Backstage News On Sting’s AEW Dynamite Appearance To Pay Tribute To Ted Turner

Sting appeared on the May 6 episode of AEW Dynamite from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina, with Sting and Tony Schiavone opening the show to pay tribute to former WCW owner Ted Turner, who passed away earlier that day. 

Sting has made sporadic appearances on AEW TV since his retirement at Revolution 2024, primarily in support of Darby Allin. This included at All In 2024, WrestleDream 2025, and the post-Dynasty 2026 episode of Dynamite where Allin defeated MJF for the AEW World Championship. 

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Sting was already in the Charleston area in order to help promote AEW Dynamite, but the pro wrestling legend specifically asked not to be on the show. That changed after Ted Turner passed away, though, and Sting was happy to appear in order to pay tribute to the founder of CNN, TBS, and TNT.

“Sting was actually not brought in for this show. The plan was for Sting to come in and do promotional work in Charleston because they felt that they’re in the Carolinas and Sting started his career working that territory. So they flew Sting in to do media and stuff. And Sting himself asked when he got there, or even before, ‘I don’t want to be on the show because it’s not my time anymore. I don’t want to take time away from anybody else. I don’t want to be on the show.’ Then Ted Turner dies,” Meltzer said.

“He’s there and Tony basically rewrites much of the show because he felt they needed to open the show, and he had to change things around and everything. He wanted Tony Schiavone and Sting to do the tribute to Ted Turner, which Sting was happy to do. And it was completely unscripted, and you could tell from watching it. They just went out there and they winged it. I thought it was very well done. Very nice.”

Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite was dedicated to Ted Turner. Tony Schiavone and Sting opened the show to pay tribute to Turner and there was a 10-bell salute for the former WCW owner. AEW TV, of course, airs on Turner’s former networks of TNT and TBS in the United States.