In 2005, Christian left WWE and signed with TNA. According to the former World and NWA Champion, he was betting on himself. In recent weeks, several WWE Superstars have reportedly asked the company for their release. Christian offered some advice to those considering making a jump while promoting his new show on the History Network, Knight Fight.

“What I needed to do was I needed to take a chance on myself,” Christian said to Talk Sport regarding his 2005 departure from WWE. “I needed to bet on myself. And if you’re willing to bet on yourself then sometimes it works out and if you believe in yourself and your abilities that will be the case.”

Christian On Leaving WWE In 2005:

“I did go to TNA when I left WWE briefly in 2005 for three years,” Christian said. “When I went there, it was solely to prove to myself, even if it was on a smaller platform that I could carry main event matches, programmes and promos and be the face of a show.”

Cody offered similar reasons for leaving WWE when he did so in 2016. He wrote the following shortly after leaving WWE:

“My goal in pro-wrestling has always been to win the WWE Championship (the one accolade in the game my Father never obtained), and for a decade I tried to convince both Vince and HHH that I could be their star-player, their varsity quarterback if you will, but it seems we have reached the point where neither saw that in me.”

Christian continued to talk about how his time away from WWE from 2005-07 helped him regain his confidence that he could be a main event guy.

“I needed to do that. I needed to gain that confidence and go back and be able to do it,” he continued. “It happens for different people at different times, you just have to be confident in your ability.”