Former Chiefs rookie camp invitee Steven Borden Jr. helped father Sting in his final wrestling match

Former Chiefs rookie camp invitee Steven Borden Jr. helped father Sting in his final wrestling match

The Kansas City Chiefs have had many unique players come through the franchise to eventually go on to other endeavors beyond football. A player who spent time in a rookie minicamp for the Chiefs recently made news in the wrestling world alongside his iconic father.

The Legendary wrestler Sting ended his in-ring career last Sunday in the main event of AEW’s Revolution pay-per-view event in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The 64-year-old icon was joined in his final match by his sons, one of whom was a training camp invitee for the Chiefs in 2015. Steven Borden Jr. was a rookie trying to make the Chiefs after a notable college career at the University of Kentucky.

Borden Jr. dressed in his father’s memorable gear and face paint, assisting in Sting’s tag team championship victory over the Young Bucks with his partner Darby Allin.

The late Terez Paylor from the Kansas City Star spoke with Borden Jr. at the 2015 Chiefs rookie minicamp about his father’s legacy pushing him.

“People usually ask me, does that bother you, does that upset you? It’s never bothered me,” Borden Jr. said. “It’s actually been one of those things that has pushed me my entire life. You see what your dad has done; you want to beat him out.”

Borden Jr. didn’t make the roster that included a tight end room featuring Travis Kelce, who made his first Pro Bowl that season.

AEW deserves credit for its masterful presentation of Sting

AEW absolute nailed it with the farewell match it put together for Sting.

Tony Khan, despite being a three-time Wrestling Observer Best Booker award winner, has had his share of misses during AEW’s five-year lifespan.

The story surrounding the reveal of the so-called “Devil,” while being hampered by Adam Cole’s injury, dragged out far too long for even the most diehard of AEW’s fans. The women’s division has received more prominence in recent weeks, but when the bar is in hell, it’s not exactly a difficult task to clear it.

When it comes to Sting, however, Khan and his team have done a masterful job, one that culminated in the legendary wrestler’s final match on Sunday at the Revolution pay-per-view.

Landing someone the stature of Sting is obviously a coup for any wrestling promotion, but the pressure to do right by this legendary figure also comes with that.

Khan never asked Sting to do more than what he was capable of and never had him steamroll through talent on his way to yet another world championship. Instead, Khan aligned Sting with Darby Allin in an effort to give the latter the proverbial rub from an icon. 

Together, the two went undefeated in AEW competition. That includes Sunday night, when Sting and Allin defeated the Young Bucks to retain the AEW World Tag Team titles.

Sting winning his final match is not typical wrestling tradition, where it is almost the soon-to-be-retired wrestler’s duty to lose their final match in an effort to pass the torch to someone else. AEW rightfully broke from that tradition and had Sting and Allin win the match, which allowed the former to go out on top as a champion.

In doing so, Khan orchestrated possibly the greatest send-off in wrestling history. For as great as Ric Flair’s “retirement” was in 2008, it came after a loss to Shawn Michaels. There’s also the issue of Flair actually wrestling again, but that’s a different conversation.

Sunday night felt different. It didn’t feel like the end of a storied career as much as it felt like the celebration of one. There are very few wrestlers from Sting’s generation that can say they have experienced the same. Most of them were unceremoniously booted out of the business for one reason or another.

But the fact that Sting is still around and is in good enough health to even have a match at his age (he turns 65 later this month) — and not completely embarrass himself and AEW in the process — deserves to be celebrated.

More than 16,000 people packed into the Greensboro Coliseum Sunday to see their face painted hero have one last hurrah, and Sting was allowed to go out in a blaze of glory.

No, his final match wasn’t a 60-minute draw like Clash of the Champions or a world title match like Starrcade ‘97. Instead, it was Sting giving it his all alongside very talented performers who put their bodies through pain and destruction all in the name of delivering one final banger in Sting’s career.

Mission accomplished by Sting, Allin, the Young Bucks and AEW.

And Sting, thanks for everything.

