AEW's Ricky Starks Opens Up About Backstage Relationship With Sting

Across his tenure with AEW, Sting made several friends backstage and interacted with many of the rising young talents, who he naturally gave advice to as well as working matches with them. Ricky Starks recently commented on his own experiences with "The Icon" — who he competed against in Sting's return match, and dropped the AEW World Tag Team Titles to — during an interview with "Insight."

Starks recalled the moment his match with Sting was announced, and how wild the reaction to it was. "I didn't grow up as a Sting fan, I didn't grow up watching WCW, I was an Undertaker fan," he recalled, but noted that he would go on to "study" Sting as he got older. "I'll never forget Sting coming in and meeting him — he was so nice and so sweet — and he's very collected."

The AEW star further pointed out that Sting came into AEW not knowing the promotion, and that he was dealing with several younger talents, so he had to take everything in and be observant as he adjusted to his new environment. He additionally recalled having to do drills with Sting in order for the aging veteran to get back into shape, and how he even took a Sunset Bomb from "The Icon" during their training. "Sting will forever hold a place in my heart," Starks said. "He, out of anybody, you could go to and talk to and he was understanding."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Insight" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.