Will Chris Jericho retire as a face or heel?

[Miss Flawless]

Pretty simple question. I was just watching some of Chris Jericho's days with Christian and that stupid (yet funny) tiny feud they had with Lita and Trish. While watching, I found myself missing Y2J. Or at least, Chris Jericho with long hair.

Then I started thinking about how Chris might retire soon and how people thought Chris was gonna turn face. AND THEN, I finally thought whether Chris would retire face or heel.

Now, I loved Chis Jericho's face gimmick and I think he's superior with his heel gimmick. I would love for Jericho to retire as a face, giving a little speech, but then again, I would like him to stay in character too.

Since I'm double-minded, I ask you, if you think Jericho should retire face, or heel.

EDIT: Okay people, I read his interviews and I know he still loves the business. I know he still has years left in him and he will hang up his boots when "the rush is over". Thanks for telling me anyways.

 

[The Best At What I Do]

Isha my friend, you know it's mandatory that I respond to all Jericho-related threads. Now while I love The Ayatollah of Rock n Rollah just as much as I love The Best In The World At He Does, Chris Jericho has come out and said that he is having a great time playing a heel and will most likely do so until he retires. The man is not a hypocrite like most people therefore I believe him. I'm also a little weary of a face run in the PG Era anyways because he'll have to water down his material (calling people assclown for instance) and would be overlooked due to how big the other top faces (Cena and Orton) are.

 

[airvar]

I don't think you will see jericho hang up his boots in the near future.

I know his contract is comming up, and if he is let go I could see him staying away from wrestling for a year or too, but I can't see him retiring his on screen character for good, and when he does decide he's done in the ring I honestly think there's a good chance you will see him as a manager/general manager or even a commentator.

I just don't see a shaw michaels/ ric flair retirement at wrestlemania scenerio for him, and I definatly can't see the jericho charcter retiring in heel fashion like jbl/batista did. The fans just wouldn't react well to it

 

[Miss Flawless]

I don't think you will see jericho hang up his boots in the near future.

I didn't say he was gonna retire soon, I said he "might" retire soon. Jericho said he will retire when it seems right. I was just wondering whether he will retire heel or face...that's all.

 

[ForzaItalia]

I have full confidence that Jericho will get one last face run when he comes back after he takes his time off. I think it is only right that Jericho gets to have a little fun before he says goodbye for good. And I know I as a Jerichoholic would love to see the The Ayatollah of Rock n Rollah entertain me one last time. The way Jericho went in is the way Jericho is going out.

 

[EdgeHead504]

I hope that for ol' times sake, Jericho truly brings back the Y2J gimmick. I'm getting sick of him as a heel. It's the same old tired "hypocrite" lecture that bores me. His in-ring ability is great still so change the gimmick, Chris....

 

[KBUnitz]

First of all, I really don't expect Jericho until at least 2014, 2015.

I think that Chris Jericho is one of the few stars that made this "PG era" watchable. He is one of if not the best heel of all time, though his hypocrite attitude is starting to get a little repetitive (EXCUSE ME!!!). I think he is the greatest wrestler of all time and should be superior than anyone else, but that's just an opinion. I don't think his retirement will be like Ric Flair's or Shawn Michaels', but I think he will retire like Tommy Dreamer, quietly, but somewhat memorable. I think he will retire the night after a PPV, and I'm thinking BackLash of 2014 if it still exists, he will lose at WrestleMania 30 or 31, then at BackLash 2014 and call it quits on Raw. (Just a side note, I think Jericho should return to SmackDown, they need talent...)

He will get at least another face run, but as for retiring heel or face, I think he'll be a heel when he's getting ready to retire, but will go out as a face, being cheered and maybe by then the PG era will be over and no kids will be booing the greatest wrestler of all time.

 

[xBANEx]

Do I think he should retire as a heel or face? Heel. He's a lot better at it, in my opinion, though he is a good face.

What do I think he will retire as? Heel. He's better at it as I said above + he prefers being a heel.

 

[CJ The Pirate]

I expect one more run as face but not as he retires. I see that 3-5 years away now. I can easily see a 6 month run as face, perhaps through a Royal Rumble win/ Wrestlemania main event, happening. After that I'd firmly expect him to be heel from then on and into his final storyline.

I'd expect that final match to happen and for Jericho to go out on his back. This day and age with the internet letting everyone know what's what, the fans would strongly support Jericho throughout and he'd be left with little choice than to thank all the hypocrites and parasites for their loyalty and love in what would be an amazing farewell speech the next night on Raw. I am perversely looking forward to Jericho's retirement strictly for this speech.

So my answer to this is... Both. He'll go into the fight heel and will retire face. Pray the day never comes. I can't wait!

