Jericho on Punk/Ryback match

[oWn]

*credit prowrestlingscoops

Former WWE Superstar Chris Jericho appeared on Busted Open with Dave LaGreca and Mike Riker, where he addressed CM Punk’s WWE Championship defense against Ryback at Hell in a Cell. The program airs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on Sirius 92 and XM 208 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Highlights from the interview are as follows:

Why he thinks Ryback should win on Sunday: “I don’t know anything and I don’t work for the WWE. I haven’t talked to Vince in about a month. But I personally think and this is something that obviously Busted Open Radio has very hardcore wrestling fans who are listening as we all are. The number one thing people bitch about is that there is nothing new and it’s the same old same old with John Cena. This is the chance to create a new guy. This is the chance to make a new star instantly, and I know tradition says you must build a star. There is no tradition in a case like this. The comparisons are to Goldberg. Most of the fans in this day and age have no idea who Goldberg is and don’t care. We do, but in the year 2012 Goldberg was over ten years ago. How did Goldberg get over? …. By beating everybody. There was no loss for Goldberg. As soon as he did lose, that’s when things started going downhill for him. Ryback is not a normal guy. This is not a guy that we see that builds his way to the top and fans get behind him slowly but surely. You want to pick a new guy? Have him beat CM Punk this week. Who gives a sh** about Punk’s title reign? It means nothing. Here is a chance to take a guy who people are getting behind. If he beats Punk at Hell in A Cell and after three hundred and thirty seven days or whatever and Punk is finally beaten, people are going to start to take notice of this guy. Those who don’t watch Raw are going to tune in to see what’s going on. Ryback beats everybody. Ryback faces Rock at Royal Rumble. What happens if a couple of weeks before that something goes on with Ryback and Undertaker got involved in the Rock match? What if Rock wins the title and goes on to face Cena we expected and what if its Ryback vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania? What if Ryback beats Undertaker at Wrestlemania? You have a new star for the next ten years to headline pay-per views and main events.”

Has CM Punk gone as far as he can go as a character?: “He has gone as far as he can go. The Rock is the Rock. He comes from a different era. Undertaker, Steve Austin, that comes from a different era. Nobody will ever be a bigger star than those guys, because people in their heads…It’s like the old Batman TV show when we were kids. We thought it was the greatest show ever. You watch it back now and it sucks. But it has a certain place in your head that it will never be replaced. The band KISS in 1978 if you’re old enough to remember was thought of as the greatest band ever, even if they weren’t. Rock is a guy unto his own. Punk is as big of a star as he can be as a heel in WWE. Beating Ryback doesn’t make him a bigger star. It doesn’t.”

Can the injury to John Cena be a blessing in disguise?: “It is a blessing in disguise. The biggest breaks I ever got in this business was when someone got hurt, or when someone went to make a movie. I won the undisputed championship because Triple H was hurt and Rock was leaving. Cena got hurt. What do we do? One thing about Vince McMahon is his motto is to take a negative and turn it into a positive. Vince knows how rare it is for someone to get over so quickly. Vince knows Ryback is not a money making star right now. But if he goes into Hell In A Cell and he destroys Punk and beats him, a hundred percent those fans are going to go bananas for Ryback. You have created a new star. Punk can come back the next night and bitch and complain and do what a heel does. Heels aren’t built to win. Heels are built to lose. That’s what heels do. The fact that Punk has held the title for three hundred and thirty seven days, it might mean something to you guys. I can tell you Punk doesn’t care. Punk wants to make money and if that means Punk and Ryback becomes the hottest feud and suddenly something happens where it goes to Ryback and Rock, that’s a match where suddenly you made a new guy. I would love to see Punk and Rock and I’m sure Punk would be disappointed if it didn’t work out. But this is business. If you have a chance to build someone that can put a company on his back, then you do it. The stop and start pushes that the WWE has been doing and infamous for the last ten years has got to stop and this is the perfect time for it.”

