Voices of Wrestling 2024 Match of the Year: #2 (Darby Allin & Sting vs. The Young Bucks)

Sting’s legendary career ends in a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, the #2 match in Voices of Wrestling’s 2024 Match of the Year!

VOICES OF WRESTLING 2024 MATCH OF THE YEAR ARCHIVES

• Introduction, Voters & Honorable Mentions
• Matches #100-76
• Matches #75-51
• Matches #50-26
• Matches #25-11
• Match of the Year Statistical Analysis & Top 10 Early Reveal (FlagshipPatreon.com)
• Match #10: Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland
• Match #9: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
• Match #8: Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay
• Match #7: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay
• Match #6: Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson
• Match #5: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Bryan Danielson
• Match #4: Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita
• Match #3: Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland
• Match #2: Darby Allin & Sting vs. The Young Bucks

VOICES OF WRESTLING MATCH OF THE YEAR ARCHIVES

• 2023
• 2022
• 2021
• 2020
• 2019
• 2018
• 2017
• 2016
• 2015
• 2014
• 2013
• 2012

#2
Darby Allin & Sting defeat The Young Bucks
03/03
AEW

Overall Points: 1112
Total Votes: 130
Percentage of Ballots: 64.04%
41 First-Place Votes

“Another match that surpasses other technically better offerings by ramping up everything else. Sting’s prematch video and incredible entrance set the tone for a true hero’s farewell.
People probably would have been happy with whatever came next but then the bell rang and these four put on an absolute barnstormer. Sting, looking as good as he ever has, leaving it all in the ring after a 40 year career, Darby bumping like a maniac and pulling off one of the most terrifying stunts we’ve seen in years, maybe ever, the Bucks pulling the whole match together as only they can, and then finally, Sting defying convention and going out with his shield rather than on it. Superb.” – Martin Hearty

“Probably the best retirement match of all-time. Presentation, story, opponents, finish – just perfect from start to finish and a wonderfully deserved way for one of my all-time favourites to go out.” – Andrew Sinclair

“One of two matches this year that made me get a little misty eyed. The video package that led to Sting’s sons coming out as former iterations of his character, the tears started welling. Then the match happened and it was glorious. Sting taking huge ladder bumps as a 60+ year old. Darby trying to make up for not climbing Everest by taking one of the nastiest ladder falls through glass that anyone has ever seen. The Bucks playing the smarmy heels and holding the whole thing together. The perfect send off to seemingly one of the few good guys in this business. ” – Steve Case

“The perfect retirement match. Full stop. A beautiful, bloody, triumphant end to Sting’s career and the three-year story of his perfectly-handled swan song in AEW. Darby Allin was his inimitable daredevil self, and the Bucks were the absolute perfect opponents. The beautiful video package encapsulating Sting’s career, “Seek and Destroy” and Sting’s entrance with his Large Adult Sons, Darby’s sugar glass dive, and a perfect finish, it all added up to magic.” – Adam Shinder

“The Young Bucks were the perfect opponents for Sting’s final match. Two smirking, annoying heels who couldn’t give Sting a second to breathe and bask in the crowd’s love for him and appreciation for his career. Sting’s sons bolstered the emotion of the match, and it was just Sting doing what Sting does best. ” – Kiley Fuller

“Sting is awesome” – William Young

“I’ve not been a huge fan of the Bucks’ stuff for a while now, but all was forgiven at Revolution. Matthew and Nicholas were the perfect foils here, threatening to stand in the way of Sting’s perfect send off. It helps that I couldn’t quite bring myself to believe that Sting and Darby were winning this one, which made the ending all the more compelling.” – Jack G. King

“There are a lot of elements to this match that make it legendary: Sting’s entrance with his sons; Darby’s insane bump off the ladder through a glass table, shredding his back to a bloody mess; the Young Bucks delivering yet another all-timer performance; the crowd’s roar as Sting kept kicking out of nearfalls. But the capper is the look on Sting’s face after Matthew Jackson tapped out to the Scorpion Deathlock. That exhausted smile wasn’t simply the happiness of winning the match; it was the happiness of pulling off what pro wrestlers rarely get in their careers: a perfect ending.

Sting ended his AEW career undefeated. He ended his pro wrestling career with a match that is truly iconic.” – Andrew Rich

“Throughout Sting’s tenure, AEW’s understood exactly how he had to be presented. This final note completed the song that let us believe in the superhero that is the Icon while cementing why The Young Bucks are among the most important tag teams of the 21st Century” – Corey Michaels

“What more can be said about the perfect end to a career? If only AEW had left more time for Sting’s speech before the PPV ran out…” – Josh Nason

“I mentioned it before, but matches like this are why I’m so grateful that AEW exists.

