AEW Statement On Sting Signing Full-Time Contract, Tony Khan Comments
As previously reported, former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting signed a contract with AEW. In a press release sent to Wrestling Inc. and other media outlets, the company confirmed that he signed a full-time, multi-year agreement.
Sting appeared on Dynamite during a post-match brawl that saw Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricky Starks and Brian Cage attacking Arn Anderson, Dustin Rhodes, Cody and Darby Allin. As Hobbs was going to hit Cody with the FTW Championship belt, the lights went out and some unfamiliar music hit with a video playing. Sting then came out and pulled out a bat as the heels left the ring. Sting went and stared individually at Anderson, Dustin, Allin and Cody before heading to the back.
"The surprise introduction of Sting was a great way to celebrate our biggest episode of Dynamite yet," said AEW President Tony Khan. "When AEW launched, I was ecstatic to bring wrestling back to TNT after a very long absence. Sting defeated the legendary Ric Flair in the final wrestling match to be shown on TNT for more than 18 years until the debut of Dynamite in 2019. Now, almost two decades later, it's such a thrill to welcome Sting to AEW and bring him back home to TNT!"
Sting most recently worked for WWE. Sting had signed with WWE in 2014, however he suffered a career ending injury during a match with then-WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins at WWE Night of Champions in 2015. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the following year.
Sting was no longer under WWE contract as of this past May, and WWE pulled all of his merchandise in October.
You can check out the press release sent to us by AEW below:
"THE ICON" STING MAKES DEBUT ON AEW DYNAMITE "WINTER IS COMING" EPISODE ON TNT
December 2, 2020 – "Winter is Coming" was already guaranteed to be the biggest episodeof AEW DYNAMITE yet, but on a night packed with tremendous clashes, the debut of wrestling legend Sting took the world by surprise.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever, Sting's jaw-dropping appearance sent electricity through the crowd at Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Fla., and throughout the wrestling world, when he stepped in the ring.
AEW has also confirmed tonight that it has officially signed Sting to a full-time, multi-year agreement.
"The surprise introduction of Sting was a great way to celebrate our biggest episode of Dynamite yet," said Tony Khan, CEO and GM of AEW. "When AEW launched, I was ecstatic to bring wrestling back to TNT after a very long absence. Sting defeated the legendary Ric Flair in the final wrestling match to be shown on TNT for more than 18 years until the debut of Dynamite in 2019. Now, almost two decades later, it's such a thrill to welcome Sting to AEW and bring him back home to TNT!"
Tune in to AEW DYNAMITE on TNT next week to see why Sting is joining the most boundless promotion in all of wrestling.