One other note about Revolution

The long running streak of fans having issues with watching an AEW pay-per-view through Bleacher Report continued on Sunday night, with many viewers, myself included, expressing their frustration over the lack of functionality with the streaming platform.

I personally missed almost all of the first two matches on the show, as I was dealing with a number of technical issues, including not being unable to put in my credit card information to purchase the show.

Once I was eventually able to do that, I still endured a litany of streaming issues. So despite paying full price, I was able to see about 80% of the show. 

Simply put, that is unacceptable, and something seriously needs to be done about it.

For as much praise as I’m willing to give Khan and AEW for its presentation of Sting for the last three-plus years, I have an equal amount of ire for the company when it comes to the pay-per-views.

My complaints are not new or uncommon. It has become a bit of a running joke amongst wrestling fans on social media. Although everyone gets a good laugh out of it, it is a serious issue for AEW that could potentially cost the company paying customers.

Full disclosure, AEW was close to losing my money Sunday night until Bleacher Report finally got its act together during the tail end of the Continental Crown title match between Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson.

But I am only one person. Chances are there is someone out there who was more than willing to part ways with $49.99 (plus tax) to watch Revolution, but decided not to because of issues with Bleacher Report.

And because of that, Khan and company need to address this issue as soon as humanly possible. This is not a backburner issue. This is urgent, as one of the company’s top priorities is to make its content as accessible as possible. If people can’t even pay to watch it, what are we even doing here?

For all of the complaints people levy against Peacock, at least it actually works when you turn it on. With Bleacher Report, I may have to start logging in the day before to ensure I see the opening match.

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AEW Revolution 2024: Best photos from Sting’s last match

Check out some of the best photos from Sting’s last match at AEW Revolution 2024.

It’s hard to come up with the proper send-off for a legend. It’s even harder for an Icon.

Yet AEW managed to pull off one heck of a memorable night at AEW Revolution 2024, which culminated in a wild tornado tag team title match pitting Sting and Darby Allin vs. The Young Bucks (or as they prefer to be called at the moment, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson, AEW EVPs).

It was hard not to get emotional seeing Sting go out on top after nearly four decades of entertaining fans everywhere. See why in this look at the best photos from Sting’s last match (photos courtesy of All Elite Wrestling).

AEW Revolution 2024 results: Sting ends storied career on high note

See how Sting delivered one final indelible moment, and who else won at AEW Revolution 2024 in Greensboro.

It’s time to say goodbye to Sting. The Icon ends his nearly 40-year career in pro wrestling tonight at AEW Revolution in front of what’s sure to be a very emotional crowd in Greensboro, N.C.

Sting and Darby Allin will take on the Young Bucks … excuse me, AEW EVPs Matthew and Nicholas Jackson. The AEW World Tag Team Championship is on the line as well, but the real stakes involved are because it will be Sting’s last match.

Will he go out on top and retire a champion? Or will he think it’s the right thing to do to pass the torch (though it must be said, the Bucks are far from young up-and-comers themselves at this point) and take the pin in his farewell bout? And what part will Ric Flair play in the whole affair?

The rest of the card looks very promising to boot. There are five other championship matches in store, including a three-way dance for the AEW World Championship between Samoa Joe, Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland. The AEW Women’s World Championship also figures to be a hard-hitting, top notch showdown as “Timeless” Toni Storm collides with former friend turned dangerous rival Deonna Purrazzo.

Even the 8-man All-Star Scramble figures to provide some intrigue, as the winner earns a world title opportunity. Could it, for instance, be used to point Wardlow toward the top of the card? It will be interesting to see.

AEW Revolution Zero Hour results:

  • Bang Bang Scissor Gang def. Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, Satnam Singh, Willie Mack and Private Party by pinfall when Jay White pins Mack
  • White cuts a promo after the match that promotes the Big Bang Scissor Gang while also teasing some “big business” for the Big Business episode of Dynamite in less than two weeks
  • Lexy Nair catches up with Orange Cassidy, who tells Best Friends he wants them to stay in the back tonight for his match with Roderick Strong
  • A vignette airs with Pac vowing to be back very soon whether we like it or not
  • Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander def. Skye Blue and Julia Hart by pinfall when Nightingale pins Blue

AEW Revolution 2024 results from Greensboro:

(please tap or click on any match with a link for full details)

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AEW Revolution 2024 results: Sting goes out a winner in insane last match

With family and friends all involved, Sting emerged from his last match a winner at AEW Revolution 2024.

