On March 3, 2024, Sting bid farewell to the wrestling world, marking his retirement on a triumphant note at the AEW Revolution pay-per-view.
The “Icon” and Darby Allin secured victory against The Young Bucks in a gripping Tornado Tag Match, successfully defending the AEW Tag Team Championships and allowing Sting to retire with an impeccable record in AEW.
Leading up to Revolution, the final episode of “AEW Dynamite” treated fans to a nostalgic moment as Sting descended from the rafters, reminiscent of his iconic entrances during WCW’s heyday in the late ’90s. But how did this memorable descent come to fruition?
During a recent episode of the “AEW Unrestricted” podcast, co-executive producer Mike Mansury shed light on the meticulous planning that preceded Sting’s retirement segment.
The pressure was on to ensure that Sting received a fitting send-off, prompting the suggestion to lower him from the rafters one last time—an idea that instantly captured everyone’s attention. AEW spared no effort to execute this vision flawlessly.
“That was something that kind of got everyone perked up, and for Sting himself, it was something he wanted to do for the fans. It was another moment and a memory that he wanted to leave the fans with.
We knew that was really what he was feeling; we went all systems go to try and make it happen, working with our partners at the building to ensure safety, the team that we brought in to test it and make sure that we did to the highest safety standards possible, Tony [Khan] talking to Dr. Martha Hart to get the family sign-off on and comfortability with it.
Everyone on board knew what this would have meant, not just to Sting the talent but also to the fans.”
