AEW Announces Chris Jericho for Fight for the Fallen Event

With Fyter Fest scheduled for Saturday night in Daytona Beach, AEW is already starting the build [...]

By Connor Casey

With Fyter Fest scheduled for Saturday night in Daytona Beach, AEW is already starting the build for their free July event, Fight for the Fallen.

The event is scheduled for July 13 at Daily's Place Amphitheater in Jacksonville, Florida and will air for free on the B/R Live network just like Fyter Fest. Thus far three matches have been announced — Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes vs. The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega vs. Cima and Brandi Rhodes vs. Allie. On Wednesday AEW added in a new wrinkle for the show, announcing that Chris Jericho would appear at the event.

The former WWE Undisputed Champion won the main event of Double or Nothing against Omega back in May, and will compete against Adam "Hangman" Page to become the first-ever AEW World Champion at the All Out pay-per-view on Aug. 31.

Even though he wasn't booked for Saturday's show, Jericho stated on Twitter that he would be "protesting" the event because the company opted to air the show for free.

"In protest of [Kenny Omega], [Cody Rhodes], [Nick Jackon] & [Matt Jackson]'s foolish decision to give the Fyter Fest live stream away to [AEW] fans for free, I am pulling out of the event," Jericho wrote. "I refuse to be associated w[ith] such shameless pandering."

Jericho was one of the first major stars to sign with AEW back when the company first launched in January. He's since trumpeted the company on both social media and on his podcast, while also admitting that he is essentially banned from returning to WWE for the foreseeable future.

Back in May Jericho gave an interview with TV Insider where he stated WWE and AEW are already at "war" against each other.

"You're hearing about prelim guys getting $400,000, $500,000 a year deals," he said. "Everyone deserves the money they make, but they never would have gotten that before and wouldn't get it somewhere else. They can be ones who will never draw a dime. It doesn't matter. Vince doesn't want anyone coming to AEW. Doesn't want there to be a mass exodus whether you are an opening match jobber or a main event Roman Reigns. He doesn't want anybody to go."

"This is a war," he continued. "Even if you don't want it to be, it just is. There hasn't been any competition for WWE on a national basis for 20 years or more. I think this is something they didn't really want, but it's great for the fans and great for the guys. I think in the long run it's going to make a difference because it gives people a choice. And it's always good to have a choice."

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