Tony Schiavone confirms a former WWE Champion won't wrestle in AEW: "That was his last match, guys, that was it"
AEW commentator Tony Schiavone recently confirmed that a former WWE Champion will not wrestle for the Jacksonville-based company despite rumors suggesting otherwise.
The former champion in question is Ric Flair, who debuted in AEW at the October 25, 2023 edition of AEW Dynamite. Flair was revealed as a gift to Sting from the company's President, Tony Khan, after the Icon announced his intention to retire next year. Upon his debut, The Nature Boy asked Sting to allow him to witness the retirement tour.
A few days later, details of Ric Flair's multi-year deal with the Jacksonville-based company deal were revealed, and it was announced that his energy drink "Wooooo! Energy" would become the official drink of Tony Khan's promotion. Soon, there were also reports that the 74-year-old was medically cleared for an in-ring return, and wrestling fans began speculating if Flair was planning to wrestle in AEW.
Speaking on the recent edition of What Happened When podcast, Tony Schiavone gave his take on Flair's in-ring return. The 66-year-old, who was on the commentary team during the WWE Hall of Famer's last match in 2022, said that he has no intention of seeing The Nature Boy in the ring again.
"I don't need to call a Last Match again. That was his last match, guys. That was it," Tony Schiavone said. [H/t Wrestling Inc]
Schiavone also called out the people spreading rumors about the 16-time WWE World Champion's return to the squared ring.
"Again, social media has given idiots a voice, and there you go. If you're wondering if there's more idiots in the world than there used to be, [the answer is] no ... Now they're just online where you can read what they're talking about," Schiavone added. [H/T Wrestling Inc]
Sting could bring back old gimmick after 27 years for his final AEW match, says Tony Schiavone
Tony Schiavone has had a long history with Sting and Ric Flair, and they have been linked since their days in the WCW. The AEW announcer has also witnessed some of the most unforgettable moments involving The Nature Boy and The Icon, including Flair versus "Surfer" Sting in the now-defunct promotion.
Speaking on the What Happened When podcast, Schiavone said he wants the 64-year-old to bring back the Surfer Sting gimmick in his last match at Revolution 2024.
"You look online and see a lot of photos of Ric Flair, it's me holding a microphone. That's very special to me. I really would like for Sting, for his last match, to come out at Surfer Sting. Blonde hair, spike it up. It would be great. A lot of people would love to see it. Maybe we can convince him to do it," Sting said. [H/T: Fightful]
AEW announces the date and location for Sting's last match. Read the full story here.