Chris Jericho's Legacy

[thedude]

When Chris Jericho hangs up the tights for good one day what do you guys think his legacy will be? He seems to be a part of a dying breed these days as he is a technically sound athlete who had traveled the world honing his craft before eventually landing in the WWE back in 1999.

He is one of those guys who can have a good match with anybody and is great at playing both a face and a heel. He has also shown time and time again that he is willing to lay down and help elevate young guys.

He really gave a lot to wrestling and imo he should one day be looked at as one of the greatest of all time for all his contributions to the industry.

[chicagokenny416]

When Chris Jericho hangs up the tights for good one day what do you guys think his legacy will be? He seems to be a part of a dying breed these days as he is a technically sound athlete who had traveled the world honing his craft before eventually landing in the WWE back in 1999.

He is one of those guys who can have a good match with anybody and is great at playing both a face and a heel. He has also shown time and time again that he is willing to lay down and help elevate young guys.

He really gave a lot to wrestling and imo he should one day be looked at as one of the greatest of all time for all his contributions to the industry.

I couldn't agree more definitely one of the greats of all time in all aspects of the business minus flag etiquette.

[The Main Event]

If we're sticking with first ballot Hall of Fame trends, he would be one that deserves it.

I truly do consider Jericho to be top 20 all-time. He's made every gimmick handed to him work, he rarely has a poor match, and hardly ever does anyone walk away looking bad after being in the ring with him. He's one of the greats.

[ExOfEx]

Totally agree with you guys. They're not making 'em like Y2J anymore...sad to say. Don't think he gets the respect he should by most fans unfortunately.

[Rad]

Very good opening post, sir.

For me, Chris Jericho will always be my favorite wrestler, right up there neck-and-neck with CM Punk. The problem with the GOAT debate is, it's purely conjecture. A lot of people will tell you the criteria for reaching the top of that list, yet, when someone like Jericho comes into the discussion and passes all those requirements with flying colors, they're still relegated somewhere to the top 10-30 because they weren't the "it" guy or didn't appeal to a certain demographic of the audience. When all is said and done, Jericho would be lucky to fit into the top 20 discussion amongst most fans, despite the fact that his overall talent far outreaches the likes of people such as a Randy Orton or a Rey Mysterio, both of whom I'm sure would be ranked above him.

I'm aware of the tangent I'm on here, so back on point - I'll always view Chris Jericho personally as the greatest wrestling talent of my lifetime. When I say wrestling, I really mean the whole shabang. In-ring skills, mic work, the character, the look; every essential facet required to make the ideal pro wrestler, and Chris Jericho was that mold for me. No one entertained me more in WCW than 'Lionhart,' and no one entertained me more in WWE than 'Y2J.' Not only that, but no one else in my lifetime has ever had such an unbelievably positive character renaissance such as he did leading up to my favorite feud of all-time with Shawn Michaels.

Add that in with the fact that, as a part of a generation that is notoriously unwilling at times to put over younger talent, Jericho has done so without question on multiple occasions. The real "Peoples Champion." The answer to your question? First ballot Hall of Famer, undoubtedly.

[Justin Valuable]

Jericho has been very successful despite inconsistent booking in his career. Jericho was used poorly during stretches in WCW and from 2003-2005 he was sometimes irrelevant on WWE programming. Despite that he's carved out one of the most decorated careers in WWE history.

[Slushy]

Like Bret Hart, Chris Jericho will always be remembered as one of the industry's best workers who was prevented from being a bigger star than he was due to backstage politics.

[eajc_87]

Like Bret Hart, Chris Jericho will always be remembered as one of the industry's best workers who was prevented from being a bigger star than he was due to backstage politics.

I don't think Bret could have been a bigger star than he was even if he didn't have his detractors behind the scene, the guy was pretty much at the top of the business at one point, Jericho never was.

[Slushy]

I don't think Bret could have been a bigger star than he was even if he didn't have his detractors behind the scene, the guy was pretty much at the top of the business at one point

I agree, but just imagine if things had worked out and he did cleanly beat Hogan at SummerSlam 1993 for the WWF Championship by making him submit. That would've been HUGE!

[eajc_87]

I agree, but just imagine if things had worked out and he did cleanly beat Hogan at SummerSlam 1993 for the WWF Championship by making him submit. That would've been HUGE!

Yeah it would have. I still don't understand why when he beat Flair for the title it wasn't televised. I just wonder if it was some demand of Flair's for putting him over, although I doubt that since Flair has been pretty giving throughout his career for who he puts over. It might have been something to help Flair so his value wasn't diminished when he returned to WCW.

As for Jericho, he is one of my favourite's, but I think the way his Undisputed Title reign was booked sabotoged him for a long time...something it took years for him to recover from. He wasn't a threat as champ in 2001/2002, it never seemed like he should be champ or that he was just lucky to still hold the title. The way HHH manhandled him in their feud was counter productive to both of them as well. Putting Steph with him made things worse.

As far as Jericho's legacy is concerned I see him as the Roddy Piper of the 2000s. The guy is entertaining and can work with anyone any spot on the card and make it work.

[Kemis.]

When Chris Jericho hangs up the tights for good one day what do you guys think his legacy will be? He seems to be a part of a dying breed these days as he is a technically sound athlete who had traveled the world honing his craft before eventually landing in the WWE back in 1999.

He is one of those guys who can have a good match with anybody and is great at playing both a face and a heel. He has also shown time and time again that he is willing to lay down and help elevate young guys.

He really gave a lot to wrestling and imo he should one day be looked at as one of the greatest of all time for all his contributions to the industry.

In fairness, the WWE has turned its attention to that very same sort of athlete in the last couple of years.

