All Elite Wrestling pays tribute to Ted Turner after his death at 87

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) started a typical double section of "Dynamite" and "Collision" connected Wednesday pinch a 10-bell salute to Ted Turner.

Turner, who helped motorboat TNT and TBS and purchased World Championship Wrestling (WCW) to thief alteration nan pro wrestling world, died connected Tuesday. He was 87.

AEW co-founder Tony Khan announced nan tribute to Turner earlier nan show.

CNN FOUNDER AND CABLE NEWS PIONEER TED TURNER DEAD AT 87

Sting and Ted Turner shingle hands successful Atlanta, Georgia, successful December 1993. (WWE/WWE/Getty Images)

"It’s a very sad time successful nan world of television, and surely successful nan world of master wrestling," Khan said successful a livestream posted to his X account. "The man who gave america this platform, nan man who created TBS and TNT and truthful galore awesome tv channels and truthful galore awesome concepts successful nan section of television, nan precocious awesome Mr. Ted Turner has passed."

AEW commentator Tony Schiavone had immoderate heartfelt words to opportunity astir Turner astatine nan commencement of nan show.

"Ted Turner believed successful pro wrestling," Schiavone said. "He believed successful you, nan fans, and he believed that pro wrestling belonged connected nationalist television. And because of his passion, because of his vision, it recovered a location connected TBS and past later successful nan 90s, connected TNT. And therefore, generations of fans astir nan world, knew that we were destination viewing.

"And I knew that firsthand. I began successful nan workplace successful TBS successful 1985. Decades later, because of nan instauration that was laid by Ted Turner, we still past coming done nan activity of Tony Khan successful AEW, done nan activity of Warner Discovery, wrestling still survives."

Founder of CNN Ted Turner attends nan "Cold War: The Complete Series" screening astatine The Paley Center for Media successful New York City connected April 29, 2012. (Matthew Eisman/WireImage)

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Schiavone said that 1 man became nan look of "what wrestling intends to TBS." He revealed that man to beryllium pro wrestling icon, Sting.

A silver-haired Sting made his measurement down nan entranceway ramp to "holy s---" chants. Sting, who became a fable successful WCW earlier later signing pinch AEW for nan last tally of his career, remembered Turner arsenic well.

"Can you ideate having an all-in billionaire who perfectly loved pro wrestling?" Sting asked nan crowd. "I can’t judge what he (Turner) did for us. He was wholly committed to us, devoted to america successful each conceivable way. So overmuch truthful that erstwhile immoderate of nan apical brass up location successful CNN Towers would person their meetings pinch Ted, they’d say, ‘Ted, we don’t cognize astir this full pro wrestling thing. I deliberation it’s clip to trim ‘em disconnected because we’re ever successful nan red.’ Ted would show america that communicative and opportunity I’d look astatine each of them and say, ‘You wrestlers conscionable support connected doing what you’re doing because I sewage immoderate heavy pockets.’

"There wouldn’t beryllium a TNT title, location wouldn’t beryllium a Sting. There wouldn’t beryllium a Darby Allin, location wouldn’t beryllium a Tony Schiavone present tonight. You wouldn’t beryllium present tonight. So, convey you, erstwhile again, Ted."

Schiavone worked for WCW until nan end. He had a front-row spot to nan "Monday Night Wars" betwixt WCW and WWE. He returned to nan airwaves for AEW erstwhile nan institution started successful 2019.

Sting was successful nan midst of nan "Monday Night Wars" arsenic well, battling nan New World Order faction and helping put WCW supra WWE for 83 consecutive weeks successful nan 1990s.

Wrestler Sting appears astatine nan Cow Palace for World Championship Wrestling, a awesome wrestling statement competing pinch nan WWF. (Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle)

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AEW was nan first pro wrestling programme to return to TNT and TBS aft WCW was purchased by WWE. AEW holds 2 shows a week connected nan position – "Dynamite" and "Collision."