Darby Allin has addressed the possibility of Steven Borden eventually incorporating face paint reminiscent of his father Sting into his AEW persona, telling reporters that Borden “doesn’t need it” because of his natural looks, according to Fightful.
The comments come amid ongoing discussion about how Borden will shape his in-ring identity as he continues his run in AEW. Borden is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Sting, whose face paint became one of the most recognizable visuals in professional wrestling history over his decades-long career. Borden has been teaming with Allin since beginning his own run with the promotion, a partnership that carries direct lineage to Allin’s prior tag team with Sting himself before Borden stepped into a similar role alongside Allin.
According to Wrestling Headlines, Borden has not ruled out the idea of eventually using face paint inspired by his father’s look, but he has indicated that establishing his own identity in the ring should come first. That stance suggests any potential homage to Sting’s presentation is not imminent and would likely only be considered once Borden has built a distinct reputation of his own within AEW.
Allin’s remarks add a layer of perspective from someone who has firsthand experience with both generations of the Borden family in tag team competition. Having previously partnered with Sting before that pairing gave way to his current alliance with Steven Borden, Allin is positioned to speak to the stylistic and generational comparisons that naturally arise given the family connection. His comment that Borden is “sexy” enough without the paint reads as a vote of confidence in Borden’s existing presentation rather than a dismissal of the idea entirely.
Neither source indicates that any change to Borden’s look is planned for an upcoming show, and both reports frame the face paint question as a matter of personal and creative timing on Borden’s part rather than a decision tied to any specific storyline or match. For now, the Allin and Borden pairing continues as currently presented, with the face paint question remaining an open possibility for later in Borden’s career rather than a confirmed direction.