Brodie Lee, Chris Hero, Daniel Bryan, Claudio Castagnoli, they are all guys that have traveled the world and worked on all continents in all different places many times.

On the topic of Jericho, he's right up there as one of the best ever. He's got it all and is as well-rounded as you will get.

Everyone knows about Attitude Era-Jericho, but my favourite incarnation of Jericho is when he returned as part of the SaveUs campaign, which led to one of my favourite series in modern-day WWE and one of the best ladder matches I have seen in Jericho/Michaels from Unforgiven.

I think we'll see Jericho come and go every couple of years from now on, but I don't think he'll ever truly retire from the game, until he's unable to unwilling to do it anymore.

[Jrippa]

The thing about Jericho to me that is never brought up is that he is the true Iron Man of the WWE, and what I mean by that is that he has never had any extended absences due to injury now he may take a sabatical from time to time but I dont know of anybody in the WWE that has had a track record like that.

[The Industry]

Like Bret Hart, Chris Jericho will always be remembered as one of the industry's best workers who was prevented from being a bigger star than he was due to backstage politics.

They both were big politicians themselves

[Coco]

I'll always remember Jericho as a guy whose knob I regularly slobbed on the internet. That's his legacy.

[merle]

I don't think Bret could have been a bigger star than he was even if he didn't have his detractors behind the scene, the guy was pretty much at the top of the business at one point, Jericho never was.

I would say that when Jericho became the first undisputed champion by defeating the E's two top stars of the attitude era that he was at the top of the business and has stayed towards the top since then. I think the only thing that hurts his legacy a bit are his extended absences that he has taken. Of course, they make his returns that much more exciting.

[thedude]

One of my favorite moments in wrestling was when he beat Rock and Austin for the undisputed title. His reign was overlooked so badly though because of the NWO return and the HHH/Stephanie stuff. As soon as he lost the belt to HHH he slid right back into the mid card until the Cena feud 3 years later.

[Untouchable]

He was never THE guy , but he was the guy that you could beat to get there. Great guy to have on the roster than could lurk in the midcard - uppercard for awhile putting on impressive feuds and then move to the main event on a dime and be believable there as well.

Just an impressive overall career all over the world , including the big 3 companies that were relevant during his time in the US. Ive been a fan of Jericho forever and while I enjoyed his WCW work and some of his earlier WWF work a little more than some of the comebacks , I still think he will go down as an easy 1st ballot HOFer and one of the most well rounded wrestlers of his generation.

[eajc_87]

I would say that when Jericho became the first undisputed champion by defeating the E's two top stars of the attitude era that he was at the top of the business and has stayed towards the top since then. I think the only thing that hurts his legacy a bit are his extended absences that he has taken. Of course, they make his returns that much more exciting.

He didn't get over as a heel when this happened though, quite the contrary it was a flop. When Booker interfered and he won it got a muted response and through his reign he was never the spotlight of the card, it was always the NWO or Rock/Austin/HHH. I was a huge Jericho fan but he had a lot more momentum as a face in the first half of 2001 then when he turned heel at the end of the Invasion angle..it just didn't work out.

[Lionheart]

Jericho is the complete package. He has everything. I know this may come as a shock to all considering my name, but I believe him to be the absolute best. The only person that comes near his level to me is Shawn Michaels.

I only started watching in late '07 so I hadn't even heard of Jericho when he made his return to the WWE. Everyone was really excited about it and I had no idea who the guy was. I sure was in for a treat. I recall my first glimpses of him as he took out Orton's torch bearer and did his trademark pose with his arms out as everyone chanted Y2J. I had no idea what that meant, of course, but he instantly captured me with his excitement and charisma. Jericho was back and he was going to save us from The Legend Killer. It wasn't long at all until he was my top favorite. I was as marky as they come back then but I still knew greatness when I saw it. His talent in the ring and his skill on the mic are really something special.

I found myself watching old matches after this return, something which I had not done up to that point. I just could not get enough Jericho. The part he played contributed greatly to my developing passion for the business and I am proud to now count professional wrestling as the thing I'm into most. Thanks, Jericho.

[Big Stan]

Chris Jericho's legacy is that of a crusierweight performer who went a hell of a lot further in his career, than he was ever suppose to.

And I mean that in both a positive and negative way.

[FozzyWozzy]

Besides the fact that he will forever be known as the "First Undisputed Champion", which is something no one can take away, his legacy as a wrestler and character in and out of the ring will be admired and inspire many younger generations to follow in his footsteps. In my eyes, I see him as the man that would give anybody a chance. He started out like any other wrestler in the industry and look where he is now. I'm sure he would like to give the same treatment to newer guys like when he was starting out.

I have been a Jericho since 1999 when I began watching wrestling for the first time. He defined wrestling in my childhood and I still look up to him to this very day. By far the most versatile wrestler (arguable but that is my opinion) in the industry. Any promotion would lucky to have him, yet a wrestler who comes close to his attributes.

[thedude]

One thing with Jericho is that he has been able to change his character up whenever he needed to. The Chris Jericho of today is far different than the Jericho of 1999. His finishing move, his ring attire, his hair style, his promo style..all of that changed so that he could evolve his character and still remain relevant in today's WWE while so many other old stars continued to do the same gimmicks for years and years until they eventually ended up stale as hell and no one cared about them anymore.

[Ed]

Dispite up and down booking everything Jericho does is gold. He's a great all-around wrestler.

[The Industry]

Chris Jericho's legacy is that of a crusierweight performer who went a hell of a lot further in his career, than he was ever suppose to.

And I mean that in both a positive and negative way.

Leave it to, Young Stanely to put things in perspective.

Well played, sir

[UltimateSavior]

Being one of the greatest jobbers in wrestling history: making putting folks over look like a million bucks.