10 shocking moments from WWF (WWE) 1999

#3 The debut of Chris Jericho

RAW IS JERICHO!

Throughout 1993-1997, WCW and WWF were operating on very different business models. While Bischoff and Turner were poaching talent from Vince and turning them into widely popular factions, WWF were thinking more long-term, building up new stars that would take the company forward after the novelty of the NWO had worn off.

However, in 1999, with WWF now firmly back on top of WCW in the ratings, there were a number of employees over on TNT that were starting to recognise WCW's slow decline.

Just as the likes of Scott Hall and Kevin Nash had jumped ship once they knew better deals could be offered elsewhere, a number of Bischoff's employees went the other way in 1999 in the hope of finding better management and more opportunities away from the NWO glass ceiling.

One of those to make the move was Chris Jericho. Jericho had been captivating audiences across the world as part of WCW's cruiserweight and mid-card divisions but knew there was only a limited amount of room at the top. A few years before the company was eventually brought down, Jericho found himself on RAW, and made quite the entrance.

As none other than Dwyane Johnson was in the ring delivering a promo, the countdown clock that had been keeping fans guessing for weeks, finally hit zero and out came the "Ayatollah of Rock n Rolla" to announce he was here to save the WWF and that RAW, from this moment on 'is Jericho'. It is still one of those debuts that is highly spoken about to this day and was pretty fitting for a man of Jericho's stature and lasting influence on the business.

Jericho's first few months and years in the WWF were a bit of a rollercoaster, but he has made it through and now stands as one of the most beloved superstars ever to enter a wrestling ring. The fact that he still continues to put on great matches in 2017 is a testament to how gifted an individual he is.