I had the privilege of seeing Sting and Darby together at Wembley in 2023, and I think this might be Sting’s best tag team match… ever? The 1992 WarGames match is definitely up there, yet there’s something so sweet about this being his last match and just deciding to still do all these ridiculous spots at his age against a team as great as Nick and Matt.

For sure top three, if not the best, retirement matches ever in wrestling. A great tribute to one of the best wrestlers of all time and a hell of a lot of fun.” – James Carlin

“This match means the most to me out of any this whole year. I was in attendance at AEW Revolution and in a year I went to WrestleMania, this ruled above. The emotion and the work in this match made for a perfect night and a perfect retirement for Sting. Sting, one of my all time favorites as a kid, against The Young Bucks, my favorite tag team of all time made was a recipe for greatness. I don’t care how biased I am. Unbelievable match.” – Jon Rogers

“A perfect presentation from the pre-match VTR to the entrances, the runs ins of El Hijos Del Sting, the match and the post-match, capping a near-perfect final run for Sting. May we all wish to have such a joyous and meaningful end to our professional lives. ” – Chris Whitehead

“Everyone in this match worked as hard as humanly possible to make it unforgettable. Great match, great moment and great atmosphere in Greensboro. ” – Swarles

“In the six years of its existence, AEW has had a lot of accomplishments that they can be proud of, and near the top of that list has to be Sting finishing out his career in the best way that any legend ever has. When he first started no one expected him to ever get in the ring after the way his WWE run had ended. When he did start getting in the ring, no one expected the crazy old bastard to start diving off balconies and taking table bumps. And when he finally retired, no one expected him to bust out glass spots for his final match! The Young Bucks and Darby worked hard to make this the best final match that any wrestler could ever have, and Sting’s sons provided very able assistance. Stunts, spectacle, heart, it had everything truly great about wrestling and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house by the time the final bell rang.” – Chris Gannon

“We are reaching a point in time where we are bidding farewell to some of our true favourites, and of all the retirements and send offs I have seen in recent years, nothing filled me with more joy than Sting’s final match at AEW Revolution. From the moment he stepped into that movie theatre to cherish his past right up until he picked up his final win, no match in 2024 made me more proud or happy to be a wrestling fan than this one. Sting finally got his flowers that have been long overdue, and nothing came close to topping this for me in 2024” – Sam Palmer

“The perfect retirement match (apart from Flair being involved), this match summed up Sting’s entire final run as a wrestler. Giving his all to the sport and never being afraid to do something new or scary for the fans that have either followed him from his WCW days or just had their Sting experience from is historic AEW run. Darby was also a pivotal person in this match, taking even crazier bumps than Sting, something that played a part in inspiring Sting to go even harder than ever before for this run. It’s hard to talk about this match in particular without relating it the past two or three years of his career, but to focus in on why this match itself is even more important than just his retirement match, I think it also stood out as one of the matches that defined and immortalized The Young Bucks’ careers. Their heel work in this match was of the chain and made what would have been just a bunch of stupid stunts into a gritty and gruesome crawl to retain the AEW World Tag Team titles for Sting and Darby. And to top it all off, Sting’s sons coming into the match made it even more special. A perfect retirement match for a perfect retirement run.” – Adam Darwin

“This was far from a perfect match, but I think it’s an example of match which went absolutely perfectly. Sting could never have gotten a better send-off than this. I have no childhood nostalgia for him as I never watched WCW (when it existed), but this has solidified him as a legend in my eyes.” – Kadaveri

“Far be it from me to rank the Bucks best match in my view over many other teams but this was done to perfection. Sting rules, forever.” – Jeff Schwartz

“I can’t even begin to describe how ESSENTIAL it was for this match that The Young Bucks were chosen to be Sting’s last opponents in his retirement match. The grandiosity in such a chaotic pairing makes up for one of the best matches you’ll see in 2024, and potentially, the best retirement match in the modern era. If Sting was already cool, Old Man Sting was cooler.” – Roma Faliani

“Wrestling is about choices and they made almost every right choice that could be made in this match. The Bucks played their best selves which isn’t a team doing every move ever, it’s when they are relentless beating their opponents with what they have. And that is an effective story to tell when you have Darby Allin and Sting in the ring with them. Great moments, genuinely great drama with a great finale.” – MC

“In a lot of ways, the perfect wrestling match. There was plenty of drama and action, and it made you feel actual love and appreciation for something. No other match had LOVE the way this match had, which is why it will almost certainly top this exercise. ” – Jesse Collings

“The best AEW match of all time. Only Sting could retire this way.” – Sondre Bjørn

“There have been a million “retirement matches” in the history of the sport, but this ranks right up there with the best of them.

