Chris Jericho, Best Performer, Ever?

[TimetoShine]

As a face, or as an obnoxious heel, Chris Jericho can play the crowd like few others can. In the ring, he rarely misses a spot, he protects his opponents and himself. When is the last time you ever remember an injury in a Chris Jericho match, not including the freak incident with Edge that had nothing to do with Jericho.

He reinvents himself, hell he even writes his own character on most occassions! So my question is this. Where does Chris Jericho rank, in the all time echelon of "entertainers". IMO, he is numbero uno, with "The Rock" being a very close second place. If, and this is a big if, The Rock had not retired early, spots one and two might either be switched or tied, but right now I stick behind Jericho as the best.

How many can make you repeat all his catch phrases one day, only to have you want to strangle him through the TV screen the next? What makes this even more impressive, is that he does not even have the status quo huge muscles, or even height for that matter.

 

[Ferbian]

How many can make you repeat all his catch phrases one day, only to have you want to strangle him through the TV screen the next?

Quite simple: Triple H could do that, wildly popular with D-Generation X and people were loving the catchphrases, and they still do to this day, yet when he turned over to the McMahon-helmsley Era / Evolution, he was one of the most hated heels I could possibly think of.

On the other matter, I would say Chris Jericho is very high on the list yes, but as I mentioned in another thread named "greatest WWF/E wrestler of all time" I will state that I think Shawn Michaels is the best performer ever.
He could easily work both personalities of the incredibly beloved face that we're seeing today and through the past many years, as opposed to the cocky amazing heel we saw in the 90's.
And Shawn is the ultimate in-ring performer of all time (if you ask me, you may disagree, this is my opinion, thank you.) and yes he may have injured himself, where as Chris Jericho hasn't, and I don't recall Chris Jericho causing any injuries to any other wrestler, at least not any I could name off my mind without much research, but neither would I be able to name any wrestler Shawn has injured.

So my choice would be Shawn Michaels as the best performer ever, but Chris Jericho is up there among the 10 or 5 greatest if I had to make a list.

 

[1C3-M4N]

Chris Jericho is diffidently an awesome heel and face character. He is a great performer who can have a great match with almost anyone and puts over lots of talent. His catch phrases as both a heel and face are memorable weather it be the "iotola of rock n rolla" or "the best in the world at what he does." Jericho is diffidently in the top ten of all time for sure. I've been a fan of him since his days in the original ECW through WCW and now WWE. He's added lots of moves to his arsenal and gets such a reaction from the fans weather it be boos or cheers. But comparing him to The Rock or Triple H like you guys did isn't too fair they're all great in their own right and can put up a great argument why any of them deserve to be the best performer ever.

 

[Jonnie Walker]

While Jericho ranks high, the honor goes to . I mean, the Rock. Maybe I just want some Salisbury Steak. Mmmmm. Salisbury steak.
As I was saying before I got distracted and wanted some Salisbury Steak, I chose the Rock as the greatest performer ever in wrestling history. Jericho is a very high rank because of his ability to work a crowd, but the Rock was funnier, and had a natural ability to talk with talent. Jericho can work a crowd at any role, but so can the Rock. I mean, Rikishi didn't do it for Jericho, he did it for the Rock. So is Y2J the best ever? Unless you don't count the Rock, he might be, but that's only if you don't count the Rock, and why wouldn't you?

 

[Tenta]

As a face, or as an obnoxious heel, Chris Jericho can play the crowd like few others can. In the ring, he rarely misses a spot, he protects his opponents and himself. When is the last time you ever remember an injury in a Chris Jericho match, not including the freak incident with Edge that had nothing to do with Jericho.

He reinvents himself, hell he even writes his own character on most occassions! So my question is this. Where does Chris Jericho rank, in the all time echelon of "entertainers". IMO, he is numbero uno, with "The Rock" being a very close second place. If, and this is a big if, The Rock had not retired early, spots one and two might either be switched or tied, but right now I stick behind Jericho as the best.

How many can make you repeat all his catch phrases one day, only to have you want to strangle him through the TV screen the next? What makes this even more impressive, is that he does not even have the status quo huge muscles, or even height for that matter.

No.

No.

No.

