Jericho Explains Decision To Wrestle For NJPW, Talks His Eventual WWE Return

Chris Jericho recently appeared as a guest on Busted Open Radio to talk about his upcoming Wrestle Kingdom 12 showdown against Kenny Omega at the Tokyo Dome in January. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

On his belief that wrestling for other promotions will only increase the excitement around his inevitable WWE return: "I like doing stuff that's never really been done. I think I'm in a very unique position in the WWE where I have a great relationship with the company, one guy [specifically], where normal rules might not apply. But I also do it with respect and with relevance to what they're doing and realize that WWE is still my company, it's still my home, but I'm not handcuffed to WWE. If I want to go to New Japan to work a main event at the Tokyo Dome or put on my own cruise and work in tandem with Ring Of Honor, that's OK, because guess what? At the end of the day, when I go back to the WWE it makes me that much bigger of a star."

On what he is doing being similar to what guys like Brock Lesnar and WWE legends from the past have done: "I'm not saying it's a Brock Lesnar-type thing, but it is very much a mercenary-type thing. It's an old-school, something that you would see (Hulk) Hogan or (Ric) Flair or (Nick) Bockwinkel or somebody do back in the 80's when they would do a big shot in Japan just because it meant something... I'm not a world champion, but it's a big deal for Jericho to go there and I love that sort of intrigue and I think certain guys in the WWE appreciate that as well in the office because it makes for a better business. The good thing about New Japan and even Ring Of Honor to an extent is showing that WWE is not the only place in town, and I think the first people that would be happy about that are the guys that are running the WWE because it just makes for a better business, for a healthier business. And not just for the boys but for the fans. It pushes everybody to think more and to be more clever and creative and to work harder."

Check out more from Chris Jericho's appearance on Busted Open Radio at @BustedOpenRadio.com.