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For the last three years, Darby Allin has had a tag team partner of a lifetime.
Hall of Famer and legit wrestling legend Sting joined All Elite Wrestling in 2021, and teamed with the young Allin — a daredevil in the ring.
The two will team for one last time this Sunday, at AEW’s Revolution pay per view. Sting vows to retire after the match after a nearly 40-year career.
Allin, speaking to Off the Bottom Rope during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas, realizes how special he is teaming with a legend.
“It’s been awesome, dude. Like he’s the most humble, chill guy outside of the ring. I’m so grateful to be paired up with him. Because to me, the most important part of the story is the end,” Allin said. “Dude, there’s no better way to end this story Than we are doing right now.”
Allin and Sting defend their AEW tag team championship for a final time against The Young Bucks, brothers Matthew and Nicholas Jackson. The event has sold out the Greensboro Coliseum.
“The biggest thing that I’ve learned from him so far is his humbleness outside of the ring. He’s literally done it all in wrestling. On paper, somebody like that could have the biggest ego. But he’s so chill, he’s so cool. And it teaches me to stay grounded as much as possible,” Allin said.
Daredevil Darby Allin Doesn’t Care
Allin is a wrestler who puts his body on the line in the ring or for the sake of his other art.
The Seattle native — he now lives in Atlanta — takes risks with his body, which some critics say may shorten his career. His finishing move is the “Coffin Drop,” where Allin comes off the top rope and lends on his opponent, back of the neck first.
Allin also acts as his own stuntman in videos to promote his matches. Stunts with skateboards and cars look dangerous because it is dangerous.
Why does Allin do this?
“Because life is too short. So let’s make it shorter,” he said.
During the interview, Allin almost became incensed over criticisms over his style. People have been telling him all his life to play it safe.
“I listened to them and what did that get me? I was working as a 99 Cent store clerk. I was working as the dishwasher. I was like, screw this, dude. I came from nothing, so I have nothing to lose. Professional wrestling — everybody tells me, slow down … Dude, no, I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it for me,” he said.
“I don’t care,” Allin said defiantly. “If you’re willing to risk everything, you get the most out of life. And I’ve lived more in the last year than most people have in 20 years of their lives.”
Pain? That is part of wrestling, Allin said.
“I’m straight edge. I don’t take any pain pills. I have such a crazy physical recovery regimen that I do. People think I’m just reckless out there, but what they don’t see is what I do outside of the ring to maintain this because I want to be as crazy as possible. For as long as,” Allin said.
The veteran Sting encourages Allin’s in-ring style.
“He’s a wild man. He teaches me to probably push the limits and there’s no age to stop being crazy. Because he’s 64 years old jumping off balconies. That guy, he’s truly special,” Allin said.
Watch Darby Allin Interview
Plans to Climb Mt. Everest
Allin plans to climb Mt. Everest, even though he is at the peak of his wrestling career.
“The training has been insane. (It is) so physically demanding, but also mentally demanding. You’re sitting in a hut for three days at a time, staring at the wall. It’s so taxing, but it’s awesome,” Allin said. “I love pushing myself to the absolute limit. And, to be the first ever professional wrestler to climb Mount Everest. To me, I want to get out of this wrestling bubble of, like, what a wrestler should be. Or so it’s like to like, I’m here to push the boundaries. So, like, I feel like, Mount Everest is just the next logical step.”
Sting’s Finale
Sting, who debuted in 1985, says March 3 is the last of his career. Billed from Venice Beach, Sting is a multi-time world champion, long-time main eventer, and icon to fans and wrestlers alike.
If Hulk Hogan was the comic book character coming to life, Sting was the cool big brother who always had your back. And the fans always had Sting’s back.
Sting remained loyal and true to his fans, and his promotion. He wrestled as a good guy for WCW and its predecessors from 1987 until the bitter end in 2001.
A bodybuilder by trade, Sting drastically improved in his in-ring artwork, and matched with his endless charisma became one of the greatest babyfaces of the era. The legend started with taking Ric Flair to a 45-minute draw in 1988 at the first Clash of the Champions — a TBS special that went head-to-head with WrestleMania IV.
While many superstars — like Flair, Hulk Hogan, and Randy Savage — switched sides between WCW and WWE, Sting stayed loyal.
He did finally arrive in WWE in 2014, wrestling for less than a year. He has had a late-career resurgence with AEW since 2021.
Sting’s only appearance in Fresno was last year, accompanying Allin to the ring during the live airing of AEW’s “Dynamite” at the Save Mart Center.