Tony Khan Doubts AEW Launches Without Chris Jericho

AEW is about to celebrate the five-year anniversary of Dynamite and now Tony Khan has explained just how vital Chris Jericho was in the company being formed.

In 2019, the wrestling industry was changed forever when All Elite Wrestling was formed. The company was led by Tony Khan but had Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega front and centre. Only Rhodes had been part of WWE beforehand so the on-screen experience was bolstered by announcer Jim Ross and former WWE Champion Chris Jericho who gave long-time fans a reason to tune into the upstart promotion.

Over the next five years, Chris Jericho would be a constant presence in AEW although he is not as universally loved as perhaps he once was. Currently, Jericho is AEW’s Learning Tree, imparting his wisdom on Big Bill and Bryan Keith but if it wasn’t for his involvement, AEW might never have happened according to Tony Khan.

Chris Jericho Vital To AEW’s Launch

Speaking to Q93 before the fifth-anniversary Dynamite show, Tony Khan paid tribute to Chris Jericho and claimed he doesn’t know if AEW would even exist without Jericho’s involvement:

So many great matches in AEW over the years. I don’t know if it would have been possible for us to launch AEW without Chris Jericho’s involvement. He’s been a fixture and a great part of AEW throughout the five years [of Dynamite].

What Does AEW Have Planned For Fifth Anniversary Dynamite?

The fifth-anniversary edition of AEW Dynamite will see Hangman Adam Page face The Bang Bang Gang’s Juice Robinson. Page was in action on the very first edition of Dynamite back in 2019 when he lost to PAC.

Dr. Britt Baker DMD will return to action for the first time since losing to Mercedes Mone at All In when she battles Serena Deeb for the first time ever. Ricochet will challenge Will Ospreay for the AEW International Championship as those two stars reignite their rivalry for the first time in years.

Bryan Danielson will put his AEW World Title on the line against Kazuchika Okada whose Continental Title will be on the line for the first twenty minutes of the match.

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