Not only is Ric Flair here for this one, but Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat walks out next to serve as the special guest timekeeper. A number of other retired wrestlers are shown in the ringside seats.

Matthew and Nicholas Jackson are greeted by plenty of boos despite their cool entrance, rising from the floor and sporting some old school robes. Darby Allin comes out by himself, a nice touch to allow his partner to get the proper spotlight.

Sting gets a long entrance video that features a movie theater where the Icon sits and watches highlights from throughout his career, right up to the present. “It’s showtime … showtime for the last time,” Sting says before adding, “Let’s do this!”

His sons appear as two different, earlier versions of Sting on stage to walk the aisle with their dad, and they also get in on the early action. The EVPs are the worse for wear as they take Stinger Splashes from father and sons.

Sting gets both Jacksons into the Scorpion Deathlock at once but can’t hold onto it. The action quickly turns into chaos outside the ring, with Nicholas getting sent over the barricade and Matthew thrown out the other side.

A ladder and tables are already out there as Sting throws Nicholas back onto the floor. Matthew gets back body dropped too before Allin delivers a Coffin Drop onto both Jacksons.

Sting looks under the ring for several panes of glass and has Allin and his sons put them over six chairs out on the floor. The Icon has a baseball bat too, sending Nicholas into the crowd … but that doesn’t help him as Darby and Sting pursue him out there.

All four combatants end up on stage, where Nicholas hits Allin with a jawbreaker. That’s only the precursor to a Falcon Arrow off the stage and through a table.

Sting wants a Scorpion Death Drop on the stage, but Matthew gouges his eyes and suplexes him back off the stage and through a table. Allin is dragged to the ring, where a ladder is set up in one corner. The EVPs throw Darby into it, but he battles bravely two-on-one.

Allin smashes Nicholas’ head into the steel steps and eyes a very tall ladder now set up in the ring. He leaps with a swanton, but Matthew pulls Nicholas out of the way so Allin falls through the glass.

Sting is now back at the ring, but that might not be great as he’s going it alone. He does get the Bucks to catch each other in some friendly fire, then just chokes and bashes Matthew until he’s on top of a table under the ladder.

Up climbs Sting, though Nicholas is up and has a pane of glass with him. Matthew is up too and slams Sting through a table, but he no sells it as the fans roar. Sting battles but is sent through the glass in the corner.

A low blow sets Matthew up for a Scorpion Death Drop, but the smiling EVP is surprised when the Icon kicks out at two.

Steamboat has enough when he sees the Bucks go for the title belts, but he pays for it. Flair goes to check on Sting, putting himself in the way of Matthew’s attempted belt shot. He also suffers from double superkicks, and Steamboat gets the same.

A belt shot puts Sting down, yet he’s able to kick out again. He beats his chest and starts running over his foes, with one Jackson able to save the other from a pinfall. Sting eats the EVP trigger and barely is able to get his shoulder up in time.

A second EVP Trigger is on target, but Sting kicks out at one. The Jacksons deliver another double superkick, setting up for the Tony Khan Driver. By now Allin has revived, pushing Nicholas off the top rope and through a table on the floor. Sting hits a Scorpion Death Drop but sees Matthew kick out.

Allin hits a Coffin Drop, allowing Sting to put Matthew in the Scorpion Deathlock. Matthew strains for a second, then taps out.

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AEW Revolution 2024 card: Everything confirmed including Sting’s last match

A look at the confirmed matches for AEW Revolution 2024.

