The gift of Jericho

[kamicazze]

Jericho has been superb recently with his latest character reinvention. I can't think of anyone who has reinvented their gimmick this many times to adapt to the times. Only downside with Jericho is he rarely has truly great matches. Being that I am on a bit of a Jericho buzz once again I think we should discuss some of y2j's finest bouts.

 

Triple h at fully loaded 2000 is one of my personal faves. Jericho a lifelong mid carder to them challenging the top boy in company who also happened to be the authority too. A great back and forth match showing triple h at his very peak: drawing us in to really believe that Jericho could win the big one. And then finally suplex through table. They both lie motionless and on the count of 9 trips somehow gets up to collapse again. Great match, great ending. Both elevated as a result

[PowerButchi]

Elevated both? If anything I thought it damaged Jericho as that was the time he probably should have gone over. I remember that being the sentiment at the time.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

I remember that Fully Loaded match and thinking "well, Jericho knows his place now I suppose." Jericho should have went over. It was Triple H's last match before setting in motion his babyface turn. Wouldnt have done him any harm to put Jericho over.

[The Gaffer]

Yeah he definitely should have went over. Sometimes putting up the fight of your life isn't good enough. It works for Shelton Benjamin in 2004 but 2000 Chris Jericho? It was one of those 'rubs' that came off patronising. "You had one hell of a crack at it little man. Kick some ass with Benoit again at the next PPV when me and Rock do some numbers."

[FUM]

Still think he should have kept the title that night he won it on RAW. That would have elevated him more than anything.

[JakeRobertsParoleOfficer]

 

HHH really wound me up at various points:

 

Here

 

vs Booker at WM where T needed to go over but HHH got the win and T was made to look inferior

 

Vs Sting at WM

 

There have been times when he's really needed to do the job!

 

That said I can only imagine how he felt when told "ure losing to Hogan!"

[PowerButchi]

I don't think he needed to do the job to Sting. There was nothing to gain or lose from either of them going over.

[DavidB6937]

At that point in his career, Sting didn't seem to care. He got his Wrestlemania moment and had fun with the lads and that was about the end of it. It wasn't like he was getting any significant push out of it after.

[Porkchopcash]

For me Jericho peaked in WCW when he turned baddie. Ralphus, Greenberg, Little Trooper, Monday Night Jericho. He could have been there Rock equivalent at the time with his catchphrases. Instead they phase him out and let him go to the WWF. Loved hus intro, best ever i think, after thathe never did it for me to that level again.

[Love-Wilcox]

Always loved Jericho.

 

Jericho vs Raven Halloween Havoc 98 (I think ?) is one of my favourite "under ten minutes" matches of all time. Two of the best midcard talents in the company at the time who were being given nothing to do storyline-wise were just thrown out at the top of the card to have a heel vs heel match just because.

 

Sounds odd on paper but they ended up having an absolute barn-burner. I tried to find it on youtube but no luck, I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it.

[tiger_rick]

I loved Jericho when I'd not even seen him. Back when Final Martin's opinion was my opinion!

 

He looked great in WCW and everything I read about his ring and mic work was positive so I was a huge fan when he turned up in the WWF with nothing really to back it up.

 

That first year or so was very odd. They debuted him like a megastar. The crowd went "Yeah, we'll buy this - this cunt's a superstar" and they then did nothing with him.one step forward and two back for over a year.

 

The feud with X-Pac, pissing about with Chyna, having his title win reversed and losing that match at Fully Loaded all undermined him.

 

I was still behind him for years after but it was never quite the same. You need to strike while the iron's hot and they never did.

 

His feud with the Rock in the second half of 2001 was excellent. Funny they then gave him the biggest wins of his life but the ship had sailed.

 

Love the way he's reinvented himself. I've not enjoyed him for years before this ring and given how much I liked him once upon a time, I don't like that. He's brilliant again though. Drink it in, man.

[Guest]

Jericho has a really weird career to rate. He's been in some amazing feuds, but a lot of gtf moments in their too. Re read his last two books over the last few weeks, and love his approach to a lotta stuff. Just never sure what tier of legend he sits at

[garynysmon]

Must admit that the only time I've really enjoyed Jericho's stuff was in WCW after he turned heel. Mind you, he was fucking brilliant at the time.

[Guest]

Just never sure what tier of legend he sits at

Probably not too far from Edge, either way.

 

I don't think he needed to do the job to Sting. There was nothing to gain or lose from either of them going over.

It was an opportunity for WWE to say to their audience, "Look, we're finally over that stuff now, and we're not afraid to put WCW's biggest ever star over one of our own second or third tier legends."

 

Instead they had the heel and face announcers both bury WCW all over again while Sting extends a respectful hand to the man who just cheated to win by lamping him with a sledgehammer.

[Mr Tibbs]

His feud with Dean Malenko was great.  The heat for the match when Malenko unmasked was off the charts! 

 

One of my favourite segments of all time is Jericho explaining to a homeless women in Washington DC why the result of the match with Malenko should be overturned!  Nitro at its best.