Many have applauded Chris Jericho for remaining loyal to the pro wrestling company he helped build instead of jumping ship back to the international industry-leader in sports entertainment.
Not Jim Cornette.
The legendary pro wrestling manager and promoter addressed the subject to share his usual unfiltered take on the topic during the latest installment of his official podcast, “The Jim Cornette Experience.”
Featured below is an excerpt from the episode where he gives his thoughts. Also below is a complete audio archive of the show.
“The point is, if he played somebody against somebody else just to get more f****** money, then congratulations to him. But if he was free, clear, and able to go, and he didn’t take the chance and the opportunity of doing anything with WWE in terms of a retirement year and a f****** Hall of Fame deal—two or three big matches, a handful of appearances that can generate millions—if he didn’t do that and he had the option to, he’s a f****** idiot.
Because even the AEW fans aren’t going to want to see him wrestle in AEW. As you said, most of his s*** is f****** bad. And he’s going to have to at least travel more, if not also work harder, for Tony’s inflated payment to him. And after, as you said, he’s made tons of money in his life, wouldn’t you want to go out on an up note? While you can still do it a couple times in a year, and a lot of people will see it, and you get the Hall of Fame thing.”
“The big-time videos, and the merchandise sales that’ll come with the last Y2J or whatever the f*** they do—or just do bad TV in a f****** indie-minded company that a quarter of the people are going to f****** see for a ton of money? At this stage of the game, again, is there a difference of three million dollars over the course of that, with all of the millions of dollars that Chris has already made? And I’m sure he’s a spendthrift, and he’s careful with his money.”
“Why would you want to do s*** for the next two or three years or whatever the f*** in the secondary company, when you can go out on top in mainstream matches on the strongest television program in the world, and get in the f****** Hall of Fame and the whole nine yards—which comes with merchandising and marketing, etc.—that you will benefit from, and also be hooked up with these goddamn Hollywood agents and/or record company people that run TKO, instead of Jericho wanting to be a trainer for the Jacksonville Jaguars?”
