Ranking 10 Most Successful Wrestling Defections

5. Chris Jericho To WWE

Radicalz Debut
WWE.com

The personification of WCW’s blind eye toward talent: Chris Jericho.

After years of competing in the cruiserweight division, Y2J had broken out from the pack, establishing himself as an arrogant, perpetually whiny villain. Through hilarious antics like reading a list of his 1,004 holds and hiring a fat slob bodyguard (Ralphus deserves a comeback), Jericho illustrated his knack for entertaining. Unfortunately, WCW didn’t peg him as main event caliber, and allowed him to try his luck in WWE.

You know how that went. Since 1999, Jericho has become WWE’s most reliable force: He has helped young guys like Fandango and Kevin Owens, reignited fan interest in established players like Big Show and acted as traffic controller during celebrity segments. Jericho’s dabbles in outside projects, whether in music, reality TV, film or podcasting, have also made him an ambassador for WWE.

 
Posted On: 
Contributor

Formerly the assistant editor of Wrestledelphia, John has joined the Muthaship at WhatCulture.