Chris Jericho Trolls WWE By Labeling His New Faction "Sports Entertainers" (original) (raw)
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On this week's episode of AEW Dynamite, Chris Jericho came out with his new faction and cut a promo in an attempt to get as much heel heat as possible. While doing so, he trolled his former employer, WWE, in the most epic way possible.
Jericho's new group, the Jericho Appreciation Society consists of Jericho, Daniel Garcia, Jake Hager, Matt Minard, and Angelo Parker. Saying 2PointO was a "stupid name from bad creative, and you’ll never hear it again", Jericho introduced the members of his group. More than giving them new names, he gave them a new persona and one that AEW audience immediately hated. Saying they were going to be the best group in AEW and the only real stars who would be rich and famous when the smoke clears, this group wouldn't be the same as any of the other members of the AEW roster. They have no intention of being mere "pro wrestlers."
Jericho then went into a speech about how a pro wrestler has never been legendary or a millionaire like he has multiple times over. He said he was able to be this successful because he is not a pro wrestler... he considers himself a "sports entertainer". The words were met with a round of boos from the crowd, to which Garcia grabbed the mic and said he is also a sports entertainer. Hager finished the promo by saying "we are JAS, and we beat up pro wrestlers."
Sports Entertainer: A WWE Term
This new direction for the group proves just how smart Jericho is. Knowing the words "sports entertainer" are synonymous with WWE, just the mere mention of the phrase angers AEW fans because AEW doesn't consider themselves a "sports entertainment" company, but a wrestling company. Like RVD used to do in ECW when he called himself Mr. Monday Night and considered himself a star on the level of someone in WWE, loyal fans to ECW then, and AEW fans now, hate a current star liking themselves to the competition.
This was the easiest and most creative way to get cheap heat from the crowd, all while actually taking a shot at WWE. Perhaps WWE doesn't care because they call their talent WWE Superstars, but it's certainly a shot by Jericho and a genius one.