Chris Jericho from AEW looks back on the debut that defined his WWE career

Before he was making headlines at AEW All In, sending Big Bill through barbed wire and losing the FTW World Title to Hook, Chris Jericho was a 29-year-old WCW star ready for a new adventure. Back in 1999, Jericho took the leap from WCW to WWE, launching a nearly 20-year journey that would carve out his legacy as a future wrestling Hall of Famer.

The secret behind Chris Jericho's WWE reinvention. Where did his inspiration come from? Read more to know

Ever wondered where Chris Jericho drew his inspiration for the iconic WWE persona that took the wrestling world by storm? On a recent episode of "Talk is Jericho," marking the 25th anniversary of his WWE debut, Chris Jericho gave fans an inside look at his transition from WCW to WWE, revealing his excitement about reinventing his character along the way.


"I remember being in the post office in Clearwater; I was living in Clearwater, Florida at the time," Jericho said. "And it was right before...this is probably around June or so of 99, and there was a big countdown clock on the wall that said "countdown to the new millennium." And at the time it was, I don't know, five months, eighteen days, fifteen hours, thirty seven seconds...that sort of a thing. And I remember, the idea just struck me. 'That would be a really cool way for somebody to come into a wrestling company.' And I'm like 'Wait a second; that be a really cool way for me to go into the WWE. Like a countdown.'"

As Chris Jericho looks back on his shift from WCW to WWE, it’s clear that his reinvention was a game-changer for his career. His journey, sparked by unexpected inspirations, not only shaped his memorable WWE persona but also made a lasting impact on wrestling. Celebrating 25 years since his WWE debut, it's a great moment to appreciate how Jericho’s bold moves and creativity have continually kept fans on their toes. With Jericho, you can always expect something new and exciting.