Look, is the only qualifying attirbute hear how well a character can ply a crowd? Becuase God damn it, Steve Austin did it infinitely better than Chris Jericho ever could. Steve's best ability, and the one that almost everyone seems to forget about him, was his ability to make you care about what he did, and what he was going against. As a face, he got you to care by.... Well, not giving a damn if you cared. He was realistic, the guy next door who'd invite you to have a beer if he liked you, and was completely honest with you if you pissed him off. Sure, his promos were one trick ponies, but then again, shock of all shocks, so are Chris Jericho's. Even as a heel, Steve got under your skin unlike anyone that ever could. Bret Hart is on record as saying Steve was a great chicken shit heel, and even with how great of a face he was, he was still probably better as a heel. Think of how many people still do that god forsaken "what" chant. He took a phrase that everyone says, tooled around with it for a bit, and made a catch phrase that people still say. It's merely a question.... And it's probably the most known catch phrase in the history of professional wrestling. That, in a nugget, is Steve; He sees what works for his character, amplifies it by a thousand, and works the crowd, better than anyone can.

Besides that, Steve is just as safe as any worker in the business. The only time he got hurt is when Owen Hart, God rest his soul, fucked up on a piledriver that probably wasn't even needed in the match. Still, he handles his workers well, and is a far better wrestler than anyone gives him credit. I even think he puts on a better match than Chris Jericho can ever dream. Why? Because for the tiny bit that Chris Jericho is good at working a crowd, Stone Cold is able to make the crowd absolutely absorbed in the match. Chris Jerich isn't even a tenth of what Stone Cold. Now the Rock? He's close to Austin, but again, no one is better at controlling a crowd than Stone Cold Steve Austin

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I guess it depends on your definition of "performer." When I think of the word performer in pro wrestling, I think of a guy who can put on a great show, regardless of technical wrestling ability or size. I think of Shawn Michaels. Rey Mysterio. Hulk Hogan. The Ultimate Warrior. The Rock.

If there were a word to sum up Jericho, I would use versatile as opposed to performer. Jericho can do basically any kind of character; face, tweener or heel. And he can do each to perfection. He can act like a jack ass, and he chooses whether the crowd boos or cheers. It's the way he decides to act like a jackass that makes it work. He can insult people we don't like, and we laugh with him. Or he can call us sheep, morons, etc. and we boo him. Or he can just straight perform in the ring, and we have no choice but to cheer him.

Jericho is a great wrestler. He can rely on technical skill as much as anything else in the ring. Guys like Hogan and Warrior had to play to the crowd to make up for their overall lack of skills. Same can be said for the Rock, in the ring at least. He wasn't any special, technically speaking, but he played the crowd really well. So to me, Jericho is one of the most versatile guys I have ever seen. He can main event Wrestlemania, or open the show. But I don't know if I think he's one of the greatest performers of all time. But I guess everyone has a different definition of performer.

 

[Tenta]

I guess it depends on your definition of "performer." When I think of the word performer in pro wrestling, I think of a guy who can put on a great show, regardless of technical wrestling ability or size. I think of Shawn Michaels. Rey Mysterio. Hulk Hogan. The Ultimate Warrior. The Rock.

And that isn't Stone Cold, Nick?

For Christ Sakes, you speak of guys like Rey Mysterio, but fucking forget Steve Austin. You're an old school fan, and I know you love a good old fashioned brawler. I'm quite stunned you forgot Austin. Again, I ask you; what can any of those men do that Stone Cold can't?

You done thinking about it? Ok, now I'll tell you what Austin is better at than any of the men you mention; he makes you care. He makes you root for him. He makes you hate his living guts. But he, no matter, always pushed your buttons, and makes you feel in touch with his character. It's almost like some mystical aura. Sure, there was Hulkamania, and perhaps that's as close as they come, but eventually, people stopped caring for Hogan. No one, and I mean, no one, has stopped caring for Stone Cold. While Hogan and Co. were fucking up business in WCW, and not getting over, Steve was revolutionizing the business. Steve may be the only guy in the business who's never had a period where no one cared about him. Even now, Austin's last Raw appearence caused a spike in ratings the likes of which Vince hasn't seen in months.

It's simple; Steve does everything the guys you mentioned can do, except better (Save perhaps Rey's flippy floppy skills). And what's more, you always care about Steve.

 

[bxbigshow]

Honestly, Chris Jericho is one of the best wrestlers/performers of this modern era (post Hogan). Is he the best? Probably not. I think because Steve Austin and The Rock did it for main events years on end they hold the top two spots. I'd place them in this order.

Rock- Hands down the best combination of in ring ability, athleticism, personality, ring psychology. He is also the most recognizable mainstream name outside of Hulk Hogan from the world of pro wrestling.

