Chris Jericho Wanted To Do More Than Just A Video For His Match Against Kenny Omega
Jericho never was just going to just appear in a video and be done with the build for Wrestle Kingdom 12.
Talking to Jim Ross on the 200th edition of his podcast, Jericho said that he comes from a place where you helped build the match and tell a story opposed to just going there and doing the match.
I think when this match was made, Alpha vs. Omega, Jericho vs. Omega, a month-and-a-half ago in Osaka or wherever it was, it makes me laugh that people think, 'Jericho announces a match, here we go, it's going to be a big match, we'll see you in Tokyo in a few months on January 4' As if I wouldn't do something to build an angle. I'm too much of a disciple of Vince McMahon/Bill Watts/Stu Hart. Any great promoter would do an angle to build the match, to sell the tickets. So once again, in Fukuoka, Japan and I attacked Kenny Omega from behind, nobody saw that coming. And I love that! To me, that's what wrestling's all about. When you can surprise the fans and the 'smart marks' that think they know everything, but they don't know anything, it makes me laugh because even you, Jim, would understand as an old school guy, of course I'm going to build an angle! Of course I'm going to do that. That's what wrestling is!
Jericho said that the match itself — which is a no disqualification match — is a big deal, and they will deliver on January 4. But telling the story is just as important and building the angle to the match.
Honestly, yeah, the match is important. We want to have a good match. I love good matches, but who cares? The most important thing is the story and the angle building towards that match and selling the biggest amount of tickets we can, okay?
Jericho and Omega will clash in the co-main event of Wrestle Kingdom 12 on January 4. The show will also air later that week on January 6 on AXS TV.