AEW has always done a really good job with the way they presented Sting, and this was the perfect example of that. From the video package to the entrance with Steve Borden’s sons getting involved, to the match itself, this was an amazing sendoff and tribute to one of wrestling’s best and most beloved icons.” – Aaron Hyden aka Hustle

“A wonderful car crash of a match This was structured around making Sting look as great as possible, and the three other men in this match went out of their way to make sure that happened. Watching Sting kicking out at 1 and then proceeding to single-handedly beat the Bucks in front of a molten crowd is an experience I won’t soon forget. – George Atsaves” – George Atsaves

“Among the greatest retirement matches to ever happen on US soil. Darby’s horrifying dive and Sting’s subsequent last stand against the Young Bucks were both enough to earn this match a place in history, but the execution of each and every aspect of this match (from the entrances to the post-match) were truly inspired.” – Dylan Murray

“AEW’s best moments in 2024 were saying goodbye to wrestlers, and Sting’s retirement was just pure perfection. From the entrances, to the great match, crazy spots, this one is special. This is the type of match that reminds me why I love pro wrestling and why it’s special to me. ” – Abraham Delgado

“The greatest retirement match in the history of wrestling with excellent performances from the surrounding cast. Darby put in one of his greatest and most insane performances yet, culminating in a breathtaking stunt that will be replayed in GIFs forever and likely played in this company for decades to come in highlight videos. I said the night of “THAT should be AEW’s Foley off the Cell moment”. Time will tell but Darby put everything on the line to make his mentor’s swan song an unforgettable experience. The Young Bucks would go on to have a horrible run playing off of their EVP status in the company but for this particular story and match they were the perfect foils to not just be villains, but the kind of villains you know can get their asses beat and they played their role to perfection, their handshake spot with Sting a stroke of genius considering the circumstances. Even Sting’s sons came out in full gear as homages to The Icon’s previous gimmicks with Wolfpac Sting delivering a great Stinger Splash and Surfer looking like a complete mirror image of his father. And of course, the man himself. From the start of the match declaring it “Showtime…for the last time.” to the Climax of the match itself, you got a moment that defies any kind of storytelling and it delving into real life emotion that wrestling very rarely can get to. As Sting locked on the Scorpion Death Lock in his bid to retain his half the tag titles, he waved his arm at the crowd in attempt to get one final huge pop for his in-ring career. An attempt to say “Come on, guys!” And the Greensboro crowd of course did their part and was right there with him as he got over the hump to lock in his signature hold one last time. I truly think there wasn’t a better possible end to his career. And I believe he feels the same based on him shutting down the calls for one more match. I hope it’s true. The Little Stingers, whether they were from the 80s, 90s or even 2000s in TNA got to see the man himself go out on top in a way that has never been realized before him. Wrestling’s ultimate feel good match and an easy choice for my MOTY.” – Dylan Fox

“The greatest retirement match of all time? It might be. Darby Allin and Sting facing The Young Bucks in the main event of Revolution was an exciting match on paper. Little did anyone know that it’d not only be an exciting match but one of the most thrilling matches you’d ever see. Add in the fact that Sting was retiring after this match and there’s only a further appreciation and emotional connection that you don’t get in every other match. This match signaled the end of something special in AEW and while it may never get back here, I’m just happy this happened. A perfect farewell to a legend.” – Scott Edwards

“Sting’s retirement match couldn’t have gone any better. Any words I can think of for this match will not do it justice. Sting went out on his own terms in a blaze of glory against either one of the most hated or most beloved (depends on if you’re a Young Bucks fan or not) teams in wrestling in Greensboro, NC in the same building where he and Ric Flair had the famous 45-minute draw on the first Clash of Champions card in 1988. If you’ve ever been a fan of Sting at any point throughout his career (WCW, TNA, WWE or AEW) then you owe it to yourself to see this match. Possibly one of the best retirement matches in the history of wrestling.” – Brynn Jade

“Probably the best American match of the 2020s so far in terms of memorability. An iconic end to Sting’s in-ring career.” – Michael Kilby

“I knew watching this live there wouldn’t be another match in 2024 that would top it. There’s nothing else in wrestling that, when done right — in a promotion that commits to its stipulations — has the emotional pull of a retirement match. From the pre-match video package to the entrances and the in-ring action itself, there was nothing else last year that matched the overall presentation and big fight feel of this match. What a fitting and impressive end to Sting’s career.” – Jays Retro

“Admittedly, I don’t have the connection to Sting that most do. Despite being a wrestling fan nearly three decades, I wasn’t much into WCW. I saw bits and pieces of Sting’s TNA run, but never connected with him fully. I watched the disappointing WWE stint and felt bad, because by that point, I certainly had a healthy amount of respect for him even if I lacked the reverence others had. I’ve been wholly impressed with AEW’s handling of The Icon. I think it’s one of their greatest accomplishments. I’ve found myself enjoying his final ride, despite having complicated feelings toward his partner and a general dislike for the recent involvement of Ric Flair.

