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AEW star Sting paid his respects to the late WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki by sending an emotional tribute on social media.
Inoki and Sting faced each other only once, on January 4, 1995, at the New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Battle 7 at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. The WWE Hall of Famer defeated The Icon in the event's BVD Cup Martial Arts Tournament finals with a chokehold.
Inoki sadly passed away on October 1 at the age of 79.
On Twitter, Sting penned a heartfelt message by saying that it was an honor for him to wrestle Inoki. The AEW star added that the latter's death was a great loss to the business.
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"It was an honor and a privilege to share the ring with Antonio Inoki. A true legend and a great loss," Sting tweeted.
Check out his tweet below:
Inoki founded NJPW in 1972. He was also crowned as a WWE Champion, however, it is not recognized by the company. He was inducted into the Hall of Famer by the promotion in 2010.
Fans sympathized on AEW star Sting's heartfelt message to WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki
The Twitter world also paid their tributes and respects to the late Antonio Inoki following Sting's emotional message.
A fan claimed that the Japanese legend slapping the current AEW star during their match in 1995 was a major milestone.
Another fan said that both the AEW star and WWE Hall of Famer are legends in the business.
Meanwhile, a user was in awe of Sting's longevity, saying that The Icon has wrestled them all.
Inoki's loss is definitely a devastating blow to the wrestling industry. He remains one of the most iconic figures in pro wrestling and has left an insurmountable gap void in the industry.
From all of us at Sportskeeda, we would like to offer our deepest condolences to Antonio Inoki's family.
