By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
The following are the highlights of Chris Jericho’s interview that was conducted by Chris Van Vliet. Check out the full interview below or at Chris Van Vliet’s Youtube Page.
-Jericho on signing with All Elite Wrestling rather than WWE: “It’s one of those things, I never would have guessed it. But as the past year progressed going from New Japan to All In to the cruise and kinda seeing how life was on the other side, I realized that like the (Young) Bucks and like Kenny (Omega) and these guys, you can make a good living outside WWE. And then when you have a billionaire getting involved, suddenly I get the biggest offer of my career by far, I couldn’t say no.”
-Whether he’s completely finished with WWE: “Well, I mean maybe in three years I might go there or be associated with them or whatever. For right now, for the next three years, it’s AEW. That’s where I’m signed and that’s the contract that I have.”
-If finishing his career in WWE is a goal: “No. My career, I never really expected it to go this long. And then 2016 came around and the thing with Kevin Owens started, which was just ridiculously popular. And suddenly Chris Jericho’s name value is bigger than ever. And then opportunity to do Alpha vs. Omega, Kenny vs. Jericho at the Tokyo Dome, suddenly in a business standpoint now Jericho is making a difference to help this company New Japan make some real inroads in the States… I never really expected to still be wrestling, but then to be wrestling at the highest of levels with my name bigger now than it’s ever been, who knows, man? I don’t ever really think about what I’m going to be doing in the future if I finish my career in WWE or AEW. My time in the WWE is tremendous if I go back or not. It’s not like it was back in the day where you’re blackballed for life and you’ll never hear the name Chris Jericho again. It’s not like that. I’m still always a part of the WWE, for sure.”
-Jericho on whether there is bad blood with Vince McMahon or Triple H: “Not on my end. I spoke to Vince before I signed. He knew it. The words we exchanged were very amicable. It wasn’t like it was a surprise. Business is business. Vince McMahon is my friend, I respect him, I love the guy, No ill will whatsoever. The business road took me this way and I would have been crazy not to do it because I might insult somebody. I think the first guy who would agree with that is Vince.”
-On Roman Reigns: “I talk to him quite often. He seems to be doing pretty good from what I know. I don’t know how much he wants to get out there about what he’s doing, but he’s doing his treatments and I think things are going really well. I don’t really know much about leukemia. I don’t know what the endgame is as far as when you are ‘cured’, when it goes into remission, when you can do physical matches or travel or whatever it is… I text him on the side quite a bit. He always seems to be doing pretty well. He’s a great guy. I know over the years that a lot of people have bagged on him, but he’s the wrong guy to bag on because he is a sweet guy, funny, works hard, big heart. We love him. And I think it’s just a matter of time before he comes back, but more importantly that he stays healthy for his family.”
Powell’s POV: Jericho also called signing with AEW “exciting and scary” and noted that he wouldn’t have signed if it was all about the money. He also spoke about the possibility of CM Punk or Kenny Omega signing with AEW, fans still wondering if he will appear in the Royal Rumble match, changing his persona, the WWE Hall of Fame, Becky Lynch and the success of the women’s division in WWE, and more. Jericho covered a lot of ground and it’s definitely worth taking the time to watch.
Check below for the new Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast with Jason Powell and Brian Fritz discussing the formation of All Elite Wrestling and their launch rally.
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