How should Jericho go out?

[CyberPunk]

It's coming. At some point, Chris Jericho would stop showing up in the ring. He's almost 47, he's slowed down considerably (not that he can't put on a good match), and at some point, his projects outside WWE would take precedence over his in ring career. It could happen next year, the year after, or may be few more years, but it's going to happen at some point.

My question is, how should Jericho go out? Should he just disappear after one of his exits and never show up to wrestle again? Should he go out in a grand retirement angle? Does he deserve a grand Wrestlemania bound retirement angle? Would he even want something like this? Should he get at least a farewell WWE Universal/World Championship reign? Or his 10th IC championship reign?

I believe Jericho should get at least a Universal Championship reign. Even at this age and his waning abilities, he's shown he can carry the weight of a main event angle. Let me him win the title somewhere around SummerSlam (not this one, but the year he decides to hang it up for good) and go on a good long reign through Wrestlemania where he can put over a young up coming star. This will make him the only man to hold almost every world title in the WWE, something I believe he deserves. He'll also add to the starpower of the Universal title holders.

What do you think?

 

[Khalifa]

I'd like a countdown, like he had for his debut, for his retirement. I can't think of a good storyline for a way to make it good enough though. The mystery would be what is it going to be but would it be anti-climatic for it to be his retirement? The guy deserves an Edge ovation but his best character is being a heel so that's how I would like him to go out.

Ultimately I would love one more top championship reign but at the same time he could just do exactly what Shawn Michaels did from 2003- retirement. It's going to be a sad day when he retires.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

It's hard to say really because Jericho is quite different from most stars as big, or bigger even, as he is in that he's someone that's always been generous to younger talent. Not that there hasn't been a good number of veterans in WWE willing to help elevate younger guys, but nobody's been more unselfish about it than Jericho.

When I think of Jericho going out, the scenario that most often springs to mind is him doing what he's done for most of the past several years and that's elevate younger guys. It might not seem as glamorous but I think it's more true to who Jericho is. While I have to admit that part of me would find Jericho having one last top title run kinda cool, that's mostly the nostalgia talking as I'm just not a fan of vanity championship runs. I didn't like it when WWE did it for the Rock and I didn't like it when they did it earlier this year for Goldberg. If it'd be anything involving a title, I wouldn't mind seeing Jericho on a quest to win the Intercontinental Championship for the 10th time that ultimately culminates in a career vs. championship match at WrestleMania.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Winning a big match. The frustrating thing about how WWE booked Jericho after 2002 was he was never given a big match to win or it would be rare.

Jericho has put over so many young talent that he deserves to bow out winning his last match. I know it's against Wrestling protocol since it should be the other way around but Jericho has put over so many people in the past (Benjamin, Batista, Ziggler, Fandango, Christian, Cena, Orton, Styles, Owens, Punk, Rey Mysterio, Ambrose, Rollins, Reigns, Kurt Angle, etc.) that Jericho should get the win if he has one last match.

If Jericho is going to have one last match I'd like it maybe against somoene who won't get hurt losing to Jericho. Maybe Cena, Triple H, or even The Miz or Kevin Owens.

 

[OYDK]

In my perfect world, losing to The Miz at Wrestlemania in a career vs. title match after attempting to win his 10th IC championship. And, just for shits and gigs, it would be ideal if the Miz was a 9-time IC champ himself at the time. These guys have never really had the chance to work together, which is a shame, and I feel like they would be able to put together an incredible program.

It really writes itself, and I think Miz is more than qualified enough to be the one to end Jericho's career.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

In my perfect world, losing to The Miz at Wrestlemania in a career vs. title match after attempting to win his 10th IC championship. And, just for shits and gigs, it would be ideal if the Miz was a 9-time IC champ himself at the time. These guys have never really had the chance to work together, which is a shame, and I feel like they would be able to put together an incredible program.

It really writes itself, and I think Miz is more than qualified enough to be the one to end Jericho's career.

Nah, give Jericho the moment and the honor of the 10th IC champ... if by then they're not going to do more with Miz, giving him that won't help him but it's a good thing Jericho can keep for some time...

As much as I'd like to see this, I think he has one more proper title run in him... maybe a Rumble win/Elimination Chamber win of the title or MITB cash in is more likely... hold the belt for a couple of months and then retire at Mania.

Whatever people think, he's the last "proper" star they've actually got who can not only go in the ring but actually interest people in the storyline, so why relegate that to putting someone over... use him to sell a Mania one last time.

A leftfield suggestion? Connor McGregor... if you're ever going to get him in at Mania and a quick win... Jericho is your guy!

 

[The Perfect Max]

As Jericho is my favourite superstar ever, I don't want to think of a world where Y2J is not an active wrestler in WWE ever again. And while I would want him to go out on top, there is no doubt that Jericho is best when he is a heel, and he has always been willing to do what he can do put over a younger star. Therefore, it would seem that Jericho will likely go out on his back in some unsympathetic heel fashion. Although, the crowd has really fought hard in recent months against Jericho's attempts to be a clear cut heel because he is just that entertaining and appreciated, so whether that would work I wouldn't know.

The problem I have is whether there is enough time for Jericho to have the appropriate last run on top if that is what he is to have. Age isn't always everything, but Fozzy are expected to drop a new album any minute now, and "Judas" is performing better than almost any single they've ever released I believe, if not the best. There will be more demand there in the coming months, so by the time Jericho is ready to return, will there even be room for a run, or time? That is why I really thought Jericho vs. Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 33 was absolutely the way to go. It has undoubtedly been the best run for Jericho in years, and the story had so much steam heading into the event. Even if his career was to continue for another few years, we could definitely mark a point in his later career where he had that moment. A WrestleMania moment, nonetheless.

