Do you consider Chris Jericho a legend? I do.

[Sasori]

Well the question is pretty simple. Do you think Chris Jericho is at the point of his career where he is a garunteed sure fire legend like HBK and Undertaker? A lot of people I know say Jericho just isn't quite there yet. And I honestly dont understand what the hell there talking about!

For me personally he became a 'legend' when he won the WWF and WCW titles defeating probably the two biggest stars in the history of pro wrestling in Steve Austin and The Rock to become the Undisputed Champion, IN THE SAME NIGHT! Although he had some help from Mr. McMahon, it's o.k. Let's not forget the fact he is a 9 time IC champ, which by the way is a world record. He's had some of the greatest promos in the history of pro wrestling. His awesome love and hate personality allows him to fit the role of either face or heel. Jericho is widely regarded as one of the best performers of all time. He's done everything. And has constantly entertained us, so Chris Jericho is truly among the greats like HBK, 'Taker, Savage, etc.

 

[PEP3]

Sadly, I have to say "No." Without question, Chris Jericho has accomplished everything there truly is to accomplish in the pro wrestling industry. However, he still hasn't achieved the legendary status of a Shawn Michael, Undertaker -- or, in my opinion, even The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, the people he defeated in that "Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship" match.

As much as I like Chris Jericho -- and he's one of my favorites -- he has never been given a prolonged period of dominance in his career to establish the kind of "legend" you're talking about. While he was Undisputed champion, he was often booked to look weak and like a fluke. Even his later World Heavyweight Title run was lackluster, for the most part.

For the WWE to get him over that hump, they'd have to give him another fairly-lengthy run at top and allow him to face a strong set of challengers and win convincingly. I just don't see that happening. Most recently in the WWE, Jericho has been booked strong for a couple of weeks, then does the job to put someone else over, booked strong, then jobs.

Actually, that's been the pattern the most of his career. Jericho has never been portrayed as someone that's unlikely to be beaten. Rather he is seen as someone who "might pull out the big win." Unfortunately, that's not the stuff legends are made of.

 

[Ytoojae]

I agree with PEP3 and as my username may suggest I'm a Jerichoholic.

He just hasn't been booked in a way that is viable for him to become a legend. All-time he'll rank among the likes of Owen Hart (who due to the tragedy is revered more than what his in-ring accomplishments foretold), Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, etc. - a level below that of legend.

Chris, if he were to retire today, would be looked back as being one of the more popular wrestlers of his generation but he would not be looked back as the be all and end all of wrestling during his era in the way that a legend should.

The word legend is massively overused. True legends of wrestling include Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage and very few others.

In today's wrestling world you have what I consider two wrestling "legends". Those two are the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker. I don't even consider Triple H a legend at this point although he should be one when he retires. John Cena is one who will be there (for the obvious reason which I will point out).

What makes someone a 'legend'? To me a lot of it has to do with what the mainstream media deals with. If you say their name will the common person on the street know who you're talking about?

I can say the name Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, The Undertaker, HBK Shawn Michaels on the street and the regular person will instantly know who it is I'm speaking about. That's what makes them legendary.

If I say the name Chris Jericho to a non-wrestling fan chances are unless they've seen him on a show such as Jimmy Fallon last week most people wont have a clue as to who Jericho is. Last person I asked who I thought was a wrestling fan but wasn't asked me if that was who the television show Jericho was named after or about.

Not everyone knows who Triple H is. The same applies to him. With that name most people will think of wrestling but I've had people who thought I was talking about the latest rapper.

Say the name John Cena and people will tell you that either he's the wrestler on the television commercials or he's the wrestler that's done movies that's not the Rock.

If you're a die hard then yes, I guess Jericho is a legend to you. However, in my sense of the word Jericho is just another no name who the mainstream will probably never hear of. He's too old to make leaps and bounds in popularity and enjoys the role he has been given. Is it a bad thing? No, its just what Jericho is.

Enjoy him for what he is- legend, he is not.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Do you think Chris Jericho is at the point of his career where he is a garunteed sure fire legend like HBK and Undertaker? A lot of people I know say Jericho just isn't quite there yet.

