WWE Pays Tribute to Ted Turner To Open WWE Smackdown

WWE paid tribute to the memory of the late Ted Turner in the opening moments of this week’s episode of WWE Smackdown. As previously reported, the media mogul and former WCW owner passed away earlier this week at the age of 87.

Friday night’s WWE Smackdown opened with a graphic dedicated to Turner’s memory, as you can see below via Twitter.

WWE’s tribute to the late CNN founder followed AEW opening Dynamite with a segment in which Sting and Tony Schiavone shared their memories of Turner. A number of people in the wrestling industry have also paid tribute to Turner throughout the week including Ric Flair, Eric Bischoff, William Regal, and many more.

All wrestling showing deserved respect for Ted Turner#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/dsD0w3HHcm

— BrokenTavo (@BrokenWWESC) May 9, 2026