After running a monthly pay-per-view for most of 2023, AEW won’t host a marquee event until Sunday, Mar. 3, when Revolution takes over the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Sting’s retirement match will headline AEW’s first PPV of 2024. It has been advertised months in advance, allowing anticipation to build up for his final in-ring showing. Only recently, after their victory against Powerhouse Hobbs and Konosuke Takeshita on the Jan. 10 episode of Dynamite, Sting and Darby Allin were confronted by the Young Bucks from the stage.

The following week on Dynamite, the Jacksons teased what’s to come in an interview where they name-dropped Sting and referred to him as the “last of a dying breed.” When asked if they will face the Icon in his final match, they replied that they will “pull some strings” as Executive Vice Presidents. It finally was made official on the Feb. 14 episode of Dynamite as Allin accepted the EVPs’ challenge.

Another confirmed match arose when Roderick Strong challenged Orange Cassidy for the AEW International Championship. The Undisputed Kingdom, formed at Worlds End, said they were after all the gold in AEW, so this is step one, with Strong vying for his first title since joining the company in 2023.

To top it all off, Samoa Joe will defend the AEW World Championship against Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page in a Triple Threat match. While Strickland and Page competed in a No. 1 contenders match to determine the Samoan Submission Machine’s opponent at Revolution, their battle went to a time-limit draw. Tony Khan chimed in moments later to give both men a chance at the title instead of one.

Check out the full card below.

Latest update: March 2, 2024, 9:45 p.m. ET.

AEW Revolution 2024 card:

  • Samoa Joe (c) vs. Hangman Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland – AEW World Championship match
  • “Timeless” Toni Storm (c) vs. Deonna Purrazzo – AEW Women’s World Championship match
  • Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Roderick Strong – AEW International Championship match
  • Sting and Darby Allin (c) vs. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson – AEW World Tag Team Championship match
  • Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Bryan Danielson – AEW Continental Crown Championship match, plus if Danielson loses, he has to shake Kingston’s hand
  • Konosuke Takeshita vs. Will Ospreay
  • Christian Cage (c) vs. Daniel Garcia – AEW TNT Championship match
  • Wardlow vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Lance Archer vs. Chris Jericho vs. Hook vs. Brian Cage vs. Magnus vs. Dante Martin – All-Star 8-Man Scramble for future AEW World Championship match
  • FTR vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley)

AEW Revolution 2024 predictions: Will Sting win his last match?

Will Sting win his swan song? And which champions will retain at AEW Revolution in Greensboro?

While WWE has been gearing up for its biggest show of the year, AEW has been plugging away on its road to Revolution, which will be a historic event in its own right.

That is because Revolution will be the site of Sting’s final match. The promise of seeing Sting’s final match has helped AEW sell more than 16,000 tickets at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C., which is where Sting burst onto the national wrestling scene as a member of Jim Crockett Promotions.

Five decades later, Sting will bid farewell to wrestling fans not only in Greensboro, but to fans from around the world who enjoyed watching him perform throughout his stellar career.

What can we expect from Sting’s final time in a ring? How many tears will wrestling fans shed during the event? Let’s get to that and more in my predictions.

How to watch AEW Revolution 2024: PPV, live stream, theaters, restaurants

A look at how to watch the AEW Revolution 2024 pay-per-view.

AEW Revolution marks both the inaugural pay-per-view of 2024 following a torrid pace of marquee events in 2023, and the final bout concluding Sting‘s legendary professional wrestling career. The show takes place at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. on Sunday, March 3.

This is indeed the last in-ring performance of Sting’s career, initially jeopardized by an injury during his WWE tenure. Spending three years in AEW, often teaming up with Darby Allin, he’ll provide fans one final run in the ring.

At Revolution, the Icon and Allin will unite for the last time, defending the AEW World Tag Team Championship against the Young Bucks. Sting could exit as the champion, despite retiring once this match ends. Of course, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson may go over and win the belts as well, so it’s a matter of how AEW decides to conclude Sting’s illustrious career.

Questions also remain about Ric Flair’s involvement. Having hinted at aligning with the Young Bucks, what role will he play?

Samoa Joe will defend the AEW World Championship against Swerve Strickland and Hangman Adam Page. Initially set for a one-on-one, Strickland and Page’s No. 1 contenders match ended in a time-limit draw, leading Tony Khan to make it into a triple threat bout.

