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Jake Hager stopped by Busted Open Radio to discuss AEW, WWE, his upcoming Bellator match against Anthony Garrett and more. During the course of the conversation, Bully Ray brought up Chris Jericho killing his former tagline during the October 9th episode of AEW Dynamite. Hager responded by saying he's not upset by the moment and that it had to be done. He even thanked Jericho for doing it.
What did Chris Jericho say about the Jack Swagger gimmick?
During the AEW Dynamite segment when Chris Jericho was introducing members of his new heel stable, The Inner Circle, the crowd referenced the Jack Swagger gimmick by erupting into "We The People" chants. Jericho put a stop to it and told the crowd that the previous gimmick was due to bad creative. He further said,
"Hey, calm down for one second. We The People sucked and it's dead and buried. It was a stupid idea from bad creative and all that's gone. Jake Hager is the most feared MMA fighter on the planet today and that's a shoot. That makes him the toughest man in AEW, that makes him the toughest man in the professional wrestling business, baby. He's not afraid to challenge any fighter, wrestler, boxer, MMA guy, former MMA guy, street bum, bare knuckle fighter, you name it, Hager is ready. Look at him, he's a giant."
Jake Hager put over Chris Jericho for squashing the gimmick
As previously mentioned, Jake Hager thanked Chris Jericho for getting rid of the gimmick and said it's also the reason why Jericho is on the Mount Rushmore of pro wrestling. He said,
"'You know, it's one of those moments that really shows why Chris Jericho is on the Mount Rushmore of pro wrestling. His timing, his ability in the ring, his experience is just so awesome. He didn't even really say anything special. The way he said it, though, was just perfect. It was a great moment. I think it's a great start for us. I'm not upset at all. It had to be done."
Jake Hager further stated that pro wrestling is about staying fresh and that there is a necessity to keeping your character fresh. He also said that wrestling fans are now looking at Jake Hager.
What's next?
Jake Hager is correct in his analysis. It's important to start afresh and wrestlers have to constantly reinvent themselves in the industry. It's how they survive. Coupled with his MMA gig, Hager was looking for a fresh start and has hopefully found it in AEW.
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