Sting explains why it’s time for him to retire and says Tony Khan wanted him to stay longer.
Sting’s last match will be at AEW Revolution, as the legend will defend the AEW World Tag Team Championship with Darby Allin against the Young Bucks.
In an interview with Collette Arrand of PWI, which was first published in the May 2024 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine, Sting was asked to describe why it was time to end his career.
“It’s funny, because I was the guy who did not want to get into pro wrestling. I didn’t even know what pro wrestling was when I got started,” Sting said. “But I ended up being a pro wrestler, and at the beginning, I was an introvert, the last guy that you’d want to get up there and entertain in front of hordes of people. But it blossomed into what it blossomed into. I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve enjoyed the fans and cannot thank them enough.
“But after all of these years, having walked through the curtain thousands of times, I’m still a nervous wreck when I go out there, and it gets pretty overwhelming to try to perform at a high level at my age, even in a short match, even if it’s a six- or eight-man tag.”
Sting On His Bittersweet Retirement
Sting went on to note that Tony Khan tried to get him to stay longer and potentially retire at AEW All In. However, he noted that there was only so far he could push it. Sting then stated that part of him was sad, but he was also relieved.
“Tony (Khan) was actually trying to get me to stay longer, maybe retire at Wembley,” he said. “But it gets tougher and tougher every time you go out there, and you have all of these young guys who are ready to play—there’s only so far you can push it. It’s kind of sad, of course, but, at some point, you just have to do it. There’s a part of me that’s sad, but there’s another part of me that’s relieved. It’s bittersweet, but I’m looking forward to it.”
WrestleZone will have coverage of AEW Revolution as it airs on March 3.
RELATED: Sting On His Last Match: I Want It To Be A Night To Remember
