Anthony Bowens Recalls 'Full-Circle Moment' Working With Sting In AEW

When Sting debuted in AEW in 2020, fans were excited to see him back in action. Perhaps none were more excited, however, than the young stars who got to work with the legend they grew up watching. One of those stars was Anthony Bowens, who alongside Max Caster as The Acclaimed, wrestled Sting and Darby Allin in the main event of an "AEW Dynamite" episode in 2022. Bowens spoke on the "HypeTalkTV" podcast and explained that Sting got him into wrestling in the first place, so that match felt like a "full-circle moment," and it came on his ninth anniversary in the business.

"It's hard to really process it in the moment, because I'm focused on, 'Hey, I've got to deliver a really good main event on television.' Because we had main evented before, but this was the first time The Acclaimed had been back in that kind of big spotlight," Bowens explained. "It was really exciting that we were finally working with a legend and he was tagging with Darby... We were really focused on trying to put on a good match and making sure that I didn't beat him up too badly, because I don't want to beat up my idol."

Bowens explained that Sting was one of the guys who believed in The Acclaimed when they really needed it. He said that main event match is one that will stick with him.

"Low key kind of cried in his face afterwards and he was very welcoming," he said. "It was an emotional day. When you get to wrestle your hero, the guy who brought you in and have him be so complimentary of our work was really cool."

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