Chris Jericho on WWE Status, Importance of Storylines, and Vince Story

The Other Guys Podcast show held a recent interview with Chris Jericho discussing his current status with the WWE, storytelling being his biggest wrestling motivator, and how he got Vince McMahon to remove the Styles Clash from the banned moves list.

On the topic of his status and future in the WWE, Jericho stated he is currently in no rush for another run in the company. He hinted at being fine if his match with AJ Styles and Kevin Owens for the United States championship was the final match of his career.

“Will I be back? Maybe, possibly. If I never wrestled again it wouldn’t bother me.”

Jericho revealed storytelling is his biggest motivator for wrestling and would consider another run in the WE as long as the storyline presented to him would make crowds really care.

“I don’t care about who is it I want to work with, for me it’s what’s the story behind it because I’ve worked with everybody. It’s about what’s the storyline that you can put behind these things to make people really care.”

“If I can think of a good story or if a good story is presented to me, then I’m all in, and I don’t care if it’s with John Cena or if it’s with Enzo Amore, whoever. If it’s a good storyline that I can sink my teeth into that I know people will love, just like the Festival of Friendship, then I’ll come back again. If not, then it might be a little harder to attract me.”

Later in the interview, Jericho revealed how he got Vince McMahon to unban the Styles Clash for AJ Styles. It involved Jericho doing the move itself during matches and asking Vince if he liked it as a finisher. By never saying the real name of the move nor it belonging to AJ Styles, he eventually managed to get Vince to approve the move as a finisher and gave it back to AJ Styles as a gift.

“I knew it was a great move, I knew it was an easy move to take, and I knew it was something that could help A.J. and give him extra colors to paint his pictures with. I basically went to Vince and started using it during matches just so Vince could see it, so I figured if he saw it and didn’t want me doing it he would know.

Eventually I went to Vince and I said, ‘Did you see that move AJ did?’ Never using the words ‘Styles Clash’ because I knew Vince might not even know what the move is, but that name is taboo. I said he should use it as a finish. [Vince said], ‘Yes absolutely, use it as a finish.’ So I was able to kind of indirectly get the move unbanned by just doing it and not asking for permission and never using the name ‘Styles Clash’ while taking about it with Vince. Now it’s one of AJ’s biggest moves.”