All that is to say, this match didn’t mean to me what it undoubtedly did to so many. But, watching tonight, I could still feel the excitement. I could still feel the child wonderment and awe. I still got sucked in to the superhero script and the adrenaline fueled no-sells that whipped the crowd into frenzy time and time again. Simply put, this car crash of a main event had an exhausted crowd invested in every waking moment, hung with baited breath for the next death-defying spot or simple chest pound. Look, the glass stunts were brutal. I hope they don’t do them again. I also know that, hearing the way Allin spoke of his intentions going into the match, we’re probably lucky that that’s as far as they went. Somehow, it could’ve been more violent.

Sting wasn’t my guy, but it was incredibly fun to see what he meant to so many people, and to see him go out on his terms.” – Brandon LeClair

“I may be biased, as I was in the building for this one. However, this was about as perfect a pro wrestling match as I can remember. Both as a vehicle to celebrate the career of an all-time great like Sting *and* as a compelling wrestling match that saw the babyface fight back and overcome all the dirty tricks and double teams that the heel Bucks could muster. Sting could not have asked for a better way to end his in-ring career.” – Liam Renner

“Without any hyperbolism, this is the greatest retirement match I’ve ever seen and maybe the greatest retirement match ever. One of the few times I’ll include entrances with the match itself but Sting’s movie of his career is something I think about a lot. And with his sons appearing in his old gear before Seek and Destroy plays and the Icon for one last time defeats the bad guys. From the emotional beginning of looking back on Sting’s career, it’s time to get serious. This is the peak. Sting not even letting the moment sink in getting right to the action throwing his coat at Matt and Darby colliding into Nick. Sting’s sons get in on the action with their own stinger splashes. DARBY ALLIN ALMOST DIES OFF A GLASS BUMP. It may sound sick but the blossoming of the blood onto Darby’s back sticks with me. I don’t know why. Not a table or a pane of glass fan keep the Icon down and for one last time, Sting can be invincible. The hero that can’t be put down. YOU CAN’T KILL THE ICON. Sting may not have wanted it, but he and Darby walking off with the titles in his last match is the perfect ending. One last hurrah for the Stinger.” – Nathan Heslip

“There are so many things that make the Sting Grand Finale in the Greensboro Coliseum an incredible, 5 star matches. But one of the things that stuck with me with this match, and with many of the matches in my top 10 of 2024 is how much it made me smile. I couldn’t help but have a huge grin on my face multiple times throughout the match. The way Sting made his entrance with his large adult sons each representing a different era of Sting. The way they all took turns hitting those Stinger Splashes on the dastardly Young Bucks – who played the shit eating douchebag heels to perfection throughout the build up and the match itself. All of these just brought me joy.

The match starts out with an incredible spot where Sting throws his jacket out of the ring onto The Young Bucks at nearly the exact same time that Darby hits one of his insanely high speed suicide dives. This is made even better if you are a long time Sting fan, or a listener to retro podcasts such as VOW’s own Days of Thunder (alargemanappears.com) and know that almost 95% of the time, Sting taking off his jacket leads to his opponent taking advantage of him being momentarily distracted and attacking him before the bell rings. This time, in his final match – he has finally learned! Instead of the jacket being his downfall, he uses it perfectly to distract the Bucks and let Darby hit the full force like a cannonball! It’s putting a smile on my face just thinking about it.
The other thing that I’ll always remember about this match, likely because of all the smiling it made me do – is that I probably watched it 4 or 5 times in the few weeks after live showing. Generally this is not something I do. There are occasions when I’ll revisit a match around the end of the year in order to help finalize my MOTY list. But in the case of Sting/Darby vs. The Young Bucks, I wanted to watch this match almost every night. If I was in a bad mood, I knew this would lift me up. If I was worn down, I knew it would give me energy. The match is structured perfectly with so many great spots and never a dull moment. There’s the great opening, the spot of the year with Darby crashing through the glass, the perfect use of Ric Flair in the match, and so much more leading up to the incredibly emotional finish.

I was never a Sting guy, and even I couldn’t help but fully buy into this match and get choked up watching Stinger pump the crowd up as he turned over an opponent for that very last Scorpion Deathlock of an amazing career. I started this obsession with wrestling between 93-96, and was a “WWE kid” with Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels being my favorite wrestlers. Over the years when I would watch WCW or later TNA, it wasn’t for Sting – it was for the cruiserweights, or the X-division, or the high level in ring wrestlers. But Sting’s entire run in AEW was handled so perfectly. Every single match maximized Sting’s talents and aura as a pro wrestler and this match was the pinnacle of that. I can’t imagine a better atmosphere than the packed Greensboro Coliseum we had for that night. I can’t imagine a better way to end one of the greatest wrestling shows of all time. And I can’t imagine a better way to end such an outstanding career. Thank you Sting. ” – S. Dakota Jones

