Wrestling Legend Sting Makes Surprise AEW Appearance in Philadelphia Tribute

Sting made a surprise appearance at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia following an AEW Collision taping, participating in a heartfelt tribute to the late Eddie Gilbert, a legendary wrestler and original booker of Eastern Championship Wrestling. AEW President Tony Khan organized the tribute, which included appearances by Jeff Jarrett, Tommy Rich, and Eddie's brother Doug Gilbert. Sting credited Gilbert with recognizing his potential early in his career and orchestrating his pivotal babyface turn in the Universal Wrestling Federation, which helped launch Sting's rise to prominence. Gilbert's role as a key figure in the early days of ECW, before being replaced by Paul Heyman, was also acknowledged during the tribute. The event was an untelevised, special moment for the live audience, concluding with Sting leading fans in a "Hot Stuff" chant to honor his mentor. It remains unclear if AEW will release footage of the tribute on their social media platforms.