As usual, fans will have some options when it comes to catching the action live. Here’s everything you need to know to watch on Sunday, March 3.

How to watch AEW Revolution 2024

UNITED STATES AND CANADA

  • On traditional cable and satellite providers
  • On Bleacher Report via their website or the Bleacher Report app
  • In select movie theaters, Dave & Buster’s, Tom’s Watch Bar and other restaurants; click or tap here to find a location near you

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

  • On TrillerTV in many international markets
  • On YouTube for fans in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, South Korea and the United Kingdom
  • On PPV.com in Canada
  • On Sky Italia, EuroSport India and SpoTV

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AEW Dynamite results 02/07/24: Golden Sting, Bucks gone wild and Big Business

Also on AEW Dynamite, Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland had a banger that made them both contenders.

If you like your shows packed and your stakes high, this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite from the Footprint Center in Phoenix looks like the one for you.

Let’s start with title matches and shots at title matches, because this card has both of those. Darby Allin and Sting will battle Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Championship in a match that has the potential to make The Icon a champ for the final time in his legendary career.

As for championship opportunities, that’s what Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland are fighting for, since the winner gets to go on and battle Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship at Revolution. Swerve has had the upper hand, winning the first two bouts between them, but Hangman is desperate now and would be distraught if he lost a third straight.

On top of that, Tony Khan will make his latest in a long line of big announcements. Could someone be on their way in? Does the fact that there’s going to be a Dynamite/Rampage taping in Boston next month have anything to do with who that might be? Or does TK have something totally unexpected up his sleeve?

That’s not even all, as we’re also looking forward to some role reversal when Toni Storm takes on Red Velvet with Deonna Purrazzo on guest commentary. The Virtuosa has gotten under the skin of the Timeless champ like no other since she first arrived in AEW, and that should only continue in Phoenix.

How will AEW fit this and more into a two-hour show? It won’t, as Khan has already promised he’s secured an overrun. So let’s light the fuse already.

AEW Dynamite results from Phoenix:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Hangman Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland ends in a time limit draw, and as a result, both men will be in the championship match against Samoa Joe at Revolution
  • Samoa Joe is asked about this turn of events by Renee Paquette, angrily ranting about having the deck stacked against him and vowing to walk out champ despite that

  • Toni Storm def. Red Velvet by submission; after Storm won’t let the hold go, Deonna Purrazzo gets in the ring to confront the champ
  • Paquette talks to Orange Cassidy about wrestling Tomohiro Ishii and says competing on Saturday after also having a match on Rampage will still be fine; Best Friends also agree to go check on Chuck Taylor

  • Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley) def. Hechicero, Mascara Dorada and Volador Jr. by pinfall, but only after Castagnoli uses a low blow to set up the finish; after the finish, Mistico leads more CMLL luchadores into the ring from the crowd, prompting more AEW wrestlers to come from the back and even the odds
  • Taylor is shown getting attacked in the back by Undisputed Kingdom
  • Tony Khan makes his big announcement: the March 13 episode of Dynamite in Boston will be titled “Big Business”

  • Konosuke Takeshita def. Chris Jericho by submission, thanks in part to Don Callis sneaking in a screwdriver, and despite Sammy Guevara appearing earlier to neutralize Powerhouse Hobbs on the outside
  • Darby Allin and Sting def. Big Bill and Ricky Starks by pinfall in a Tag Team Tornado match to become the new AEW World Tag Team Champions
  • As Sting calls his sons into the ring to celebrate with him, the Young Bucks arrive with white bats to beat him down; they also beat Allin bloody and hit him with the EVP Trigger before laying the tag team titles over the unconscious new champs

Hangman Adam Page, Swerve Strickland battle without a winner … though in a sense they don’t lose either

The crowd seems very into this as the two bitter rivals stare holes in each other after the bell rings. The announce team remind us that Strickland needed assistance from the Mogul Embassy to win both previous meetings, though Taz is the dissenter who believes that means little.