“I thought this was simply one of the greatest hours of business in wrestling history. A phenomenal match in a vacuum, one of the best of Sting’s career, but also a love letter to wrestling. What AEW should be, and what it so often isn’t.” – Jarrett Seidler

“I had the privilege to be live to say goodbye to the icon Sting. There was something in the air Sting getting to play all the hits. In addition to Darby Allin being the perfect partner to risk life and limb a night and moment I will never forget.” – Markeem Graham

“Do people still not think the Young Bucks are the greatest tag team of all-time? ” – Case Lowe

“Three of my favourites of all time (sorry Darby), I knew it wouldn’t disappoint but I didn’t expect Sting’s Last Match to take me on the ride it did. From the horror of Darby’s glass table spot to the emotion of Sting’s greatest rival, Ric Flair sacrificing himself to save Sting and then the moment of Sting no-selling the double Superkick was a genuine mark out moment especially after the table spot earlier in the match made it feel like the traditional no-sell had already been done. In a business where you are expected to “go out on your back” in your retirement, to see Sting leave with his head held high was awesome especially after a final 5 minutes of tremendous false finishes that sucked everyone in and gave us the ultimate happy ending in an industry that doesn’t give you many ” – Peter Edge

“This was the perfect retirement match. Darby Allin did his psycho jump off the ladder, Sting fought like a valiant babyface, and The Young Bucks were the perfect foils. Pair all of it with the Greensboro Coliseum and you have everything you could ever want. ” – Tyler Forness

“The perfect cap to an amazing career. The greatest retirement match ever thanks to Sting, his sons, Darby’s evil knievel like nature, and the greatest tag team ever.” – Jack Murphy

“When I think about the matches that I’ve given the #1 spot to in this poll in the past, this match is different from pretty much all of them. This was by no-means an epic, in-ring masterpiece, but in terms of being an awesome retirement match for one of the all-time legends in the history of American pro-wrestling, it was a smashing success. Sting is an Icon, and it was so cool getting to see him not only go out on his own terms (after his career was seemingly over after bad neck injury during his short WWE run), but alongside his two sons AND perhaps the best tag team partner of his career in Darby Allin. Imagine going back in time to WrestleMania Weekend in 2016, and telling someone at Eddie Deen’s ranch that this skinny kid with a funny name that’s getting squashed by Ethan Page would go on to play such a vital role in the career of Sting. As you would expect, Darby took some insane bumps in this match, and no matter what he does going forward, this run as Sting’s tag team partner (in what might’ve been the best run of Sting’s long and storied career) will be an incredible highlight. Lastly, a ton of props have to be given to The Young Bucks. 2024 was definitely an off-year by their amazing high standards, but they killed it on this night as they played the perfect foils to Sting and Darby. On the whole, this whole thing (from the entrances to the match itself) was a thrill to watch from start to finish, and capped off Sting’s career on the highest of high notes.” – Sean Sedor

“What else is there to say – it’s just one of the most beautiful pieces of wrestling that hopefully will be forever preserved by Sting honouring his retirement. Sting wasn’t even that big a part of my childhood (I was probably 13 before I saw a match of his), but he was for many in the arena and the emotion came through the TV screen in high definition. It’s a very rare match in wrestling history that’s impossible to critique – some spots probably didn’t go to plan, the glass was obviously supposed to shatter first time from Sting’s bat, but it doesn’t matter, because everyone was there for a good time and to celebrate the Icon’s last show. What I also take from the match was Darby doing the wildest spot in AEW history with the swanton off the ladder through the pane of glass with the even wilder consequences with hundreds of lacerations seeping through his back. This match was impossible to top with all the unique emotion surrounding it – it was my leading #1 match in March and I knew it couldn’t be beaten.” – Ed Mills

“This is possibly the greatest retirement match in wrestling history. This was a fun spectale of a match. From the entrance with Sting’s sons wearing the two different eras of Sting attire and them getting involved in the match, to Darby doing crazy shit.It was a great match what a last match for Sting.” – Filip Pejic

“Sting retired following what was likely the best run of his career. Did I wish it was a singles match where he could put a younger guy over? Yes. But, taken the circumstances, it was a nice send off for the Stinger.” – Evandro Furtado

“I knew this was going to be a classic when the Wrongest People online (you can guess who) tried to claim the Bucks played politics and no one cared about the match during the build. The match itself was incredible, everything it needed to be. The huge Darby stunt, the goofy spots with Sting’s sons, and in the end Sting standing tall like everyone wanted.” – Mongo Underscore Ebooks

“On March 3rd, I took a deep breath after Kingston/Danielson ended. The bastard had done it again and casually delivered another match of the year contender, I thought. Gazing at my trusty notepad file, Bryan Danielson held the top four spots after just over two months. If he stayed healthy, he’d grab the entire top ten and even the vanity pick at number ten might not be able to hold on.