 

[mvalley]

I see Jericho doing what he does best - entertain. He'll go out as a heel as that will be the most entertaining.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

He has to retire as a face. I know Jericho has been one of WWE's most evil heels over the past couple years, but I believe a face turn will happen somewhere down the line. Making the transition from bad guy to good guy isn't that difficult. It just takes time. Jericho can tear it up on the mic, and we will see Y2J again in the future. I thought Triple H and Randy Orton would be heels forever, but things changed, and I think the same can be said about Jericho.

 

[Cookie14]

I think he will retire as a heel because it's the role he plays so well and has done for so long.
He has spent most of his time in WWE as a heel, but whenever he has been away he always returns as a face, even of only for a short period of time.

I expect him to start taking more breaks away from wrestling, maybe running a similar schedule to HBK or Taker, except spread over the full year instead of the few months before WrestleMania. Whenever he returns he will always get huge face pops, then he will cut another great heel promo telling us how stupid we are for thinking he had changed while he had been away

 

[Karaoke Superstar]

I think on his last night he should go out as a face. He may be a heel the match prior but during his retirement speech he will be a face. Simply because of the reaction he would be getting, the fans will show their appreciation of him regardless. So it doesn't make much sense if it was truly his last appearance to have him insult the crowd etc. but to give him the proper sendoff.

 

[pachargers]

I see him going out as a tweener face and heel cause fans are starting to cheer him but wwe makes him then immediatly say something bad about the fans but i think his role will get to where randy orton is a tweener face.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

I think Chris Jericho will go out as a heel, for the most part. He views what he's doing now to be the best work of his career, and I must say I have to agree. He's the best in the world at what he does, and I wouldn't want him to go back to Y2J. The fans are all over him, but if he did turn back face, I think that would die down. Part of the reason we chant for him is for the flicker of hope that the old Jericho might come back in a promo or something. But once he made the switch we'd slowly start becoming bored again.

I think Jericho will be heel until he retires, and I'm sure if he has a last epic match, it will be awesome, and at the very end he'll thank everybody and leave as a face. He's a legend, and he'll leave as one. However...there's still a lot of years left in the guy. Just because he goes away again, doesn't mean he couldn't come back. I don't know that he'd want to, but I think he could still go for another 5+ years. He's never been injured for any serious amount of time, and he's pretty reliable. I'm sure he'll go off and do his own things for awhile. He's always doing his own thing and trying new experiences. But that doesn't mean he has to retire completely from pro wrestling.

 

[hatehabsforever]

First and foremost, I don't think we are going to see Chris Jericho retiring anytime soon. He's still in good health, he's not that old, and he still seems to have a passion for the business. Most interviews I have heard about or read lately with Jericho do not make it sound like his retirement is imminent, in fact, quite the opposite. He seems invigorated by his earlier hiatus and seems good to go.

Having said this, when his time does eventually come, as it does for all professional wrestlers not named Ric Flair, I see him retiring as a face. Chris Jericho is one of those unique performers that can perform equally well as either a face or a heel, and that's something that not all guys can say. Most guys are only effective as one or the other (look at Morrison or MVP as guys who were well suited in the heel role but are abysmal in the face role, or AJ Styles who is a natural face who is not well suited to his current heel persona). Jericho is excellent as either.

I see Jericho continuing his heel run for another while but eventually, he will return to being a face. And when he hangs the boots up, that's how he'll call it quits, as a face who can thank the fans properly and receive the accolades from them that he has earned over his illustrious career.

 

[Ferbian]

Chris Jericho is so multi talented as both a heel and a face that to me, it really wouldn't matter what alignment he ended his career with. Chris Jericho has done great work with both his face, as well as his heel character. So obviously whichever alignment Chris ends his career with, we're bound to see something good.

I guess I wouldn't mind to see a final face turn however. But it's not important for me, because I enjoy his heel stuff just as much, perhaps even more. Chris as a face was very loved because of the fact that he was allowed to insult, at least in his early career. Much like how we loved Y2J. This is something that limits Chris as a face, as well as Y2J heel Jericho. So I guess ending his career as a heel is probably the right way to do it.

 

[Dum Dum Dudley]

I'm not doubting that he will have a last face run because i think he will, but i think he rightly retire as a heel. My main reasoning for this is that not everyone has to retire as a face to ensure they have a good legacy. Sure, Ric Flair's retirement from WWE was really intense and emotional and it made sense as he is a true legend of the business. But JBL went out as a heel but i don't believe his legacy was tarnished. Hell, i've just posted on a thread rating his gimmick with many posters giving him a 10/10. Jericho retiring as a heel doesn't mean his last match will be shit or that his legacy will be tarnished. If they can have a solid feud building up to it and his retirement as a heel makes sense, why not?
Overall, i personally believe he should retire as a heel. For the past 2 years we have seen him take part in a brutal feud with HBK which really cemented him as a heel. His mic work and feuds with Batista, Cena, Steamboat and Edge really portrayed Jericho as a heel and thats how i see him now. Sure, i was watching Raw in 1999 when he debuted as 'The Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla' and i enjoyed his work in that gimmick, but i don't want that work tarnished by Jericho rolling it out after the Rumble so he can retire at Wrestlemania as a face. I'm sure many people believe face Jericho v heel Miz would be great, and i'm sure it would, but not as a 2-month retirement angle. I just don't wanna see some corny, sentimental shit when for the past two years hes been portrayed as such an arrogant, ********.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