It takes little time for the fight to spill to the floor, where Swerve sends Hangman over the barricade then leaps over it to join him. Page is unceremoniously sent back to ringside and then to the ring, where he’s able to get in his first offense by stomping Strickland into a corner.

Page lights up his foe with chops and right hands along the ropes. But Swerve reverses an Irish whip and delivers a big boot to the face, following with some stomps of his own.

As Swerve looks to fly, Hangman sweeps his legs out and smashes home some right hands. He takes his time playing to the crowd for a second, which turns out to be a mistake as Swerve works on a flying octopus hold before dropping into a crucifix on the mat. Strickland wants to snap Page’s right arm but can’t ever pull it off, and Hangman ends up plastering him out on the apron and running him into the turnbuckle.

They spill out to the floor again, with Page continuing to work on Swerve’s head and neck. A fallaway slam is next, and the battle back in the ring leads to a low dropkick and a cover broken only when Strickland gets his hand to the bottom rope.

Another two count goes in Page’s favor, and he drops Swerve to the floor to land with a thud. Hangman signals for his top rope moonsault only to see Strickland roll away and quickly pounce with a flatliner.

With the fans urging him on, Swerve hits a back flip plancha to the outside, then a jumping top rope elbow to the back of the head. His offense continues into a vertical suplex, followed by the House Call and a close two count.

Page’s rally leads to a Liger Bomb that earns him a near fall. The ref checks on Strickland for a second as the announcers ponder whether he landed on his head during the last exchange of counters.

Boos greet Page as he lines up for the Buckshot, but Swerve dodges it and hits his own version. There’s a Swerve Stomp too, but Page kicks out at two.

Now it’s Hangman who look stunned a bit, and he finds no respite on the outside. Strickland takes him up on top of the guardrail, which turns out badly as Page nails him with a DDT on the barricade.

During picture-in-picture, a table is set up on the outside, though it doesn’t immediately come into play. An exchange of strikes goes Swerve’s way as he ends with a backbreaker and another near fall.

With Page tangles up over the ropes, Strickland stomps him so that he rolls onto the table, which promptly breaks. An undeterred Strickland sets up another table, but his first move is to try a 450 splash in the ring which catches nothing but knees.

It looks like Page has it won again after a nasty Buckshot, but Strickland gets his foot to the ropes to prevent the pinfall. They head back out to the apron, because why not, and Swerve takes a Deadeye there, slumping out to the floor. The ref starts his count, and Prince Nana does his dance to motivate his boss. That inspired Swerve to beat the count, but Nana pays for it when Page waffles him with a chair.

Strickland dropkicks Hangman on the floor then drops the Swerve Stomp, but it looks like his ankle might have paid for that. Page goes right after that ankle, staving off a JML Driver.

They battle to the apron again, and Strickland runs Page into the post to set up a Deadeye through the table. That brings fitting “holy s–t” chants, but when Swerve tries another Swerve Stomp, Page rolls away.

Strickland ducks a Buckshot and finally hits the JML Driver, but as the ref is making the count, the bell rings, signifying the 30-minute time limit had elapsed. Strickland grabs a mic, saying he hasn’t gone through so much to have it end like this. “Five … more … minutes,” he yells.

Hangman laughs and says no, but Tony Schiavone has one more twist to announce: Since this was a tie, both men will challenge Samoa Joe in a Triple Threat match at Revolution.


Tony Khan makes his big announcement, emphasis on big, we guess

TK discusses the March 13 episode of Dynamite revealed earlier today as happening at TD Garden in Boston. As it turns out, it will be called “Big Business.” Ah, not really what we were expecting, completely, but there is a money motif to the logo, so …

Anyway, Khan says people who can’t get to Boston will want to watch live on TBS, calling it “one of the most important nights in the history of AEW” and promising that people will remember it for years to come. The live fans seem a little underwhelmed by this, but hey.


Darby Allin and Sting win gold, defeating Big Bill and Ricky Starks

There are two referees since all four men can get involved at once, but alas we only have one recapper. We’ll do our best.

