The Icon Sting made his AEW debut on the Winter is Coming episode of AEW Dynamite. The former WCW Champion made his first appearance on TNT since WCW folded and was purchased by Vince McMahon. After his debut, it was announced that the Icon was signed to a multi-year full-time contract.

Sting makes his AEW debut and return to TNT

Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin teamed up to take on Will Hobbs and Ricky Starks. Darby Allin picked up the win via a coffin drop on Ricky Starks, but Team Taz was not done for the night. Hobbs attacked Arn Anderson and their opponents who just beat them. This prompted Dustin Rhodes to run out and defend his brother and his late father’s best friend.

Brian Cage walked out to even the odds, but what happened next caught everyone by surprise. A small video package played, showing snow and cold weather, which was followed by the debut of Sting.

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Sting walked out and stared Arn right in the face. He went on to stare down Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin, while Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross hyperventilated at commentary. Schiavone’s sound bite when Sting walked out was absolutely incredible.

The Icon is All Elite

After the segment, AEW confirmed that Sting is ‘All Elite’. This is a huge signing for AEW, given Sting’s popularity across the world. He is even popular across varying demographics. Older fans must have seen the Icon battle the likes of Ric Flair and Vader at NWA, while younger fans saw him at WrestleMania 31 opposite Triple H.

Sting has not wrestled in five years; signs full time deal

WWE’s loss turned out to be AEW’s gain. Fans were clamouring to see Undertaker vs Sting just once, but Taker’s retirement dashed their hopes of seeing the dream match. Seeing the 61-year-old Sting against the 55-year-old Undertaker would have been a pretty terrible match, but the hype generated would be immense.

Vince McMahon is surely circulating a petition to eject Sting from the WWE Hall of Fame after watching his AEW debut. The Icon was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016. He wrestled his last match for WWE at Night of Champions 2015 against Seth Rollins.

Sting’s ability to wrestle is in question, considering the match with Seth Rollins was five years ago. In that match, he suffered a career-ending injury while taking a buckle bomb. If it took five years for Sting to return to the ring, it will surely be a huge risk pitting him against the young, hard-hitting talent of All Elite Wrestling.