Chris Jericho is fast approaching a career-threatening match against MJF at AEW All Out, in a contest that may very well be his final one. However, the future Hall of Famer is still working at a high level, despite being 50 years old. Has he still got a lot more left in the tank?
Chris Jericho's Journey From WWE To AEW
Back in 2017, Jericho’s time in WWE was winding down, becoming less and less intense as the years went on. However, he was still performing to a strong level, with his last WWE run being perhaps one his most popular character iterations ever. After finally leaving WWE to supposedly focus on his music career with his band, Fozzy, Jericho would shockingly show up in New Japan Pro Wrestling, reinventing himself yet again, in a declaration which said he was far from done. He had fantastic matches with the likes of Kenny Omega, and even won the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.
Then he made the remarkable switch to AEW. He was their most notable and high-profile name in the early stages of the company, given his star power from WWE and WCW. He was a game-changer and a draw for new viewers for the young promotion and was rightfully given the honor and pressure of being the first-ever AEW World Champion. Despite winning the belt at 48, he was the person to trust, still oozing with charisma and having great matches.
With two years’ worth of memorable moments, such as Stadium Stampedes, a Mimosa Mayhem match, cutting a promo on a drone, bringing out his own ‘Little Bit of the Bubbly’, having a show broadcast from his very own cruise, townhall debates, a brawl with Mike Tyson, an award-winning ‘Dinner Debonair’, among other things, Jericho has done it all in AEW and will have a lasting legacy.
All these moments have given AEW more attention and exposure, and with the company now in full swing, it may not need Jericho featured as prominently anymore, and that could be something that influences Jericho in whatever decision he makes.
What those two years have proven however, is that Jericho is in fact a commodity, someone who can have great matches, elevate younger wrestlers, and put people over, even to this day, with MJF currently getting the rub from working with Jericho. This proves that Jericho can still go and can still make a difference and impact within wrestling, despite his age.
Chris Jericho Has Avoided The Fate Of Other Wrestling Legends
However, Jericho could well be one of those performers who doesn’t want to risk outstaying his welcome or becoming a parody of himself. Looking back at when his long-time rival Shawn Michaels retired at Wrestlemania 26, he was wrestling at an obscenely high level. This meant that when he walked away, it was with a powerful, emotional performance that delivered in every way, with no risk of damaging his legacy (let’s ignore his Saudi Arabia comeback).
On the flip side, The Undertaker took so long to retire that his later years of wrestling are filled with duds, poor matches, and a need to constantly seek redemption. If Jericho carries on for years to come, there’s every chance that he could fall into the same cycle and trap that The Undertaker did, unsure when to walk away, at the cost of dampening some aspects of their legacy (for sake of all involved, it’s probably best to ignore Saudi Arabia here again).
Jericho is still competing at a more full-time schedule than The Undertaker was, and his matches are still great. Looking at the ‘Five Labors of Jericho’, it has shown he is still an adaptable worker, not afraid to put his body on the line. In terms of adaptability, he has redeveloped his in-ring style over time, subtly to make it not so obvious, but enough that it's clear how clever of a competitor he is. If he can keep doing that, especially if he continues for another few years, Jericho can retain this level of performing consistently.
Chris Jericho Can End His Career Doing The Job For The Future
If he does indeed step away soon, it was to do the job of boosting MJF to greater heights, something which Jericho would no doubt love to lend a hand to. With him appearing on commentary throughout the year, this transition away from competition may very well have been happening before our eyes. A move to the headset gives him more longevity in the wrestling business, and as he has continued proving over the last two years, he is still great on the microphone.
Whether he continues after All Out or not, Jericho has proven that age is just a number, and he is still capable of wrestling to the level that fans expect from the former multi-time world champion.