All Elite Wrestling (AEW) World Champion Chris Jericho was recently interviewed by Fansided to talk about several professional wrestling topics. Jericho discussed bringing back the Lion Tamer, if Jericho Cruses will continue now that he’s working weekly TNT events, and coming full circle on TNT, formerly with WCW, and now with AEW.
Here are the highlights:
Would you ever bring back the Lion Tamer full time? That was always one of my favorite submissions.
Yeah, I mean people ask that all the time but I only use when it’s relevant, because you can’t use that hold and have people escape from it. That’s why I had to stop using it. You can’t give it to The Big Show, it doesn’t work that way, he’s too big. So, I bust it out when it works and it’s appropriate … Yeah, you’ll probably see it at some point! (smiles)
Will the Jericho Cruises continue now that you’re working weekly TNT events?
Yeah, January 20th is sold out already so we’re gonna talk soon about Jericho Cruise No. 3. So, it’s exciting! You remember WCW had Road Wild and Bash at the Beach, where you’re taking wrestling out of the arena. If you saw the event we did last year on a cruise ship, it looked so beautiful. The middle of the night in the middle of the ocean, the stars shining down, the lights. I’d like that to be an annual thing, and as I’m with AEW, there’s no reason to take a day out of a wrestling company. So, if we can make it the annual rock and wrestling rager at sea edition of [AEW] Dynamite, that’s great! Just adds another element to our very cool show.
How does it feel to come full circle in a way on TNT? I mean you’re one of the first major names that left originally to the WWE and now you’re back leading another company and spearheading a movement.
I mean people point that out to me more than I realize! Somebody said to me, “Oh, Chris Jericho is home! You’re home!” Where in Washington? “No, you’re on TNT!” I didn’t even really realize at first how WCW used to be on TNT. So, it’s great to be full circle and you know Tony Schiavone announcing. But I don’t look at it like, “Oh, the good old days are back!” It’s like this is where we’re at. Tony Schiavone is badass, he should be announcing. TNT has been a great partner for us. So to me, it’s been the perfect mix for AEW! That’s been more important than the nostalgia factor.
One of the reasons why I started working Japan and ended up in AEW is I love doing what I feel is right. Following the character path that I instinctually know is the right way to go, and don’t have to really get anything approved. Not that I’m doing anything vulgar or illicit or hurting anybody but I don’t think anybody can play the character of Chris Jericho better than I can. So why do I need somebody to write a script of what I’m supposed to say?
Not that they ever did. Just that concept of having to get stuff approved … If I know it’s going to work, then let me be the artist. Let me be the pro and do my job. The same way that when Clint Eastwood hires actors they do two or three takes and move on. How’d he work so fast? With pros. ‘That’s why I hire them, I trust their instincts!’
That’s the way we’re running our shows and I think the guys who get it will really blossom because of it. The guys that don’t, we’ll help them. Some guys do need help. Some guys don’t. The guys that don’t, let them run as far as they can.
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