10 Surprising Wrestling Inspirations
5. Jon Moxley (Cody Rhodes & Chris Jericho)
It may seem blindingly obvious that the former Dean Ambrose looked towards Cody Rhodes and Chris Jericho as evident success stories for how to thrive just fine outside of WWE's tall prison walls, but it wasn't just the formation of AEW that inspired him to take the leap.
As he put it in an interview with New Japan Pro Wrestling following his surprising decision to bring the Jon Moxley gimmick to them first, it was Rhodes' and Jericho's trips there that really spiked his interest. He said;
"I tried to follow [the careers of Chris Jericho and Cody Rhodes]. When you travel in WWE, you're kind of in a bubble and it's difficult to follow along, but I did watch what I could. Then, when I knew I was leaving - Japan in general was definitely on my bucket list. I wanted to have a good run in Japan, and of course NJPW was the goal. So when I got the call from them, I was just like, 'let's go, put me on the airplane'."
The move - like virtually every one he's made since 2019 - was absolutely inspired. Moxley's G1 Climax 2019 run became iconic as it was in process, and New Japan's 'Death Rider' persona remains as if not more beloved than the weekly legend he's become on Dynamite.