Well.... you're both right and wrong. Jericho is approaching legend status.... but he is still nowhere near the level of HBK and Taker. These could turn fully heel and still get overwhelmingly cheered. Jericho remained popular when he turned heel in 2008 but he still gets more boo's than cheers. Imagine either HBK or Taker turning full 100% heel and beating up John Cena. They would STILL get HUGE cheers, even though Cena is the face.... Until Jericho can do the same, he will not be on the same "legend" level as them.

For me personally he became a 'legend' when he won the WWF and WCW titles defeating probably the two biggest stars in the history of pro wrestling in Steve Austin and The Rock to become the Undisputed Champion, IN THE SAME NIGHT!

That wasn't him becoming a legend though.... that was just a storyline to help him get over when he was the next best option because Triple H wasn't there at the time. It was really cool when it happened, but it takes more than that to make a legend. That night helped solidify his history though.

Let's not forget the fact he is a 9 time IC champ, which by the way is a world record. He's had some of the greatest promos in the history of pro wrestling. His awesome love and hate personality allows him to fit the role of either face or heel. Jericho is widely regarded as one of the best performers of all time. He's done everything. And has constantly entertained us, so Chris Jericho is truly among the greats like HBK, 'Taker, Savage, etc.

Not quite. You once again made a great point, but the three names you listed are so legendary that it would take A LOT for them to get more boo's than cheers no matter what they did. Jericho still gets boo'ed a lot as a heel, even though he gets some cheers from his bigger fans. You're absolutely right that Jericho is one of the best because of his accomplishments and what he does both on the mic or in the ring.... and he will one day be a legend.... but he still has a ways to go to catch up to HBK or Taker because those guys are on a "legend" level of their own.

 

[X]

Jesus what is up with these standards people have for "legends" nowadays? Bret Hart didn't draw shit so I guess he wasn't a legend either by that regard. Seriously, if Chris Jericho isn't a legend, who the hell is? The man has held several world titles and has been involved in too many great matches to even begin naming. So what if he never drew Hogan-sized crowds, what's the big deal? Look at his work with Rey Mysterio this year alone to see why the man is a living legend, he continues to perform at such a higher level than most other wrestlers in the WWE right now. The guy is a workhorse and the definition of a jack of all trades, he can be a great heel, or a great face, he can brawl, he can fly, he can throw submissions on you, he can wrestle in tag team matches, openers, or Wrestlemania main events.

Chris Jericho is DEFINITELY a legend. When did everyone's standards become so insanely high? Who the hell DO you people think is a legend if Jericho isn't?

 

[klunderbunker]

My knee jerk reaction was no and I think that was correct. he's just below it, but I think his main event failures and the fact that he's been a transitional world champion at best hold him back. I'd put Jericho in the category of great wrestler and one of the best ever, but to me a legend means you're one of the best of the best. I have tough standards though and wouldn't consider Angle a legend so take this with a grain of salt.

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

I do not think Chris Jericho is a guaranteed surefire legend, however, I do look at him as a guaranteed surefire Hall of Famer. Especially when you're trying to compare his legend to what is of Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. It just cannot be done.

The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels became legends because of what they've done, how they've done it, and their longevity in the WWE. You're saying that Jericho should have been a legend after defeating The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in the same night to become the Undisputed Champion. While, on paper, that may seen to be true... it was just title wins.

The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels's careers are not defined by their title wins. That is a plus that they did not and do not need to depend too much on title wins in order to add to their legacy. Everything is already there.

Chris Jericho is only 39 years old. Due to the fact that he's still quite young, he's kept injuries to a minimum in his career, and he seems to have a very strong passion for the business... he can still go for years after The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels have hung up their boots. With the right booking, who knows? He could become ana even bigger legend that Undertaker or HBK. It's still a possibility.

Chris Jericho is on his way to reaching legendary status, but I'd say give it some time. It takes a lot more than title wins and good promos to make you a legend. He will become a legend, just not yet.

 

[Paradox]

What the hell is going on??? Are you for real? Jericho is a legend. What else does the man have to do? He's done everything in this business, held every major title there is. He was the first undisputed champion. Yes, it may have been for Trips, but it didn't happen, now he holds to that claim and no one can take it away. How many matches has this man been in that have been great? Its to many to count. He's the one man in the company that they can tell to go have a match with some no one and he can make it great. He has been the most constant wrestler WWE has had over the past decade. He's battled with everyone from Rock and Austin to Cena and Batista. He has pulled off amazing feuds with The Rock, Austin, Triple h, Hbk, Cena, Batista, Orton, JBL, Christian. He's arguably the second best promo guy behind The Rock. He can play both face and heel, and pull them off to perfection. The man is undersized compared to many in the business yet he's one of the best in ring performers of our time.

