Should Chris Jericho Leave AEW?

Yet the almighty algorithm demands it thus. All jokes aside, Chris Jericho stirred up quite the conversation online after liking an Instagram post reporting he’d be open to a WWE return. This comes after a polarizing year or more of seemingly nonstop onscreen presence.

Who was once one of many shining examples of the alternative that AEW brought to the monopolistic behemoth of WWE had become something fans groaned against. The more he stayed, the more the sports entertainment side of him clashed with his professional wrestling aspect.

There were flashes of brilliance, sure. But will his position on the roster remain, albeit in smaller bursts? Or will he return to the company he spent most of his career wrestling for?

According to Fightful Select, he has a contract through 2025. So, it’s a little too soon to tell. Plus, only Jericho knows what Jericho’s next step will be. Meanwhile, his contributions are not to be denied in what’s been a memorable six years.

Chris Jericho’s Story So Far

After leaving WWE in frustration in 2017, Jericho made a shock appearance in NJPW’s Power Struggle, leading to a Wrestle Kingdom match with Kenny Omega.

The match was highly acclaimed, but had far more important implications. 2018 continued, and an All in event later, his WWE departure continued to show its importance. Culminating in the advent of All Elite Wrestling, Jericho became one of the massive first signings.

Upon his victory over Kenny Omega at the inaugural Double or Nothing event, Jericho soon won the AEW Men’s World Championship and walked through a revolving door of stables. Some worked, some didn’t. For every intense Jericho Appreciation Society, there was a lukewarm Learning Tree.

In the ring, he struggled to captivate as he used to, with many awkward Lionsaults. Other times, he’d steal from old territory and puroresu playbooks in classic physical affairs.

Eventually, fans grew fatigued with his presence. Storylines would drag on, and some gimmicks wouldn’t land like previous ones did. His voice became eclipsed by talented young orators. In the ring, others were outpacing him, if they hadn’t already. This has led to many fans questioning his place in the company.

Sure, he’d have admittedly chuckle-worthy quips as recent as The Learning Tree; nevertheless, it seems that a change of scenery may be in order. Amid the rumors mentioned above, what moves would Jericho make to renew fan interest once more?

Chris Jericho’s Legacy in AEW

When all is said and done, I think that Jericho’s time in AEW may still be split amongst fans. But when he joined AEW, he did it having spent much of his life working for WWE. You could see he meant all of this, all of it. It was in the eyes. That glint, even when working face or heel, it had that smile.

That was catharsis. Freedom. A release. He wanted to put new talent over, even in defeat. Some of these feuds, he couldn’t even hide how much fun he was having. Whether it was the goofiness with MJF or Orange Cassidy, or the hard-hitting, almost puroresu physicality of matches like that with Eddie Kingston, Kenny Omega, or Roderick Strong, he tried to deliver what he could, and he enjoyed doing it.

He also took to heart the criticisms fans had. From the body shaming by fans of his old age mixed with the bulk he gained working in Japan to the lessening of the Lionsaults. Jericho actively worked around his increasing limitations. The time he’s been absent also addresses the fan fatigue of his oversaturated presence.

However, AEW may have outgrown him. Young talent has been showing out in full spectacle. They do things he can’t do anymore, and they hold sway over the audience’s attention and hearts. The Jericho Vortex has done such damage. However, his political leanings have also contributed, with having Donald Trump Jr on his Talk is Jericho Podcast as a guest being one point of contention.

Another is the fact that his wife was present at the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. This would make him more of a fit at the recent right-wing antics of WWE, but not what AEW aims for these days.

Chris Jericho Still Has Much to Offer

I don’t mean for this to be any attempt at a burial of Jericho. But I think he and AEW may have outgrown each other. If so, I’d wish him the best in what he’d do next. I feel he still has more to offer to the industry. Just not where he’d done so. He’s adaptable and made a career out of unpredictability.

Adept at shifting from one gimmick to the next, Jericho’s longevity is due in part to his creativity in knowing who and what to be next. Whether he wore suits and stood silently, or whether he wore a scarf and told people they’ve just made it onto a list, he rarely keeps things the same in WWE.

The history of his brilliance has shown itself as early as ECW and WCW. New crops of talent grew in the company during his absence. How would he interact with them? What could he do to elevate them the way he’d hoped to in AEW?

Informing Tony Khan about Punk’s actions during the All Out 2022 post-show, he knew what a detriment this would become to talent backstage. Moreover, he joined Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson in becoming locker room leaders to keep morale boosted in what would be shaky ground to come. This came from an episode of Renee Paquette’s The Sessions Podcast.

Chris Jericho’s time is coming up. For all the decades he gave to pro wrestling and sports entertainment, what’s one last go?

What’s one more to the Ayotollah of Rock’n’Rolla?