Jeff Farmer (August 14, 1962) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) as Sting (later The nWo Sting), an impostor version of the original Sting aligned to the New World Order stable.
Professional wrestling career
Early career
Farmer started wrestling in 1991 as Lightning in the tag team of "Thunder and Lightning" in the IWF promotion in Florida. In October 1991, he wrestled a match for Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the masked Black Scorpion. In 1993, Farmer wrestled a summer tour for All Japan Pro Wrestling.
World Championship Wrestling (1993–1994)
In 1993, Thunder and Lightning moved to World Championship Wrestling and had a small feud with Harlem Heat, whom they lost to at SuperBrawl IV. Farmer left WCW in the spring of 1994.
Independent circuit (1994-1995)
In July 1994, Farmer wrestled for the National Wrestling Alliance territories in Tennessee and the Carolinas. He would later join the Global Wrestling Federation in Dallas, Texas near the end of July. In February 1995, he and fellow former WCW wrestler Jim Steele wrestled a dark match for the World Wrestling Federation.
Return to WCW (1995-2001)
Cobra (1995)
Farmer returned to WCW in July 1995 as Cobra to feud with Craig Pittman. Cobra made his WCW debut on September 9, 1995 edition of WCW Worldwide, defeating Bobby Starr with his Cobra clutch slam finisher. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and "Mean" Gene Okerlund explained Cobra's kayfabe back story of having served in the Gulf War. Sgt. Craig Pittman, a legit Marine sergeant, abandoned Cobra in the desert, then reported him AWOL back at camp. Cobra lost all rank and respect, learned to wrestle, and came to WCW seeking revenge on Pittman. The feud was short-lived, with Pittman defeating Cobra by submission in a very short match, although in a rematch the following week, Cobra won. They then would go back and forth and trade victories for a few months before the feud ended.
nWo Sting (1996-1999)
The nWo had been battling Sting , one of WCW's most loyal supporters, since its inception in July 1996. As part of an elaborate plan, Farmer made his debut as “Sting” on the September 9th 1996 edition of Monday Nitro when he attacked Lex Luger appearing from the nWo limousine after a tape recording of Sting speaking had been played. This led Luger, his longtime ally, friend and tag team partner, to publicly question Sting's loyalty. At Fall Brawl, as Team WCW was being interviewed Sting came in and told his teammates that he had nothing to do with the attack. Luger told Sting rather bluntly that he did not believe him. Later during the War Games match, the last man out for team nWo was “Sting”, which convinced everyone (including the broadcast team) that the real Sting was part of the nWo. However, the real Sting showed up as the last man for Team WCW. After assaulting team nWo, Sting walked over to Luger, shoved him, and said, "Is that good enough for ya?" and left the ring. This showed everyone that the nWo Sting was an imposter. The imposter Sting picked up the victory in the match for team nWo when he forced Luger to submit with the scorpion death lock.
After the War Games match, the real Sting began to evolve into a much darker character with Farmer's Imposter Sting character serving as the catalyst that started the transformation of the character from “Surfer” Sting to the much darker, Crow-like Sting. Farmer now referred to as the nWo Sting, became more of a comedy act in WCW. Farmer would comically mimic Sting's classic mannerisms, while dressed as the dark Sting. He would also copy the loyalty tests and began carrying a baseball bat as the real Sting did. On occasion, nWo Sting would try to appease the real Sting when both were in the ring. Unfortunately for Farmer, this usually led to the real Sting attacking him and getting laid out with the Scorpion Death Drop. In matches, nWo Sting would lose to opponents, or need help from the entire nWo to win a match. The television announcers would refer to him as imposter, fake, or bogus Sting. Announcer Larry Zbyszko nicknamed him “Stink”. The rest of the nWo would completely ignore him whenever the real Sting was around when they were trying to recruit him. After it was revealed that Sting had sided with WCW, Eric Bischoff promised an interview with Sting. He instead brought out nWo Sting and held a mock interview that berated the real Sting and praised Hollywood Hogan.
Farmer appeared in the video game WCW vs. nWo: World Tour as nWo Sting, labeled in the game as "Sting".
