Steven Borden knew he wanted to become a wrestler almost as soon as Sting’s career came to an end. Telling his father, though, turned out to be one of the hardest parts of the entire journey.
Borden recently revealed that watching Sting retire at AEW Revolution was the moment he decided he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life wondering “what if.” Speaking on Close Up with Renee Paquette, he shared what happened next, revealing that Sting’s first reaction wasn’t excitement—it was trying to convince his son not to step into the business at all.
Borden admitted he didn’t wait very long before breaking the news, even though Sting had only just walked away from wrestling and was looking forward to finally putting that chapter of his life behind him.
“Yeah. That was a tough conversation. And I didn’t wait too long after Revolution either, which really sucks ’cause he just wanted to ride off into the sunset.”
Even knowing the timing wasn’t ideal, Borden said he couldn’t keep the decision to himself. He called Sting, and instead of encouraging him, the WWE Hall of Famer immediately started explaining why wrestling wasn’t the path he should take.
“I felt so bad even telling him, but I couldn’t wait. And I told him and he called me and he gave me every reason why I should not do it. He did not want me to. And he said, ‘Don’t say anything now, but I want you to think about it for the rest of the day and call me tomorrow.'”
Rather than arguing with his father, Borden did exactly what Sting asked. He took the rest of the day to think about it, but by the following morning nothing had changed. Instead of waiting for another conversation, he sent Sting a text letting him know his mind was made up. That message didn’t sit unanswered for long.
“The next day I texted him and I said, ‘Dad, I thought about it. I’m in.’ “My phone rang two seconds later and I said, ‘Hey, Dad.’ And he goes, ‘Okay.'”
Looking back, Borden believes that simple response spoke volumes. Sting knew there was no point continuing to argue because his son doesn’t make life-changing decisions on a whim. Once Borden said he was committed, Sting understood the decision had already been made.
“He’s known me long enough to know that I don’t… I’m not going to say something unless I’m dead certain that that’s what I’m going to do.”
It’s a pretty remarkable twist considering Borden has already said Sting’s retirement match was the moment that inspired him to become a wrestler. The same night that convinced him to chase the business was also the night Sting thought he’d finally left it behind. In the end, though, a father’s hesitation gave way to support, and Borden is now carving out his own path in AEW.
What do you think of Sting trying to talk Steven Borden out of wrestling? Let us know in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