While he isn't on the level of 'Taker or Michaels he's still one of the best to come around. Really when you think about it who is on the same level as 'Taker or Michaels when it comes to work rate, draw ability, in ring work, and mic work? No one is. Those to men are the complete package as wrestlers. Something that the immortal Hulk Hogan didn't have, yet he is the biggest star that ever came out of wrestling. So Why can't Jericho who is closer to the list I mention above than Hogan no a Legend? My point exactly. The man is by far a legend, and will be remembered as one.

 

[MizMark]

Well.... you're both right and wrong. Jericho is approaching legend status.... but he is still nowhere near the level of HBK and Taker. These could turn fully heel and still get overwhelmingly cheered. Jericho remained popular when he turned heel in 2008 but he still gets more boo's than cheers. Imagine either HBK or Taker turning full 100% heel and beating up John Cena. They would STILL get HUGE cheers, even though Cena is the face.... Until Jericho can do the same, he will not be on the same "legend" level as them.

Are you for real? Shawn Michaels was probably at his best when he was a heel, have you seen his promo in Canada where they tease Bret Hart coming out? That is some crazy heat. Ok, it's Michaels IN Canada, but you get the point.

If Michaels were to Heel on Bret Hart tonight on Raw and Hart interrupted him I can assure you that Michaels would be getting heat, especially if we were in either Canada or somewhere like NYC.

Back to the point of the thread, Jericho is a future HOF' and will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers there ever was, but I just don't see him being mentioned in the same breath as Hogan or Austin, although they are mega stars, and both of those achieved success during wrestling booms and for different reasons. When Jericho retires he will IMO be around the Michaels status, depending on how he finishes his career. If he was a couple of really high profile fueds, one of two more meaningful title runs then maybe he can do it. Otherwise he will be just below that, either way, he is the best in the world at what he does at this moment in time. His in ring skills compliment his mic skills and Jericho is one of the shining stars in wrestling right now.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Are you for real? Shawn Michaels was probably at his best when he was a heel, have you seen his promo in Canada where they tease Bret Hart coming out? That is some crazy heat. Ok, it's Michaels IN Canada, but you get the point.

Yeah, I remember that one quite well. He was a heel that night because they knew it would get heel heat. It takes being in Canada, or mentioning the Bret Hart screwjob for HBK to get that kind of heat. He's got far too many fans who would not turn on him. Jericho gets that kind of heat anywhere.

If Michaels were to Heel on Bret Hart tonight on Raw and Hart interrupted him I can assure you that Michaels would be getting heat, especially if we were in either Canada or somewhere like NYC.

Good point, but once again.... That involves both Bret Hart and Canada. That is the one thing it would take for HBK to get heat on par with what Jericho as a heel gets. Even as a heel, HBK has too many loyal fans today to get major heel heat. He's that good. So is Taker. That's why I said they are on a whole other "legend" level. Jericho will be a legend by the time he retires, I just don't think he will be at THEIR level.

Back to the point of the thread, Jericho is a future HOF' and will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers there ever was, but I just don't see him being mentioned in the same breath as Hogan or Austin, although they are mega stars, and both of those achieved success during wrestling booms and for different reasons. When Jericho retires he will IMO be around the Michaels status, depending on how he finishes his career. If he was a couple of really high profile fueds, one of two more meaningful title runs then maybe he can do it. Otherwise he will be just below that, either way, he is the best in the world at what he does at this moment in time. His in ring skills compliment his mic skills and Jericho is one of the shining stars in wrestling right now.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with most of this part. Like you said, it depends on how he finishes his career. If it ended tomorrow, then he wouldn't be anywhere near HBK or Taker like I said in my previous post. Now, if he turned face at some point and had a great run as a face for a few years, he would gain back the fans he lost during this heel run, gain some new ones in the process, along with the people who remained fans this whole time. Then. and only then, would he be at HBK and Taker's level of "legend".

As for the question of if he's ever going to be considered a legend at all, absolutely. I consider him VERY close to that point now, if not there already, because he's one of the best at what he does both in the ring and the mic, and that's what a legend is.

