Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho: The Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Rolla – The Best in the World at What I Do
"Welcome to Raw... is... Jericho!"
"You just made the list!"
"Drink it in, maaaan!"
Professional wrestling is filled with great champions.
It is filled with legendary talkers.
It is filled with technical masters.
Very few men have mastered every single aspect of the profession.
Chris Jericho did.
For over three decades, Jericho has continually reinvented himself, evolving with every generation while others faded into memory. He has been a cruiserweight sensation, a technical wrestler, a world champion, a comedy genius, a sinister villain, a beloved hero, a faction leader, a rock star, an author, a commentator, and one of the greatest minds the wrestling business has ever produced.
When fans debate the greatest all-around performers in wrestling history, one name always belongs in the conversation.
Chris Jericho.
Not because he stayed the same.
But because he never did.
Before WWE – Learning Around the World
Before WWE discovered him, Chris Jericho was already building one of wrestling's most impressive résumés.
He wrestled in:
Canada
Mexico
Germany
Japan
Smoky Mountain Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW)
World Championship Wrestling (WCW)
Every country taught him something new.
Mexico refined his speed.
Japan sharpened his technical precision.
ECW encouraged creativity.
WCW introduced him to mainstream audiences.
Long before becoming a global superstar, Jericho had become a student of wrestling itself.
WCW – The Birth of Y2J
Jericho's greatest WCW run wasn't built around championships.
It was built around personality.
He transformed into the arrogant, delusional Y2J, mocking authority, insulting opponents and creating unforgettable comedy.
His obsession with defeating Dean Malenko became legendary.
He mocked Goldberg.
He insulted management.
He entertained audiences every single week.
Yet WCW never fully realized what they possessed.
WWE would.
"RAW... IS... JERICHO!"
August 9, 1999.
One of the greatest debuts in WWE history.
As The Rock stood in the ring delivering one of his trademark promos, the arena clock suddenly began counting down.
3...
2...
1...
The screen exploded.
JERICHO.
The crowd erupted.
Chris Jericho interrupted one of WWE's biggest stars without hesitation.
He wasn't intimidated.
He wasn't nervous.
He belonged.
Within minutes, WWE fans knew they had witnessed the arrival of someone special.
The Character
Chris Jericho's greatest strength has never been one gimmick.
It has been reinvention.
Whenever fans believed they fully understood him...
He changed.
Cocky rock star.
Arrogant intellectual.
Suit-wearing manipulator.
"The Highlight Reel" host.
The Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Rolla.
"The Best in the World at What I Do."
"The Painmaker."
"The Demo God."
"The Wizard."
Each version felt fresh.
Each version succeeded.
Very few wrestlers have reinvented themselves so many times while remaining authentic.
Babyface or Heel?
Jericho excelled at both.
As a Babyface
Fans admired his resilience.
His quick wit.
His spectacular in-ring ability.
He became the underdog who refused to stay down.
As a Heel
Few villains enjoyed insulting audiences more.
Jericho could turn a simple phrase into an unforgettable catchphrase.
He mocked cities.
He humiliated opponents.
He belittled legends.
He convinced fans they genuinely wanted to see him lose.
That is the mark of a great heel.
The Entrance
The arena falls into darkness.
A countdown begins.
The opening notes hit.
Thousands of fans sing together.
"Break the Walls Down!"
Jericho emerges with unmatched confidence, turning slowly beneath the lights before spreading his arms wide.
Whether carrying championship gold or simply carrying his own ego, Chris Jericho always entered like a superstar.
Few entrances in wrestling combine music, anticipation and crowd participation as perfectly.
The Finishers
The Walls of Jericho
One of wrestling's greatest submission holds.
Originally performed as the classic Liontamer, Jericho later modified it into the Boston Crab variation that became known worldwide as the Walls of Jericho.
The hold attacked the lower back and legs with relentless pressure.
Countless opponents submitted.
Many simply screamed.
Codebreaker
One sudden movement.
Jericho grabbed the opponent's head.
Dropped backward.
Both knees exploded into the opponent's face.
The Codebreaker could arrive from anywhere.
Its speed made it one of wrestling's most unpredictable finishers.
Judas Effect
Later in his career, Jericho adopted the devastating spinning back elbow known as the Judas Effect.
Simple.
Sudden.
Violent.
Proof that reinvention never stopped.
Signature Moves
Lionsault
Enzuigiri
Bulldog
Missile Dropkick
Springboard Dropkick
Breakdown
Liontamer
Flash pin combinations
Jericho could wrestle high-flyers.
Heavyweights.
Submission specialists.
Giants.
Technicians.
He adapted to everyone.
Championships and Accomplishments
Jericho's résumé is astonishing.
WWE
Undisputed WWE Champion
World Heavyweight Champion (multiple reigns)
Intercontinental Champion (a record-setting nine reigns)
United States Champion
European Champion
Hardcore Champion
WWE Tag Team Champion
World Tag Team Champion
He became WWE's first-ever Undisputed Champion.
