Sting officially announces his retirement during WWE Hall of Fame speech

We knew it was coming, despite the best efforts of the man himself to create a bit of a smokescreen.

And you can't blame Sting, as this was a moment he clearly wanted to share with his family, friends and fans himself, instead of via TMZ reports and parking lot interviews.

In the end, the result worked out just as well. If we got excited at the prospect of one more match - the Icon's oft-stated dream match with Undertaker - it was because he was too.

Who knows if the version of his doctor's reports on his neck he was telling us about when denying retirement reports were true. Thankfully, now it doesn't matter. Any disappointment we feel about Night of Champions 2015 being his last match is mitigated because we won't have to worry through every bump of another bout.

Sting said he was grateful and proud, and who are we to doubt him?

Here's his announcement from American Airlines Center in Dallas on April 2:

Newly inducted into the @WWE Hall of Fame, @STING announces his retirement from the ring. #WWEHOF #ThankYouSting https://t.co/5ru7YswgVI

— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2016

You've heard me say it before, you've heard me say it for years: that the only thing that is for sure about Sting is nothing is for sure. Until now.

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

While the crowd stood, clapped and chanted "Thank you, Sting", he retrieved his trademark shades and black baseball. Stepping back to the microphone, he said:

I just want you to know this isn't goodbye. It's just see you later.

See you later, Hall of Famer. And thanks... for everything.