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As we count down the 15 greatest technical wrestlers in the history of the WWE, we get to number 11. There are very few performers who achieved success in every venture they had taken up. In the history of professional wrestling, there has been only one name who hasn’t just been a successful professional wrestler, one of the greatest technical wrestlers of all time and one of the greatest names in the history of the business, but has also moved on to becoming a professional dancer, a TV host, a musician, an actor and an author! Reading all of these accolades, we are left with the image of only one superstar in our minds, someone who claims himself to be ‘The best in the world at what he does’, and also as ‘The man of 1, 004 holds’. It is none other than the ‘Ayatollah of Rock n’ Rolla’, Chris Jericho!
One of the greatest Canadian wrestlers, Jericho wrestled in Canada, Mexico and then made his way to Japan to work on his in-ring technique. Jericho is the last of the ‘dying breed’ of wrestlers who went to Japan, and traveled all over the world to learn and improve their skills. Chris Jericho performed as ‘Lion Heart’ in Japan, and was soon heralded as one of the best young technical wrestlers in the world, putting on classics against the likes of Ultimo Dragon. He competed in the prestigious Super J cup in ’95, before signing up with ECW and was flown down to the United States. Paul Heyman witnessed the work of Jericho and was impressed, and signed him up and put the ECW Television title on Jericho. Jericho then signed up with the big league, as Eric Bischoff wanted to stack up some of the best wrestlers in the world to improve his Cruiserweight division.
It was here that Chris Jericho made a name for himself on the international scene. Jericho won the WCW Cruiserweight title, and put on some of the greatest wrestling matches in WCW along with the likes of Rey Misterio and Guerrera. But perhaps his greatest feud in WCW came against the ‘Man of 1, 000 holds’, Dean Malenko, where Jericho and Malenko put on a series of outstanding matches and traded the WCW Cruiserweight title. Jericho then won the WCW TV title, but since he wasn’t happy with the way management was treating him, he left for greener pastures, and his departure was seen as the final nail in WCW’s coffin.
Jericho then made one of the most impactful debuts in the WWF, and was soon involved in feuds against the likes of Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit, with whom he put on some great matches. Jericho captured the WWF IC title, and was involved in one of the greatest ladder matches of all time against Chris Benoit for the IC title at Royal Rumble. Jericho then became the very first WWF Undisputed champion when he defeated The Rock and ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin on the same night, to hold the World Heavyweight title and the WWF/E title at the same time! Jericho then feuded with his childhood hero Shawn Michaels, and put on one of the greatest WrestleMania matches with him in ’03.
Chris Jericho has always been regarded as the work horse of the organization, and the person who could ‘elevate’ the other superstars by putting on great matches with them. Although he left the WWE to try his hand at other ventures, his second coming was met with great response from the crowd. He showed just why he’s one of the greatest entertainers and mic workers in the history of the industry, by turning on the fans and starting a new trend, which other heels soon followed. Jericho’s charisma, along with his in-ring talent and his mic skills, have made him one of the most talented and respected performers in the industry.
Jericho was voted the ‘Wrestler of the year’ twice by Wrestling Observer, and his feuds with ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ Shawn Michaels became a stuff of legends! Jericho won the World Heavyweight title on a couple of occasions, but he has shown his respect for the business by being the only veteran willing to put over the young blood. Jericho is possibly the greatest performer, due to him re-inventing himself time and again to remain relevant in the business. There is no doubt that Jericho will go down as one of the greatest names in the history of professional wrestling, and that earns him the number 11 spot on this list.
