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Sting Blown Away By What Wrestling Fans Share With Him

By John Canton • Published Aug 18, 2025 16:35 EDT
Sting standing in AEW ring

The legendary Sting loves meeting wrestling fans and admits that it blows his mind when he hears about how his character inspired fans.

For most of his 30+ years as a pro wrestler in the NWA/WCW, TNA, WWE (briefly), and AEW, Sting was one of the most popular wrestlers in the world. He did turn heel at some points, but for the most part, he was known as one of the best babyfaces in pro wrestling history.

Wrestling fans loved a lot of things about Sting, from his cool face paint to his ability to always keep fighting back against his rivals. The Stinger also connected well with the crowd, which is why the fans supported him so much.

Throughout 2025, Sting has been on a “2025 or Never” tour at various conventions and wrestling shows all over the world. It is Sting’s way to tell fans that this is the last year where they can meet him wearing the classic facepaint look.

In an interview with The Sportster, The Stinger discussed how fans have shared numerous positive stories about how his wrestling character has helped them in their lives.

“You know what really hits me is the stories that fans tell about being bullied as a kid and how, somehow or another, I got them through it.

The whole vigilante-type character, I think, is what did it. But so many people, you don’t realize, if you’re not bullied, you don’t realize just how many people are bullied, and it’s a real thing. [Both] men and women, so you’ve got grown men and women, my age, even older, younger, in tears, telling me these stories. It blows my mind. It really does.”

AEW’s Tony Khan Believes Sting Is Like Tom Cruise

In December 2020, Sting debuted with AEW and stunned fans by resuming his wrestling career four months later. The Icon continued to wrestle fairly regularly before finally hanging up his boots at Revolution 2024 following a wild tag team match alongside Darby Allin. In another surprise, Sting and Allin retained the World Tag Team Titles with a win over the Young Bucks.

Sting retired with a 29-0 record, even though he was 65 years old when he retired. Most wrestlers still going at that age lose matches, but AEW’s Owner-booker Tony Khan felt like Sting should never lose, so he never did.

Tony Khan is so fond of Sting that he thinks The Stinger is comparable to a legendary actor.

“Sting and Darby Allin versus the Young Bucks at AEW Revolution, I think, is the greatest retirement match ever and I think Sting really did the work on the retirement run.

Sting, to me, is like the Tom Cruise of pro wrestling. 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 has ever watched a movie knows Tom Cruise. Everybody who has ever watched a wrestling match knows Sting.

They both, into their 60s, they 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.”

On social media, The Stinger posted his upcoming schedule for fans to see him in the final months of the year as part of his 2025 or Never tour.