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Chris Jericho is a well-known professional wrestler, but a lot of fans might not be aware that he was once an amateur hockey player. Jericho began playing hockey at the age of four. He was born in Manhasset, New York.
His father, Ted Irvine played hockey for the New York Rangers. Hence, it might have been expected of him to play the sport.
He participated in several youth leagues and, at the age of 14, his team even won a title. Yet, he did not pick it up. Why?
The simple answer: He was just not very good at it.
"I was terrible at hockey. I was a terrible hockey player. I was kicked off my high school hockey team. Embarrassed like 'Irvin's kid, he's not a good hockey player.'" - Jericho's video on YouTube shorts' posted by NHL
It's pretty hard to follow Ted Irvine since he was considered a pretty good left winger during a time when the Rangers were perennial playoff candidates.
Hence, Christopher Irvine decided to follow his own path. He became Chris Jericho - a name known globally. He became a household name as a wrestler and surpassed his father's fame.
Chris Jericho- One of the most versatile wrestlers ever
"The Ayatollah of Rock n Rolla", "The Lionheart", "The Wizard"- Chris Jericho is known for his many nicknames but none more than the moniker "Y2J".
Jericho's CV as a wrestler makes him one of the greatest ever. He started off in Japan and Mexico. His matches in promotions like Wrestling and Romance (WAR) and Consejo Mundial Lucha Libre(CMLL) gained the attention of promoters like Paul Heyman(ECW) and Eric Bischoff(WCW).
He became the mainstay of WCW's cruiserweight division. From 1996-1999, wrestling fans used to tune into Nitro either to see the NWO or the cruiserweights like Jericho, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, etc. His charisma and mic skills made him stand out among the in-ring giants. He ended up being a four-time cruserweight champion and a one-time WCW Television Champion.
Slowly getting frustrated in the rot that set in the WCW, Chris Jericho joined the WWE in 1999 during the peak of the attitude era. Jericho became a superstar during his time with the WWE. His debut is still considered the best ever in the promotion. If you are interrupting the Rock, it has to be the best.
Chris Jericho became a nine-time Intercontinental Champion, one-time WWE Undisputed Champion, three-time World Heavyweight champion, seven-time Tag Team Champion. His accolades and stories brought forth entertainment to millions. His 2008 rivalry with the "Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels is still talked about.
In 2018, he again broke barriers when wrestled in NJPW under a WWE contract. In Wrestle Kingdom 12, he faced off against Kenny Omega for the IWGP US Championship. He lost but after a few months, won the IWGP Intercontinental Championship from Tetsuya Naito.
Now, out of a contract, he began to explore wrestling outside of the WWE. It led to the formation of AEW in 2019. He is one of the marquee stars and was the inaugural AEW Heavyweight Champion.
Chris Jericho is considered one of the greatest. and seeing his resume, nobody would dispute his case.
