10 WWE Breakups You Forgot Were HEARTBREAKING

9. Kevin Owens Attacks Chris Jericho

Faarooq Bradshaw APA 2002 Split
WWE

Watch episodes of AEW Dynamite today and you might find yourself longing for a Tony Khan product without one Chris Jericho. The legend can hide behind his current heel guise all he likes, but that doesn't tell the full story. Some wrestling fans are plain sick of him, and it'd be for the best if absence was allowed to let hearts grow fonder. If that's even possible. No, it would be - people just need a break.

"Break" was appropriate back on the 13 February 2016 Raw. Heartbreak, that is. Mere hours before Valentine's Day hit and love was in the air, WWE booked a masterclass in sympathetic babyface work and heel viciousness all at once. Kevin Owens shoved Chris's "Festival Of Friendship" right back in his face by gifting him a new 'List Of Jericho'. The first name? Jericho's.

Cue a heel beatdown that put maximum heat on KO and ended a popular (not to mention lovably comedic) alliance. Jericho being one of AEW’s least-wanted stars in 2024 makes it easy to forget just how endearing he was with his, “You just made the list” cries in 2016-2017. Fans were legit gutted when Owens turned on him. They weren't ready to say goodbye to such obvious chemistry quite yet.

WWE ripped the wound open with one segment anyway, and Jericho vs. Kev was the feud on everyone's lips. OK, so they didn't get the Universal Title rivalry both deserved, but the ex-partners can still look back on one hell of a split. It had everyone begging to see Jericho get some revenge. KO's heel behaviour has been justifiable on occasion, but this wasn't one of those occasions!

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.