Sting Changed His AEW Retirement Plans

Sting originally didn't plan to extend his run with All Elite Wrestling until Revolution 2024 but after finding out Ric Flair would be alongside him for the final months of his in-ring career, the 64-year-old decided to wrestle for a few months longer. 

"I wanted to finish earlier, maybe in December. But now that Ric is here with me, I want to go longer, all the way to Revolution," Sting told Sports Illustrated.

Ric Flair made his AEW debut on the October 25 edition of Dynamite, being revealed as Tony Khan's gift for Sting. The 16-time world champion will be alongside his longtime rival for Sting's final matches which begin at Full Gear when he, Darby Allin, and a mystery partner take on Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Nick Wayne. 

Speaking further, Sting admitted seeing Flair at Dynamite made him emotional. 

"I've never mentioned this to the press, or even in the dressing room, but real men cry. I've been emotional, full of tears, twice in my career. The first was Panama City when Ric and I had the last WCW match on Nitro. The second was last week on Dynamite. When Ric came out and I heard his music play, it hit me. I had this flashback, and it made me emotional. Ric is the guy who put me on the map. We've travelled around the world together, and Ric helped make me. Now he's going to finish with me. After all the travel, all the matches, all the press slams, all the chops, and all the woos–woooo! – I experienced the same feeling on Dynamite this past week with Ric that I did on that final Nitro. Except this time, it was so much more positive," Sting noted. 

The main event of the final edition of WCW Nitro on March 26, 2001 saw Sting defeat Ric Flair. The two men embraced following the match, with WCW closing down soon after following its purchase by WWE.