 

[The King]

This is a great topic and i'm on the fence about it. As much as i want to say yes, i have to say no. To me he is just missing that one thing that makes guys like HBK and Taker stand out as legends. He is missing that one moment that really makes him stand out. For example, HBK has his iron man match with Bret Hart along with many other great matches. Taker has his undefeated streak at Mania. Jericho doesn't really have any of those moments that everyone will remember. For that reason i don't quite consider him a legend.

 

[Chill]

No I don't consider Jericho a legend, but rather a very good worker who is dependable and a great backup option when needed. I don't want to say he's overrated because he isn't but I don't think he's consistantly as good as some would imply, when he has the right opponent Jericho seems to flourish (e.g. Rey Mysterio) but some of his recent tag stuff was just okay in my view. In addition, his title reigns have always had that transitional feel to them and in my opinion his natural position is just below the main event. I consider Jericho a very talented upper mid carder who occasionally visits the main event and for me he is just a bit off from being considered a certified 'legend'.

 

[goodlay]

Well I think a lot of it depends on what your definition of a legend is. As great as Jericho is and as big of a fan I am of him, I don't really put him into the legend category yet. The problem with Jericho is that he's never really been a consistent main eventer. He isn't gonna have a Cena like title reign and he isn't gonna consistently headline WM. And when he is in the main event, he's always booked as a fluke or a short-term champion.

The fact that Jericho wasn't in the running for Superstar of the Year was ridiculous though. I love Jericho, the guy has been in some of the most memorable IC title matches ever, he's great at putting over young talent, he can work a great match with just about anyone, he can be in a world title match, then turn around and be in one of the more dominate tag teams we've seen. He can cut some of the best promos in the industry, he can be a great face and draw legions of fans, and yet still be the cocky, arrogant heel Jericho that we have currently.

I don't think Jericho is a legend yet, but he's pretty damn close. And at only 39 years of age and with a clean history in terms of injuries, he is definitely guaranteed a spot in the HOF and he has a chance to leave a mark as one of the greats.

 

[Mr. 619]

I think that he will be alot closer to legend status after a face turn. When he does finally turn face, I think it will be HUGE. So many fans will get behind him, and then as he gets older he will be alot like HBK is today.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

Jericho a legend? Give me a break.

Although I will say he has potential to be. He just has not done anything that anyone would be talking about 20 years after his retirement.

But a lot of that simply is not his fault. A lot of it has to do with him competing in a period of time where Vince has toned everything down. Because of that, Jericho is restricted in what he can and can not do, so being a legend in today's wrestling world is far more difficult than back in the Attitude Era or the Hogan Era.

Jericho has the potential, yes, to be a Legend. He is Hall of Fame Worthy as of right now, and will definitely go in it one day. But is he a Legend the likes of Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Steve Austin, Ric Flair, The Rock, etc? Absolutely not.

Not yet, anyway.

 

[SavageTaker]

I do consider Chris Jericho a legend, just not a legend in the same tier as other greats such as Hogan, Stone Cold, The Rock, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Sting, e.t.c.

The man has given almost 20 years of his life to pro-wrestling and he has done a wonderful job to entertain us, at least me. He’s had amazing matches throughout the years, some of which I consider favorite’s of mine. He’s also had some great feuds with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, and many others.

I honestly don’t see how he can’t be considered a legend. He’s done a lot for pro-wrestling. He’s a safe and very dependable worker. Sure, he isn’t as big as one of the names I mentioned earlier, but he’s still a legend nonetheless just because of his body of work for the past 20 years.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

I do consider Chris Jericho a legend, just not a legend in the same tier as other greats such as Hogan, Stone Cold, The Rock, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Sting, e.t.c.

The man has given almost 20 years of his life to pro-wrestling and he has done a wonderful job to entertain us, at least me. He’s had amazing matches throughout the years, some of which I consider favorite’s of mine. He’s also had some great feuds with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, and many others.

I honestly don’t see how he can’t be considered a legend. He’s done a lot for pro-wrestling. He’s a safe and very dependable worker. Sure, he isn’t as big as one of the names I mentioned earlier, but he’s still a legend nonetheless just because of his body of work for the past 20 years.

But you see, I don't think there are several categories of Legends. I think Legends are in a single category of their own, because they are considered "Gods" if you will, of wrestling because of their character, abilities to entertain, etc.

