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Sting’s 5 Most Spectacular AEW Leaps (So Far)

By Tim Buckler. Published 13th July 2022.
Sting Attacks Bullet Club

Where most wrestlers fall back into a managerial or behind-the-scenes role in their later years, Sting has decided now is the time to start jumping off sh*t.

At 63 years of age, Sting’s career shouldn’t just be winding down, by all usual logic, it should be over.

When he first came to AEW as a mentor-type figure for Darby Allin, most people thought it would be just that, and perhaps a couple of cinematic matches to put a capper on The Stinger’s career after his WWE run left a bad taste in so many fans mouths.

We didn’t even think that he could wrestle again after his neck injury at Night Of Champions 2015, but whatever lesson, experience, or star power he could pass on to Darby would be fine.

Instead, it looks like Darby passed a little something on to Sting, a new daredevil attitude.

He’s become kind of like the Liam Neeson of wrestling, deciding to become an action hero at 60 rather than worry about sorting out his bus pass and feeding the ducks.

We don’t know how much longer he has left in the ring, but it’s quite satisfying that after all that he has been through, not only is he the last one left standing, but still adding spectacular moments to his career highlight reel.

Let’s take a look at The Icon’s most spectacular leaps of faith in AEW so far…

From The Top Turnbuckle: Holiday Bash 2021

On the December 22nd 2021 Holiday Bash edition of Dynamite, Sting in CM Punk make-up teamed with CM Punk in Sting make-up, and Darby Allin in kind of half Sting pink make-up, to battle against The Pinnacle’s best three letter acronyms MJF and FTR.

Punk, Darby and Sting in make-up

Now, the WCW legend leaping from the top rope to the outside isn’t anything new, but keep in mind the last time we saw it was in THAT match with Seth Rollins six years prior.

During the first part of Sting’s AEW run it was hard not to wince should someone as much as brush past him, what with his scary neck injury that forced him to retire.

But almost a year earlier in February of 2021, he took awicked powerbomb from Bryan Cage that freaked a few people out, but also proved the Stinger had a couple of bumps left in him.

So seeing The Icon leap through the air wasn’t as scary as it would have it been, say nearer his debut with the company. Especially with a few talented bodies ready to catch him safely.

It was thrilling though, and nice to see that he still had it in him. Little did we know this was just the start…

 

Sting Jumps Off The Stage: AEW Dynamite 01/19/22

Sting leaps on Max Caster from the stage

A new year and it looked like Sting was set to continue his resolution of jumping off things.

For most of his AEW run up to this point Sting was essentially being protected by his protégée, Darby Allin. Wrestling mostly in tag matches meant the legendary grappler could always tag out should things get too much for him.

But after Darby was “injured” during their scheduled match with The Acclaimed, The Stinger had to wrestle a fair amount of the battle himself, proving he could still tell a story without assistance.

Finally, Allin returned to make a save. After the hot-tag Sting left the ring and started to walk back up to the entranceway.

Had he had enough? Did he finally realize after 37 years he had done enough and was off to let the youngsters fight it out among themselves?

Hell no. Like a crazed Ron Burgundy excited a pool party, Sting ran off the edge of the stage and onto Max Caster, through a table to break his fall.

The drop may not have been that high, but Sting sure covered a fair distance in his air-born quest to hit his target.

Sting Jumps Off Balcony: AEW Revolution 2022

Sting leaps off balcony through many tables

One month later, the team of Sting, Darby Allin, and Sammy Guevara was set to take on Andrade El Idolo, Matt Hardy, and Isiah Kassidy of the AHFO.

Being a Tornado Trios Match featuring numerous wrestlers of high flying repute, things got crazy rather quickly.

One particular insane spot saw Guevara hit a Spanish fly on Kassidy from the top of the entranceway.

Not to be outdone by the young whipper-snapper, the veteran performed yet another super dive.

This time the victim was El Idolo. Laying on top of a stack of tables, Sting fought off Matt Hardy from the top of a balcony, then dove off said balcony landing on Andrade below with a breath-taking crash.

Sting Jumps Off Another Balcony: AEW Dynamite 20/04/22

Sting dives off balcony again!

Sting wasn’t even in this match but still took time out of his schedule to be a crazy b*stdard.

Darby Allin and Andrade El Idalo’s feud continued with a coffin match on AEW Dynamite.

As awesome as his last dive was, some annoying fans weren’t impressed the 62-year-old landed on a multitude of tables to break his fall. So the now 63-year-old (Sting’s birthday is at the end of March if you want to send him a card) upped the ante just a little bit.

After pulling off one of his greatest hits (Sting fan removes the mask to reveal that ain’t no fan….IT’S STIIIIIIING!) a brawl ensued in the crowd for the non-DQ bout.

Then, after no-selling a chair shot from Marq Quen, the WWE Hall of Famer leaped off a balcony once again. This time rather than crash through more tables than a Dudley family reunion, he put his faith in Andrade, The Blade, and Darby.

Without a crash mat or table in sight, this one was slightly scarier but luckily the posse waiting below were more than capable to bring The Icon back to earth safely.

Sting Jumps Off The Entrance Set: Forbidden Door 2022

Sting leaps onto Bullet Club

Forbidden Door was the first showcase of AEW vs. New Japan, and despite numerous setbacks due to injuries and politics, it still delivered when heck of a show, and brilliant moments such as, once again, Sting leaping off some sh*t.

It was Bullet Club, El Phatasmo & The Young Bucks with Hikuleo in their corner set to take on The Dudes With Attitudes (I want that T-Shirt) Sting, Darby, and Shingo Takagi.

As Bullet Club entered, fans cheered at the sight of the Bucks in their old squad gear. The nostalgia was short lived though, as Sting quickly took the spotlight for his own nostalgia act. Literally.

With the lights abruptly going out, the spotlight focused on the top of the arena. Was that Sting lurking above, ready to dive down on harness like WCW days of old?

No! It was a ruse! The lights came back, the confused Bullet Club turned around and IT’S STIIIIIING!

Stinger must have been taking note from Sammy Guevara during their trio’s match a few months prior, as he used the stage entrance to his advantage, jumping from the top onto the club waiting below.

What makes this jump-super epic is that Sting was still wearing his trench coat, giving full Batman vibes as he soared through the sky. He might as well have crashed through a skylight.

Who knows when or where Sting’s next daring dive will take place. Three more years and he will be a four-decade-long ring veteran.

While it would be nice to see Steve Borden reach that milestone unscathed, something tells me there are plenty more spectacular moments from the Icon to come.