All eyes will be on Sting as “The Icon” walks into the squared for his final match this Sunday at AEW Revolution. The man behind the iconic Crow-inspired face paint has wrestled in five different decades. He’s been a part of four of the biggest wrestling promotions in the world—WCW, TNA, WWE, and AEW— across different points in time.
Sting’s ability to capture fan interest is second to none. He’s a ring general in every sense of the word. There’s no denying that the veteran has had a pretty fulfilling career in AEW. Even at the ripe age of 64, the real-life Steve Borden has put fan entertainment over his body.
And he deserves every bit of appreciation for his work. With that being said, let’s take a look at Sting’s five best matches in AEW.
Dudes with Attitudes vs. Bullet Club (AEW Forbidden Door 2022)
The first Forbidden Door PPV event brought together some of the biggest stars from AEW and NJPW. Sting and Darby Allin found themselves a great partner in Shingo Takagi. The trio squared off against Bullet Club’s El Phantasmo and the Young Bucks.
Sting teased his iconic rafter entrance only to take out the heel team with a dive from top of the entrance ramp. He was 63 at the time of his insane stunt.
Sting & Darby Allin vs. Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs (Dynamite Homecoming 2024)
AEW aired a great edition of Dynamite from the Daily’s Place on January 10, 2024. The main event saw Sting & Darby Allin team up to take on The Don Callis Family in tornado tag team action.
The match featured some crazy spots from both Sting and Allin. The Icon took out Hobbs with a Scorpion Deathdrop from an elevated platform all the way through a table.
The post-match angle saw the return of The Young Bucks to plant the seeds for Stinger’s farewell match at AEW Revolution 2024.
The Tag Team Street Fight from AEW Revolution 2021
Sting’s arrival in AEW during the pandemic brought back one of wrestling’s most beloved characters to television. The Revolution 2021 PPV event became the stage for the Icon’s AEW in-ring debut.
It is worth noting that Sting’s first match for the promotion was a cinematic affair. The veteran teamed up with Darby Allin against Team Taz. There were some really cool moments in this match that made for great viewing experience.
Sting, Darby Allin & CM Punk vs. MJF & FTR (AEW Dynamite: Holiday Bash 2021)
The main event of Dynamite: Holiday Bash saw CM Punk join Sting and Darby Allin against The Pinnacle. All six men were feuding with each other at the time. Seeing Punk not only team up with Sting but don his iconic surfer pain was awesome.
The match itself had some great moments. You could tell all participants wanted to have fun and they did just that. The babyfaces beat the heels to cap off an underrated episode of Dynamite.
With Darby Allin vs. Big Bill & Ricky Starks (AEW Dynamite #227)
When Sting announced his plans to retire back in October 2023, fans began calling for a title win for the Icon. Thankfully, Tony Khan listened and booked the veteran and longtime tag team partner Darby Allin to win the tag team titles on the February 7, 2024, episode of Dynamite.
The action started hot with some great brawling into the crowd. Sting pulled off an insane dive from the balcony to a huge pop from the Arizona fans. Bill Bill and Ricky Starks looked incredible as the arrogant yet ruthless heels.
Sting picked up the win for his team to claim his first title in AEW.
Honorable Mentions
- Sting & Darby Allin vs. FTR (AEW Dynamite Grand Slam 2021)
- Vs. Men of the Year (AEW Double or Nothing 2021)
- Sting & Darby Allin vs. Christian Cage & Swerve Strickland (AEW All In 2023)
- Vs. The House of Black (AEW Rampage Grand Slam 2022)
Also read: Darby Allin: Sting Is A Hero Worth Having, Teaming With Him Has Been An Honor
