AEW's Winter Is Coming event was certainly a newsworthy one, and one of the biggest reasons for that was the fact that it saw the debut of Sting. The Icon made his return to TNT and appeared, shocking the wrestling world and creating an incredible pop from the limited crowd at Daily's Place.
His debut was given a huge moment and a lot of attention, with the commentators going over the top about it and the snow falling on his head. The moment was a truly special one, but in the long-term, is bringing Sting into the company actually a good idea?
10 Good: His Debut Was A Big Moment
Whenever a debut can be kept as a surprise it always leads to a great moment and that is exactly what happened with Sting at Winter Is Coming. Nobody was expecting it and the reaction was huge, creating a moment that will go down in history for AEW.
It has brought a lot of buzz for the company, with the entire wrestling world talking about the Icon and his return to the industry. This is certainly a good thing as far as AEW is concerned, and that will no doubt lead to an increase in interest.
9 Mistake: Doesn't Make The Product Fresh
Something that AEW has been great at so far is showing a fresh product. It's something different from what has been seen before and the company has a lot of great young wrestlers with huge potential.
However, bringing someone in like Sting who is at the twilight of his career really does go against that. It doesn't freshen up the product, and if anything makes it feel a little dated.
8 Good: Belongs On TNT
While seeing Sting in WWE was a lot of fun, the Icon simply belongs on TNT. He was the heart and soul of WCW and the fact he didn't join WWE for so long only kept that spirit alive within him.
Now that he is back, it just feels like a natural fit, with the Stinger being the right man for that role. Seeing him on TNT again is something that older wrestling fans will especially love, and that is a great thing.
7 Mistake: Character Doesn't Work As A Manager
If Sting is unable to wrestle, then the chances are that the company will use him as a manager or mentor for someone, possibly Darby Allin. The issue with that is that Sting's darker character doesn't really suit that role.
It's hard to imagine him stood at ringside banging the mat to try and get whoever he's working with motivated. Therefore AEW could be very limited in how they use Sting, which isn't ideal for long-term booking.
6 Good: He's Still A Draw
Whether he's used as a wrestler, a manager, or something totally different, the good thing about Sting is that he is very much still a draw. It's clear from the number of people that have been talking about Sting since he arrived that people are excited about this, and that's great for AEW.
However they use Sting, it is going to draw interest for the company, and that is why it's a good thing for AEW to have signed him, as it's going to be great for business.
5 Mistake: Focus On Younger Talent
Whenever an older wrestler is brought into a company, there is going to complaints from fans that this stops younger talent from progressing. While that's not always the case, it certainly can play an impact.
AEW only has two hours to spare on a weekly basis, and taking a bulk of that time up on wrestlers who have had their careers isn't great for younger names, who need the chance to grow.
4 Good: He Deserves To Be Used
While WWE put a lot of attention into Sting when he first joined the company, once he got injured that quickly changed. Sting ended up just being brought in for Axxess events, not getting the attention or the respect that he deserved.
Sting is someone who can still offer a lot to the business, even if it's just as a mentor behind the scenes. AEW will no doubt make the most of that
3 Mistake: Potential Health Worries
At the moment, it's unclear whether or not Sting will be wrestling for AEW, but the chances are he will at least get physical at some point. This is a potential mistake on AEW's behalf because at 61-years-old, Sting isn't exactly in his prime anymore.
The reason he didn't wrestle anymore for WWE was because of his neck injury and while he will be medically cleared (if he does wrestle), there will still be an element of worry about his health.
2 Good: Potential Dream Matches
With his health concerns still at the back of the mind, there is a positive to Sting wrestling if he's fit and able to, which is the huge number of dream matches awaiting him. AEW has tons of stars that Sting hasn't worked with, and that leads to a huge amount of possibility.
There's a lot of excitement about the possible matches he could have in AEW, all of which would likely be a really big deal.
1 Mistake: Too Many Legendary Names
It is possible to have too much of a good thing, and right now AEW is walking the fine line of having that problem when it comes to how many legends are on the roster. Of course, it is nice to have an element of nostalgia, but too much can be overkill.
AEW has got a lot of old-school names, from Jake Roberts to Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. Adding another name to that with Sting is pushing it a little too far, with the company needing to strike a better balance between legends and the future.