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This week marks the 23rd anniversary of Chris Jericho joining WWE. He spent years in WCW and was ready to leave by 1999. From that fight night on RAW, with his on and off again relationship with WWE, he wowed the wrestling world. He showcased his charisma and wrestling skills, battling against the greats of the attitude era to the modern era.
His first taped WWE Match was against Big Bossman, and his last WWE match excluding an appearance in the Greatest Royal Rumble was a triple threat match against Kevin Owens and AJ Styles. He has faced some of the greatest names in wrestling history over the last 25 years, both inside and outside of WWE.
In this list, we will take look at some of the greatest moments of his WWE career.
#5 Festival of Friendship
The Festival of Friendship isn’t just a single event, but the culmination of an epic story of friendship between Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho. Proving that he could get anything over it, Jericho got the audiences chanting “You Just Made The List.” Together as friends, they dominated WWE on RAW with Kevin Owens as the Universal Champion.
It all came to an end with the Festival of Friendship when Jericho celebrated his friendship with Kevin Owens displaying lavish over-the-top presents, including a bizarre painting of Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho, a parody of DaVinci’s Creation of Adam's painting. Moments later, however, KO revealed his own brand-new list, with Jericho's name on it, and he was beaten down in one of the most epic betrayals in WWE history. It is said, it’s probably the only time that a heel, Kevin Owens, turned heel.
We had a match between them at WrestleMania 33 but it wasn’t for the WWE Universal Champion, and it wasn’t the main event.
#4 The Highlight Reel
The Highlight Reel isn’t so much of a moment, as much as it’s a concept. Initially used to continue feuds that Jericho had against such foes as Shawn Michaels. The Highlight Reel was also used to push out other feuds and storylines, bringing in a breath of fresh air when it first debuted in 2003.
You never knew what you were going to get. A beat down? Epic Promos? The Highlight Reel was guaranteed entertainment regardless of how the rest of the show went.
#3 Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 19
Shawn Michaels returned to wrestling in an epic battle with Triple H at SummerSlam. However, after his run with Triple H ended, there was some question as to whether or not Shawn Michaels would be around to work with other wrestlers. Fortunately, the answer was yes, because Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels was a dream match in the making.
The story going in was how much Jericho emulated Shawn Michaels and how much he wanted to be him. The match was an all-time classic and acted as a final confirmation that Michaels was back, and showcased how Jericho was one of the best wrestlers WWE ever had on its roster.
#2 Beating Rock & Austin to Become WWE Undisputed Champion
No matter what any detractors can say about Chris Jericho over the years, no one can take away from him that he beat The Rock and Steve Austin on the same night, at Vengeance 2001. The Rock was the WCW Champion, a left-over title from the poorly received Alliance Angle.
Steve Austin was the WWE Champion. Kurt Angle was also in the event, but he lost to Steve Austin. Jericho, however, beat Rock & Austin to the shock of everyone. He became the first WWE Undisputed Champion, and it was perhaps his most famous title win.
#1 RAW Is Jericho – Chris Jericho Debuts in WWE
Jericho eventually left WCW in the hopes that WWE would push him in ways that WCW never did. That led into the moment with a counting clock similar to the millennium clock that was literally everywhere in 1999. When the clock hit zero, The Rock was in the ring. Out came Jericho to his epic theme song, "Break the Walls Down," and announced that RAW is Jericho! And the rest is history.
Everyone often looks back at this moment as one of the greatest debuts in wrestling history. Jericho became a star on August 9th, 1999. The night that RAW became Jericho.
