Can we all take a moment and realize just how great Chris Jericho has been in his current stay with WWE?
Go ahead, drink it in.
While the red team is touting a new Universal Heavyweight Champion, Jericho is stealing the show. No disrespect to wrestlers like Seth Rollins or Kevin Owens or even that Reigns guy who now owns the United States heavyweight Championship. It is Jericho who is making Monday night raw a pleasure to watch.
The six-time WWE World Champion, the first undisputed World Champion in company history, and a nine-time Intercontinental Champion is what wrestling is all about. He is the perfect heel, the perfect antagonist, and is doing his best work without the accompaniment of a title. The 40-something wrestler is proving once again you don't need gold around your waist to be a champion.
WWE is in a good position when it comes to everyone's favorite heel. With a handful of pay-per-view events left and Jericho positioned as Kevin Owens muscle, there are plenty of options to book the BFF of the company champion.
Here is a look at five booking options for Jericho for the remainder of 2016.
1. Continue in his current role
Jericho's brash style and arrogance is refreshing. There are many layers to his character, which make him a fan favorite even in the heel role. He is solid on the mic, and still does his best work in the ring. Whether it's taking on Sami Zayn or interfering in Kevin Owens’ matches or playing the spoiler of sorts, he is what's best for business.
WWE may just leave him in that role with bigger plans for him as 2017 approaches.
2. Roman Reigns
I for one would love to see Jericho get a shot at the United States Heavyweight Title. There aren't many options for Reigns after Rusev and the current state of the Raw roster. You could see Sheamus step up and challenge him but fans wouldn't appreciate that.
Because of his effectiveness in putting talent over, Reigns might need Jericho to finally win the fans affection. It's perfect, just like Jericho did for Dean Ambrose and has done for other wrestlers in the past. Besides the fact that it helps the current champion, I wouldn't mind seeing Jericho have a run with the title.
3. The Rollins Effect
I'm not completely sold on the notion that Seth Rollins should be the top contender for the company’s top belt. Because there have been so many questions lately about Rollins effectiveness in the ring, and the fact that he has been questioned as an unsafe wrestler, why wouldn't the company put him in a program with Jericho?
If WWE is serious about making Rollins a Babyface wrestler, which he is loved by the fans no matter which side of the fence he stands, then let Jericho help put him over as well. I can see a scenario where the United States Champion (Reigns) moves up to the top contender status and faces Owens while Jericho takes care of Rollins. That's the way wrestling should be.
4. The friendly turn
All of this sugary sweet bromance stuff between Owens and Jericho has to come to an end at some point. The company cannot have the wing man outshine the current champion. Since backstabbing has become a major theme in the company of late, I'm sure there is a potential swerve where Jericho turns on Owens and challenges him for the Universal Title.
I'm not sure that puts Owens over as a Babyface champion, but it does make a good storyline. I have said many times on other online publications, that I thought Owens would be an effective champion as a babyface or heel. Maybe Jericho helps him decide which side of the fence he wants to stand. Fans will love him either way.
5. A move to the blue team
At some point both WWE rosters will have to balance out. There has been talk of inter-brand rivalries, and this may be one of those situations where Jericho moves to Tuesday nights to help SmackDown Live continue the momentum it has created. The one thing that SmackDown Live doesn't have is a solid mid card.
While Jericho is a main event star, he may be best served as a mid-card champion for the blue team. I also love to see him in a program with Randy Orton or The Miz or maybe, and this is a huge stretch, as an opponent for Daniel Bryan should he get back in the ring. Because of Bryan's injury history, he's going to need somebody that is as safe in the ring as possible. Besides Kane, there is nobody better in the company right now than Jericho.