Stone Cold- I think his injuries and the nature of his character keep him at a very close second. Injury-wise he wasn't able to be as athletic as he used to be in his WCW/Hollywood Blonde stint. His character while connected with a lot of mainstream America, didn't trancend as well as Rock's which is why Dwayne Johnson does major motion pictures consistently and Austin does straight to DVD stuff and some major bit parts. Not knocking him as I'm anticipating "Expendables" this summer.

HBK- Every major feud he's in he has the audience emotionally invested in the outcome. Second to none as far as 'going' in the ring. He can out and out brawl (Vince-Mania 22?), he can go toe to toe technically (Angle-Mania 21), he can steal the show anytime (Ladder Match-Mania 10, Y2J-19?, Angle, Vince, Flair-24, Taker-25). I put him third because his back injury kept him out of the picture for some key years when Austin and Rock reigned.

Triple H- Honestly when he's heel, he is the best in the game. Second only to Flair in the 80's. He has the ability to make you hate every aspect of him, but anticipate his matches. And all this before he officially married the boss's daughter! After the real McMahon-Helmsley Era began he did things that made you hate him more. He is very personable as far as connecting with the crown. His in-ring ability is top notch. And although he has had some injuries, his conditioning is great. He comes back from those extended absences as a face and yet everyone waits until he turns on the evil again.

Chris Jericho- I feel that this is where he belongs right now. I actually have him higher than Taker because UT has been on the good side of the law for too long now. Jericho, can do it all, and does it without question. He can work any level of the roster. He makes midcard titles relevent, something that NO ONE above him on this list has done after they reached the top. He elevates younger talent, something that Trips has done only recently and no one else did. He is in the mainstream eye as he had the VH1 run, talk show appearences, reality shows. HBK is never on a talk show, Trips did Fallon once and thats basically it, UT's character doesn't allow him to go mainstream, which is actually a shame. In the ring, he is always at the top of his game. He always adds subtle tweaks to his personas to keep them fresh. I would put him higher on this list if he was more consistent at the top of the card, but this is the result of him being "Mr. Compan Man".

 

[Tenta]

Rock- Hands down the best combination of in ring ability, athleticism, personality, ring psychology. He is also the most recognizable mainstream name outside of Hulk Hogan from the world of pro wrestling.

Stone Cold- I think his injuries and the nature of his character keep him at a very close second. Injury-wise he wasn't able to be as athletic as he used to be in his WCW/Hollywood Blonde stint. His character while connected with a lot of mainstream America, didn't trancend as well as Rock's which is why Dwayne Johnson does major motion pictures consistently and Austin does straight to DVD stuff and some major bit parts. Not knocking him as I'm anticipating "Expendables" this summer.

Right.... Because Doom was so great, and for that matter, so was The Tooth Fairy.

Look, you can't throw in Mainstream America, because quite frankly, wrestling fans aren't mainstream America. I know we'd like to sit here and believe we are, but the fact is, we're really a niche market. The Rock got over, sure, in the mainstream, but it doesn't mean Diddley squat to me. No one has ever put more butts in the seats of Arenas, House Shows, and PPVS than Stone Cold Steve Austin. That's a fact. The WWE did more business with Stone Cold than it had with any other champion. If it wasn't for Stone Cold, The Rock wouldn't even be in the mainstream.

The only thing The Rock had that Stone Cold didn't was pretty boy looks. If Steve Austin were three inches taller, and had a more handsome face, he'd be every bit the superstar in the mainstream The Rock was. Plus, Stone Cold was playing to a niche market, and did things that would make it impossible for the media to ever accept him as a spokesperson. The Rock, on the other hand, was far more tame, and able to keep himself in the sponser's eyes. Steve went all out for the business, and while you may say he wasn't allowed to be as athletic, I say it really doesn't matter one bit. That's right, because with every bit how limited you may believe he was (and for the record, he was anything but), he still packed more butts into the seats.

I'll accept a debate for The Rock. I'm not saying it's a bad suggestion. But don't try to use the media and mainstream media to make your point. Because, quite simply, as much as Vince would like to think otherwise, the WWE isn't mainstream media.

 

[bxbigshow]

I feel I need to factor in mainstream America for this reason...

Professional Wrestling would never be as widespread/popular today if Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan did not cross over to Mainstream America. If Wrestlemania 1 failed miserably, I honestly do not see where the popularity would've come from to grow the business. Without that popularity, WCW would never have gone MAINSTREAM to challenge WWE and the Monday Wars would've never taken place. Making no spot for Stone Cold or Rock, Y2J, anybody to succeed.

