Chris Jericho Compares NJPW Star To The Undertaker

Chris Jericho has compared his match against Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 14 to the first time he stepped foot inside the ring with WWE legend The Undertaker.

The AEW star told Busted Open Radio that he suddenly realised "it's all true" as soon as both men locked horns in the middle of the ring in January 2020. Jericho and Tanahashi went on to have a 22-minute battle that the Canadian cherishes to this day.

He described the eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion as "so smooth", and said he's "smiling just thinking about it" now. Tanahashi left a huge impression on Jericho, so much so that the current AEW babyface isn't so sure he could top WK 14 with a follow-up showing in Japan.

That's high praise.

Working with Tanahashi brought memories of that first bout opposite 'Taker flooding back. Jericho was thrilled to work with the 'Deadman' when he arrived in WWE, but he had the same sense of occasion inside the Tokyo Dome, and would put his match with Hiroshi up against those battles with The Undertaker.

"He's really that good" sums it up - Jericho loved wrestling Tanahashi.