10 Wrestling Debuts That Changed Everything

6. Jon Moxley

There was a time when leaving WWE seemed like career suicide. The company had monopolised pro wrestling in North America to the point that willingly tearing up a deal meant Japan (which wasn't always as trendy as it is now) or toiling on the indy scene. Most couldn't be arsed with that kind of hard graft, so they stayed put.

Not Jon Moxley. He wanted out, and that was true even before AEW's creation.

The advent of All Elite was a game changer for Mox though, and it was a mutually beneficial relationship when he bounced out on the group's first pay-per-view and shocked the world. By debuting at Double Or Nothing, Moxley instantly transferred his renegade street cred over onto AEW. They were the alternative, and they were willing to make noise.

His leap of faith put AEW on the map as a viable escape plan for disgruntled WWE stars who previously had nowhere else to ply their trade. It was also probably the catalyst for Vinnie Mac's recent talent hoarding strategy and reluctance to let unhappy workers out of their contracts.