Chris Jericho Talks Vince McMahon And If He Plans To Return To WWE
Recently on The Ross Report, Chris Jericho sat down with JR. His first appearance on the podcast, Y2J spoke to the legendary announcer about the work ethic you get from working with Vince McMahon and if in-ring retirement is on the horizon.
"When you work for Vince McMahon, there is a work ethic that is instilled in you that is second to none," Jericho said.
Having worked for McMahon since 1999, Jericho knows all too well the high standards the owner has for his team. It's because of this demand for excellence that many of the WWE's past and present superstars have achieved monumental success.
"Anybody that comes through that system, if you have talent, you will work extra hard to make things happen. I am talking about everybody from Jesse Ventura becoming the Governor of Minnesota; Mick Foley becoming a New York Times Best Selling Author, The Rock, Batista, John Cena, you [JR], me, there is a work ethic that is instilled in us that has enabled it all to happen and that comes from working in the WWE."
Chris Jericho's accomplishments within the WWE are exceptional. He's held nearly every title in the promotion, including the honor of becoming the first undisputed champion. For nearly two decades he's constantly raised the bar for himself, the company, and everyone around him.
His triumphs outside the ring are just as extraordinary. Jericho has penned four books, released eight albums with Fozzy, appeared in numerous film and television shows (including his own), and hosts a weekly podcast. With such a demanding schedule, it'd be understandable if the 46-year-old decided to step away from the ring permanently. Fortunately for fans, retirement is not on his agenda.
"No, I am not there; never," Jericho said about retiring. "The last run I had in 2016 with Kevin Owens and the Festival of Friendship and all that stuff, it was one of my favorite runs, one of my top two favorite runs."
His latest program with Kevin Owens, which saw him win the United States Championship twice, was a hit with fans and critics alike. One of the reasons the storyline was a success was due to Jericho and McMahon's encouraging history.
"I really love working for Vince McMahon. I have a really great relationship with him now, and have for the past 5-6 years; it's actually really fun to see the creative side of Vince, to go in there and disagree and agree and not have to worry."
Jericho comments that the boss's open-door policy is reassuring.
"Vince always tells me that he doesn't care where he is, to come and talk to him. I feel that is a great position to be in."
Along with his positive relationship with McMahon, Y2J has another reason to return: WWE's rising stars.
"A lot of the young guys that are coming through the system now, it reminds me of my guys; of the Dean [Malenko], Chris [Benoit], Rey [Mysterio], Eddie [Guerrero], those guys; all really good workers who only cared about the matches and not about the ego. A lot of them still need help with experiences that I have that others don't have at this point."
Though he doesn't know when, Chris Jericho plans to come back to the WWE in due time.
"I enjoyed the Kevin Owens storyline so much. Once it ended, I knew that I needed to get away for a while because I knew there was nothing that can compare to that. It's good to step away and step aside for a bit, but when the time comes I am sure I will be back, but until then I am so busy that you will be seeing me all the time anyways."