Does he think the WWE will pull the trigger and have Ryback become champion?: “I do because of the reasons I’ve talked about. I’m not saying I know anything. I could be completely wrong. Maybe there would be a scenario where they can protect Ryback and still have Punk as champ. But for me what I like as a wrestling fan, when I was a kid, what I like as wrestling fan now even after doing it for 22 years is the element of surprise. I hate the same old same old. I worked in WCW for three years when guys were passed over. As hard as it is to believe at this point, Eddie Guerrero was the top heel in the company at certain points, but they never let him beat anybody. Billy Kidman was super popular. Probably one of the top two or three babyfaces in the company at certain points, but they never pushed him over the edge. There are guys for whatever reason, get over, even when they are not supposed to get over. If you take advantage of that and push it over the cliff, people will get behind it especially a guy like Ryback because we haven’t seen anyone like that in a long time. We haven’t seen a powerhouse come in and annihilate people. The last time might have been Batista but Ryback is more Neanderthal, more animalistic, more a beast. Batista is very well spoken. Ryback does remind me of Goldberg and like I said it’s not a copy of Goldberg. It’s like saying Jericho is a copy of Shawn Michaels. There are elements and lots of similarities but it’s a different guy and nobody has seen a guy like this in a long, long time. So I think if they do pull the trigger that it will work huge and it will create a superstar instantly. Someone that will be a money drawer, someone that people will tune in who are not watching now to see.”

I didn't see this posted anywhere, If it was then remove it off-course.

[The Industry]

Has CM Punk gone as far as he can go as a character?: “He has gone as far as he can go. The Rock is the Rock. He comes from a different era. Undertaker, Steve Austin, that comes from a different era. Nobody will ever be a bigger star than those guys, because people in their heads…It’s like the old Batman TV show when we were kids. We thought it was the greatest show ever. You watch it back now and it sucks. But it has a certain place in your head that it will never be replaced. The band KISS in 1978 if you’re old enough to remember was thought of as the greatest band ever, even if they weren’t. Rock is a guy unto his own. Punk is as big of a star as he can be as a heel in WWE. Beating Ryback doesn’t make him a bigger star. It doesn’t.”

GO, JERICHO, GO!

GO, JERICHO, GO!

GO, JERICHO, GO!

[The Industry]

You have created a new star. Punk can come back the next night and bitch and complain and do what a heel does. Heels aren’t built to win. Heels are built to lose. That’s what heels do

Thanks, Chris

[oWn]

I think beating Undertaker, although not a bad idea, is a little far fetched but Jericho does have a point and a good one. It would create a star and even if Ryback didn't win, It would be one hell of a build. It would be a nice substitute for the Goldberg/ Undertaker match we never got with both guys being undefeated. I think its worth a shot, Have Ryback go over Punk and see where it goes.

[the national]

i disagree with jericho. but ill disagree because i see no value in ryback. ive never heard him talk, never seen him have more than a three minute match. hes not my cup of tea. imo punk's run has been special and i dont want to see ryback end it

[Ice]

I agree with everything he says about Punk, however I see no reason to give the belt to Ryback when you have January to worry about.

[oWn]

I agree with everything he says about Punk, however I see no reason to give the belt to Ryback when you have January to worry about.

and that's a reason why I really hate these advance bookings, Its situations like this where it just really screws everything up. WWE would be WAY more likely to put the belt on Ryback if they didn't already have January booked. Now WE GOTTA have Rock vs Punk even though the match had alot more luster when Punk was a face, Now hes just gonna be the chicken shit heel that gets beat up by Rock. Eh...

However, if WWE wasn't ready to put the strap on Ryback then I don't see why they booked him with Punk for the belt at a PPV. At least hold off on it until you can book without any restrictions.

I would love to see Ryback vs Rock at the Rumble instead of Punk. Punk being a heel just killed that match for me because I know they wont do him justice as this chicken shit heel. Hes not the Punk I envisioned him being as a bad guy, I would love for him to be more like Austin but it is what it is

[the national]

and to say punk has gone as far he can go is ridiulous. punk has been ever evolving since he got to the wwe.

[The Industry]

Just have Rock come and Rock Bottom Punk as a reciept for Punk GTS'ing him a few months ago. Then build to Rock/Ryback.

I rather have Rock/Punk, but the sheer disgust SOME Punk fans will get if it didn't happen is a better feeling

[oWn]

I would find it funny myself that Punk has spent the better part of a year now "changing" the look of WWE and the first muscle head that gets over Vince throws the belt on

..so much for that

[the national]

I would find it funny myself that Punk has spent the better part of a year now "changing" the look of WWE and the first muscle head that gets over Vince throws the belt on

..so much for that

yep yep nothing better than a guy that cant talk and maybe cant work as the wwe champ

[Falcone]

It's rare a wrestler gives you a sentence that can completely shut down an average argument in the IWC. Thank you Chris.

[the national]

It's rare a wrestler gives you a sentence that can completely shut down an average argument in the IWC. Thank you Chris.

what sentance that he said would that be?

