10 Biggest Game-Changers In Wrestling Right Now
5. Chris Jericho
At 47 years old and over a decade removed from his athletic prime, Chris Jericho is one of the most vital pro-wrestlers on the planet, having successfully reinvented himself in the face of diminishing returns. It isn't the first time he's done this, and it won't be the last either.
'Y2J' is his own master. A true free agent, he is in complete control of his own destiny, making him the new poster boy for the power of betting on yourself outwith Vince McMahon's grasp. It started in 2017, when, while technically still contracted to WWE, he began his war with Kenny Omega. A big NJPW Wrestle Kingdom payday followed, and Jericho re-emerged in late spring, wresting the IWGP Intercontinental Title from the popular Tetsuya Naito's clutches. He's now set to embark upon his own wrestling cruise, defend that belt on NJPW's last big PPV of 2018, and even managed to secure a headline-grabbing spot at ALL IN. The guy's everywhere, and and it has been a long time since he's felt so important.
A shining example to anyone seeking to plow their own furrow in wrestling, guys like Jericho are helping shift the power away from wrestling's paymasters, and back towards the wrestlers. That's worth celebrating.