AEW’s Original Idea For The Inner Circle

The Inner Circle are set to take on the Pinnacle next week in the Blood & Guts match. You can click here for a little spoiler about what to expect after that match. AEW has seen plenty of interesting angles, but the Inner Circle was almost very different.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Chris Jericho revealed Tony Khan’s original idea for the Inner Circle. He wanted to call them “Chris Jericho & The Acclaimed.” Khan liked The Acclaimed name which he later used, but Jericho was able to come up with a better idea for the name.

“It’s funny because I think the original idea was he wanted it to be ‘Chris Jericho &’ like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers sorta thing. I think his original idea was Chris Jericho & The Acclaimed, a name that he really liked which he saved and gave to the current Acclaimed. I had thought of the idea of calling us The First like a five-point hand, the first.”

Jericho then revealed that he mentioned “Inner Circle” in a Being The Elite skit that the Young Bucks asked him to do, and Matt Jackson loved the name. Then they convinced Tony Khan that The Inner Circle should be the faction’s name.

Tony Khan initially wanted Anthony Ogogo to be the Inner Circle’s “heater,” but Jericho suggested Jake Hager and the rest is history. The Inner Circle almost had a much different name and lineup if Le Champion didn’t make his own suggestions.

Transcription by Ringside News