Legends are in the absolute brass ring of the WWE.

That is why I tried to emphasize that I think there is a difference between a Wrestling Legend and a Hall of Famer, who deserves recognition for his accomplishments and work in the business.

Jericho simply is not quite at that level of being a "Legend" yet. He simply doesn't have the notoriety so that people 20 years after he retires (assuming he keeps up his current pace) that people will be uttering his name down the road about the stuff he did in the business.

Something is keeping him from reaching Legend Status, and what that something is, is up for debate.

It could be:

The PG Rating holding him back from doing more notable things
or
Some would say Triple H and the Powers that Be are holding him down
or
Jericho himself simply is not doing something he should be doing.


All of that is up for debate, but again, he just hasn't accomplished enough to gain enough notoriety to be considered a "Wrestling Legend" at this point. But he has the potential to as his career is not over.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Right now, I wouldn't consider him a legend because of several reasons. He hasn't had that period of dominance like some of the all-time greats have had and he has been a transitional world champion at best. The only thing he's really done that you can look back in twenty or thirty years is that he is the first undisputed champion in history. Will he have any great matches we can look back on as we can Hogan or Austin? He's relatively young and I believe he will wrestle for five or more years so he still has some time to become a legend. A decent world title reign would be a step towards that.

 

[Paradox]

Right now, I wouldn't consider him a legend because of several reasons. He hasn't had that period of dominance like some of the all-time greats have had and he has been a transitional world champion at best. The only thing he's really done that you can look back in twenty or thirty years is that he is the first undisputed champion in history. Will he have any great matches we can look back on as we can Hogan or Austin? He's relatively young and I believe he will wrestle for five or more years so he still has some time to become a legend. A decent world title reign would be a step towards that.

How can the man be looked as transitional Champ when he beat the likes of Austin and Rock in one night and then beat them both on separate occasions? I refuse to look at that and say he's a transitional champion and say that isn't note worthy. Yes he lost at Mania to Triple h, but how can man beat the two biggest superstars in the business at the time and be considered a transitional champ? Say what you will, but to me that's not a transitional champ. If that's the case we could say for the most part the Rock was a transitional champion.

He is going to be remember for being the first undisputed champion, and going over both the Rock and Austin in one night. He since then has had some very rememberable feuds with HBK. He's had some of the best matches over the past couple of years since his return. He is arguably the second best man on the mic in history.

To me I see a lot people saying that he's not immortal. In my opinion there are only six men that are that. Hogan, Austin, Rock, Flair, 'Taker, and Michaels. Out of that list only three of them transcended wrestling. (Hogan, Austin, and Rock.) Now say what you will those men are on a different level then any other when it comes to legendary status. Jericho fits in the likes of Savage, Hart (whether you like it or not.), Triple h, Sting, and others.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

How can the man be looked as transitional Champ when he beat the likes of Austin and Rock in one night and then beat them both on separate occasions? I refuse to look at that and say he's a transitional champion and say that isn't note worthy. Yes he lost at Mania to Triple h, but how can man beat the two biggest superstars in the business at the time and be considered a transitional champ? Say what you will, but to me that's not a transitional champ. If that's the case we could say for the most part the Rock was a transitional champion.

He is going to be remember for being the first undisputed champion, and going over both the Rock and Austin in one night. He since then has had some very rememberable feuds with HBK. He's had some of the best matches over the past couple of years since his return. He is arguably the second best man on the mic in history.

To me I see a lot people saying that he's not immortal. In my opinion there are only six men that are that. Hogan, Austin, Rock, Flair, 'Taker, and Michaels. Out of that list only three of them transcended wrestling. (Hogan, Austin, and Rock.) Now say what you will those men are on a different level then any other when it comes to legendary status. Jericho fits in the likes of Savage, Hart (whether you like it or not.), Triple h, Sting, and others.

I think it is widely regarded that it was supposed to be HHH that was going to be first undisputed champion but he wasn't ready yet coming back from injury so Jericho was picked to be it. His title reign was hardly memorable and was known for the NWO coming back and that was it. It was just a formality that HHH was going to win at Wrestlemania and Jericho was more or less holding the belt for him. That's the only thing people are going to remember about Jericho because he hasn't had any other stand out legendary moments. He has plenty of time to win more world championships and do other stuff but as of right now, I do not consider him a legend.

