10 Most Shocking WWE Roster Cuts EVER
3. Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho established a very effective pattern during his final WWE years.
He'd wrestle for a bit, take some time off to do something else, then come back with an entirely new gimmick. It just made sense.
That all changed when Y2J made a surprise appearance for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Initially with their blessing, Jericho began exploring options outside of the McMahon empire. When the business relationship between the two parties eventually broke down, the chains completely came off. If you'd have asked a WWE fan in 2016 to predict the next ten years of Jericho's career, they would have probably said that he would slowly wind down his in-ring days before landing a backstage or commentary role and a Hall of Fame ring.
Instead, he became one of the most talked-about wrestlers in the world and one of the catalysts for the launch of AEW, the biggest new wrestling promotion in over two decades. Jericho was the first major WWE name to jump ship to AEW and, in doing so, laid the groundwork for everything that was to come.