Former WCW and WWE star Chris Jericho surprised everyone by signing with a new promotion instead of returning to WWE. They have officially moved him from the roster to the Alumni section.
Enter All Elite Wrestling (AEW) who is looking to make a name for themselves and hopefully rise to the occasion to become the Pepsi to WWE’s Coke. Translation: They want to be a close second. Signing Chris Jericho and already having Cody Rhodes on the roster could help them do just that.
Until now, TNA Impact! has called that sweet second spot home but after some very questionable decisions by Dixie Carter and her executive team it has fallen so far that it wouldn’t be that difficult to overtake it. AEW could do it because “pro wrestling” fans are helping other promotions sell out Madison Square Garden as the decline of homogenized “sports entertainment” TV continues. People want to see athletes do athletic things and not talk for 3/4 of the programming. So yeah. Wrestling.
The question will be whether or not Jericho can come in and draw eyes to the product. He has helped New Japan and other promotions so it seems the answer to that question will most likely be yes.
Jericho appeared at an AEW public event and surprised everyone. Check it out.