During the broadcast of AEW Dynamite on TBS and Fite TV, wrestling legend Ric Flair made his first on-screen appearance with All Elite Wrestling.
The Wednesday night broadcast in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, featured Sting and Darby Allin coming out in front of the fans for an interview with Tony Schiavone. The Icon reminisced about the start of his wrestling journey, recalling how he was interviewed by Schiavone 35 years ago on TBS.
The commentator mentioned that Tony Khan's surprise for the night was related to that debut. To the fans' surprise, The Nature Boy's music played over the speakers, and the wrestling legend appeared before the live audience. The embrace between these two legends defined this on-screen encounter. "You know, in life, there are moments that are magical. They are few and far between. And that magic is in the chemistry of someone who makes you better," said the former American professional wrestler.
"35 years ago, this gentleman and I made history on TBS when we headlined the first Clash of Champions alongside WrestleMania. And I told him this when I inducted him into the Hall of Fame: to go 55 minutes in a match, be it 35 years ago or today, is tough. He's not just one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of our business or one of the biggest celebrities, but he's also the nicest guy I've ever met."
The Nature Boy and The Icon share a decades-long history, starting with their early clashes in the National Wrestling Alliance in 1987. Whether as allies or rivals, Ric Flair and Sting were the biggest faces of World Championship Wrestling and icons of the counterculture that tried to rival the then-WWF. Their final confrontations in the ring took place in the closing moments of WCW Monday Nitro in 2001 and in TNA IMPACT! during 2011.
Sting announced his definitive retirement a week ago. On October 18, the wrestling world received shocking news when Sting decided to set a date and place for his retirement from in-ring competition. The American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed with All Elite Wrestling, pointed to Revolution 2024 as the final stop in his active career.