Darby Allin wants AEW to have a firm brand split, why he doesn’t want to be Sting’s final opponent, hanging out with extreme sports icons and music producer Rick Rubin, his newfound confidence heading into AEW Double Or Nothing

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

CBS Sports interview with Darby Allin
Host: Shakiel Mahjouri
Story available via ET Canada
Video footage available at SHAK Wrestling YouTube Page

Darby Allin on his newfound confidence heading into AEW Double or Nothing: “At one time, when AEW first started, I probably would have thought I wasn’t ready for that. I thought I didn’t have the confidence within me. But now, dude, I’m laser focused. I know exactly who Darby Allin is and where I’m going. I’m going to the main event of Double or Nothing. I don’t even think about how all these legendary people are on before me. I know what I’m capable of and what I’m capable of is main evening that pay-per-view.”

How Darby Allin found his footing with a television audience: “It was set up so well from the very beginning to debut against Cody Rhodes. It was such an amazing debut. But when TV starts, you’re trying to find your ground with a national audience and who you connect to. Do you know what really helped? It was my mindset outside of the ring. That helped the most because there is only so much I can do on an episode of Dynamite when you’re given 10 or 15 minutes to win people over. When I started doing stuff outside of the ring, it started giving me confidence. Who I was able to connect to outside of the ring.”

Friendships with extreme sports idols: “I’ve been hanging out with guys like Tony Hawk and Travis Pastrana. They don’t watch wrestling. It’s not their demographic. But they see what I do in the ring and they’re like, ‘Yo, I’m a fan!’ That’s my whole goal, to connect with fans outside of the wrestling circle that haven’t given wrestling a chance. Once I was able to start connecting with people like that, I was like, ‘Dude, I’m onto something here.’ That’s why I love AEW so much because they give me so much inside the ring and outside of the ring too with my crazy shenanigans.”

Hanging out with music executive Rick Rubin: “I went meditating with him a few weeks ago down in Malibu. That’s a big thing. We talked for hours about meditation and your brain and finding inner peace. That’s a big thing I’m very hyped on. Finding that inner peace within yourself because, with wrestling, I can turn it off. I can find that peace within myself. Hanging out with him was very special.”

Darby Allin wants a hard brand split for AEW Collision: “I’m excited because if it is a hard brand split where there is a Dynamite and a Collision, it gives people more opportunity to be seen. With our roster, that’s all you can ask for. It’s a loaded roster with a lot of hungry people. Bring it on. It would be so fun to me.”

On not wanting to wrestle against Sting in the icon’s retirement match: “I want to be a tag team. That’s what I want to do. I don’t think it will prove anything if we wrestle each other. I think proving something is how we were a solid team from the start to the end… There is nothing I won’t do to make sure that man’s career ends legendary just like the rest of it. I refuse for that man’s career to end and for people to be like, ‘Eh, alright.’ You’ve been seeing Sting jumping off balconies. He has a chip on his shoulder. He has a bigger chip on his shoulder than some of the younger guys on the roster. People, step up your game!”