Chris Jericho Considered “Close Confidant” Of AEW’s Tony Khan
There has been some insight provided into how AEW’s owner Tony Khan views one of his top stars, Chris Jericho, as a close confidant.
Chris Jericho has been All Elite since day one after signing a contract with AEW in January 2019 when the company launched. While Jericho is not an Executive Vice President like Kenny Omega, Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson, he is considered by many to be a locker room leader. Jericho also re-signed a new AEW contract last year to take on more backstage responsibilities as well.
With the return of CM Punk coming back to AEW for the June launch of the company’s new show Collison, there have also been reports about a planned meeting between AEW’s Tony Khan, CM Punk, the FTR tag team of Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler, Chris Jericho and perhaps others.
During a recent PWTorch audio show, veteran wrestling journalist Wade Keller talked about the situation with CM Punk’s return and how Jericho is by Tony Khan’s side.
“The idea being FTR [saying] You know, we’re pitching the idea let’s moderate, we’re a neutral party, and we can help let Jericho and Punk work things out…Jericho is the closest confidant of Tony Khan right now, when it comes to things that include him, but go beyond him…I don’t know how often [but] there’s times where it’s like, ‘where’s Tony?’ ‘Oh, he’s in Chris’ hotel room, or he’s off in this restaurant booth talking to Chris’ or wherever they talk.”
“And it’s not just about Chris Jericho stuff, like Jericho is a sounding board. There are people in that company who tell Tony, ‘listen to Chris, listen to Chris, he’s been around.’ You can’t trust anybody 100% but Chris isn’t like some secret agent who’s sabotaging AEW.”
Keller would go on to say that Chris Jericho has proven himself to be loyal to AEW, especially since he signed a new deal last year. Jericho doesn’t appear likely to want to go back to WWE so he considers AEW his home now.
The meeting between Tony Khan, CM Punk, Chris Jericho and others apparently hasn’t happened yet, which led to Keller talking more about the meeting by saying that there are people that don’t believe the meeting will go well.
“Among the people I’ve talked to, there’s not a high level of confidence that the meeting is going to go well that it could make things worse, but maybe not. Maybe things will work out. But people who have been around Punk, know Punk, know people who have known Punk for a very long time, are not optimistic that FTR mediating a meeting between Jericho and Punk is going to lead to progress.”
“The other thing is, is it just sounds by every indication [that] The Bucks, The Young Bucks, Matt and Nick Jackson’s heels are dug in. And I think the Brandon Cutler comment adds to it. I just don’t see those parties reconciling.”
Lastly, Keller talked about how there are still people in AEW that don’t want CM Punk back any time soon.
“I think it’s well-known that he’s a draw. I also think it’s well-known that the welcome mat will not be rolled out for him in the locker room. The passion in that locker room against Punk in certain circles is unwavering. Punk has poured lighter fluid on that. Moxley and Brandon Cutler had been public. And there’s I think some people would surprise you in AEW, who would seem like neutral parties and all that who don’t want Punk back and they have reasons.”