Sting Talks "Amazing" CM Punk, Being Thankful And Grateful For Tony Khan, Greensboro, FTR

Sting recently spoke to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated to promote tonight's Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT. Sting will headline the show with CM Punk and Darby Allin as they take on MJF and AAA World Tag Team Champions FTR.

Tonight's main event will mark Sting's first match at the legendary Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC since he defeated WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair at a WCW live event in June 1994. Sting has wrestled many legends at the Coliseum, and had many significant bouts in the building. He commented on returning to Greensboro with AEW.

"This means the world to me," he said. "I never thought I'd be back here like this. I thought I was just going to disappear from wrestling, and I didn't like the thought of that. Then I came to AEW, and originally, we were just going to explore cinematic matches. And I got in the ring. I can still hear Cody [Rhodes] telling me about my kinetic energy and that I could wrestle a match. I was like, 'Ease up now, Cody.' Then I heard Darby say, 'Steve, you can do it.' This entire stretch, and now coming back to Greensboro, it has all been surreal."

Sting has worked with Allin since coming to AEW, but now he has the rare chance to work with Punk. He praised Punk as a truly amazing talent.

"CM Punk, he's truly amazing to me," Sting said. "Hearing the crowd respond to him, it's made me turn back the clock and think of all the different memorable reactions over the years to different wrestlers. I've especially been thinking about The Road Warriors. Animal was really big on that. He would say, 'This guy got a huge pop, but it wasn't a Road Warrior pop.' That's what Punk gets."

Sting continued and recalled the deafening pop Punk received when he made his AEW debut back in August.

"I had an idea of CM Punk's greatness, but now I have experienced it," Sting said. "His appearances are so electrifying. He is remarkable, and I am grateful to have this opportunity to be in the ring with him and Darby as their tag team partner."

Sting is also looking forward to working with FTR's Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood again. He called them a modern day version of WWE Hall of Famers Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard.

"FTR, they're a modern-day Arn and Tully," Sting said. "They're as good as it gets. I put them up there with anyone, and they're one of the best tag teams in the world. When you're in the ring with them, it's game on. There is no playing around, especially the pace they can go, and I saw that firsthand when we wrestled."

Sting talked more about the return to Greensboro and how he's been able to re-write the final chapter of his career.

"Not many people get to rewrite their final chapter, not at this level," he said. "I had great matches at the Greensboro Coliseum with Lex Luger, and now I get to do it with Darby and CM Punk against MJF and FTR. It's a great way to end my career. The crowd, their appreciation makes me want to tear up. It's almost as if they don't want to say goodbye. Grown men and women talk to me about how they had no relationship with their dad except for watching me wrestle. Those stories mean a lot to me. Coming back to Greensboro with a lot of my old buddies, I'm hoping some of my generation will be there."

The Stinger continued and commented on being grateful and thankful for AEW President Tony Khan, adding, "I am so grateful and thankful for Tony Khan, because he is where all of this starts in AEW. This is also my chance to thank all wrestling fans across the globe. And I thank God in heaven above. Going back to Greensboro, it feels like I'm coming back home."