And then the main event happened.

I’ve never been a Sting guy. I was never a little Stinger. I wasn’t alive when he surfed his way to the hearts of kids. I was too young (and on the other side of the world) when Crow Sting became one of the hottest things in the business. I got hooked by this stupid sport in my teens and by then, Sting was in TNA which I never got into. His short WWE run was nothing but a way for the worst promotion in the world to dunk on the ashes of WCW. So when Sting showed up in AEW in late 2020, my hopes were not high. What can a man in his sixties still bring to the table in the ring?

To my surprise, his team with Darby Allin became a bright spot. Sure, Allin did most of the work, but Sting still had something. He did crazy spots for a man his age and brought the fire almost every time the ring called him. When the retirement match was announced against the Young Bucks, I can’t lie, I was once again skeptical. The Bucks with Sting? Not going to work.

And here we are.

The presentation is top notch, with great video packages and and entrance with Sting’s large adult sons, but even that won’t matter if the in-ring won’t deliver.

And then they deliver. They fucking deliver.

There’s no point in listing everything that makes this match THE match that it is. Bucks bringing the spirit of Guerilla Warfare to Greensboro and bumping like there’s no tomorrow. Allin defying the limits of his body with insane high spots. Steamboat and Flair getting involved for one more time. And then there is Sting.

Sting fights for the very last time. He gets up time and time again. He shouldn’t. Wrestling tradition dictates that you go out on your back. My brain says that he should lose. My heart says differently.

I’m transferred to Greensboro. I’m a child, have painted my face like the hero, banging the metal guardrails and cheering him on. I shout, I laugh and I cry.

The hero rides to the sunset, victorious, just this one time.

Nothing in pro wrestling made me feel like Sting’s final match. ” – Semi Salmikannas

“You can look at Sting’s overall AEW run as righting a wrong, you can look at it as an homage to an all time great who never quite got his due, or you can look at it as one kickass final run for a legend. All are right; there is no one answer. To say AEW did right by Sting is not hyperbole; in a time where the term legend is thrown around far too easily, they allowed a legend to retire with grace, dignity and most importantly, a spectacular match. I’ve never been the biggest fan of the Young Bucks and what it is that they do in ring, but I would never deny their talent or their ability to cast themselves as natural foils. They were perfect opponents on the perfect night… and that doesn’t even start to get into the life and verve Darby Allin brought to the match or indeed the Sting character in general. A template for future genuine retirements to hopefully follow.” – DJ Convoy

“Easily the greatest retirement match of all-time and the last time the Young Bucks felt like the greatest tag team off all-time. ” – Liam Jones

“I never realized how integral Sting has been to my wrestling fandom until I started writing this blurb. I started watching wrestling in 2008 when I stumbled on an episode of TNA Impact. What was the main event angle then? It was Sting attacking World Champion Samoa Joe in the lead-up to the formation of the Main Event Mafia. Sting, who debuted in 1985, was still around in high-level matches in 2008. I watched Sting wrestle for years, running in TNA before finally showing up in WWE, until his injury retirement in 2015.

He showed up in AEW at the first Winter is Coming in 2020. I wondered what Sting would bring to the company at age 60, five years removed from his last match. I soon found out when I went to Double or Nothing 2021, the first AEW PPV with fans in the building post-COVID. It was at that show where Sting had his first match in years in front of a live crowd, after debuting against Team Taz in that fun cinematic match at Revolution. Sting teamed with Darby Allin to take on Scorpio Sky and current NXT megastar Ethan Page. The first spot of the match was Scorpio Sky suplexing Sting on the ramp. When Sting stood up and no-sold it, you would have thought the World Title had changed hands. That building exploded, kicking off an unbelievable run for Sting.

He dove off of every high perch he could find, he popped every building he was in, and he never lost. Sting fucking ruled, and that run led to his retirement match. I was part of the 16,000 in the Greensboro Coliseum that saw Sting’s final match, as he and Darby took on the Young Bucks in their one and only defense of the tag team titles.

The word of the day here is atmosphere, and that is what made this match incredible—more than the match itself, which was wild in its own right. Sting’s sons, painted up like him, did big splashes on the Bucks. Darby Allin flew off a ladder through a pane of glass in one of the wildest spots I’ve ever seen. The Bucks superkicked Ric Flair and left him in a pile of glass that was made by Sting’s body after he got hip-tossed into another pane of glass. The match was unbelievable, as the Bucks were the perfect opponents in this spot.

