Chris Jericho has responded to the critics.
Still in The Learning Tree phase of his career, the former World Champion is still regularly met with calls for him to retire and not take up TV time from other wrestlers, which Jericho himself has leaned into with his own segments. While fans in arenas boo Jericho each week and online fans have an even stronger reaction, The Learning Tree has addressed the negativity.
Speaking with Scott Fishman of TV Insider, Jericho stated that while some may think he has go-away heat he is in the highest-rated segment most weeks and that fans are angry he is still a star in the industry in 2024:
I think one of the reasons is I’ve never been hurt. I’ve been here since Day one and on all the shows by necessity. Not because I demand TV time. My boss wants to put me on the show and do these segments and draw the ratings I draw. I’d say 80 percent of the time or more ratings go up when I’m on TV. That’s another misconception that I have this go-away heat.
Go look at ratings and I’m in one of the highest rating segments each week. Once in a while, you do lose, but that’s the law of averages. I don’t know. I just think there are a lot of angry people that are unhappy I’m still doing this at a high level. Only five years in and here we are on the verge of this gigantic television deal that will change the course of wrestling history the same way we did it in 2019. The same way me and Kenny Omega did it in the Tokyo Dome in 2018.
Continuing, Jericho added that he won’t be swayed by the fans’ opinions and that they can easily change their minds:
Nobody will tell me what to do, especially wrestling fans who are very fickle anyway. People are going to react the way they are going to react. It’s my job to read the room and create stories and characters accordingly. I’m doing everything I can to make AEW a better team and make the guys I work with better performers and pro wrestlers and as a result, I’m getting better working with them as well.
Chris Jericho Hits Back At “Please Retire” Chants
While some AEW fans are hoping that the Jericho retirement will be soon, it looks like they will have to wait a long time. Speaking in a separate interview, Chris Jericho stated when he might consider hanging up the boots.