Chris Jericho has had a stellar career in putting on some great matches and classic moments, him going out with a good send-off as a face is something that I can see happening. However, considering that Jericho has mentioned before that his work as a heel is much more enjoyable to him and he feels as if that's his best work... well there is no shame in retiring as someone "hated." He's accomplished enough in the business to not have another shining moment so late in his career. My money would be on Jericho retiring as a heel.

With whatever alignment he might be, Jericho has always had his fair share of fans in the audience that want a reason to cheer for him. With the recent Nexus angle, people have been getting quite behind him despite his heel-like tactics and cocky attitude. No matter how he gets sent off, the crowd will give him an ovation as he leaves. So really, the face retirement isn't needed.

 

[Morpheus101]

I don't see Jericho retiring anytime soon (although he may take lengthy breaks here and there). When he does retire, I think it'll be as a face. The crowd have always loved Jericho and he knows this. He's a very dedicated performer and even as a heel, I'm pretty sure that he knows he's one of the favorites. I think he'll go out as face...he'll probably have one last title run before he does so though (I think that's the least WWE could do for a man that has done so much for the wrestling business and WWE). That is of course, unless Jericho wants to do a Batista and go out as a heel.

 

[hArdyPUNKmArk]

I love Jericho as both a heel and a face so I wouldn’t really mind how he goes out. I’d like to see at least 1 final face run though, even if it is just for nostalgia’s sake. Batista was so much better going as a heel and the same can be said about JBL. Heel was perfect for them to leave the WWE. But with Jericho either would work very well. He’s getting the occasional pop lately though so if he were to turn face at some stage soon he would be very over very quickly I think. His face character was loved back in the day and it would be a great way to see him hang up the boots.

I hope he’s still got a few years left though, he’s said in interviews he thinks the last few years have been the best work of his career and that he doesn’t plan on stepping away anytime soon. I’m hoping for a face turn before the end of the year with his DVD coming out but honestly, I’m going to love whatever Jericho is doing, he rarely disappoints.

 

[The Crock]

He'll retire as a face. Most guys that have meant that much to a company will get one last farewell face run. He plays a hell of a heel, but he'll be a face. I hope he gets a farewell show somewhat like Ric Flair or Shawn Michaels, he's not that much of a legend but he's a surefire hall of famer. I won't be mad if he retires heel though. We one of the best heels of all time.

 

[y2jsmiley]

well well well....all i can say is if there is one guy who could ever retire as a heel it would be Y2J.........he could very politely thank the fans for cheering for his underachieving Y2J gimmick for so many years......( as he would have to cause is a heel) but say that he has moved on to many other things.....and no longer has the time to pander to the millions in the WWE universe.....


He could very well turn face....and say he was blinded by bright lights and all he ever wanted to do was to steal the show every night....either way Jericho will make his exit as memorable as when he first debuted

 

[YEDemon]

I'd like to see him be Y2J, but I think he could still get away with a lot for a face if he did get the fans behind him. Either way, I'd prefer to see him retire with the Y2J gimmick. I missed out on it during his first stint with the WWE, but it seems like he was awesome at it, and though he is a great heel, I wish he was a bit more fresh. Hyprocrite is most definitely his "Excuse me."

I think ultimately, though, he will retire telling us that without him, the WWE will never...EVER... be the same AGAIN!

 

[Y2J-LionTamer-Y2J]

Isha my friend, you know it's mandatory that I respond to all Jericho-related threads. Now while I love The Ayatollah of Rock n Rollah just as much as I love The Best In The World At He Does, Chris Jericho has come out and said that he is having a great time playing a heel and will most likely do so until he retires. The man is not a hypocrite like most people therefore I believe him. I'm also a little weary of a face run in the PG Era anyways because he'll have to water down his material (calling people assclown for instance) and would be overlooked due to how big the other top faces (Cena and Orton) are.

Well said ^^

Anyhow tho I hope he becomes a face because I do love chanting Y2J at live events

It looks latel IMO that it might happen. He has been letting the Y2J sneak in him lately and even the king said on RAW that it's funny how it just a tiny amount of time the fans seem to love Chris Jericho again or something like that. It was during his match on RAW with Barret last monday.