It was the atmosphere, and the emotion in the building that made this match special. Because every person in that building wanted the exact same thing as every single person watching at home. They wanted to see Sting, the ageless superhero that had been a throughline of professional wrestling for 40 years, make one last comeback. They wanted to see Sting rally and fight and win one more time. Everyone wanted this guy, this universally beloved man in a business where those people are impossible to find, to go out like a champion and go out on his terms. And that’s exactly what we got.

When Sting made his comeback, it was so loud in that building. It was just a wall of sound, all cheering this man to fight these guys off. He dropped a Jackson, it may have been Matt. He took a beat to look around and soak it all in. He put on the Scorpion Deathlock for the last time. And Matt Jackson tapped to the biggest roar I have ever heard in my life.

It was one for the good guys. The happy ending we never get in wrestling. Sting survived all the nonsense and peril that the pro wrestling business threw at him, surviving addiction, life-changing injury, and Vince Russo twice. He got to leave on his terms, maybe not at the top of his game, but damn close to it. You couldn’t make a moment better than this one, and you couldn’t find a man more deserving of it than that one.” – Suit Williams

“This was big, dumb, stupid, and perfect. This is why I went to Greensboro. Thank you, Sting.” – Jeremy Sexton

“Something that should always be celebrated about AEW is its awareness of its place in wrestling history. There’s a respect for what came before it, and a veneration for the wrestlers that have made it all so great. This was a joyous celebration of one of the most iconic figures to ever set foot in a wrestling ring. The incredible culmination to a legend’s final run in the spotlight that had been handled with care and love from the moment Sting first appeared in AEW. This was the perfect send-off for pro-wrestling’s perfect hero.” – TDE

“It’s Stiiiiing! And two other Stings! This match is the perfect finale to one of the greatest last runs ever for a legendary wrestler. The match is built around the story of Sting’s career in an extremely satisfying way. It also works on its own without knowing Sting’s career – Darby Allin shattering glass with his body doesn’t require any additional context. ” – Jeff Martin

“Story in pro wrestling is everything. Two wrestlers with no reason to fight other than the spirit of competition can go out and create a compelling story using their bodies and their faces and make us invest. It’s a beautiful thing, really. But the best stories in wrestling are the ones where you carry your own personal investment coming into and out of the match. I was a Little Stinger. I dressed as Surfer Sting for Halloween as a child. I grew up and watched my childhood idol, like all eventually do, fight against Father Time and the stresses of life and work and become the version of himself that we would see in late WCW, TNA and his WWE run. Someone that showed flashes of the Sting I grew up loving but mostly was a wrestler I had moved on from. And that’s OK. I had my memories. Sting’s AEW run was an absolute gift though and, ultimately, may end up being one of AEW’s greatest successes of goodwill for older fans such as myself. For 2 years, Sting was presented as the superhero he was to me as a child. He was unbreakable and fearless. He stood up to evil. His final match was the ultimate act of tribute and celebration of a man that meant so much to me and so many others during critical stages of our lives. As a father myself, I got emotional watching his two sons honour their dad by dressing as him and doing his moves (and getting their own revenge). As someone whose fandom has evolved throughout my 35 years of watching wrestling, I cheered at the presentation of death match wrestling on such a grand level with the glass spots. Underneath that, as someone that loves wrestling and can still get swept up in the story, I loved seeing the heroes overcome the villains. As someone that can be ultra critical of the business, I loved that (even going out on top), a veteran contributed and supported the next generation of wrestlers following behind him. This match is everything that makes pro wrestling the greatest form of entertainment in the world in one package: I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I gasped. I will cherish this match forever, much like I cherish my childhood and the impact that Sting had on it.” – Travis McNeill

“When this match started and Team Sting were just beating the snot out of the Bucks, I thought that this should be a 30 second squash where the Bucks got no offense in at all. I still think that would’ve been awesome, but, what we got was better. Darby killing himself by throwing himself through a pane of glass, leaving Sting isolated for most of this match was great psychology to allow Sting to be the superhero one more time and led to the amazing visual of Darby dragging his body up the ropes with his back covered in blood so he could help Sting get the win. An amazing farewell to one of the best of all time, and it always brings a tear to my eye to remember Sting’s final words in AEW. Hold on, I’m getting cues. ” – Jeff Ahmed

“Just an absolutely insane match for anyone to have and then you remember one of the participants is 60+ years of age and this is his retirement match. Hats off to all 4 guys for producing a match that 9 times out of 10 would be MOTY ” – Lee Malone

“Sting, his wrestling son, and his literal sons take down what is probably my pick for favorite tag team of all time in what basically was a PWG Guerilla Warfare match which rules in the Greensboro Coliseum. I still struggle with thoughts about my dad and him as a person. Watching this match especially with somebody who was watching Sting with me growing up and probably got me to pro wrestling was so powerful. Sting gets to be the superhero that he is to so many others and me once more. Sting is the best.” – Henry/HeadCheese