 

[Paradox]

I think it is widely regarded that it was supposed to be HHH that was going to be first undisputed champion but he wasn't ready yet coming back from injury so Jericho was picked to be it. His title reign was hardly memorable and was known for the NWO coming back and that was it. It was just a formality that HHH was going to win at Wrestlemania and Jericho was more or less holding the belt for him. That's the only thing people are going to remember about Jericho because he hasn't had any other stand out legendary moments. He has plenty of time to win more world championships and do other stuff but as of right now, I do not consider him a legend.

That is a fair point LJL, but that's what makes no sense to me. While Triple h very well may have been the one to win the belts he didn't. Jericho did and went over both the Rock and Austin to do it. I can't look at that and say that he was nothing more than a transitional champion. Yes many of figured Trips would win the match, but that doesn't deny what he did. And I think many are to harsh on his reign because they all thought it was suppose to be Triple H's reign.

You could very well say the same thing about Triple H's reign after. That he was simply holding the belt so Hogan could have one last run.

What exactly does he have to do to have a memorable moment? In my mind he has had those with the like of winning the belts, and then feud with the Rock, and HBK. He has had some of the most memorable promos of all time with the Rock. ( Yes they are with the Rock, but he stood toe to toe with him in those.) So I think he has. I want to know what you consider a memorable moment, because I believe that he has.

 

[Belladonna29]

The answer to this thread is "yes" and "no."
I think at this point, whether Chris Jericho is a legend really depends on what you believe a legend is.

Is a legend someone who's done the most to successfully and positively expose pro wrestling to the largest audience?

Is it someone who's considered one of the best all-around and/or innovative workers to ever step in the ring?

Is it someone whose persona is the most interesting and whose character is the best presented and developed?

Is it someone who's been booked to be in the most important storylines and/or the biggest matches the most consistently?

When people speak of pro wrestling legends, I think they're speaking of people they believe fit into one, of not a combination of these categories.
It would be up to each of us to decide how well Chris Jericho fits into each of these categories, if any.
The problem of course, if that there's always one that matters more than the other, especially for the IWC.

So when we come to Chris Jericho, I think it's a tricky question. For one thing, he's still not old ( but not young either ), so if you were to say he isn't a legend now, there's probably ( hopefully ) 5-8 years of work still in him to add to his wrestling history.

As far as what's he's accomplished already, there's some strengths of weaknesses to the argument.

On one hand, no matter how much your a fan of his, it's no secret that he's had some major opportunities for longer title reigns cut short ( we can only speculate why, but I have my suspicions ), and he hasn't headlined a Wrestlemania with the exception of the of the one time when it probably would have been better NOT to do it ( going after The Rock and Hogan ).

If your a stickler for how long your title reigns last and how consistently you've been booked as a main event talent throughout your career, so far Chris Jericho is going to fall short of being 'legendary' to you. The fact that the company that's done the most to establish him as a serious talent prefers to have him float between the main event and upper-mid card would suggest to this kind of thinker that there's something lacking in Chris Jericho that keeps him from being 'real' main event talent.

Now, as far as what Chris has in his favor in this argument, I think he's got some notable accomplishments and talent at his disposal. I personally think as a talent, Jericho is one of the best all-around performers of his time. And when I say his time, I'll use post-1996 ( when he entered ECW) as a time frame. He's transitioned from being a high-flyer/technician to being more of a technician as he's gotten older, but this hasn't been to the detriment of his matches sense he's developed a great ring IQ in the process. He has a deep enough move set to keep his matches interesting, but still provides his signature spots in matches. He sells well and knows how to match his opponents look great no matter the outcome.

In addition to this, he's got a masterful command of character. He has the conviction and confidence necessary to control the audience and successfully portray his character. Whether he wants to be funny, arrogant, sinister or petulant, he does a commendable job with his persona and is a great talker.

As far as his title reigns, despite the briefness of some of them, he's still got them on record, and they're apart of his legacy. He's a multi-time World Champion, tag champion, IC champion, and of course he unified the World Titles in who knows of long ( I'm pretty sure he's a grand slam champ now). There's plenty of other wrestlers who would love to have those accomplishments any of those accomplishments once, and he's still got opportunities for more.