[Mercury]

*credit prowrestlingscoops



I didn't see this posted anywhere, If it was then remove it off-course.

That was the most measured, thoughtful, lucid explanation of professional wrestling methodology I have ever read. Brilliant, Chris Jericho. Absolutely brilliant.

[Falcone]

what sentance that he said would that be?

Punk can come back the next night and bitch and complain and do what a heel does. Heels aren’t built to win. Heels are built to lose. That’s what heels do.

[oWn]

I see more then you national saying "Ryback can't talk". If the guy got over without speaking then its not necessary for him to. He connects on another level, maybe if he spoke people wouldn't like him as much.

It's not to compare him to Goldberg yet again but all Goldberg said was " who's next"... He made enough money no?

[Falcone]

That's true. Warrior, subjectively, was a terrible talker who just rambled incoherantly and fueled many a botchamania to come, but got over on a different level.

Undertaker got over despite for the majority of his early career being spoken for by a man who spoke like Mickey Mouse having an orgasm, and when he was speaking for himself, being one of the more boring promos in the business.

Sometimes, you don't need to talk, you just need to keep your mouth shut and kill people.

[Spawn]

Jericho's really smart, and makes a lot of good points, thing is I dont agree with all of them. Granted, he's in the buissness and probably knows a lot more about it then I ever will, but I think they need to keep the title on Punk. Raw is so lacking in stars and Punk is someone who can carry a show. He can do the promo's, matches, and be in multiple segments and do something different. I don't think Ryback can.

Beyond that, I'm sure Punk does like making money. So can you imagine how much money there'd be if Punk held the title all the way up to the Royal Rumble. The promo's between The Rock and Punk would be some of the most interesting and exciting of the year. Not to mention the intriuge going into the match.

I just think a long term build to such a big match would be ruined in the process of trying to push someone who isn't ready to the top. There are ways to protect Ryback, and if you put the title on him, well he'd have to lose it eventually. Winning streaks can't last forever, its up to the star to make sure they don't go down hill after their streak is done.

Case in point Undertaker didn't become a star because of the streak, the streak became a big deal because of the star.

[Falcone]

Jericho's really smart, and makes a lot of good points, thing is I dont agree with all of them. Granted, he's in the buissness and probably knows a lot more about it then I ever will, but I think they need to keep the title on Punk. Raw is so lacking in stars and Punk is someone who can carry a show. He can do the promo's, matches, and be in multiple segments and do something different. I don't think Ryback can.

Ryback can carry the show by being Ryback. Besides, one guy is not the whole show, despite what you have been led to believe. If Ryback wins, you can bet Cena & Punk will be right there with him, carrying the show with him.

[the national]

That's true. Warrior, subjectively, was a terrible talker who just rambled incoherantly and fueled many a botchamania to come, but got over on a different level.

Undertaker got over despite for the majority of his early career being spoken for by a man who spoke like Mickey Mouse having an orgasm, and when he was speaking for himself, being one of the more boring promos in the business.

Sometimes, you don't need to talk, you just need to keep your mouth shut and kill people.

guys like the undertaker are the exception not the rule. and the undertaker character was just so tremendously awesome. hes in a class by himself. the one guy that didnt talk much but i loved because he was a monster was vader. he only hhad to say i feel no pain i fear no man but in the ring his shit looked like he was really hurting people badly. ryback i see more as goldberg boring

[Codebreaker]

I Jericho, but sometimes he just loves to troll and bullshit.

This Jeri-troll is brought to you by prowrestlingscoops.com.

He was right about making a star and what heels do though. But Rock vs. Ryback? Nope.

[Nightwolf]

Punk can come back the next night and bitch and complain and do what a heel does. Heels aren’t built to win. Heels are built to lose. That’s what heels do.

Can I smack this into the Internet's face over and over again until people get it? please?

[Spawn]

Ryback can carry the show by being Ryback. Besides, one guy is not the whole show, despite what you have been led to believe. If Ryback wins, you can bet Cena & Punk will be right there with him, carrying the show with him.

Yeah point, I just like CM Punk as champion, and I think there's a wealth of stories to be told with him as a champion still. But, I do see your point.

[Crippler]

I stopped listening after "Who gives a shit how long Punk's reign is?" Spoken like a man upset that his entire world championship lineage combined still falls 100+ days short of Punk. And also it just made him sound like an idiot.

[Nightwolf]

I can bet Punk himself does not care about how long his reign is at all, it is a silly thing to obsess over.