Chris Jericho's reaction when WWE rejected his request to face Chris Benoit

Chris Jericho has recalled how he felt after WWE’s creative team booked him to play musical chairs instead of facing Chris Benoit.

The July 5, 2004 episode of WWE RAW took place in Chris Jericho’s hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He wanted to challenge Chris Benoit for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship that night. However, WWE writer Brian Gewirtz informed him that he was going to win a game of musical chairs to earn an Intercontinental Championship opportunity.

In storyline, the segment was organized by former WWE Superstar Eugene. Chris Jericho told Eugene on his Talk Is Jericho podcast that he was “super p****d” when he learned what he was doing on the show.

“I’ll never forget that week. I’m from Winnipeg, obviously. I think Benoit was the Champion at the time. I’m like, ‘We should do something, Jericho versus Benoit for the world title in Winnipeg, what a story.’ Gewirtz calls me, he’s like, ‘We got some ideas.’ ‘What is it gonna be?’ Like, ‘You’re gonna be playing musical chairs.’

“I was like, ‘What the f*** are you talking about?’ I was super p****d because I was expecting some kind of classic angle in my hometown. First time I’m on TV in Winnipeg. But I tell you what, that segment ended up being great.”

Jericho = First @WWE Musical Chairs Champion! #RAW #DanceOff

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) May 14, 2013

Chris Jericho joked that he thought, “This s*cks, I hate Eugene!” when he was pitched the idea. In the end, he enjoyed the segment and felt that the audience reacted well to it.

Chris Jericho still challenged for a title in Winnipeg

Randy Orton held the Intercontinental Championship in 2004

Although Chris Jericho wanted to challenge for Chris Benoit’s World Heavyweight Championship, he ended up facing Intercontinental Champion Randy Orton. The Viper picked up the victory in a match that lasted 18 minutes.

Later in the night, Benoit teamed with Edge in a losing effort against Eugene, Ric Flair, and Triple H.

Please credit Talk Is Jericho and give a H/T to SK Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.