"You saw Sting start in a similar position" - Tony Khan compares rising AEW star to WWE Legend

AEW is not short on breakout stars, and a prime example of that is Wardlow. All Elite President Tony Khan believes Mr. Mayhem's meteoric rise could be compared to Sting's humble beginnings.

Starting as a mere bodyguard for MJF, The Wardog had rather inconsequential matches for an extended period. It was only near the end of 2021 that he started developing his own character, slowly standing up to his boss.

Things came to a head at the Revolution 2022, when Wardlow openly betrayed MJF by helping CM Punk win their match. This led to a drawn-out feud with the Salt of the Earth, resulting in Wardlow being released from his employer's grasp and officially becoming All Elite.

During a recent interview on Busted Open Radio, Tony Khan spoke about the parallels between Mr. Mayhem and Sting when the latter started.

"35 years ago, there was a guy breaking in, and his name’s Sting. Sting and ‘Hot Stuff’ Eddie Gilbert. It’s kind of interesting going back and looking at how Sting’s career kind of got started and who he became. But I believe Wardlow could have a great career. And you saw Sting start in a similar position to Wardlow, where he was at first in the background working for another wrestler, and now he’s kind of become his own man." (H/T: Wrestling Headlines)

While Wardlow is currently having a good run, Sting has been out of action in the past couple of weeks owing to a leg injury. Fans are waiting for The Icon's return to AEW's programming.

Wardlow fought in the most intense Handicap match in AEW history this week

On the latest episode of Dynamite, Mr. Mayhem battled 20 'plaintiffs' in a massive Handicap match.

Wardlow's brute strength and resiliency were fully displayed in the contest, where he powerbombed his opponents left and right. Surprisingly, the fight still seemed one-sided as none of his opponents could stagger The Wardog.

Given how quickly Wardlow is rising through the ranks, fans may see him join the big leagues of AEW soon. It remains to be seen if Sting and Mr. Mayhem will cross each other's paths in the future.