Chris Jericho has done it all.
Speaking with Dan Marston, pro wrestling legend and AEW star Chris Jericho looked back on his 2007 return to WWE and explained why he chose to move away from many of the trademarks that had defined the popular Y2J character. According to Jericho, the decision to abandon familiar elements of his presentation was a calculated risk designed to prevent him from becoming a nostalgia act.
Chris Jericho has never been afraid to reinvent himself, and the veteran star recently opened up about what he believes was the biggest risk of his wrestling career.
During an appearance on Dan Marston’s podcast (see video below), Jericho discussed his 2007 WWE return and the conscious decision to distance himself from the iconic Y2J persona that had helped make him one of the industry’s biggest stars.
“I think probably when I dropped the whole Y2J persona and the countdown. There was a time when I came back in 2007 where I was kind of a, not gonna say a diluted version of Chris Jericho, but you know, it wasn’t the same. I had shorter hair, and it just, times had changed, right? So, I thought, I don’t wanna do this anymore, I don’t wanna be a nostalgia act,” said Jericho.
Jericho explained that he wanted to make it clear that a new version of his character had arrived, leading him to overhaul nearly every aspect of his presentation.
“So, I switched from, I cut my hair, like I said. I switched from long tights to trunks. Dropped the Y2J. I told the announcers ‘Don’t ever call me Y2J ever again.’ Did a whole new video package that had none of that. And then, the countdown was synonymous with Jericho. Get rid of the countdown. It’s done.”
The former WWE Champion compared the move to one of the most notable image changes in music history.
“And, that was kind of the first time where I really took a shot, cause it was like, you know, it’s almost like KISS when they took off the makeup.”
Jericho said the goal was to show fans that he was taking his character in a different direction, regardless of how the audience initially reacted.
“You’re doing something very drastic here, and you want people to understand we’re doing something different. Whether you like it or don’t like it, that’s not for us to decide, but here’s where we’re going, here’s the path that we’re taking, come on board if you want to.”
While acknowledging that the change was risky, Jericho noted that the experience taught him the importance of evolving whenever he feels his character has grown stale.
“It was a big risk, but not for long, and it’s something that I had to do. And, that’s when I realized I can reinvent myself whenever I start feeling a little stale, and people will like some of it, not like some of it, but I can’t worry about what people think. I just have to worry about what I can do to be the best personality I can be.”
Jericho also cited legendary musician David Bowie as one of his greatest creative influences, pointing to Bowie’s ability to continually transform throughout his career.
“Well, that’s exactly right. And, my biggest inspiration in show business is David Bowie. I always was really obsessed and interested in really paying attention to what he was doing, which he always reinvented himself.”
