Chris
Jericho TALKS epic WrestleMania XIX match vs Shawn Michaels
by
Greg Tingle
Chris
Jericho has enjoyed an amazing pro wrestling career, which hit new heights with
his WrestleMania classics.
No
stranger to pop culture followers or the pro wresting news, recently Jericho made
worldwide news regarding his 3 year contract with wrestling start-up (of sorts),
AEW (All Elite Wrestling). The promotion may be new, but the key people involved
are no stranger to significant success in the world of sports and entertainment.
Jericho
has faced off against the cream of the crop in his career including Hulk Hogan,
Triple H, Ricky Steamboat, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, AJ Styles, Edge, and CM Punk.
Many
pundits point to his WrestleMania 19 match against Shawn Michaels that is viewed
as his best showing at the Granddaddy Of Them All (channeling Jim Ross), soon
to be appearing on AEW programming!
Via
an Inside The Ropes interview, Jericho discussed working with Shawn Michaels and
how it was a match that wasn't supposed to happen.
"Shawn
is one of those guys....it's like when (Ricky Steamboat) came back at (WrestleMania
25). He's better than 75 percent of the roster. I'm demeaning the roster but Steamboat
is like (Wayne) Gretzky. Shawn is like (Mario) Lemieux or Gordie Howe. In my opinion,
the best ever. It's not Flair, it's not Bret, it's Shawn Michaels for me,"
said Jericho. "It was never supposed to be. It was a one-shot thing where
I did a Highlight Reel and I was calling him old. Which is funny because he was
37 and I was 32. I was just kind of demeaning Shawn on the Highlight Reel, he
super kicked me in the face, and that was supposed to be the end of it. We walked
to the back and I remember Vince sitting there, smiling. Vince looks at Shawn
and Shawn goes 'It’s money' and Vince said 'You’re fucking right it’s
money.' That was where that whole angle started. It was supposed to be me and
Edge that year, originally. But that happened in mid-December, and after that
it's like I think we’ve got something here with Jericho and Michaels for
WrestleMania."
In
another interview with Inside The Ropes, Jericho revealed that he lobbied for
his WrestleMania 18 bout against Triple H to not be the main event, believing
they could not follow The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan. In comparing the two Mania matches,
Jericho was much more pleased with how WrestleMania 19 turned out.
"It
was the exact opposite of (WrestleMania 18)," stated Jericho. "It was
a great build-up, a great story, it was not the main event 'on last,' but it stole
the show. It was 'a main event' and one of the best matches in Mania history.
There have been 35 show stealers in WrestleMania history. And our match is one
of them."
Jericho
is not be part of WrestleMania this year - he's signed up fully to AEW, with an
option to wrestle in Japan also, should he wish to. Only a select few key people
have seen Jericho's contract, and that would include Tony Khan. Many WWE Superstars
and other pro wrestlers have been following Jericho's AWE move closely, especially
after learning of his lucrative contact. But, there is only one Chris Jericho,
and he's a tremendous wrestler, as well as being a business, media and marketing
mastermind... that's what also makes him so valuable, as great as he is between
the ropes.
He is scheduled to face Kenny Omega at AEW 'Double or Nothing' at the Grand Garden
Arena in Vegas on May 25. And, the Media Man agency says the smart money is on
Jericho - Don't bet against him, or you're likely to end up bankrupt. More often
than not Jericho wins, both in the ring and in the sports entertainment world
in just about any endeavor he puts his mind to. AEW is JERICHO.
Jericho
vs Shawn Michaels. Red turns to green! (you most likely won't hear that expression
on a WWE broadcast!)
