Chris Jericho has a blunt message for fans who believe modern storylines are “too long.” During a new interview with Spencer Matthews on the UNTAPPED podcast, the first-ever AEW World Champion defended the “brilliance” of long-term storytelling, comparing the medium to a three-hour epic like Saving Private Ryan.
“I like long-term stories. My favorite ones have always been ones that last for months,” Jericho said. “I always love wrestling fans, especially modern day ones, who just want to know the answer right now. If I’m watching Saving Private Ryan, it’s 3 hours long… An hour and a half in if I go, ‘They haven’t even found Ryan yet. This movie sucks! This is stupid!’ I hear it every day from wrestling fans. My thing is, shut the f*** up and let me tell my story when it’s done.”
Jericho cited his year-long feud with MJF and his classic eight-month rivalry with Shawn Michaels as examples of stories that benefited from “taking detours” and extending past the standard one-month cycle.
Contract Status Update
While Jericho is currently advocating for slow-burn narratives, his own career is in a significant “frozen” state. Despite rumors of a potential WrestleMania 42 return to WWE, recent reports from Fightful Select indicate that Jericho remains “firmly” under contract with AEW.
Jericho’s deal—originally slated to expire in December 2025—is believed to have been frozen by AEW management after he stepped away from television last April. This “freeze” typically occurs when a performer takes significant time off for outside ventures, such as Jericho’s recent UK tour with his band Fozzy. As of March 2, 2026, he remains on the active AEW roster page, likely delaying any potential jump to another promotion for the foreseeable future.
Jericho last appeared on AEW programming in April 2025, where he disbanded The Learning Tree and informed allies Big Bill and Bryan Keith he would be taking a hiatus.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit UNTAPPED with Spencer Matthews and Fightful with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
