When Michael Cole, live on RAW in front of an audience of millions of people watching at home, publically shouted out Sting for calling it a career at AEW Revolution – though, critically, he didn't mention the name of the promotion, the event, or who he wrestled with – it felt like a massive deal in terms off eroding the proverbial Forbidden Door keeping the various professional wrestling promotions around the world in their own little Universes.

On one hand, Cole, Corey Graves, and even Booker T have been mentioning TNA Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and beyond when appropriate on commentary, with the Good Brothers just being described as former IWGP, TNA, and WWE Tag Team Champions on NXT ahead of their match against Hank Walker and Tank Ledger this very week, but AEW has long been “The Promotion that should not be named,” as it would theoretically add an air of legitimacy to their biggest competitor.

While Vince McMahon may have been rolling in his proverbial grave when he heard Cole's comments, one performer who felt it was totally deserved was The Undertaker, who, on his Six Feet Under podcast, stated he believes that Sting's pedigree and contributions to the spot over his almost 40-plus years in the business were worthy of acknowledgment regardless of the partisan posturing around it.

“There are certain people within the industry…. we’re in competition with a different company, I get it, but Sting’s legacy is so much bigger than AEW or anything like that. He deserved that,” The Undertaker said via 411 Mania. “I’m happy that, as a company, they acknowledged it. It’s only right. That whole AEW-WWE, it’s kind of like politics. You’re red, you’re blue, you’re conservative, you’re liberal. Most people are wrestling fans and they accept the fact that this is a true iconic star within the wrestling industry.”

Do the fandoms of AEW and WWE get a bit too red versus blue, Steelers versus Ravens, Batman versus Joker for everyone's good? Yeah, while they are technically competing for the top spot in the sport, sponsorships, and talent on the free-agent market, it's clear most wrestlers have friends across enemy lines and see no issue literally showing up at events to provide support when possible, as Bayley showed at Mercedes Mone's debut in AEW. Still, while the promotions can't change the way their fans show their passion, they can try to normalize honoring legends regardless of who they wrestle for, as that truly is what's best for business.

Dustin Rhodes was honored to see Sting go out on top.

Speaking of Sting's farewell to professional wrestling, Dustin Rhodes, another long-time veteran who has traveled many of the same roads as “The Icon” over his professional wrestling journey, had some heartfelt things to say about his fellow wrestler's final match in AEW, telling the Sports Guys Talk Wrestling podcast that he couldn't have been prouder to see the WCW legend go out on top.

“To end it all in Greensboro, which I have fought in many times — and when I was a youngster, me and Brad Anderson would drive to Greensboro to watch the Starrcades and see the crowds. To end it in a town like Greensboro was very fitting and to see him go out there and perform at his age and still bring it like he has, jumping off of things through tables, off of balconies — it’s amazing,” Dustin Rhodes said via

“My knees right now are killing me, my shoulders, I’ve had so many surgeries. To see him do that, he never complains. He’s never foul mouthed about anything, he’s very respectful and very professional. I love him to death, and I’m just happy that he did have the perfect career-ending, and it’s so special watching it and knowing that this is it. It’s sad, I don’t want him to quit, I want him to continue on until he’s 100. But, our bodies are not gonna allow that. He gave a lot of love to a lot of people for many years.”

Though he still needs to wrestle for three more years to match “The Icon's” 38 years in the business, the older Rhodes brother announced that 2024 was going to be his final year in professional wrestling too, with the three-time Intercontinental Champion looking to further focus on his Rhodes Wrestling Academy as he ages out of in-ring performing. Still, as his match against Swerve Strickland at Worlds End and his TNT Championship loss to Christian Cage on Dynamite clearly proved, Rhodes can still be effective in limited action and has supplemented his athleticism with top-tier physical storytelling. If he wants a farewell match in AEW, it's clear Tony Khan can throw something together that gives “The Natural” his flowers on the way out too.