While appearing on a recent episode of the Gabby AF podcast, Chris Jericho had high praise for Sting.
The former AEW World Heavyweight Champion put over Sting for his hard work in the promotion. He said,
“Sting is one of those guys that, when he came in, he was super humble. No one ever says anything bad about Sting, ever. His retirement match, it’s one of those things where you can never duplicate that. His sons, the match that they had with Darby out there and the Bucks. Sting worked his ass off when he was in AEW. I really respected that because he really didn’t have to. He wasn’t here to collect a check. He was working hard and taking crazy bumps. The match that we had, Sammy and I against Darby and him, where he jumped off the ladder and through the table, he kind of slipped and hit his head, ‘Sting can’t continue,’ he comes back in the ring and is like, ‘Fucking right I’m continuing, what are you talking about?’ He never gave anything less than 1000% percent. It’s almost like KISS with Paul [Paul Stanley] and Gene [Gene Simmons] when you have the makeup. You don’t think of them as being 64 or 65, he’s just Sting. He does such a great job of evolving his character and still being relevant and still being cool. It’s a great story. It’s sad to see him go, but nobodies career lasts forever and nobodies career lasts until you’re 65 and still working great matches. He was really smart. He never had a singles match in AEW. He never wanted to have a singles match, he always wanted to do the tags and as much as he helped Darby, Darby helped him. That’s one of the greatest mentor-students, fuck, one of the greatest tag teams of all-time for that reason. It was great to be part of that. What an inspiration. In a company where I’m kind of like the seasoned vet, when Sting came in, I was learning from him. When we did our matches together, you fall back on what Sting wants to do first and we work from there. He was great and I’m glad we got to do some matches together because we had never been in the ring before, ever. We had a couple of really good matches and moments.”
Chris Jericho, a former AEW World Heavyweight Champion, recently spoke highly of wrestling legend Sting during an appearance on the Gabby AF podcast. Jericho praised Sting for his hard work and humble attitude during his time in the promotion.
According to Jericho, Sting’s retirement match was a one-of-a-kind experience that cannot be duplicated. He commended Sting’s sons for their match with Darby Allin and The Young Bucks, highlighting the effort Sting put into his performances in AEW. Despite not needing to prove himself, Sting worked tirelessly and took risky bumps in the ring.
Jericho specifically mentioned a match he had with Sammy Guevara against Darby Allin and Sting, where Sting jumped off a ladder and through a table but accidentally slipped and hit his head. Instead of giving up, Sting insisted on continuing the match, demonstrating his determination and commitment to giving his all. Jericho compared Sting’s ageless presence in the ring to KISS band members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, who maintain their iconic personas despite their age.
Sting’s ability to evolve his character and stay relevant impressed Jericho. He acknowledged that no career lasts forever, especially in the physically demanding world of professional wrestling. However, Sting made smart choices by not having any singles matches in AEW and focusing on tag team matches. This decision allowed him to both mentor and be mentored by Darby Allin, creating one of the greatest mentor-student relationships and tag teams in wrestling history.
Jericho expressed his gratitude for being able to work with Sting and learn from him. He admitted that even as a seasoned veteran in the industry, he found himself learning from Sting’s experience and expertise. Their matches together were based on Sting’s preferences, showcasing the respect Jericho had for him.
In conclusion, Chris Jericho’s praise for Sting on the Gabby AF podcast highlighted Sting’s hard work, humility, and dedication to his craft. Sting’s ability to adapt, stay relevant, and inspire others in the industry made him a valuable asset to AEW. While his career may have come to an end, his impact and legacy will continue to be remembered in the world of professional wrestling.