“This is easily the greatest retirement match of all time. The spectacle, the callbacks, the cameos and of course, the action. Sting is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. His aura is unpalpable. His run in AEW was amazing. Didn’t hog the spotlight but did just enough to maintain that aura and elevate all those around him. That is what made his pairing with Darby Allin special. Darby seemed like a ride or die for Sting. He definitely proved that in this match. That ladder spot through the glass is one of the most memorable spots in pro wrestling history. The Young Bucks played the role they play best: cocky pricks. Everyone here was amazing. It was not a technical masterpiece by any means but it was still a perfect pro wrestling match.” – Rene Martinez

“I was rooting for Sting to fight off the dastardly Rick Rude when I was 8 years old. And then I was rooting for Sting to fight off the dastardly Young Bucks when I was 40 years old. I think people of my age are going to always feel a certain way about Sting’s final match because it’s intricately tied to how we absorb the passage of time. There is a beginning, and there is an end. And sometimes that end involves a guy’s back being absolutely shredded by broken glass.” – Elliot Imes

“Sting’s retirement match was everything it needed to be a pitch-perfect send-off for a legitimate legend of the sport. From the instant Seek and Destroy hit, you could feel that the vibe was going to be different. Darby made sure that the match was memorable, going full maniac with a swanton off a massive ladder through some glass… and somehow did not die. Sting would kick out of everything the Bucks, shining like the invincible hero of the past. I teared up thinking of his heyday and what he represented for the company he shouldered and the fans he brought to pro wrestling. The legacy of Sting is huge and significant, and the thought and feeling that went into this was apparent. The Young Bucks were the perfect team for this, too, not only for being great heels but for giving this match the pace and work it needed to be special. A great match, confetti, big sons, and a crowd that wouldn’t stop cheering came together in respect for one of The Man Called Sting.” – Warren Hayes

“There’s a match on this list I think I’ll be the high person on (probably a sadness village entry) and this match probably sits lowest of those who voted for it. It’s finishing place on this list matters less than it’s inclusion, in my opinion. One of my regrets of 2024 was not making the trip to see Revolution and being in the building for Sting’s last match. What a last match this was. The level of violence and risks taken here are not for the faint of heart. Darby Allin was Sting’s perfect partner for the time Sting was in AEW. It is obvious these guys liked each other on more than a professional level. Their chemistry was really fun to watch and the way the Bucks played the antagonists throughout this feud only added to that chemistry. Sting didn’t need to do half of what he does here, but I am so fucking glad he did. THANK YOU STING! ” – Chris Colvin

“Nostalgia done right. This had all the earmarks of a retirement match: Callbacks, run ins, highlights. What made this one different is that Sting could still work at a high level in a tag match and he was standing next to likely the best working tag team ever in the Bucks and one of the underrated workers of this era and a bumping maniac in Darby. The Bucks sold their ass off. Darby was a crazy person who bumped hard enough to require midmatch surgery which he no sold for the finish. An Emotional rollercoaster. On a rewatch? This is not quite my MOTY in 2034 but it’s an incredibly fun time that doesn’t quite hit as hard on a rewatch as it did live.” – AmericanNumbers

“In a year where I struggled to invest in a lot of wrestling, this match made me feel. A perfect farewell to a wrestler who captured my imagination when I started watching wrestling as a child.” – Brady Trappett

“Wow. Wrestling is fundamentally all about moments. And this was a moment of the ages. Sting’s final match and everyone in the match was locked in to make sure that one more time that the fans went home happy. If you were ever a part of Sting’s journey as a wrestling fan, Tony Khan and AEW and the fans rewarded Sting one last time.” – Jeremy Finestone

“In an era where so many matches feel like they exist for everybody involved to pat themselves on the back about how good the match they had was, this actually made me feel something. Not broad spectacle, not a match of the year of the week – honest to god feeling. ” – Garrett Kidney

“No need to complicate it, Sting forever.” – Stevan Savich

“I had always thought Sting would go out putting over Darby when he retired or left AEW. I did not expect him to go out undefeated, and as a tag team champion, beating arguably the best tag team of all time, just treating all of their finishers as if it was Ric Flair in the 90’s. Just a fantastic way to book the end to his career, one that not many expected, but we were happy and excited they did something different with it, and gave us one of the best moments of the year.” – Ryan S Cooke

“2024 was a year where professional wrestling (no matter the promotion, region, or talent) failed to make me really FEEL anything on that deeper level. The level that keeps all of us dorks hooked on it for life, chasing the glimpses of that feeling. This match however, was the sole exception. The best match of the year. Possibly the best match of Sting’s career. And I wouldn’t begrudge you if this is in the running for your match of the decade.” – SOM

Voices of Wrestling 2024 Match of the Year
(305-11)