Sting & 9 Other Wrestlers Who Have Worked For 4 Or More Promotions
As wrestlers work very hard to hone their craft, they will often traverse several different territories all over the world and try to get noticed by the bigger promotions. But even once they get over, nothing is ever permanent in wrestling and especially the biggest stars tend to go back and forth and back again between the biggest promotions.
Related: 10 Rivalries You Totally Forgot Were Won By The Heel
Whether a megastar headed to a promotion to reignite their own career or create a buzz for the promotion itself, some legends have been a part of at least four major promotions. Like one of these legends, Chris Jericho has said, once you’re over, you’re over. Heading to another promotion to lend it some star power has been a time-honored tradition.
10 Sting
"The Icon" Sting recently made his surprising debut during AEW Dynamite. The legend hasn’t stepped back in the ring since a neck injury ended his career and he more than likely won’t wrestle a match for the promotion unless it’s incredibly huge.
It also makes the fourth major promotion the Stinger has come to. He began his career for Crockett and the NWA before it became WCW, where he established himself. After the sale to WWE, Sting would head to TNA instead where he would stay until leaving TNA for WWE in 2014.
9 Chris Jericho
Several years ago, when it was announced that Chris Jericho had signed a deal with New Japan, it sent a small shockwave throughout the industry. That ripple, along with the Bucks, Cody, and Kenny Omega eventually leaving New Japan laid the groundwork for AEW.
Related: 5 Ways Chris Jericho Is Having The Best Post-WWE Run (& 5 Ways Cody Is)
As many Cruiserweights did when they were first starting out, Jericho left the Japanese WAR promotion for a shot in ECW. But he’d really make a name for himself in WCW before heading to WWE.
8 Mick Foley
Low key, Mick Foley might just be the most beloved Superstar ever. It’s very hard to think of fans who just don’t like the guy. He spent his pre-WWE days bleeding buckets and losing body parts on nearly every known continent for promotions like World Class and WCW.
His anti-hardcore promos in ECW such as "Cane Dewey and "I'm Hardcore" have become the stuff of legend. Despite being “retired,” Foley found his way to TNA as many legends had done. Despite becoming TNA champion, even the Micker regrets his run in the company.
7 Eric Bischoff
Easy E’s run as head of WCW will be remembered forever as the company became profitable for the first time ever in its history and for a time was favored over WWE. Eric Bischoff didn’t just show up for work one day like Jim Herd, he actually got his start in the AWA, working and learning from Verne Gagne as so many Superstars from the Midwest had.
After a failed WWE tryout, he headed to WCW where he’d work his way but from an admitted C-Squad announcer to the most powerful man in the company. He would then shockingly show up on Raw and spend several years there before heading to TNA with Hulk to help oversee his storylines as well as help to form Immortal and craft the Aces And Eights storyline.
6 Hulk Hogan
Despite Hulkamania flourishing in WWE and becoming the mainstream hit that changed the industry, Hogan was one of the many who worked in the AWA for Verne Gagne before being pilfered by Vince. He’s also actually the first IWGP Champion.
He had actually worked for Vince Sr. but wasn’t invited back when he decided to do Rocky III. In mid-1994, a seismic shift happened when Hogan signed with WCW, where he would turn heel and reignite the industry again. He would also head to TNA in more of a general manager role.
5 Scott Hall
Not only did Scott Hall work in several different promotions, he drastically altered his appearance in between several of his runs. After leaving NWA Florida, he headed up to Minnesota and the AWA. Once there, Verne Gagne had him try and impersonate his former star, Hulk Hogan as Big Scott Hall.
He would win the AWA tag titles with Curt Hennig before headed to WCW. At the behest of DDP, Hall shaved the giant mustache, dyed his hair black and became The Diamond Studd. But he would adopt Tony Montana’s attitude to create Razor Ramon and find his first huge successful run. After the nWo ran amok in both WCW and WWE, Hall headed to TNA with Nash and Waltman to form The Band.
4 Sean Waltman
After Rey Mysterio, Sean Waltman might be the most decorated light heavyweight wrestler in history. Trained by Boris Malenko, he debuted as The Lightning Kid for Global Wrestling Federation, a small promotion that had national exposure thanks to being on ESPN.
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After gains even more exposure by being part of the New Japan Super Juniors tournament, he’d make his way to WWE and become the 1-2-3 Kid. He is the only superstar to be a part of the nWo and DX during each faction’s heights. He also made several appearances for TNA during their early shows and captured the X-Division title and in later years got The Band back together.
3 Sensational Sherri
Perhaps one day, the wrestling world will understand just how much of a trailblazer, Sherri Martel was. The former AWA and WWE Women’s Heavyweight Champion could do it all in the ring and she did. Despite being an amazing in-ring performer, Sherri’s most memorable stint was going full tilt boogie as the Sensational Queen and trying to out-crazy The Macho King during their promos.
She would move on to ECW being a valet for the Franchise and wrestling on at least one occasion. When Sherri made it to WCW, she continued the crazy antics managing Ric Flair before moving on to working with the Harlem Heat as Sister Sherri.
2 Ric Flair
With a career spanning nearly fifty years, you’re bound to show up in several different promotions. Despite being associated with Charlotte, NC, The Nature Boy once called Minnesota home. That meant the AWA and Verne Gagne, where he trained and spent the first few years of his career.
Related: 10 Worst Things TNA Did With Ric Flair
After that, Naitch would work for Crockett and various territories like Mid-Atlantic and WCW up until 1991, capturing the NWA title several times. He also had his first stint in WWE at this time, becoming only the second man to become both the NWA and WWE champion. After returning to both companies over the course of 17 years, he would head to TNA as well, where he would wrestle his final match in 2011.
1 AJ Styles
After getting signed by WCW in 2001, the dying company saw AJ with only a handful of appearances as one half of a team called Air Raid. After turning down a WWE developmental contract in 2002, Styles would travel the indies while cementing himself as a cornerstone of TNA for twelve years.
Feeling slighted by the company, he would not resign and took his chances in New Japan, becoming leader of The Bullet Club. The Phenomenal One would make his shocking and surprising entrance at the 2016 Royal Rumble and has not looked back since, establishing himself as possibly the best wrestler in the business.
