Chris Jericho says he’s reached a point in his career where chasing victories isn’t what motivates him anymore. Instead, the former AEW World Champion believes his biggest job now is helping the next generation of wrestlers become bigger stars than they were before stepping into the ring with him.
Speaking to TMZ’s Inside the Ring, Jericho reflected on how his role in AEW has changed over the years. Looking back at programs with wrestlers like MJF, Will Ospreay, and Bandido, he explained that he now measures success differently than he did earlier in his career.
Jericho admitted he doesn’t feel the need to protect his own win-loss record anymore, although he joked that losing every single match wouldn’t exactly make for compelling television.
“I don’t have to win ever again. Sometimes I do because, if not, then you’re just losing all the time, which isn’t great for stories.”
Instead, he said the real goal is delivering the best possible match while helping whoever he’s working with discover something new about themselves as performers.
“But, you know, it doesn’t matter if I win or lose. It’s about putting on the best performance and putting on the best match and helping guys or girls find something maybe that they didn’t quite know that was there just yet.”
Jericho said that mindset comes directly from his own experiences when he first arrived in WCW in 1996. Looking back, he admitted he hadn’t yet figured out what the Chris Jericho character was supposed to be and credited veterans like Terry Taylor and Arn Anderson with helping him develop the personality that eventually made him stand out.
“That’s what people did for me. You know, the Chris Jericho character was not good in ’96 WCW. When I first got there, right, you know, I didn’t really know what I was doing.”
For Jericho, that’s why character work is every bit as important as what happens between the ropes. Great matches matter, but he believes they only take a wrestler so far if fans don’t connect with the person performing them.
“That’s what wrestling is, is connecting with the audience. It’s not just about bangers, which are great to have them, but personality and charisma and storyline and personas are the most important thing about being in pro wrestling and really making it to the top echelon. You have to connect with the audience.”
It’s a very different outlook from the one Jericho had earlier in his career. These days, he’s less concerned about adding another win to his résumé and more interested in making sure the wrestler across the ring leaves in a better position than when they walked in.
Do you think Chris Jericho’s current role as a veteran helping develop younger talent has been one of the biggest strengths of his AEW run? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
