VIDEO: Chris Jericho Makes Impassioned Plea For AEW and New Japan to Collaborate

Chris Jericho, fresh off his victory over Hiroshi Tanahashi at New Japan's Wrestle Kingdom at the Tokyo Dome on Sunday, appeared at the event's press conference and begged for the promotion and the upstart AEW to transcend all the obstacles to work together:

"Put aside all the hurt feelings. Put aside all the egos. Put aside all the issues and politics and concentrate on great wrestling matches and big business," Jericho said. "I haven't been doing this at the highest of levels for 29 years, as what some people say as the greatest of all-time, as a stupid businessman. I can see the amount of money that we can make together with AEW and New Japan."

Regarding the hurt feelings, fellow AEW wrestler Kenny Omega made a big global name for himself in New Japan but reportedly has had "fractured feelings" about how they handled his exit. The Young Bucks, who worked in Ring of Honor before AEW and also had angles in New Japan, did not feel like they were properly valued money-wise by the latter promotion.

As far as the politics go, New Japan has had a long partnership with the Sinclair-owned Ring of Honor. Jericho is absolutely right, however, that there is big business in a partnership between New Japan and AEW right now. I get that New Japan doesn't want to be disloyal to Ring of Honor, but there are just so many more compelling matches and storylines that they could cultivate with the AEW roster.

Jericho offered to put his AEW title on the line against big New Japan talents like Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Kota Ibushi, and Will Ospreay. Combining that with always-unfinished business that Omega, the Young Bucks, and Cody Rhodes have with New Japan -- in addition to Jon Moxley, who has been wrestling big matches over there of late -- and you have a recipe for a lot of intrigue worldwide.

Hope it happens!