Chris Jericho: The Unmatched Pillar of AEW’s First Five Years
In the 5 years because the inception of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), one name consistently rises above the relaxation as the image of the business enterprise’s fulfillment and boom—Chris Jericho. The former WWE Champion has been instrumental in defining AEW’s identity, now not simply as a wrestler but as a chief catalyst for the advertising’s legitimacy inside the competitive world of professional wrestling.
AEW was born in January 2019, led with the aid of wrestling visionaries including Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson), and Kenny Omega, who all took at the position of Executive Vice Presidents. They quickly became synonymous with the logo, but the signing of Chris Jericho—a adorned and internationally recognized superstar from WWE—changed into a sport-changer. Alongside WWE Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross, Jericho added instant famous person energy and credibility to the fledgling promoting.
Jericho’s effect become quick and undeniable. At AEW’s second pay-per-view, All Out 2019, he defeated “Hangman” Adam Page to turn out to be the first AEW World Champion, a milestone that solidified his legacy as a foundational determine inside the enterprise. His early leadership in AEW went past holding titles; Jericho created the Inner Circle faction, a collection that ruled AEW programming for years, placing the level for some of the most compelling storylines within the company’s history.
Jericho’s involvement in AEW prolonged past his wrestling prowess. He has held the Ring of Honor (ROH) World Championship, led several factions, inclusive of the Jericho Appreciation Society, and mentored more youthful expertise beneath his “Learning Tree” gimmick. His adaptability and willingness to raise others whilst staying at the forefront of AEW’s maximum vast activities is a testomony to his enduring influence.
Former AEW star Matt Hardy, who has known Jericho for decades and worked with him extensively in WWE, recently shared his thoughts on Jericho’s importance to AEW. On his podcast, The Extreme Life Of Matt Hardy, Hardy likened Jericho to Hulk Hogan during his WCW days—a seasoned veteran who brought mainstream attention to a new company. Hardy stated, “Chris Jericho is kind of reminiscent of Hulk Hogan at WCW…he was the big star, legit top guy…when you think about the first five years of AEW, he’s the guy that has represented AEW more than anything.”
While Hardy mentioned the importance of The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega as the “coronary heart and soul” of AEW, he become clear that Jericho’s presence provided a stage of recognition and enchantment that transcended AEW’s center target market. “People that were just going to tune in, they might not know all these other guys, but they know Chris Jericho,” Hardy defined.
Jericho’s contributions have not long past not noted by means of AEW owner Tony Khan, who has spoken at period about the irreplaceable position Jericho has played in AEW’s improvement. Khan admitted that AEW might not have even existed with out Jericho’s involvement, emphasizing simply how pivotal the veteran’s signing turned into to the company’s introduction and boom. “I don’t know if it would have been possible for us to launch AEW without Chris Jericho’s involvement. He’s been a fixture and a great part of AEW throughout the five years,” Khan stated.
As AEW celebrated the fifth anniversary of its flagship display, Dynamite, Jericho’s relevance to the agency confirmed no symptoms of waning. On the anniversary episode, Jericho engaged in a heated in-ring promo with ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe, putting the stage for their identify suit at AEW WrestleDream on October twelfth. This war of words in addition validated Jericho’s enduring fame as a top megastar, even 5 years into the corporation’s life.
Jericho’s potential to live at the pinnacle of the cardboard, reinvent himself, and nonetheless elevate more youthful skills speaks volumes about his value now not simply to AEW but to expert wrestling as a whole. As AEW keeps to grow, it’s clear that Chris Jericho remains a cornerstone of the promoting, a real consultant of its first 1/2-decade of fulfillment.
