Sting Reveals When Tony Khan Wanted Him To Retire

Sting has revealed that AEW President Tony Khan wanted him to retire later this year in the UK.

The legendary WWE Hall Of Famer will lace up his boots for the final time when he joins forces with Darby Allin to defend the AEW Tag Team Championships against The Young Bucks at AEW Revolution on 3rd March at the Greensboro Coliseum.

During a recent chat with PWI’s Colette Arrand, the 64 year-old revealed that Tony Khan originally attempted to convince him to bow out at London’s Wembley Stadium when AEW returns to the world famous venue for All In on 25th August 2024:

“Tony (Khan) was actually trying to get me to stay longer, maybe retire at Wembley.

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.”

Sting Lifts Lid On Pre-Match Nerves

Despite almost 25 years of experience in the squared circle, Sting admitted that he still battles pre-match nerves that have increased as the years have gone by:

“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.

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.”

H/T: Fightful for the above transcription.