After months and months of build up and anticipation, we're just a few weeks away from former best friends Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens going one-on-one for the United States Championship at WrestleMania 33. It's a huge, huge match and one that a lot of fans will probably be looking forward to seeing more than any other contest on the card.
That's not surprising either, as the slow burn behind Owens' betrayal and Jericho's inevitable reaction was fantastic. Some will say it was predictable, while others will say it was done too soon, but whichever way you look at it, this has been a masterpiece from start to finish. Honestly, you could make an entire DVD out of this feud right now.
So what's next? Well, the match of course. With so many people expecting Owens to walk out of Orlando as the US Champion, it's going to be incredibly interesting to see whether the WWE sticks with that idea or throws us a huge curve ball much like they did with the Jericho vs. Styles match last year.
Either way, it's in with a great chance of stealing the show at the Citrus Bowl. With that being said, here are five ways to book Chris Jericho vs Kevin Owens.
#1 Jericho fluke
This is by far the riskiest option of them all, and it's one that would probably anger many fans. In this instance, we'd have Owens dominate for pretty much the entire match, barring a few minutes where Jericho gets the upper hand here and there. Then, when Owens goes for the pop-up powerbomb to end the feud once again for all, he gets caught.
Whether it be through a codebreaker or a schoolboy roll up, Y2J gets an undeserving victory that sends the Prizefighter into a fit of absolute rage. He proceeds to destroy Jericho all around ringside, completely sending him off the deep end when it comes to his stability.
Then, the next night on Raw, he can go straight into demanding his Universal Championship rematch. Speaking of Owens losing his mind.
#2 Owens disqualified
There is nothing that Kevin Owens wants more right now than to take Chris Jericho's US Championship away from him. So then, wouldn't it be so typical of WWE to completely ignore that logic and have Owens get himself disqualified?
Think about it. KO wants to cause Jericho as much pain as he physically can, and there's a good chance that he could get carried away with that.
Whilst it would make him seem a little bit silly by getting disqualified, everyone makes mistakes and they can build on the idea of Owens trying to learn from it in the months following ‘Mania. Obviously, fans wouldn't be pleased on the night, but considering how stacked the card is this year, one screwy finish here and there shouldn't be too much of an issue.
It's time for some irony.
#3 Owens squash
A few weeks back Kevin Owens lost his Universal Championship to Goldberg in 22 seconds. We're sorry for reminding you all of that fact, but in this specific entry, it's going to be quite important - because we want Owens to squash Jericho in return.
When you really think about it, Jericho may well be one of the best ever but he shouldn't be on Owens' level anymore.
So having Y2J coming in expecting to hang with Owens only to be dismantled in mere minutes would be perfect. It would allow for Owens to look like a heartless monster, and it could write Jericho off for months in order to allow him to go back on tour with Fozzy.
It's a win-win situation and it also leaves a lot of time for the other big matches of the night, too. Yes - Owens wins in this next scenario.
#4 KO gets lucky
Underestimating Chris Jericho is a big mistake and one that a lot of Superstars have paid the price for over the years. It makes sense that Owens would go into their match at ‘Mania with all the confidence in the world because logic suggests that KO is the far superior competitor.
However, there's one man who would strongly disagree with that - Jericho himself.
The wily veteran would give Owens everything he had in his locker and then some, forcing Kevin to doubt his own abilities by comparison. It would be a great back and forth as Owens would just attempt to swat Jericho away like the annoying fly he is, constantly coming up short.
Then, out of nowhere, Owens nails Jericho with a lucky pop-up powerbomb and wins the bout by the skin of his teeth. We conclude with Y2J going for his WrestleMania moment.
#5 Jericho risks it all
Chris Jericho has been a part of the WWE for years and years now, but there's never really been a standout ‘Mania match of his that stole the show. You could argue that WM19 with HBK was the closest he ever got, but that card was so stacked that no one match really stands out above the rest.
So why not have him try one last time to make his mark at the showcase of the immortals?
This may require a stipulation that allows for weapons, as we like the image of Jericho going up to the top of a ladder and risking it all in the name of glory. He could go for an elbow drop or something of that nature, only for Owens to roll out of the way and capitalise on the mistake to win the title.
It's great storytelling and would be a fitting end to this old school rivalry.
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