Chris Jericho On WWE Trying To Crush AEW

During a recent interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Chris Jericho discussed the rivalry with AEW and WWE, along with the string of pay increases for WWE wrestlers.

I’ve always felt AEW is more of the answer to WWE than the alternative. If you’re frustrated with the WWE product, then AEW is an answer in the way storylines and talent are presented.

“We’re not the alternative, we’re an option. If you don’t like what you’re seeing on one side of the street, now, for the first time in 20 years, there is something happening on the other side of the street. You can make a choice. We didn’t come into this with the mentality of, ‘We’re gonna crush ‘em!’ They did, and they’re getting their asses kicked every week. It’s probably embarrassing for them.”

You think the WWE talent felt that way, or as a whole as a corporate entity when you say they wanted to crush AEW?

Vince, Hunter. That’s why they specifically put their show up against ours. That’s fine. And I’ve heard they watch our show in tandem while they’re doing their thing. We don’t care. We focus on our show, our product, and making sure our fans are happy and growing our fan base. Whatever anybody else is doing is really none of our business.”

It does feel as though there has been a proliferation of five-year deals coming from WWE.

“It reminds me of when Bobby Hull signed with the WHA in 1972 after he was the top star in the NHL. He signed with the WHA for a million dollars. The next day, everybody in the NHL got a raise to not go to the WHA, my dad included. He went from $35,000 to $100,00 overnight because of Bobby Hull. Fast-forward almost 50 years, his son, Chris Jericho, is  now the new Bobby Hull. The moment I signed with AEW, everybody in WWE got a raise. Point being, it’s like we’ve become the enemy. It’s not on our end. We’re not competition, we’re an alternative. We provide an option.”