I understand that wrestling fans do not make up the mainstream of the country. But to say that the opinion of everyone else in the world doesn't or in your case "shouldn't" count because it doesn't gel with your's is elitist. It is a factor that shouldn't be ignored.

I factored that part in with many other aspects. Did his character put butts in the seats, yes. I will not deny that. But that alone cannot be the reason for defining the "Best Performer", as the title of the thread suggests. I am a huge SCSA fan, but I feel that while his was the top of the WWE for a long time, he wasn't the best performer.

I think his limited athleticism plays a part...he went from a technical wrestler who can brawl to a straight brawler. Because of the neck and knees. He made the transistion work, but he was still limited.

His persona connected with a lot of wrestling fans, AND quite a few mainstream fans. But because of the character, it can only go so far. It's not his fault, it's what he had to work with. And while he made it work, he took it as far as it can go.

I'm not knocking him, these are just reason as to why I feel he's number 2. And to disregard the mainstream because they're not wrestling fans is kinda wrong when if it wasn't for the mainstream at some point...none of us would be die hard wrestling fans. In my opinion.

 

[Tenta]

It would appear as those we've hit a contrast of tastes. I believe alot of these debates can be had in other threads, and if we should see each other in those debates, I would look forward to it. However, it would also appear we've gone off track with this. It's not about Rock or Austin; this is about why Chris Jericho isn't the best worker. I've given you green, as you came with some good stuff, and again, your opinion is valid.

Anyway, again, I believe we can both unite on Jericho not being better than either Rock or Austin. That's a debate for another time, and another thread. But I can easily think of twenty wrestlers that are better than Chris Jericho from this decade alone. Chris is good, but he's not this God we all have him pegged to be. Trust me; he really isn't.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

And that isn't Stone Cold, Nick?

For Christ Sakes, you speak of guys like Rey Mysterio, but fucking forget Steve Austin. You're an old school fan, and I know you love a good old fashioned brawler. I'm quite stunned you forgot Austin. Again, I ask you; what can any of those men do that Stone Cold can't?

You done thinking about it? Ok, now I'll tell you what Austin is better at than any of the men you mention; he makes you care. He makes you root for him. He makes you hate his living guts. But he, no matter, always pushed your buttons, and makes you feel in touch with his character. It's almost like some mystical aura. Sure, there was Hulkamania, and perhaps that's as close as they come, but eventually, people stopped caring for Hogan. No one, and I mean, no one, has stopped caring for Stone Cold. While Hogan and Co. were fucking up business in WCW, and not getting over, Steve was revolutionizing the business. Steve may be the only guy in the business who's never had a period where no one cared about him. Even now, Austin's last Raw appearence caused a spike in ratings the likes of which Vince hasn't seen in months.

It's simple; Steve does everything the guys you mentioned can do, except better (Save perhaps Rey's flippy floppy skills). And what's more, you always care about Steve.

Actually, I think you are absolutely correct. Steve Austin is my favorite wrestler of all time. I believe he is better than any guy I mentioned in my post. But I think my definition of performer is different than yours.

To me, Steve Austin wasn't just a great performer. The guy was a bit of technician, and a brawler. He was very versatile in the ring, especially in 1997. He could brawl with the best of them, and he could work a submission-style match with Bret Hart. It's not so much that he doesn't fit my description of a "performer," but that he had more going for him in the ring than guys like Hogan, Warrior, Rock, etc.

When I think performer, I think Shawn Michaels. HBK was one of the best performers I have ever seen live. What made him a great performer was how "big" his moves looked. The elbow off the top. The kick-up. He didn't have a big moveset, but moves he did use were always well executed and exciting. Same goes for the The Rock and Hogan. Hogan couldn't "wrestle" a match to save his life. But he got the crowd into it. He made something out of nothing, as where Austin was twice as talented as Hogan. And that's why I think Austin is the best wrestler I have ever seen.

So when I don't include Austin in my list of best performers, it has nothing to do with his level of talent, in the ring or on the mic. No one got the crowd more jacked up than Austin between late 1997 and 2002. No one. But I think of him as a "wrestler," not so much a performer. The performers I speak of didn't have what Austin had. They had to make due with what the did have, and did a good job of it (in most cases).

 

[Tenta]

Actually, I think you are absolutely correct. Steve Austin is my favorite wrestler of all time. I believe he is better than any guy I mentioned in my post. But I think my definition of performer is different than yours.

