AEW Legend Chris Jericho Discusses Retirement in Exclusive Interview
Chris Jericho is touring the UK with Fozzy. He arrived just hours before speaking with Filmogaz.com. The run is the band’s largest to date.
Fozzy first played the UK in 2006 at Rock City in Nottingham. The country has been a key market for two decades. Jericho says the UK feels like a second home.
Fozzy’s growth and commercial milestones
The band went full-time in 2010. That decision coincided with a major rise in profile. Rock radio in the United States helped push their songs to wider audiences.
Fozzy has nine top-ten singles. Their song “Judas” reached one million YouTube views within a week. It is not yet certified platinum in the U.S., but Jericho expects it to reach that mark in about a year to eighteen months.
Grassroots touring across the UK
Fozzy places value on playing small and large venues. Their schedule includes Margate, Brighton, Southampton and Bradford. Touring everywhere has built a loyal, grassroots following.
The acapella “Judas” moment in AEW
In 2021, AEW audiences sang “Judas” acapella on live television. The chant came during a year-long storyline with MJF that banned the song. The ban ran for 366 days.
Jericho and Tony Khan debated how to present the idea. They opted not to force it. The crowd found the words organically and joined in by the third line. Jericho calls it a unique collision of Fozzy and wrestling.
Reinvention and character work
Jericho credits David Bowie for inspiring constant reinvention. He has adopted many personas, including Y2J, the List, the Learning Tree and the Wizard. Y2J remains the most recognised.
He resists becoming a nostalgia act. Jericho prefers new directions that sometimes irritate fans at first. He compares creative change to KISS removing their makeup.
A lesson from Lemmy
Jericho recalls a radio moment with Lemmy of Motörhead. Lemmy insisted the station play his new record instead of repeating “Ace of Spades.” The exchange taught Jericho to keep creating new material.
Wrestling philosophy, longevity and injuries
Jericho argues that crowd connection matters more than match ratings. Storyline and charisma define major moments. He cites WrestleMania 18 versus Shawn Michaels as an example of narrative building the match.
At 55, Jericho has worked roughly 35 years in the business. He worries that modern emphasis on high-risk spots shortens careers. An early injury in León, Mexico left him hurt after a botched catch. That incident led him to re-evaluate risky moves.
WWE, AEW and industry impact
Jericho says healthy competition benefits fans and talent. He credits AEW founder Tony Khan with securing funding, TV and top-level performers. Early AEW stars included Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, the Young Bucks and Orange Cassidy.
Jericho used his profile to elevate others. He worked to pass rub to several performers and formed the Inner Circle. That group included Sammy, Ortiz, Santana and Jake. His departure from WWE also helped lift salaries across the industry.
Retirement, AJ Styles and future moves
Jericho discussed retirement and career choices in an exclusive interview. As an AEW legend, he reflected on the balance between legacy and ongoing work. He acknowledged that retirement remains a personal decision.
AJ Styles had a final WWE match at the Royal Rumble and was retired by Gunther. Jericho believes AJ would fit in AEW if circumstances allowed. He also questioned changing retirement plans immediately after a send-off.
Songwriting and Fozzy’s creative direction
Songwriting has evolved for Jericho and Fozzy. He now collaborates closely with a writer named Johnny. The partnership produces darker, more relatable lyrics on tracks like “Judas,” “Fall in Line” and “Spotlight.”
Jericho contributed “Wordsworth Way,” a personal song about his childhood and his mother’s early passing. He says performance brings the words to life, regardless of who writes them.
The interview was conducted in the UK during Fozzy’s 2026 tour. The transcript was edited for clarity by Filmogaz.com.
