AEW President Tony Khan has opened up about Sting’s legendary career and final run in AEW, calling it the “greatest send-off” in wrestling history and likening the Hall of Famer to Hollywood icon Tom Cruise.
Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, Khan reflected on Sting’s retirement earlier this year at AEW Revolution, where “The Icon” teamed with Darby Allin to defeat The Young Bucks in a dramatic World Tag Team Championship match.
“Sting had the greatest send-off, in my opinion, of any wrestler ever,” Khan said. “Sting and Darby Allin versus The Young Bucks for the World Tag Team Championship at AEW Revolution, I think, is the greatest retirement match ever.”
Khan then drew a striking comparison between Sting’s high-risk, late-career resurgence and the daring stunts of one of Hollywood’s most fearless stars.
“Sting, to me, is like the Tom Cruise of professional wrestling,” Khan explained. “You know how Tom Cruise, in recent years, has become this insane stunt man, the greatest stunt actor of all time — that was Sting in his final years. Everybody who’s ever watched a movie knows Tom Cruise. Everybody who’s ever watched a wrestling match knows Sting.”
“And they both, into their 60s, kind of still look the same. They both went really hard and became crazy stunt men, and did, I think, the best work of their career into their 60s.”
Sting officially retired from in-ring action after Revolution, but he’s remained involved with AEW in a limited, non-wrestling capacity. He is also scheduled to appear during Starrcast weekend in Texas leading up to AEW All In: Texas.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more updates on Sting’s post-retirement appearances and AEW All In coverage.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