On one unforgettable night at Vengeance, Chris Jericho defeated The Rock and then Stone Cold Steve Austin to unify the WWE and WCW Championships.
Few victories in wrestling history compare.
He defeated the two biggest stars of the era...
In one night.
Beyond WWE
Jericho also captured championships in:
WCW
ECW
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
AEW
His success across multiple major promotions makes him one of the most decorated wrestlers of all time.
Greatest Rivalries
Shawn Michaels
Many consider this Jericho's masterpiece.
Beginning with admiration before descending into hatred, the rivalry produced extraordinary storytelling.
Their Ladder Match.
Unsanctioned Match.
World Championship battles.
Every chapter delivered.
Chris Benoit
Technical wrestling at its absolute finest.
Their chemistry was effortless.
Every counter felt believable.
Triple H
Championship wars defined by manipulation, politics and perseverance.
The Rock
Two of wrestling's quickest minds battled verbally and physically.
Their promos remain comedy classics.
Stone Cold Steve Austin
From comedy segments to championship matches, Jericho proved he belonged alongside wrestling's biggest stars.
Rey Mysterio
Their 2009 rivalry showcased Jericho's brilliance as a villain.
His obsession with Mysterio's mask produced one of WWE's finest modern feuds.
CM Punk
A battle of words as much as wrestling.
Their feud blurred the line between reality and fiction.
Kevin Owens
Their unlikely friendship became one of WWE's funniest partnerships.
Then came betrayal.
One clipboard.
One infamous notebook.
One unforgettable phrase.
"You just made the List!"
The Festival of Friendship remains one of WWE's greatest storytelling segments.
Greatest Matches
Among Jericho's finest performances:
Vengeance 2001 – defeating The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin
Ladder Match vs Shawn Michaels (No Mercy 2008)
WrestleMania XIX vs Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XX vs Christian
No Mercy 2008 – Unsanctioned Match vs Shawn Michaels
Royal Rumble 2001 vs Chris Benoit
Wrestle Kingdom classics in Japan
AEW classics with Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley
Across every era, Jericho consistently delivered when the stakes were highest.
The Microphone
If wrestling had a university for promo classes...
Chris Jericho would teach them.
His wit is unmatched.
His vocabulary elevated every feud.
He understood pacing.
Timing.
Sarcasm.
Emotion.
Comedy.
Intensity.
He could make audiences laugh uncontrollably.
Moments later...
He could make them despise him.
Few wrestlers possess that range.
His catchphrases became part of wrestling culture.
"Welcome to Raw... Is... Jericho!"
"Never... EEEEEVER!"
"You just made the List!"
"Drink it in, maaaan!"
"I'm the Best in the World at What I Do."
Every generation has its own Jericho quote.
Reinvention – His Greatest Talent
Most legends peak once.
Jericho has peaked repeatedly.
Every few years he becomes someone entirely different.
Y2J.
Suit-and-tie Jericho.
The arrogant World Champion.
The List of Jericho.
The Painmaker.
Le Champion.
The Wizard.
Each character felt like the work of someone beginning their career rather than extending it.
That ability separates him from almost everyone else.
Music and Fozzy
Outside wrestling, Jericho pursued another lifelong passion.
As the lead singer of the rock band Fozzy, he proved his charisma extended far beyond wrestling.
Songs like "Judas" became so popular that wrestling audiences began singing them during his entrances, creating one of the most electric atmospheres in modern wrestling.
Very few wrestlers have successfully balanced two entertainment careers at such a high level.
Legacy
Chris Jericho's greatness cannot be measured only in championships.
It lives in reinvention.
In creativity.
In courage.
He never became trapped by nostalgia.
While many legends spent their later years trying to relive the past, Jericho constantly searched for the future.
He helped elevate younger wrestlers.
He helped establish new promotions.
He proved that intelligence could be as valuable as athleticism.
He is one of the rare performers whose influence stretches across nearly every major wrestling company of the modern era.
From WCW to WWE.
From Japan to AEW.
From cruiserweight classics to world championship main events.
Chris Jericho has excelled everywhere.
The Best in the World at What He Does
Professional wrestling has given us unforgettable champions.
Technical masterpieces.
Legendary rivalries.
Iconic catchphrases.
Very few men contributed to every one of those categories.
Chris Jericho did.
The countdown begins.
The arena darkens.
The music explodes.
Thousands sing every word.
A confident smile appears beneath the spotlight.
He knows exactly who he is.
Not because he says it.
Because he has spent more than thirty years proving it.
The first-ever Undisputed Champion.
The Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Rolla.
Y2J.
Le Champion.
The man who defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock in the same night.
One of the greatest professional wrestlers who has ever lived.
And, as he has reminded the world countless times...
He is the Best in the World at What He Does.
