WWE News: Chris Jericho reveals the reason why Vince McMahon once threatened to fire him
What's the story?
Chris Jericho has a healthy working relationship with The WWE Chairman right now, but there was a time when the former World Champion was almost out of a job because he got on the wrong side of Vince McMahon.
In case you didn't know...
Chris Jericho is one of the best-known wrestlers in the world and even though he has become known for his time in WWE, 'The Ayatollah of Rock 'N' Rolla' has worked for a number of different promotions all over the world.
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Right now Jericho is part of New Japan Pro Wrestling and before he found fame in WWE, he was a recognizable face in WCW, something that meant that he was already walking into an icy reception when he signed with the company back in 1999.
The heart of the matter
Jericho was recently a guest on Sean Waltman's 1,2,360 podcast where he was able to open up about a time when Vince McMahon actually threatened to fire him. (transcript via StillRealToUs)
“So when I got to WWE, I’d been working for 9 years and I’d been over in every company that I ever worked for so you know there’s certain guys like when Daniel Bryan came into the WWE I knew he’d get over no matter what.
He’s been over everywhere he’s ever worked, he’ll figure it out and that’s what I did. I figured it out and it didn’t take long but there was a huge bullseye on my back and I smartened up to it very quickly."
There was a target on Jericho's back in his early days in WWE because that was the way the locker room worked but he has always been able to adapt and he easily managed to turn this into a positive.
"And the other part of the story…what Vince {McMahon} told me was ‘you’re working with X-Pac tonight, if you don’t have a good match you’re fired.’ Which was a guillotine over my head… and then afterwards Vince was super cool, he pat me on the back, ‘hey pal, give me a call tomorrow and oh by the way every match that you have from now on run it past Sean Waltman first and make sure that it makes sense…In retrospect there’s a reason Vince did that.
As we know Vince is a f***ing genius and we were peers but Sean you knew how to work that style {WWE STYLE} so he put me with you to figure out how to do it. I’m really happy he did that because I learned right away…That’s why Vince did it and it worked.”
What's next?
Chris Jericho is currently busy planning his historic cruise that will take place from October 27th and will include some of the biggest names in wrestling like Jim Ross and Diamond Dallas Page. He is also the current IWGP Intercontinental Champion.
Was McMahon harsh on Jericho or was it this tough love that turned him into the wrestler he is today? Have your say in the comments section below...
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