Wrestling icon Sting recently shared details about the conversations that led him to All Elite Wrestling for the acclaimed final chapter of his career. Speaking with Screen Rant alongside Tony Khan and Tony Schiavone, Sting explained how AEW offered him the chance to end his career on his own terms after an abrupt injury-induced end to his WWE run in 2015.
Sting acknowledged his initial feelings after the WWE injury: “It seems like there’s been a reoccurring theme that’s happened to me a couple of times over the years, always tied to WWE, and it has to do with disappearing with my tail between my legs, so to speak, and just not wanting, after all the years, not wanting it to end the way it was ending.” He added, “Although I had made amends with it and had a resolve about it and I was fine.”
The opportunity for a different ending came via calls from AEW. “But I got a phone call from Tony Khan and also Cody. Cody Rhodes called me as well,” Sting recalled. He shared Khan’s simple, inviting pitch: “and Tony’s words were, ‘Hey, would you like to come back and play for a little while?’”
Despite the offer, Sting didn’t immediately sign after his WWE deal ended in May 2020, making his AEW debut in December that year. He admitted to initial hesitations: “Tony was convinced that the fans would be bonkers over it. He built my confidence,” Sting said. “I had great conversations with him. I started to look and pay attention to some of the talent there. Darby Allin, for example. It just seemed like as I watched their show, it felt like WCW way back in the day.”
