Chris Jericho on Possibility of AEW Having A Show In Japan

In an interview with Tokyo Sports, Chris Jericho spoke about the possibility of AEW holding a show in Japan, saying it’s only natural for the company to go there. Here are highlights:

On his history in Japan: “I have been to Japan many times for over 20 years since I came to Japan to join Atsushi Onita’s FMW in October 1991. He has wrestled in big venues all over the world, but his favorite place to wrestle is in Japan. Japan is Takeshita’s home, but it’s also my second home. This is where I learned how to charm the audience from the late Fuyuki (Hiromichi), and how to beat up opponents from Tenryu. Japan is where I was able to grow as a man.”

On returning for a match with Konosuke Takeshita: “I had some time off, so the next time I go back to Japan, I wanted to do something that would have a huge impact. That’s why I thought it was the perfect opportunity to have my first singles match with Takeshita on the big stage of Ryogoku. Ryogoku is a great venue that I love and have hosted WAR and WWE. DDT, which can be performed at such a venue, has a lot of momentum.”

On the future of AEW: “The focus is on the growth of the organization itself and how much of an impact it can leave. That’s why we’re bringing together the best wrestlers from around the world. In terms of growth, we recently gathered 81,000 people at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Since they have plans to expand overseas, I think it’s a natural progression for AEW to come to Japan. I wonder if something like DDT or AEW launching an attack on New Japan will happen in the future. To that end, we strategically place emphasis on developing young wrestlers and showing fans something new.”