AEW's Winter Is Coming special certainly won't be be forgotten any time soon.
Last night, AEW gave millions of wrestling fans an early holiday present.
Former WCW star and WWE Hall of Famer Sting made a surprise and completely unexpected appearance during the show. AEW announced soon after that he had signed a multi-year contract with the company.
Team Taz overpowered and attacked Cody, Darby Allin, Dustin Rhodes and Arn Anderson (after Rhodes and Allen defeated Team Taz in a tag team match) in the middle of the ring.
Suddenly, the lights went out, and Sting appeared with a bat in hand. Just like the good old WCW days, Tony Schiavone screamed out "It's Sting!" Team Taz then retreated as Sting went over to check in on Cody, Dustin, Allin and Anderson.
There weren't any prior reports or indicators that Sting was about to debut with AEW. And apparently, AEW talents were just as surprised as the rest of us.
According to Fightful Select (h/t Ryan Clark of eWrestlingNews.com), the backstage reaction to Sting's debut was shock and excitement. Clark also reported that the Icon "was kept hidden throughout the day so nobody knew he was debuting until he appeared backstage."
This, of course, was Sting's first appearance on a TNT wrestling program since 2001 - the final episode of AEW. Throw in Schiavone on commentary, and you truly had a special night for the nostalgic fans.
It was later announced that Sting will be part of next week's show. We'll just have to wait and see what the Vigilante has in store next.
This Is A Game-Changer For AEW
WWE was heavily criticized for their usage of Sting during his brief run with the company. The 61-year-old remains heavily popular across the wrestling world, and clearly, there's still a lot to give. AEW's addition of Sting is a game-changer in every aspect, and the television ratings can only increase from here. It's also a huge power move in the Wednesday Night Wars, and it'll be interesting to see if Vince McMahon counters.