Just days before Tampa was scheduled to host WrestleMania, the Tampa Bay Times has run an extensive profile on longtime local resident and former WWE mainstay Chris Jericho. Now one of AEW’s biggest stars, Chris shares some of the details of the dealings that led him to leave WWE for good. That obviously included money, and the Khan family offered him “more money than [he] ever made in [his] career.”
Many wrestlers leaving WWE for other pastures cite creative freedom as a reason for their departure. Jericho is a bit different, as he said that Vince trusted him. “It takes a long time to get his real trust. Moneymaking trust. … He’s never told me this, but indirectly, I think he regrets losing me, because I was one of his generals. I’m not always right, but f–k if I’m not close 80 percent of the time.”
Finally, Chris shared how it felt to leave WWE for good after his long-term relationship with the company.
If I continue to work for the Khan family for the rest of my life, I’ll never go into the WWE Hall of Fame. Does that bother me? No. I mean, the Sex Pistols didn’t show up for theirs. I always kind of liked that. I’m a hall of famer in the minds of the people who want me to be in the hall of fame. I’m a hall of famer in my mind. That’s all that matters.
The full profile also features words from Jim Ross on Jericho’s role in AEW backstage and his initial thoughts on the diverse roster under the AEW banner.
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