Chris Jericho Explains Where He Fits on AEW's Roster

Chris Jericho says that while AEW shouldn't be built around him at this point because the company has new stars, he still has a place on the roster because fans enjoy seeing him.

Jericho was a top star in WWE and briefly in NJPW before joining AEW when the company launched in 2019. He was the inaugural AEW World Champion and remained a prominent member of the roster until April 2025.

Jericho then spent several months off AEW programming before he returned this past April. Since his return, he has regularly appeared on AEW's shows. Jericho recently discussed his status on AEW's crowded roster and commented on how other stars have risen up the ranks.

Chris Jericho says AEW doesn't need to be built around him

Speaking with Justin Dhillon on The Wrestling Classic, Jericho responded when Dhillon noted that while the former champion is part of AEW's foundation, other stars like Will Ospreay have moved up to the next level. Jericho stated that this is the way the business works, but his contributions are still valuable.

"That’s how the business works," Jericho said. "That’s the way it should work is you build stars that can take over for the next generation. The show doesn’t need to be built and shouldn’t be built around Chris Jericho at this point. But I think anything that I do has some merit."

Jericho continued by explaining that fans enjoy watching him because he was gone for a while and it's unclear how much longer he'll continue to wrestle.

"People enjoy watching because it’s been such a long time, and we don’t know how much longer it’s going to be," Jericho said. "So I think people are enjoying it more this round as well. "

In recent years, especially before his 2025 return, Jericho has faced plenty of negativity from the fans. Some have called for him to retire, arguing he has grown stale, while others claim that he doesn't meet the in-ring standard other wrestlers have set in AEW. However, his recent run has drawn some praise, and Jericho has expressed his confidence that he'll be missed once he hangs up his boots.

The 55-year-old has been wrestling for over three decades, and there's no word on when he'll decide to retire. For the time being, he continues to build his legacy in AEW by working with new members of the roster.

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