Chris Jericho says his jump from WWE to AEW in 2019 helped change how wrestlers are paid and gave new life to the pro wrestling business. He calls his move a turning point that pushed pay raises and built new stars.
Jericho compares his move to a hockey moment
Jericho, one of the first big names to sign with the new promotion in 2019 and AEW’s first world champion, compared his move to the famous hockey shift when Bobby Hull left the NHL for the rival World Hockey Association. He said Hull was paid a million dollars to jump leagues and that move pushed NHL salaries up.
Jericho recalled that his father played hockey and that Hull’s jump helped increase his father’s pay. He said something similar happened in wrestling after he left WWE. “The moment I left WWE, Vince was thinking, ‘It’s happening again — raise everybody’s pay,'” Jericho said. He added that for years there had been a salary ceiling in WWE and that his move helped lift that ceiling.
Money, talent and TV: the recipe for a new company
Jericho explained what a new wrestling company needs to start: plenty of money, new talent, and a strong TV deal. He said Tony Khan had those three things when AEW began. Jericho admitted that at first he had doubts that a new company would work, because he had heard many attempts before.
Once AEW started, Jericho said he had a short window to help build other stars while the spotlight was on him. “I knew I had about three months to build as many guys as I could while the spotlight was on me,” he said. At that time, Jericho and announcer Jim Ross were the most nationally known figures in the new promotion.
Passing the torch and building a roster
Jericho described how he worked closely with younger talent to raise their profiles. He named Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, Adam Page, Darby Allin, Scorpio Sky, and Jungle Boy as people he helped build. He also formed the Inner Circle with Sammy, Ortiz, Santana, and Jake, which he said helped share the load.
“Suddenly it’s not all on my back — it’s on six backs, then ten, then twelve. That’s how you build a company,” Jericho said. He believes that sharing the spotlight and pushing new stars was key to AEW’s early growth.
Competition helped improve the whole business
Jericho argued that competition between promotions makes the product better. He compared AEW vs. WWE to the older rivalry between WCW and WWE. He said that when there was real competition, wrestling improved. He criticized the return to a monopoly after WCW was bought out, and suggested AEW helped bring competitive energy back to the business.
Overall, Jericho credits his move to AEW with helping wrestlers earn more and helping build new stars. He says that change was good for the business and for performers across the industry.