At this point, I don't know how it will happen. But we don't know whether another run like his most recent one will happen. Perhaps it will and the answer will become clearer then. I think at this point in Jericho's career, a lower key, heel loss that costs him a career that could have worked a few years ago probably isn't fitting anymore. But a tenth run with the Intercontinental Championship culminating against somebody like The Miz might just work in place of a big world title run.

 

[rmp0012002]

I don't see a retirement in the near future. He gets to do limited runs and the fans enjoy him, heel or face. Fozzy gives his body a break most of the roster never gets.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Make no mistake, a Y2J retired era IS coming... but I think as long as WWE is using him in a way he wants to be used, he'll come back for another 2-3 years, even if the band do take off... That being said, there is a gap now for a "new" Metallica level band and Fozzy could, just could get into that echelon if he devotes himself to it. That could be where things start to become a wrench for him...after all, there is little else he can actually achieve in WWE, but potentially a lot still with his band.

At worst case, they know that he will go into the HOF as a headliner and will probably get the rare "wrestle as a HOF'er" honor at least once. At the same time, with the company cutting costs at the moment seemingly, it might be that they start to spread his appearances and runs out more...

 

[King Patrick Star]

There is only one way for Chris Jericho to go out and that is as the Undisputed WWE Universal / World Champion!!

Now that I got my Jericho-holic response out of the way, here’s how I really feel. I think Chris Jericho should go out with a few more Championship Title reigns. It doesn’t matter which Championship Title Belt he holds, but I would like to see him with either a Championship Title Belt he has never won in the WWE. I would love to see him as:

WWE Universal Champion (I can hear the “You Deserve It” chants already.)
WWE Cruiserweight Champion (this will make 205 Live the show to watch!!)
WWE United Kingdom Champion (I’m sure those from the UK wouldn’t mind.)
NXT Champion (why not!?)
NXT Tag Team Champion (You could pair Y2J up with any up and coming NXT “Rookie”, Face or Heel, and it’s guaranteed a hit!!)

I have 6 favorite Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainers. Numbers 2 through 6 are “retired”. I just hope Y2J never retires.

 

[LODemolition]

Jericho is the GOAT and should absolutely go out as a heel, kicking and screaming after losing a career match at WrestleMania. It might be tough to pull off with him being more over than ever, but if anyone can make the fans turn on him it's Jericho. I definitely don't want to see him go out in a sappy emotional way like Ric Flair at WM24.

If he absolutely must stay a babyface, I suppose I wouldn't mind seeing him in a ladder match against The Miz for the title of All-Time Intercontinental Champion.

Jericho should get one good final run as WWE Champion before he hangs up the boots for good. It should have been him and Owens for the Universal Title at this past Mania, but they dropped the ball in epic fashion to no one's surprise.

 

[sikkbones]

Jericho should go out after being future endeavored by wwe so he can join TNA and make them a true competitor

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Jericho is the GOAT and should absolutely go out as a heel, kicking and screaming after losing a career match at WrestleMania. It might be tough to pull off with him being more over than ever, but if anyone can make the fans turn on him it's Jericho. I definitely don't want to see him go out in a sappy emotional way like Ric Flair at WM24.

That's already been done in 2005 though.

Jericho deserves to win in his final match. He's put so many people over in his career that he already filled his lifetime quota.

I think for being so selfless in his career he deserves to go out with a win.

Heck if it means having a match with Shane McMahon so Jericho would win I'd take it.

 

[SmattyG]

Shooter McGavin, I was actually thinking Shane before I got to the end of the comments. Jericho could revive his rivalry with the McMahons, bringing up all the Stephanie stuff, and the Triple H title "win" and reversal back in the day.

Jericho could get the win, and then stand in the ring with his List of 104 Grievances. Stephanie should be mentioned as often as arm bar was in his 104 moves promo.

 

[LBGetBack]

I know in the past that Jericho said he didn't want to go out with that "moment of glory" getting cheered, he wanted to go out where people said "wow, what an asshole that guy was".

Hard to see that at this point though. I think jericho has reached the point where they will cheer him pretty much no matter what. Though I wouldn't put it past him to come up with a completely unique and original way to go out.

 

[Hoke Hogan]

I love the idea of a Jericho/Miz feud, culminating in a quest for Jericho's tenth IC title. And I think Jericho should win the title and then just walk off with it; never to be seen... AGAIN. It's the belt of Jericho, say goodbye, man....

 

[Just Do It]

I think Jericho has many years left. He is like a Canadian Liger. He'll keep on adapting his style, evolving. I just hope it doesn't get to the stage his legacy is effected. 2012 to 2015 was utter trash. Lame feuds, lame matches, lame character. He was really damaging himself then. Hopefully we never go back to that.

 

[LBGetBack]

I think Jericho has many years left. He is like a Canadian Liger. He'll keep on adapting his style, evolving. I just hope it doesn't get to the stage his legacy is effected. 2012 to 2015 was utter trash. Lame feuds, lame matches, lame character. He was really damaging himself then. Hopefully we never go back to that.

I liked his 2012 work, thought the feud with Punk was better than it's given credit for. The problem was it got too predictable that Punk would win. The suspension for kicking the Brazil flag really hurt his momentum at the end of that run though.

Thought he was putting on some great Raw matches early in 2013, but then the Fandango loss, the "Cryback" stuff....yeah, not good. And the Wyatt feud in 2014(?) started off with great potential but ultimately was just so so....like most Wyatt feuds.

Jericho's face run after the Owens turn has easily been his best face character work since 99-01 in my opinion.