WWE News: Chris Jericho Says He’s Been ‘Banned’ From WWE Since Joining AEW
Earlier this year, All Elite Wrestling pulled off a major coup by signing one of the most recognizable and decorated WWE superstars of the last two decades in Chris Jericho. While there have been no obvious indications that his departure from WWE was an acrimonious one, Jericho’s recent comments suggest that his decision to sign with a rival promotion has gotten him “banned” from the company that helped make him a big star in the world of professional wrestling.
Last week, Jericho appeared on the Jim North and Sam Roberts radio show, where the show’s eponymous hosts asked him about his relationship with WWE at the moment. As quoted by WrestlingNews.co, the 48-year-old former WWE superstar explained that things haven’t gone too well between him and his former employer, despite the fact he recently had a few conversations with WWE owner and chairman Vince McMahon.
“I’ve talked with [McMahon] a couple of times but I’m kind of public enemy number 1 there now,” Jericho said. “I’ve been kind of removed from the annals of history.”
In addition to the above comments, Chris Jericho explained that he has effectively been “banned” from WWE, as he had recently been turned down after inquiring about the possibility of having a few current WWE superstars promote WrestleMania 35 on his Talk Is Jericho podcast. As Jericho recalled, he was told that doing so would not be “appropriate” because he now works for a rival company.
Furthermore, Jericho confirmed that WWE has since removed him from some of its online content due to his current affiliation with AEW.
“I know that they had to take some videos down from UpUpDownDown of me playing. They edited some stuff from the Edge and Christian Show that had my name on it.”
Chris Jericho says he has been banned from WWE:https://t.co/46P4IWhXDl
— WrestleTalk News (@WrestleTalk_TV) March 30, 2019
Jericho’s quip about being “banned” came close to three months after he signed a three-year contract with AEW and surprised fans who expected him to return to WWE after he wrapped up his run with New Japan Pro Wrestling. As reported previously by The Inquisitr, WWE immediately reacted by removing Jericho’s image from its television and pay-per-view introduction videos and moving him to the Alumni section of the company’s website. But even with those moves and his recent remarks in mind, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of returning to WWE once his AEW deal is up.
As quoted by The Express in January, Jericho told entertainment reporter Chris Van Vliet that he “might go [to WWE] or be associated with them or whatever” once he becomes a free agent once again. He did, however, stress that his focus for the meantime is on AEW, given his three-year commitment to the newly-formed independent promotion.