Now, when it comes to his feuds and who he's worked with, I think he's had a great run of working with HBK, The Rock, SCSA, HHH, Dean Malenko, Rey Mysterio, and so on. He turned what looks like a lame substitute of a feud what Wrestlemania this year into interesting tv with Steamboat, Snuka, Flair, and Piper. His feuds with Malenko and HHH were funny and highly entertaining ( to me at least ) but I think his feud with The Rock and then HBK are what stand out the most. He successfully did a 180 on the Y2J character and he and Micheals made that show and the ppvs worth watching a months by themselves.

So when you add of all these things together--he's great on the mic; has an effective persona; always a solid worker who is capable of good to great matches on a regular basis; has feuded with other 'legendary' figures, and has amassed a relatively large amount of title reigns overall, that starts to sound legendary.

So, I think with Chris in particular, it becomes a matter of exposure to him.
He's rarely been pushed as THE biggest face or heel in the WWE at one time ( last year's feud with HBK and his WCW title feud with The Rock being the exceptions perhaps). I don't it's because he's not capable, because he proven to be over as a face or heel on more than one occasion. He's also proven that he can step up and have great ppv matches when he's called upon, so it remains a mystery why he's wasn't booked better to be THE guy in the late Attitude Era days to now.

That's what amazing about Jericho in particular, despite everything he's done, you could argue that he's been terribly misused in a sense. Maybe it's his size. Maybe HHH doesn't like him. While I wouldn't rule out either of those possibilities, I think Chris' versatility ( and durablility) as a performer has ultimately been both a gift and curse. He can absorb major loses and being placed in mid-card feuds without losing heat. Anyone who watches pro wrestling knows this is very hard for a main event wrestler to do. But Chris can do this. So the WWE uses him in that way when they feel the need, and then, almost to thank him for his trouble, they throw him into a main event feud for awhile. While I don't I don't think that takes away from his talent and accomplishments, but I think it takes away from him being a legend right now in a casual sense.

Basically, I think you'd have to be educated about pro wrestling beyond a casual view to believe Jericho is a legend right now. That's why I think Chris is viewed with relatively high esteem within the IWC. We know his history and know what he's had to overcome just to get where he is now, and we take that into account when assessing him. I don't think he's been pushed enough that a casual fan would think he's a legend. They would know how valuable he is, but he wouldn't be Hogan or the Rock to them. However, this still has time to change as long as Chris keeps performing well and if the WWE wakes up and stops wasting him.

 

[jking18]

um jerichos has been in wwe for ten years michaels has been there since the late 80s and taker early 90s so why dont we give jericho another decade to be fair.and i read that guys book man he probably payed more dues than anyone els he wrestle for next to nothing in indy promotions in canada,mexico,japan,and germany for over eight years before coming to wwe and the rasons hes not the top guy is simple yet sad hes not tall enough bottom line wwe wants big guys they will take a tall guy with no mic skills over a smaller guy with great charisma

 

[WorldHeavyweightChampion]

Sadly, I have to say "No." Without question, Chris Jericho has accomplished everything there truly is to accomplish in the pro wrestling industry. However, he still hasn't achieved the legendary status of a Shawn Michael, Undertaker -- or, in my opinion, even The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, the people he defeated in that "Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship" match.

As much as I like Chris Jericho -- and he's one of my favorites -- he has never been given a prolonged period of dominance in his career to establish the kind of "legend" you're talking about. While he was Undisputed champion, he was often booked to look weak and like a fluke. Even his later World Heavyweight Title run was lackluster, for the most part.

For the WWE to get him over that hump, they'd have to give him another fairly-lengthy run at top and allow him to face a strong set of challengers and win convincingly. I just don't see that happening. Most recently in the WWE, Jericho has been booked strong for a couple of weeks, then does the job to put someone else over, booked strong, then jobs.

Actually, that's been the pattern the most of his career. Jericho has never been portrayed as someone that's unlikely to be beaten. Rather he is seen as someone who "might pull out the big win." Unfortunately, that's not the stuff legends are made of.

I almost totally agree with you all the way here.

Jericho, no matter what he has accomplished, is by no means whatsoever a legend. Very true. The problem is words like 'legend' have become so waterdown as are the Hall of Fames of MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL, and wrestling's HOFs are jokes (with the exception of maybe the NWA's).

