Chris Jericho has heard the retirement talk, but he is not letting angry fans or his age decide when his wrestling career ends.
Speaking to Beef Vegan on Rock 102.1 KFMA, Jericho was asked how many more years he believes he has left inside the ring. The 55-year-old admitted that he never expected to still be wrestling at this stage of his life, but he also does not believe his age should automatically force him out.
Jericho pointed to his violent match against Tommaso Ciampa at AEW Redemption as proof that he can still perform at a high level and get one of the strongest reactions on the show.
“I don’t really look at it like that. I don’t really put a timeline on it. Did I ever think I’d be doing it at 55? No. But did I not think of doing it? It just seems like 55, 25, 35. You look at the match we had on Sunday. As crazy as it was, it was still a great match and probably one of the best matches on the show from the standpoint of the fan reaction.”
Jericho said he still enjoys wrestling and believes he remains capable of producing matches that can steal the show. As long as that remains the case, he sees no reason to walk away simply because some fans believe his time is up.
“Why would I want to step away from that? I still enjoy doing it and can still do it at a level where there are show-stealing possibilities.”
Jericho refused to give a firm retirement timeline. He admitted his final match could happen soon, but he also left open the possibility of continuing for another two or three years.
“It could be another week. It could be another two years or three years. I don’t want to do it forever, but as long as I feel that I’m still happy with the work that I’m doing and I’m not second-guessing myself, then I’ll continue to do it.”
Jericho also addressed the section of wrestling fans who have been calling for him to retire. He said anyone who stays in show business long enough will eventually deal with people who dislike them or simply want them to disappear.
“Whenever you’ve been in show business for a long time, you’re always going to have people who don’t like you or want you to go away.”
He compared his situation to The Rolling Stones, who ignored retirement jokes and continued touring and releasing music decades after critics said they were too old.
“The Stones just released one of their best records ever at 82. If they had listened in 1989 when people were saying, ‘It’s the Steel Wheelchair Tour. You guys need to retire. You’re too old,’ that would have been it.”
Jericho said the only things that matter are whether a performer remains creatively satisfied and whether the work is still good.
“Keep going as long as you can still be creatively fulfilled and as long as you’re still putting out great work. That’s the best answer I can give you.”
Despite the thumbtacks, hockey pucks, glass, sand and electric drill used during his match with Ciampa, Jericho said he came out of AEW Redemption feeling sore rather than seriously injured.
“I feel great. You saw the match on Sunday. I feel sore, but in a way that I’ve felt sore for 35 years. It’s just a sign of a good night’s work. There’s no, ‘Oh my gosh, this hurts,’ or, ‘I’d better go to the doctor,’ or anything like that.”
Jericho also noted that his current AEW schedule gives him far more recovery time than he had when he was wrestling hundreds of matches each year.
“I don’t wrestle 200 days a year anymore like I used to. I take the time between matches to heal up and recoup, and then we get back at it again.”
Jericho knows the retirement chants are not going away, but he is not ready to let strangers make that decision for him. As long as he feels healthy, enjoys the work and believes he can still deliver, he plans to keep showing up.
How much longer do you think Chris Jericho should continue wrestling, and what would be the right way for him to end his career? Leave your feedback in the comments.
