Chris Jericho is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, with him managing to find success any and everywhere he goes, reinventing himself to ensure a career full of continued glory and longevity at the very top. He made his name mostly in WWE, although his run in the company included many hiatuses here and there, specifically when it came to later in his career. There were a few different reasons for his several departures, all of which will be explored chronologically throughout his several stints in WWE. Regardless of how many times he left, Jericho also managed to find his way back to the top, and always remained in WWE's good graces.
Jericho first made his debut with WWE back in 1999, in an infamous arrival as he confronted The Rock to a huge ovation. It would take him a little while to settle, but he would eventually become a trusted name in every division, making his way up to the main event scene and even winning the Undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Championship - notoriously defeating The Rock and Steve Austin in the same night. He would go on to win several titles, and battle the likes of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Eddie Guerrero, and many more, before finally coming up against John Cena in 2005, in a match in which his WWE contract was on the line.
RELATED: Chris Jericho's 8 Highest Rated WWE Matches, According To Dave Meltzer
In reality, Jericho's contract was expiring, and he chose not to re-sign with the promotion. After being on the road for several years, going in the same circles over and over, it seemed as though Jericho was burned out. He had fallen out of love with wrestling at the time, and in an interview with Chris Van Vliet, revealed that he expected WWE to downgrade his pay if there were any contract negotiations. He decided to focus on other avenues such as music, with a want to tour with his band, Fozzy.
Jericho would be absent for two years, before eventually returning to WWE in 2007, this time with a new look. Carrying a renewed passion for the business and a selection of different character traits, Jericho enjoyed a good time within this stint, winning the Tag Team, World Heavyweight, and Intercontinental Titles, in addition to great feuds with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, and Randy Orton.
RELATED: 5 Chris Jericho Matches Dave Meltzer Overrated (& 5 He Underrated)
In 2010, Jericho's position on the card was beginning to drop, and upon the expiration of his contract, he once again decided to leave to focus on his music career. He was written off TV with a punt to the head by Randy Orton. After two more years, Jericho once again found himself back in WWE, returning in January 2012, targeting CM Punk and the WWE Championship. Following this feud, it was clear that he was being used mostly to put others over, and with Fozzy making strides, he once again parted ways, only sticking around until the summer of 2012 before leaving.
His touring schedule with Fozzy would lead him to becoming more of a part-time performer. He made a return in 2013 for a few months of action, before leaving once again to tour. The same would happen after several cameo appearances and house show matches, with him not competing full-time due to his music career. That was until 2016 when he once again became a full-time performer in WWE.
In 2016, Jericho would reinvent himself once again, becoming one of the most over names in the company following feuds with AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose, and then a phenomenal partnership with Kevin Owens. Initially, it was supposed to be a short-term run, but Jericho was having so much fun that he decided to stick around for over a year, until he and Owens would feud with one another. Unfortunately, WWE botched this feud, instead focusing more on part-timers like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar. Therefore, due to creative frustrations, Jericho decided to leave for good (aside from a few cameo roles).
RELATED: Why Jeff Hardy Left WWE For TNA In 2010, Explained
Jericho would wind up in NJPW before finding a new home in AEW, decisively ending his back-and-forth stints with WWE. With Jericho being so committed to the WWE, with many returns despite the love he had for his music career, this was a huge surprise. What is more surprising is that he has been a regular on the show since day one in AEW up until the present day. Jericho may very well end up back in WWE one day, but with his age not slowing down, it is unlikely that there will be many more WWE exits to talk about in the future.