Sting announces his retirement date, and this time it’s for sure

AEW told us that Sting would address the fans on the Oct. 18 Dynamite. Fans online spent much of the day leading up to the show speculating about what The Icon would say, and preemptively celebrating his legendary career.

Tony Schiavone introduced his friend in Houston, who he first introduced on TBS 36 years ago. With “IT’S STING!” out of the way...

...the Stinger got on the microphone and asked if he should “say the word”, seemingly making the guesses about a retirement announcement seem prescient. He reminisced about his beginnings, and some of the people he started with and looked up to — names like Dusty Rhodes, Hulk Hogan (who was noticeably booed) & Ric Flair.

He mentioned his first retirement, back at the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016, but that one never sat right with him. And even then, he included the line that “the only thing for sure with Sting is that nothing is for sure.”

This one will stick though, he says. He started in AEW at Revolution 2021. His last match will be at Revolution 2024, and that one is for sure.

No other details were revealed — we don’t even know the official date of AEW’s annual late winter/early spring PPV next year. It’s logical to assume Darby Allin will be involved in some capacity, but how? Teammate? Opponent?

Stay tuned, and get ready for four or so months of saying farewell to one of the all-time greats.

Get complete results and coverage of everything on tonight’s Dynamite here.