Christian Cage says AEW star being added to big match was a factor in his WWE exit - "That bothered me"

Christian Cage is among the most popular wrestlers on the AEW roster today. Before joining the Tony Khan-led company, he enjoyed much success in WWE. The Patriarch recently discussed what led to his departure from the global juggernaut in 2005.

At Vengeance 2005, Christian Cage was set to challenge John Cena for the WWE Championship in a one-on-one match. However, the creative team ultimately added Chris Jericho to the contest, making it a Triple Threat showdown. In October of the same year, Cage was offered a new deal by the company, but he declined it.

In a recent interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Cage recalled how fans in the UK cheered for him, although he played a heel character on WWE TV.

"It was the stuff that I did with Cena. Right after that, I did a little TV program with Batista and we went over to the UK. He was the biggest babyface star in the company. I was supposed to be a heel, and they booed him out of the building, and they cheered me, not here in the United States. You didn't hear any 'Christian, Batista su**s," chants, let's put it that way."

The Patriarch added that the promotion's decision to add current AEW star Chris Jericho to his title match with Cena bothered him. He felt the management didn't view him as a "big enough" performer to lock horns with The Cenation Leader in a one-on-one championship bout.

"So, after we came back, he said, 'What are they doing with you, man, they have to have something.' I said, 'I don't know.' And with that, the Triple Threat happened with me Cena, and Jericho. When they inserted Chris into that, maybe because they didn't see me as a big enough star to be able to carry that, so they added Chris in. That bothered me," Cage added.

The Triple Threat match featuring John Cena, Jericho, and Cage at Vengeance 2005 is widely viewed as one of the finest bouts of the year. Cena pinned Captain Charisma to retain the WWE Title on the show.

After leaving the global juggernaut in October 2005, Christian Cage debuted in TNA Wrestling the following month.

---

Tony Khan regards Christian Cage as MVP of AEW TV

Christian Cage debuted in AEW in 2021 and has since won the TNT Championship twice. He has also formed one of the most despised stables in the company called The Patriarchy.

At the post-Double or Nothing media scrum last month, AEW President Tony Khan discussed Cage's role in the company.

"Christian Cage, who has been, in my opinion, an MVP of AEW television over the past year. What Christian Cage has done for the company is unbelievable. I absolutely believed that was what we were gonna get when we signed him, and I think it’s been proven right. I think Christian Cage is one of the best signings we’ve ever made in AEW. All the hype around his signing was very justified because he’s one of the greatest wrestlers in the world, and he’s done the best work of his career in AEW,” Khan said.

Cage lost the TNT Championship to Adam Copeland in an I Quit Match on the March 20, 2024, edition of Dynamite. He later suffered another significant defeat at the hands of current AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland at Double or Nothing. Will The Patriarch eventually dethrone Strickland? Only time will tell.