But when I think of 'legends' THESE names are names of real legends:

STING - 14-time World Heavyweight Champion; star of the WCW vs. NWO fued (see Monday Nitro mid-1996 thru early 1998); won PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year more times than anyone (including Hogan); United States Heavyweight Champion (only man to defend it in Japan); World Tag-Team Champion; World Television Champion; Crockett Cup winner; won 1989 Starrcade Iron Man tournament; won WCW vs. IWGP World Cup tournament; held TNA, WCW, WWA, WCW International, and NWA World Heavyweight Titles (won NWA World Title both under TNA and JCP - Jim Crockett Promotions)

RIC FLAIR - 25-time World Heavyweight Champion; 5-time U.S. Heavyweight Champion; World Tag-Team Champion; made stars out of Sting, Magnum T.A., Nikita Koloff, Lex Luger, Ricky Morton, Hawk, Kerry Von Erich, Ricky Steamboat, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes, Ronnie Garvin, Barry Windham, and everyone else he ever fought; leader of the legendary 4-Horsemen

LOU THEZ - the last Universally recognized Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion (in other words, recognized in every country on the planet); 7yr reign as WORLD Champ; 936-straight matches without a loss (take THAT Goldberg); a legit shoot-fighter

HARLY RACE - 8-time World Heavyweight Champion; made Ric Flair a star; slammed Andre long before Hogan did; one of the last legit shooters

GEORGE HACKENSCHMIDT - 1st ever World Heavyweight Champion in wrestling (1905); supposedly undefeated for over 5,000 matches (back when wrestling was still a real sport)

BRUNNO SAMMARTINO

BUDDY ROGERS - only person to win the AWA, WWWF (1st WWWF Champ), and NWA World Heavyweight Titles; 2nd (after Thez) to hold both the AWA (first AWA World Champ) and NWA World Heavweight Titles at the same time

GENE KINISKI

PAT O'CONNER

VERNE GAGNE

DORY FUNK JR.

DANNO MAHONY - first man to become Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion (before Thez) after all the splits of the World Title in the 20's & 30's

JIM LONDOS

TOM JENKINS

FRANK GOTCH - first (American)/United States Heavyweight Champion to dethrone and/or win the World Heavyweight Title (beating Hackenschmidt) at the same time (before Lex Luger, Bill Goldberg, and Booker T later accomplished the same feat)

ANDRE THE GIANT - kayfabe undeafeted for 15 years

RICKY STEAMBOAT

TATSAMI FUJINAMI - reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion dethroned NWA and WCW (unified) World Heavweight Champion to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title (Flair kept the WCW World Title)

THE GREAT MUTA - 2nd man to hold both the IWGP and NWA World Heavyweight Titles at the same time

RIKIDOZAN

ANTONIO INOKI

MASAHIRO CHONO - defeated Lou Thez in final match of Thez's career; protege of Thez

MIL MASCARAS

CARLOS COLON

MR. WRESTLING 1

JACK BRISCO

GIANT BABA

BOBO BRAZIL

GUS SONNENBERG

STAN HANSON

BIG VAN VADER - Recognized World Heavyweight Champion holding 10 different titles on 4 continents; held 3 promotions' World Titles simultaneously

STEINER BROTHERS - Only team to hold the NWA, WCW, WWF, and IWGP World Tag-Team Titles; 2nd team to simultaneously hold the World Tag-Team Title AND United States Tag-Team Title; won Pat O'Conner memorial tag-team tournament (beat teams from 7 other countries); only team to hold 5 tag-team titles at the same time

ROAD WARRIORS - only team to win the AWA, WWF, and NWA World Tag-Team Titles; won Starrcade 1989 Iron Team Tournament

MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - 1st team to simultaneously hold the United States Tag-Team Title AND World Tag-Team Title

Now THESE are true legends! Sorry, but Jericho (neither Steve Austin, The Rock, HHH, etc) doesn't qualify as a legend.

 

[AlexBryan81]

Hi, today is my first day posting on this website, but i've been reading the forums for a long time now.
Jericho is an awesome performer, he can do anything in the ring, and he is one of my favorite. He will definitely go into the Hall of Fame one day. But, I believe he is not a legend yet, well at least not to the level of HBK or the Undertaker. Maybe, when they are gone, he will be seen to that level, but right now he does not belong in the same level as they are. But, it is not a bad thing,