The Icon is All Elite (Photograph: AEW on Twitter)
Sting has signed a shock contract with All Elite Wrestling.
The Icon – who made is identify as one of many greatest stars in WCW, and loved a brief spell with WWE later in his profession after working with IMPACT Wrestling – has formally inked a cope with the rival promotion.
After making his shock debut in the course of the special Winter Is Coming edition of Dynamite on Wednesday night, the corporate introduced: ‘AEW has confirmed tonight that it has formally signed Sting to a full-time, multi-year settlement.’
The legendary star returned throughout AEW’s TNT broadcast, making it the primary time he appeared on the community – which aired WCW again within the day – for nearly twenty years.
In a press release after the present, AEW boss Tony Khan mentioned: ‘The shock introduction of Sting was a good way to have a good time our greatest episode of Dynamite but.
‘When AEW launched, I used to be ecstatic to deliver wrestling again to TNT after a really lengthy absence.
‘Sting defeated the legendary Ric Aptitude within the ultimate wrestling match to be proven on TNT for greater than 18 years till the debut of Dynamite in 2019.
‘Now, nearly twenty years later, it’s such a thrill to welcome Sting to AEW and convey him again dwelling to TNT!’
The 61-year-old star made his debut as he hit the ring after a tag crew match between Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin, and their opponents Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs.
The previous pair received the match, earlier than they bought attacked by rival faction Crew Taz and Sting saved the day.
With snow falling for the out of doors present, he got here nose to nose with fellow WCW alumni Arn Anderson, earlier than nodding his approval to Allin, Cody and his brother Dustin Rhodes, and walked away again up the ramp.
Sting’s final match got here in WWE in opposition to Seth Rollins at Evening of Champions 2015, and he was inducted into the corporate’s Corridor of Fame the next 12 months.
In October this 12 months, the corporate had pulled his merchandise from their on-line retailer, suggesting his time with them was over.