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All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is the biggest thing to have come out of 2019 in the professional wrestling industry. After almost two decades of WWE monopolizing professional wrestling as its biggest promotion, AEW appeared to be the answer that the wrestling fans had been looking for.
Tony Khan, Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, and 'Hangman' Page announced the formation of the company in January of 2019. Soon, they were joined by two major names of the industry as well, Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega. However, before they signed with AEW, Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega had already been battling.
The two of them were familiar with each other from their days in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega had an epic battle at the Wrestle Kingdom 12 event, where they stole the show.
According to a report, this was the match that inspired Tony Khan to form AEW. Tony Khan told Chris Jericho that the match was an inspiration for the formation of AEW.
Chris Jericho vs Kenny Omega at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 12 inspired AEW
Until 2018, Chris Jericho had not wrestled in any company other than Vince McMahon's WWE for years. However, in late 2017, that suddenly changed, with Chris Jericho issuing a challenge to Kenny Omega in a pre-taped vignette. This shook up the entire wrestling world, as it had been rare for any top WWE Superstar of Chris Jericho's level to not only leave the company but also work for a competitor.
Kenny Omega accepted and he met Chris Jericho at the Wrestle Kingdom 12 event. The two had an immense match, where Kenny Omega was able to defeat Chris Jericho.
As revealed in the report, the idea for the match had come to Don Callis.
“I’m sitting in a hotel lobby in Japan, thinking to myself, ‘How can I help Kenny?’ I start thinking … Jericho!“
Callis was also friends with Chris Jericho, similar to how he was friends with Kenny Omega. He pitched the match and it ended up working out.
“What about headlining the Tokyo Dome with Kenny Omega? Two guys from Winnipeg with me calling it and Chris said, ‘I love it!'”
The two had a match that ended up inspiring the company that both Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho are working in now - AEW.
