Wrestler Sting announces retirement during WWE Hall of Fame speech

DALLAS — New World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Famer Sting officially announced his retirement from professional wrestling Saturday night during his induction speech at the American Airlines Center.

Real name Steve Borden, Sting suffered a serious neck injury during his final match against Seth Rollins last September at the “Night of Champions” pay-per-view.

"On this very night, at this very moment, I'm going to finish my wrestling career under the WWE umbrella and I am so proud of that,” said Sting. "I am officially going to retire tonight."

The 57-year-old veteran wrestler spent a majority of his prime years in the ring working for the now extinct World Championship Wrestling. Sting traded his blonde flattop and colorful face paint in 1996 when he donned a darker look and wielded a baseball bat. He would go on to wrestle in WCW until the doors closed in 2001 when WWE acquired the failing company.

While some of his WCW colleagues made the jump to the WWE, Sting would not. He would go on to become one of the faces of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling for 11 years before leaving in 2014.

Rumors swirled regarding Sting’s relationship with the WWE and he would eventually make in-ring debut at the “Survivor Series” in November 2014. Despite only wrestling a handful of matches in the WWE, Sting had his “WrestleMania moment” last April as he competed in a match against Triple H at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

"I just want you to know this isn't goodbye, it's just see ya later."