To me, Steve Austin wasn't just a great performer. The guy was a bit of technician, and a brawler. He was very versatile in the ring, especially in 1997. He could brawl with the best of them, and he could work a submission-style match with Bret Hart. It's not so much that he doesn't fit my description of a "performer," but that he had more going for him in the ring than guys like Hogan, Warrior, Rock, etc.

When I think performer, I think Shawn Michaels. HBK was one of the best performers I have ever seen live. What made him a great performer was how "big" his moves looked. The elbow off the top. The kick-up. He didn't have a big moveset, but moves he did use were always well executed and exciting. Same goes for the The Rock and Hogan. Hogan couldn't "wrestle" a match to save his life. But he got the crowd into it. He made something out of nothing, as where Austin was twice as talented as Hogan. And that's why I think Austin is the best wrestler I have ever seen.

So when I don't include Austin in my list of best performers, it has nothing to do with his level of talent, in the ring or on the mic. No one got the crowd more jacked up than Austin between late 1997 and 2002. No one. But I think of him as a "wrestler," not so much a performer. The performers I speak of didn't have what Austin had. They had to make due with what the did have, and did a good job of it (in most cases).

Well, that's all well and great, Nick. My definition of a performer, though, is merely anyone that steps through those ropes. Anyone. When you're out in the ring, you're told to do only one thing; perform. Now, you're right, there are different types of performances a wrestler can execute. But that doesn't make him any less a performer. Wrestlers are performers, and vice versa. It's always been the nature of the business; the wrestlers do whatever in the ring, all in the spirirt of performance.

Now, it did use to be a sport, a legit shooting affair, and though Austin may fit in well in that era, he was still in an era of performers. And at the end of the day, Nick, he was the top performer of his time, in a boom era unlike wrestling had ever seen. He drew the most people in to his performances. And thus, yes, he is a performer

 

[Joehaha]

tenta not having a pop exactly and i tend to agree jericho isnt the best ever as i too would put austin and rock above him with maybe a few others...but to say you can think of twenty better wrestlers from this decade alone? really?...id like to see your list

 

[Mr. TM]

Right now, he is one of the best, if not the best. However, I feel he has grown a little stale, not digging further into the role like CM Punk has as a heel. But still, he is great on the microphone to make people hate him.

But he is not the best ever. One of the most slimey people I have ever saw, that was obnoxious to a tee was Shawn Michaels as a heel. At first, it was pissing off Canadian fans and Bret Hart fans, and it went from there, until he did it so well, he turned face because of it.

 

[Twiztid Rodimus]

Is he one of the best ever? I would have to say, Top 20 in mainstream wrestling, Yes

Definitely.

He's had phenomenal matches through his career touching multiple promotions,Japan, Ecw, Wcw and Wwe.

Long hair, Short, Lucha, Technical, Brawling, He's tapped into each type of persona that he has and found ways to be utterly entertaining in each.

Why he doesn't have a 3 disc set dedicated to him yet is beyond belief. He did NOT go to TNA, he quit wrestling for a while, Did music (And currently still does) And he came back.

And he's more important now than he was before he left, Dare I say, More legit and more believable since his time as Undisputed champion.

Jericho winning last night was kind of shocking, But welcomed. He deserves a decent run, and to prove that Smackdown is better than Raw, He is a great headliner.

His matches don't ''match'' up to his classics with Rey or Shawn, No, I agree. But hes a different guy now, and is older, so he needs to adjust his style, His match with Danielson from NXT was great, and shows he can still go with the younger wrestlers and get a little technical when needed.

I say he is ONE of the best performers

 

[Travaje]

I have heard before from many, including Vince McMahon, that Shawn Michaels has no peers. I think Shawn is the best all around performer of all time. If Shawn has one peer, it's Chris Jericho. Jericho can pull off every move Shawn could do and then some. Jericho can cut all the promos and talk as well as Shawn, if not better. He's amazing. And as you all know, Jericho was a big HBK fan growing up, and they are very identical in the ring, as shown in their match at Wrestlemania 19. I think HBK has a ton of respect for Jericho, and the match they had on RAW just before HBK retired was a very big sign of that, as if HBK was almost saying if his last match wasn't going to be against Taker, it would have been against Jericho, and really wanted to work with Chris one more time before he left.

Most people are probably going to put HBK over Jericho, just because of HBK's body of work, but that's not because Jericho could not be Mr. Wrestlemania, cause he could. For some reason, he just hasn't.

Jericho's not the best ever, but he's in my top 5, and he really is now currently "the best in the world at what he does". First ballot HOF'er for sure.