WWE News: Chris Jericho Claims WWE Started The War With AEW And Got ‘Embarrassed’

There have been different reactions to the official statement released by WWE regarding the premiere of AEW: Dynamite. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, WWE congratulated the upstart promotion on a “successful” debut, while noting that Wednesday nights will be a “marathon” and not a “one-night sprint.”

The reigning AEW World Champion Chris Jericho was not a fan of WWE’s statement, claiming that the company only released it since they’re “embarrassed” after losing the ratings war between AEW: Dynamite and NXT.

“They kinda started this, and the very first night they got destroyed. Big deal, it’s our first debut, great. But they have to come back and say, ‘It’s a marathon and not a one-night sprint.’ Who’s ever said it’s a one-night sprint? It’s not a war for us. Now, we’re placed in one, and we’re gonna kick ass because we’re gonna do what we do very, very well. There’s a little bit of an arrogant toward us that’s now gone,” said Jericho regarding the ongoing war between the two companies, per 411Mania.

Jericho’s words are likely to ignite the rivalry to a new level, as he went on to add that he doesn’t view NXT as competition, referring to the brand as “minor leagues.” Now that NXT has moved to USA Network, WWE is planning to add more star power to the roster with Finn Balor being the first notable name to join the show. The company appears ready to shed the image of NXT being a farm system to the WWE, especially now that it is going head-to-head with AEW: Dynamite.

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While Jericho didn’t leave the WWE on bad terms, there was slight tension brewing behind the scenes. He wasn’t thrilled with his creative direction toward the end of his final stint, which may have convinced Jericho to ink a deal with AEW. For so long, it seemed like Jericho would never compete outside of the WWE again after rejecting several deals over the years.

But it’s been an incredibly successful year for the 48-year-old who remains at the top of his game. Although he was incredibly over during his last WWE stint, Jericho was not pushed to the main event scene. He is now one of the faces of AEW, where he will most likely play a big role for the remainder of his deal. With Jericho’s verbal jabs toward the WWE, it’s clear that AEW won’t back down from a potential war.