Jim Cornette Drags Chris Jericho’s Dream Of Making Pro Wrestling An Olympic Sport

Chris Jericho has been considered one of the most popular figures in the history of the pro wrestling industry. He recently explained on his podcast why he would like to see pro wrestling become an Olympic sport. Jim Cornette recently dismissed Jericho’s pro wrestling Olympics pitch by calling it ridiculous.

Jericho proposed that professional wrestling be compared to a team-based Olympic event like figure skating to the official Olympics committee. On his Jim Cornette Experience, Cornette provided a number of justifications for his opinion that professional wrestling cannot be included.

The International Olympic Committee and anybody affiliated with it would god damn yes, would f*cking guffaw at the idea. Because when you think about it, the Olympics are for sports. And in any sport, even gymnastics, people are trying to win, right? So if there’s a team gymnastics or a team event, all the people are on the same team. It’s not people putting on a performance, but part of the performance is that they are in conflict with each other.

I mean, it’s a headline grabbing statement made by a headline grabbing individual, but if you break down any of the ways that it doesn’t make any sense. Yes, pro wrestling is a work. They already have wrestling, so why would they add more wrestling? Oh, you said, well, this isn’t Olympic style wrestling, this is professional wrestling? Well, again, then, okay, if it’s a legitimate contest, then you could put it in the Olympics.

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Or if professional wrestling was, again, two people on the same team representing the United States or whatever country against some team from another country. But then you can’t grade it like gymnastics? Because that’s not what it is, and just what some people think it is. Do you, you know, get Les Thatcher come in from Cincinnati, and two or three other wrestling training experts from around the world to come and judge a wrestling performance that is given totally completely off the wall and out of context of the rest of the Olympic Games?

Then what is the judging criteria? Mine would be how good can you make this match without ever showing obvious cooperation. There’s never been a 10, there’s never been a match you couldn’t see through if you were looking close enough. But it’s just ridiculous.

Professional wrestling has seen Olympic heroes make the transition to the business, including Kurt Angle, Mark Henry, and Chad Gable. Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, an amateur wrestler, joined WWE in September 2021 after competing in the Olympics in summer 2021 and winning for his nation.

Jericho has been a cornerstone of the wrestling industry for three decades. He has wrestled for almost every top promotion like WWE, WCW and is currently signed to Tony Khan’s All Elite Wrestling. His experience however doesn’t mean that everything he pitches is logical. Keep an eye on Ringside News for more.

Do you agree with Chris Jericho thoughts of making Pro Wrestling an official Olympic Sport? Sound off in the comments!