"I'd be assassinated in 24 hours" - Chris Jericho recalls horrifying incident during WWE tour
Former WWE Superstar Chris Jericho has been an integral part of the roster of All Elite Wrestling ever since the inception of the wrestling promotion. He recently appeared on Busted Open Radio to promote this Sunday's AEW Double or Nothing.
During the appearance, Jericho revealed a horrifying incident during a WWE tour in Abu Dhabi in 2012. Y2J recalled that he got into a fight with a guy at a club. The guy then threatened Chris Jericho by claiming that he had put a $7 million bounty on his head and he'd be assassinated in 24 hours.
"While we were in Abu Dhabi, I think in 2012. Abu Dhabi’s not like Saudi Arabia. There’s a big party scene there and it’s not like a ‘no women allowed’ type of vibe. It’s very much a cool country to go hang out in. We were at a club and some guy was being a loud mouth and I suffer fools likely. So I walk by him and I body checked him into the wall. So I knock the guy down, and he got up and was furious."
"So later on when we left the club, me and Jake are there, (Mike) Chioda, a couple other cats, Primo and Epico. When we went downstairs he was waiting there with a group of friends. And he said that his dad owned 27% of the country and that he had put a bounty on my head. $7 million bounty, and I’d be dead in 24 hours. I’d be assassinated in 24 hours. So then I went into Larry David mode where I was like ‘$7 million is that good? Is that a high amount? Is that an average amount? Like if I was Brad Pitt, would it be $70 million? If I was the guy down the street would it be $100? What’s it going to be?'" said Chris Jericho.
"Jake had my back" - Chris Jericho on Jake Hager standing by him
Chris Jericho then revealed that Jake Hager (formerly known as Jack Swagger in WWE) stood by him as he confronted the assassin. He mentioned how the next 24 hours were crazy but ultimately it all turned out to be a lie and nothing happened to him.
"Jake was behind me as I went face to face with the assassin who threatened my life, and threatened to give $7 million to anybody who could do that. We stood up to the guys, and it was a pretty crazy 24 hours. I was a little bit nervous. Then I decided to stay in that night cause I wanted the 24 hours to go by. But of course I ended up at the club again anyways. And when I went to the club, the bouncer said ‘I see you’re still alive.’ I said ‘yeah. Should I be worried?’ He said ‘that son of a b---h says that all the time. His dad doesn’t own 27% of the country, he owns a gas station down the street!’ So I was not assassinated but at the time we thought I might, and Jake had my back," added Chris Jericho. (h/t WrestlingInc)
This Sunday at AEW Double or Nothing, Chris Jericho is all set to compete in a Stadium Stampede match alongside The Inner Circle against The Pinnacle - MJF, Wardlow, Shawn Spears, Cash Wheeler, and Dax Harwood.