Sting and Starks immediately fight into the crowd, where Sting uses a trash can as a weapon. Bill and Darby battle into an entranceway to the concourse, unaware that Sting is lurking to dive from above onto both the champs. A “you still got it” chant rings out as side-by-side ads arrive.

Allin takes flight from the ring to the floor as soon as the full broadcast returns, but Bill catches him and smashes him to the floor with a Boss Man Slam. Ouch.

Darby gets tossed back into the ring, where Starks is waiting and soon joined by his partner. Bill tries for a two-handed chokeslam but settles for simply bouncing Allin’s head off the mat, then flinging him back overhead.

Bill summons a table from beneath the ring and Ricky helps him set it up. Sting finally returns to the fray to help Allin avoid being press slammed by the big man, but Bill finally tracks him down. Sting is able to step aside and crotch Bill on the top rope, only to be hit with his own Scorpion Death Drop by Starks, forcing Allin to make the save.

After some back and forth, Sting ends up isolated with Starks and puts him in the Scorpion Deathlock. Bill is on the apron, where Darby gouges his eyes and they end up falling through the table on the floor together. Starks reaches for the ropes but discovers there is no rope break in a Tornado tag. He frees himself anyway, sending Sting hurtling into an exposed turnbuckle. Though Ricky looks regretful, he spears the Icon but finds it’s only good for a two count.

Sting psyches himself up enough to counter a spear with the Scorpion Death Drop, and that’s enough to give us new champions.

AEW Dynamite preview 02/07/24: Tony Khan makes his latest big announcement

AEW Dynamite will also find either Hangman Adam Page or Swerve Strickland earning a world title shot at Revolution.

We haven’t even made it to Valentine’s Day yet, but it’s already been an eventful year in pro wrestling. Can tonight’s AEW Dynamite in Phoenix keep that momentum rolling? It may depend on the answer to the first question we have for tonight’s show …

What, or who, will be the subject of Tony Khan’s big announcement?

It might be time to cut Tony Khan some slack. While there is a certain amount of eye-rolling whenever AEW promotes a “big,” “huge” or “important” announcement, the truth is that he’s batting a decent average on them overall thanks to things like All In London, the Forbidden Door shows with NJPW and his purchase of Ring of Honor.

Will this one belong in that same rarified air? It’s possible if it’s the official word that Mercedes Moné is on her way in. Or it could be verification that Kazuchika Okada has been signed. Heck, what if it’s both?

It could also be something totally out of left field. That’s why we look forward to these even though there are occasions where they’re overhyped.

Can Sting win one more championship before he retires?

The end is now drawing incredibly close for Sting, whose final match is now less than a month away. That makes his tag team title shot alongside Darby Allin mean that much more, because barring something completely unforeseen, this will be his final chance to wear gold as a pro wrestler.

Despite being somewhat thrown together, Big Bill and Ricky Starks have been fine champs. But Sting has yet to taste defeat in AEW, and it would be strange indeed for him to do so now. The guess is that he and Darby get the titles, which means a Revolution showdown with the Young Bucks would turn into a championship farewell.

Can Hangman finally defeat Swerve?

Speaking of Revolution, there’s an AEW World Championship title opportunity on the line on Dynamite when Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland meet for the third time. In a lot of cases this would be a rubber match, but not here as Strickland is 2-0 in their previous meetings.

Hangman would be an easy pick here normally to ensure the proper face-heel dynamic going against Samoa Joe in Greensboro. But it feels like Page might be slipping toward the dark side at the same time more and more fans jump on Swerve’s bandwagon. It’s going to be interesting to see how AEW plays this one.


Also advertised for AEW Dynamite in Phoenix:

  • Toni Storm takes on Red Velvet with Deonna Purrazzo on guest commentary
  • The CMLL vs. BCC feud continues with a six-man tag match
  • Chris Jericho steps in to battle Konosuke Takeshita
  • And it will all go more than two hours as Khan says he’s secured an overrun from TBS

Fired up yet? We are, which is why we’ll be recapping the action live here on Wrestling Junkie. Join us here on the site at 8 p.m. ET for the latest.