisiana. Away from the blue shoreline of their native California (they were so homesick they could “almost smell the ocean”). Sleeping on the floor, they found that their love and commitment to each another pulled them through each day. However, the wrestling gigs just weren’t bringing in the big bucks, and Steve felt terrible for his sweet bride working so hard to make ends meet.

For the very first time, he called on God to open a door. He found that “God does hear the prayers of desperate people and helpless wrestlers”.

Soon, the Hardees restaurants boosted his career by employing him to go to their Grand Openings, giving new public exposure to Sting’s neon painted face, blond buzz-cut hair and tan California physique. The first Clash of Champions, a TBS special, put Sting on the map. He became a sensation in green neon tights, pelting Hammer Jack to the mat with his “Scorpion Death Lock.”

As the money and celebrity rolled in, Sting found the fans more demanding—saying “they needed a human sacrifice in order to be entertained!” In order to preserve his celebrity status in the late 90s, Steve reinvented himself. Sting became a darker character in black spandex tights with the mark of a white scorpion cascading down the sides, a long black leather coat and his now signature “The Crow” like face paint. Sting belted his opponents against the cage, mixing it up with the NWO, and hitting numerous colleagues with a black baseball bat.

Winning the World title ten times with his trademark moves like the Stinger Slash, descending into the ring from the rafters and dropping into the ring from a helicopter wasn’t high enough to keep him from unraveling his personal life. His professional-self and his privat-self clashed as often as his exploits in the ring with fellow stars Hall and Nash, Ric Flair, the Horsemen and Lex Luger. Despite the money and fame, Steve was miserable—spending more and more time alone in his hotels and away from his wife and two young sons. He found himself strung-out after each rumble—taking pain pills, muscle relaxers and drinking beer. Steve Borden was hiting the bottom.

Meanwhile, as Steve’s life was running aground, his brother Jeff’s life has been transformed by the love of Christ. Jeff invited Steve to a Promise Keepers meeting, where Steve became convicted, as if each topic covered was shot directly at him and his out-of-control lifestyle.

Unfortunately, the spiritual glow faded upon his return to the fame and limelight of celebrity. Back in Atlanta, doing the “Sting Thing” in front of 20 million people on TNT, Sting was described as ruthless and unemotional. Channel 5 Sports reported “The crow-faced warrior took what used to be a carnival side show and turned it into a gold mine!” (Starcade ’97 with Hogan. WCW Superbowl.) Riding higher and higher, he was falling deeper and deeper into his too wild lifestyle.

Sue, not knowing what else to do, confronted her husband. He was devastated to find she was so deeply unhappy. In their married life, they were growing farther and farther apart. Steve was constantly not there for his little family when they needed him most. She asked him why. Steve couldn’t lie to her. He loved her too much to lose her. His confession to Sue was the beginning of the process that brought the prideful wrestling champion to his knees.

In August of 1998, Sting became a new man. God stopped the madness. He was there when Steve humbled himself to the point of Godly remorse, the kind of remorse reflected in 2 Corinthians 7:10 — “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation…” Steve, in complete submission, gave his heart to Jesus Christ, crying out for God’s help to salvage of his precious marriage, help to be a real father to his boys, and for the peace that passes understanding.

After being body slammed on life’s canvas, Sting turned 360-degrees to become a member of God’s tag team! Steve Borden has never looked back.

Although not rated by the MPA, this film contains many depictions of pro wrestling violence. Even though described as a “ballet,” it is one of brute force. The soundtrack and rock video feel may be more appropriate for older teens and adults.

There is a Web site (www.Sting-TheMovie.com) and a book by the same title that are well done eye-catchers for modern kids and adults who want to know more about this powerful story of redemption and healing. Donny Fallgatter as the young “Sting” is a knock out, and I just wanna know where I can get the killer soundtrack!

“Sting: Moment of Truth” will prove a Christian witness to many people of all ages, even if they have never been involved in World Wrestling before. The sport is not the center of this movie, but rather the suffocating control the world has over the spirit—and the courage it takes to face down the wiles of the Devil, turn completely around, and walk with The King of Kings.

In Steve’s words: “I felt all of a sudden, at that moment, that the Spirit was there. I just felt forgiven and cleansed, and it was an incredible experience. I accepted Jesus Christ into my life, and that was a long time coming. It should have been long ago.”

As pro wrestling gets more outrageous, Borden has found himself at odds with the sport he calls “adult entertainment with a little wrestling sprinkled on top.” “I’m trying to stand up with integrity against it all,” says Steve.

Steve has also spoken out about his new faith with his longtime wrestling colleagues—among them the legendary Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. “They all know that I’ve changed,” he says. “For the most part, everybody has accepted it. They know me, and I think respect me for who I am and what my choices are now, and the integrity that I have in certain situations. There are really only one or two that just don’t understand it and love to talk behind my back, but that’s OK. I can deal with that.”

Steve Borden, The Stinger, has appeared before over half a million people. He is a 12 time champion and remains a legend in the world of professional wrestling. That night back in 1998, he found his marriage miraculously restored and God has allowed him to be there as a loving, hands-on father to his two boys Garrett and Steven and now to the newest addition to his family daughter Gracy. He is an elder in his church and devotes much of his time sharing with audiences his personal testimony of how his life was radically changed by the loving hand of the risen Christ.

“Sting: Moment of Truth” is a must see—a powerful and amazing testimony!

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: None / Sex/Nudity: Minor