AEW is showing its commitment to the wrestlers it sees as its leaders. First, it was Jon Moxley who received a contract extension. Now the company is doing the same with Chris Jericho.
As revealed in a press release distributed today by AEW, Jericho has agreed to a three-year contract extension that will keep him with the company through December 2025. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, as is common with pro wrestling contracts.
Similar to the Moxley deal, Jericho’s contract will increase his responsibilities within AEW. Along with continuing to perform in the ring, the 51-year-old will serve “as a producer and creative advisor in addition to continuing as a mentor to young talent.”
“Chris Jericho long ago cemented his legacy as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, and we’re fortunate to have his skills, charisma, knowledge and insights in AEW for years to come,” AEW CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan said in the release. “Chris has discovered a fountain of youth this year, and he’s having some of the very best matches of his legendary career against some of the top names in wrestling. In expanding his responsibilities, he’ll continue to serve as a valuable leader with our roster having the opportunity to utilize one of most creative minds in the history of wrestling.”
Jericho has been a building block for AEW since its very first show, and was arguably the most well-known name among the masses to grace its original roster. While he has spoken in the past about leaving WWE on good terms and felt like he could return there at some point, it’s increasingly possible that he may simply retire someday in AEW given how he seems to be enjoying his time there.
“Working closely with Tony Khan every day is a rewarding and stimulating experience from both a creative and a professional standpoint, which has reignited my love for pro wrestling,” Jericho said in the release. “I don’t think I would still be wrestling at this level or be as passionate about the business if AEW didn’t exist.
“As a result, I feel a great responsibility to keep AEW the best it can be both inside and out of the ring. Over the next three years, I’m looking forward to not only continuing my work in the ring, but to also focus on my ever-increasing responsibilities outside the ring, including producing, advising and assisting Tony with creative ideas, and providing leadership, encouragement and guidance for our fantastic roster. AEW is a great team — a team that I’m proud to say I’ll be a part of for a very long time.”
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