AEW Delivers a Stunner in Rally, Signing Chris Jericho, PAC

All Elite Wrestling provided fans with a taste of what’s to come during a rally Tuesday outside of TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.

On New Year’s Day, AEW announced Cody and Brandi Rhodes, The Young Bucks and Adam Page had formally signed contracts. Beyond that, little else was known about the upstart promotion.

Few wrestlers have successfully reinvented themselves in the way Chris Jericho has over the years. Few foresaw him making the jump to New-Japan Pro Wrestling and delivering a handful of classic matches, and Y2J sprang the unexpected Tuesday when he revealed he had aligned with AEW.

And one of the biggest questions answered: Chris Jericho, less than a quarter mile from where https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#WWE is set up for the night, is here for a rival promotion. https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEW?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#AEW https://twitter.com/hashtag/DoubleOrNothing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#DoubleOrNothing https://t.co/0rW3Egtmdo”>pic.twitter.com/0rW3Egtmdo
— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) https://twitter.com/JonAlba/status/1082771508022439936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 8, 2019

AEW has already assembled a strong core of independent wrestlers, but it also needs established stars to help bring in more casual wrestling fans. That’s exactly what Jericho should help AEW achieve. Even at 48, Jericho can serve as one of the faces of the promotion.

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Jericho (https://twitter.com/IAmJericho?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@IamJericho) is Officially signed to https://twitter.com/AEWrestling?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@AEWrestling https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEW?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#AEW https://twitter.com/hashtag/AEWRally?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#AEWRally https://t.co/In6Nc96am5″>pic.twitter.com/In6Nc96am5
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEWrestling) https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1082793353845133312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 9, 2019

The success of the All In pay-per-view helped pave the way for AEW. Rhodes and The Young Bucks confirmed the company’s first event will be Double or Nothing on May 25 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Breaking News: https://twitter.com/hashtag/DoubleOrNothing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#DoubleOrNothing takes place May 25th LIVE at the https://twitter.com/MGMGrand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@MGMGrand in LAS VEGAS https://t.co/kCcRqFHIW5″>pic.twitter.com/kCcRqFHIW5
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEWrestling) https://twitter.com/AEWrestling/status/1082765367594967040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 8, 2019

Jericho told the crowd he intends to be in Sin City for the show.

Double or Nothing may already have its main event as well. Page took the stage to say he’ll be the first AEW champion, but a debuting Pac spoiled the moment. The former WWE cruiserweight champion all but issued a challenge for Page.
Pac, formerly known as Neville, was out of action for a little over a year following a protracted contract dispute with WWE. WWE confirmed in August that Pac was no longer signed and thus free to wrestle elsewhere. He returned to the ring in October at a Dragon Gate show in Japan.

Since his Neville moniker was trademarked by WWE, he returned to Pac, the name he used on the independent circuits before making the jump to the United States.

AEW filled out the roster further by debuting Joey Janela and Britt Baker, the latter of whom is the first signed to the women’s division.

Considering All Elite Wrestling is only in its infancy, fans shouldn’t have expected earth-shattering news during Tuesday’s rally. AEW laid the groundwork for the months to come, and plenty more surprises are likely in store.