"I wasn’t the top guy in the company" - Six-time WWE Champion recalls a historical moment in his career under Vince McMahon's regime
WWE has created some of the biggest moments in wrestling history. During a recent podcast, AEW star Chris Jericho looked back at one of the most historical moments in his time with the promotion and questioned the booking behind it.
AEW has recently come under scrutiny for the perceived misuse of some of its younger talent, with some fans impatient about certain wrestlers getting their shot. Despite this, the promotion retains one of the most talented rosters in wrestling with all the potential in the world. But potential can only go so far.
During his appearance on the most recent Swerve City podcast, Chris Jericho recalled the difficulties he faced coming up as a rising star in WWE:
"Timing really is everything. I try to tell some of our younger guys this: you can’t have it all, it takes time. It takes time for the story to be right, it takes time for the audience to be intrigued and hooked by it. Also, it takes time as a performer," Jericho said. (25:25)
Continuing, the former Y2J used his time as the inaugural WWE Undisputed Champion to highlight his point on how important timing is in wrestling:
"You look back to when I was Undisputed Champion? ‘Oh, you beat The Rock and Steve Austin?’ Was I really ready for that? It was as good a time as any but it wasn’t like if it was now! It was the first taste of being a main event guy, a champion, but I wasn’t really the champion. I wasn’t the top guy in the company, that didn’t happen until 2008. It was too early for me, but I was the best guy for the job when Triple H was hurt. But it wasn’t killer." (25:50)
Wow 12 years to the day that I became the first UNDISPUTED champion in @WWE history. A moment ill never EVER forget! http://t.co/yvO507tQUO
While Chris Jericho's Undisputed Championship run was lackluster to some fans, the star would go on to become a main-eventer in WWE by 2008, as he noted.
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Disco Inferno wants Chris Jericho to return to his 2008 suit-clad WWE gimmick
Shortly after capturing the World Heavyweight Championship in 2008, Chris Jericho took on a more solemn persona, apparently inspired by the 2007 film No Country For Old Men. During this run, Jericho notably had a very well-received angle with Shawn Michaels that won "Feud of the Year" awards that year.
During a recent episode of Keepin' It 100, WCW veteran Disco Inferno argued for Jericho to return to his 2008 gimmick after he recently revisited his Lionheart persona:
"I think Chris should go back to what he was doing like when he was... did his angle with Shawn Michaels, wearing a suit out there and he can dress like million bucks and stuff and everything, so that's my favorite iteration," Disco said. (7:20)
2008 heel Jericho is the best version of Chris Jericho.
W or L? https://t.co/LhBPoGHP50
Chris Jericho has always been a master at reinvention, but now that his AEW World Championship ambition has been set back, could the star return to one of his most highly acclaimed WWE personas?