Eric Bischoff enjoyed seeing Sting share the spotlight with his son Steven Borden during AEW All In 2026, but he believes AEW may be moving too fast with the second-generation wrestler.
Borden came to Darby Allin’s aid before getting caught in trouble himself. Sting then appeared and climbed the ladder, creating a memorable moment between father and son in front of the Wembley Stadium crowd. Speaking on 83 Weeks, Bischoff said he enjoyed the appearance because he knew how much it must have meant to both men.
“I did. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it for Steve. I enjoyed it for his son. I have a sense of how much fun that was for Steve—Sting.”
Bischoff was careful with his criticism because Sting previously supported his own son, Garrett Bischoff, when Garrett entered the wrestling business. Even so, he believes Borden is being placed in major situations before gaining enough experience.
“I’ve got to be careful what I say here because Sting was very supportive of my son Garrett when Garrett broke into the business. I don’t want to sound like I’m unsupportive, but my concern—and I say this as a friend—my concern is that they’re pushing Sting’s son a little too early. He’s not ready for the positions that he’s being put into. He barely knows his way around the ring, and now he’s doing high spots like he did.”
Bischoff wants Borden to slow down and get more matches before being placed under such a bright spotlight. He warned that pushing a second-generation wrestler too quickly can hurt more than it helps, pointing to Erik Watts as an example.
“I would just love to see him take a little more time before he’s thrust into the kind of limelight he’s being thrust into, because if he’s not ready, he’ll end up in the same position as an Erik Watts, for example—getting the push, getting the visibility, getting the highlights or the spot, but not really having the experience. That’s all it is—reps. That’s all it is, reps and confidence that comes with it to really showcase himself out there and not look unprepared.”
Borden has been gaining experience in dark matches and working with Dustin Rhodes in Texas, but his All In role wasn’t a traditional match. It was a major cameo designed to create a memorable moment with Sting. Bischoff clearly isn’t against Borden becoming a wrestler or receiving an opportunity in AEW. He just doesn’t want the company to expose him before he has enough experience to handle bigger roles.
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Do you think AEW is pushing Steven Borden too quickly, or was his All In appearance the right way to introduce him to a larger audience? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
