Typically, if a pro wrestler gets any reaction or heat from the crowd, whether it’s a standing ovation as a heroic good guy/babyface, or a thunderous boo as an evil bad guy/heel, they’re doing a great job. But sometimes, professional wrestlers get a reaction that borders on indifference. AEW pro wrestling legend Chris Jericho is one such example.
Chris Jericho is one of the founders of AEW, which just started five years ago, but by all accounts, he is an all-time great professional wrestler. Not only is he a former WWE Superstar, but he is also a world-renowned talent whose name is etched in the annals of American wrestling history alongside WWE and then-rivals WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling. In many ways, Jericho’s association with AEW legitimized it as a new avenue for wayward WWE veterans and rookies alike. Unfortunately, however, most, if not all, of Jericho’s bookings hindered the development of new talent rather than helping them flourish.
Traditionally, a feud between a wrestler and another talent could go on for more than a month and pay off handsomely on pay-per-view, with the winner (usually the good guy) eventually having a bigger fight with whoever holds the title or whoever gets it A rematch of the battle with an evil rival. This structure allows companies to develop rising stars by overcoming feuds with industry veterans or promising new talent. However, Jericho’s feud – unaffectionately dubbed the “Jericho Vortex” by fans – had the opposite effect. Jericho’s booking would only benefit himself while keeping young talents like Konosuke Takeshita, Ricky Starks, Darby Allin and Hooker in his shadowy orbit until he puts them Done.
AEW’s “Jericho Vortex” phenomenon began to take shape when fans noticed that the Canadian wrestler’s feud with young talent felt more like Jericho clinging to their tails to gain relevance. As an AEW fan, knowing that your favorite wrestlers are on Jericho’s show means you won’t get to see them do anything worth watching until Jericho Vortex sucks all of their star power out of them. Things got so bad that fans started Imitate this phenomenon on X/Twitter The WWE Superstars’ relocation video is interrupted by Jericho’s theme music – a sign that they, too, will be caught in his vortex.
While “Jericho Vortex” wasn’t as all-encompassing and toxic as Hulk Hogan’s disastrous run in TNA later in life, it’s always been a success whenever AEW viewers see a promising young talent with a 53-year history. Whenever there’s a stalemate, it causes complaints from the AEW audience. Four months ago, fans chanted “please retire! Attacked him at AEW’s Dynasty pay-per-view.
Instead of retiring, Jericho did what he usually does: create an on-screen character with a new gimmick. Only this time, instead of abandoning the antics that made him so bad in the first place, Jericho fully embraced the Jericho Swirl meme with his new bad guy persona, “The Learning Tree.”
With this new gimmick, Jericho was taking up valuable TV time every other week on a talk show called “Jericho’s TV Hour,” a glorified promo featuring Jericho and his of the stooge stands next to a cardboard cutout of a tree, photogenic of him. In these segments, he mentioned Jericho Swirl’s name, claiming it would be a mutually beneficial feud for his opponent. In theory, Jericho’s new gimmick is designed to give fans a scripted reason to boo him, exploiting their frustration with his booking that often masks young talent. But in practice, fans absolutely hate it. Jericho’s learning tree position makes everything worse because it provides an excuse for how poorly his booking continues to be by retroactively folding it into his character arc.
Additionally, Jericho’s character, a simpering “I have the company’s best interest at heart” do-gooder, has been ripped off of The Young Bucks succession– A gimmick inspired by EVP. Please note that this was a gimmick, also inspired by the real-life passion the two displayed throughout the CM Punk mayhem.
While this is usually part of the argument that provides solutions, Jericho didn’t leave the ring to do anything else. AEW would benefit if he left. Did he take a break from AEW to come on the show? The Masked Singer Again, either touring with his ass rock band Fozzy, or going on vacation with his wife, who may or may not be ““Tear Down the Wall” on January 6fans need him off TV so they can finally breathe a sigh of relief knowing that his music won’t be reaching their ears when their favorite wrestler appears on AEW.