In March 1997, Farmer joined nWo Japan in New Japan Pro Wrestling and began to split his time between Japan and America. While in Japan, nWo Sting began to rise in popularity and became a prominent member of the group. He regularly teamed with nWo Japan leader Masahiro Chono. The nWo Sting became much more popular than the real Sting in Japan. As a result, Farmer would spend more time in Japan. In November 1997, he teamed up with Hiroyoshi Tenzan to compete in the 1997 Super Grade Tag League. The team would score 3 victories during the league.
nWo Sting's last appearances in WCW came in May 1998, when he joined nWo Hollywood and began teaming with The Giant. The Giant had previously won the WCW World Tag Team Championship with the real Sting, but the team imploded when Giant joined nWo Hollywood, and began feuding over control of the tag team titles they held together. On the May 25th 1998 edition of Monday Nitro, the team of nWo Sting & Giant lost to Lex Luger and Sting, which after the match saw the real Sting join the nWo as a part of the Wolfpac faction. After Farmer left, the nWo began using Sting masks and having other nWo members appear as fake Stings. He made one final appearance as Fake Sting on the July 5th 1999 edition of Monday Nitro when he interfered in a match between Kevin Nash and Sid Vicious.
nWo Sting returned to Japan, where he had a run as a fan favorite. Chono, the leader of nWo Japan suffered a neck injury which led to Keiji Mutoh taking charge and changing the groups philosophy. As a fan favorite, nWo Sting teamed up with Brian Adams to challenge for the IWGP Tag Team Championship, and also teamed up with Tenzan again to compete in the 1998 Super Grade Tag League. In May 1999, Chono returned from his injury and began feuding with Mutoh over direction of nWo Japan. During this feud, nWo Sting left the group and sided with Chono.
In 2014, WWE released a retrospective DVD collection titled "The Best of Sting". A picture of Farmer as nWo Sting is featured on the back cover of the set. It was later revealed that the picture of nWo Sting was actually a mistake on WWE's part.
Team 2000 & New Japan Army (1999-2002)
After leaving nWo Japan, Farmer changed his ring name to Super J, and along with Chono, and Michael Wallstreet formed Team 2000 to feud with nWo Japan. The two factions would fight for the next seven months before the feud culminated at the Wrestling World 2000 event. At the event, Team 2000 defeated nWo Japan in a best of four series, forcing the nWo Japan to disband and become part of Team 2000.
Super J was well received by the NJPW audience, and was also a prominent member of Team 2000, teaming with Chono through 2001. The team made a couple of appearances in WCW before its closure in early 2001. Super J teamed up with Scott Norton to compete in the 2001 G1 Tag League, scoring 7 victories. Super J left Team 2000 in March 2002, and joined rival group, the New Japan Army. The two groups feuded until September 2002 when Team 2000 was absorbed into the New Japan Army as well.
Independent circuit (2001-2005)
In 2004, Farmer went back to the nWo Sting gimmick on the independent circuit in the Carolinas until he started wrestling exclusively for Ultimate Championship Wrestling on January 8, 2005 when he won the title. He later retired that year.
Academic career
As of late 2010, Farmer is project manager of a research program known as GEAR (Genetics, Exercise, and Research) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The program aims to identify how "people's genetic background influences their response to physical activity."
Personal life
Farmer is the brother of Dr. Paul Farmer.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
As nWo Sting
- Scorpion Death Drop – adopted from Sting
- Scorpion Deathlock – adopted from Sting
- Signature moves
- Entrance themes
- "Ride The Lightning" by Metallica (AJPW; 1993)
- "Man Called Sting" by D.Conort, M.Seitz, and J.Papa (WCW; 1996)
- "Tear It Up" by J.Hart and H.Helm (used while a part of the New World Order)
- "Cold Devil" (NJPW; 1998–2000)
- "Bawitdaba" by Kid Rock (NJPW; 2000–2002)
Championships and accomplishments
- IWF
- IWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Thunder
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him #130 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1999
- UCW
- UCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
