The relationship between Darby Allin and Sting is widely regarded as one of the most successful mentor-protege pairings in professional wrestling history. During his interview with Chris Van Vliet, Allin revealed that he was actually the one who convinced the “Icon” to return to live in-ring action after Sting initially arrived in AEW only for cinematic matches. Allin recalled visiting Sting’s home in Texas and realizing the legend still had the physical capability to perform in front of a crowd.
Allin admitted that their tag team match against Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky at Double or Nothing 2021 was the “true test” to see if he had been “blowing smoke” up Sting’s ass regarding his abilities. After the match, Sting credited Allin with making the return possible, which Allin described as an incredibly rewarding moment. He noted that their connection went beyond their shared face paint and dark aesthetic, describing a “spiritual camaraderie” that allowed them to learn from each other.
“It was really nerve wracking at first, because that’s second year into AEW, and all you’re at that point, all you’re doing is you’re searching for validation if what you’re doing works, you know, because there’s so many different routes to take in the world of pro wrestling, you’re like, oh, maybe I got to change this to fit more mainstream or whatever it is. But first time I met him, I went into his trailer and he just looked at me, said, don’t change a single thing. And I was like, that’s the validation. It’s like, whoa. It’s cool. You know, the video, everything you’re doing, all the craziness, like, just do what you’re doing. You gotta remember he only came in to do cinematic matches. I look at him, ‘dude, why are we gonna do this for a cinematic match? You still have what it takes. Let’s do it live.’ I’m not lying to you. It’s not like me trying to get the rub from Sting like, ‘oh, I need this.’ I generally wanted that man’s career to end on his own terms. Because when I first started wrestling, the very first year, is when he had the neck injury. And I remember watching that match, I remember saying to myself, What if my career, my life’s work, all ended something that’s completely out of my hands. How would I feel? So he felt great when we were rolling around. And he, you know, and he’s, you think. So I’m like, I know. So end this on your own terms, your way. Fast forward. We do the cinematic match, and then we do Double or Nothing against Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky. And that was the true test if this Darby Allin guy is just blowing smoke up Sting’s ass, they’re like, Okay, I talked him into this. We really got to live up to this, you know? And then after the match, he’s like, dude, could not have done it without you. And I was just like, I knew it. You had it, you know what? I mean? Like, I felt so rewarded that night, and God, we ended up having so many matches. And it was just such an incredible experience, because it goes back to, I was talking about the ego he walks in. He could have been walking around like, Oh, I’m staying you don’t know what I’ve done, you know, but he was so humble. He forgets he’s Sting. I looked at that’s what I want to be when this is all said and done. I just want to be able to write off in the sunset, not looking desperate for attention. And he’s like, it’s done. I can focus on my normal life.”
Sting’s final match at Revolution 2024 saw the duo retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships, allowing a legend to retire as a champion—a rare occurrence in the industry. Allin shared his hope that he could have a similarly “beautiful career farewell” when his time comes. He credited the lack of ego between the two for their success, noting that his goal in every match is to make his opponent look as good as possible, even if it comes at a detriment to his own body.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Insight with Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. You can listen to the full episode on any major podcast platform or watch it on the Chris Van Vliet YouTube channel.
