It could be argued that without Chris Jericho, there would be no AEW, so his recent comments about MJF's ongoing contract issues carry a particularly high amount of weight. Jericho is an All Elite original and was arguably their biggest star in North America when the company was founded. Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks had been tearing down houses in NJPW and on the independent scene, but in terms of attracting viewers away from WWE, Jericho was the main guy to do so.
MJF has been with AEW for a long time too, albeit his role has grown over time. Whereas Jericho was trusted as AEW's first World Champion, Friedman was a Cody Rhodes project and more of a prospect during the federation's early days. That changed when MJF turned on Rhodes and it became clear just how good on the mic he is, but that shift has also led to him believing he's worth more than the ex-WWE wrestlers who've been brought in on monster deals. MJF's contract dispute is very public at this juncture, and AEW has already leveraged it into an on-screen storyline.
Speaking with Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT.com, Jericho had plenty to say on the situation with Friedman. "Only thing I will say is a contract is a contract. If every athlete in every sport wanted to be paid more now, then what’s the point of having a contract, you know what I mean?" The Wizard wasn't quite done yet, adding later “MJF is 25 [actually 26]. He has a lot to learn. He’s not as good as he thinks he is..."
These comments from Jericho are particularly interesting, given how much he's bounced around the wrestling business during his career. He alluded to that to some degree but also stresses that when he signs a deal, he sticks with it, even if he thinks he's worth more than he's getting paid. Jericho says that, when his deal with AEW is up, he knows that there will be some negotiations but they'll play out then.
MJF, who has a history of wanting to rework his deals, hasn't been on AEW television since cutting his pipebomb promo on June 1. His remarks haven't been spoken about since, his merchandise has been removed from AEW's storefront and he's no longer a part of the company's opening packages. MJF hasn't been included in any of the build toward the Forbidden Door pay-per-view at this juncture, and with the show just a few days away, it seems highly unlikely he'll end up anywhere on the card. Friedman also hasn't made a peep on social media and has largely kept his head down over the last few weeks.
Source: talkSPORT.com