KB"s Wrestler Challenge #15- Jericho vs. Steamboat

[klunderbunker]

Here we have another old vs new school battle.

First up is someone that is still around today and has held multiple world titles and many other championships. His mic work is 2nd to very few and his in ring work is very solid as well. He has the look, the music, the moves, the charisma, everything you'd need to be one of th ebest ever, and he very well may be. He is the Lionheart, Chris Jericho.

And his opponent is no slouch in his own right. His in ring work is some of the greatest of all time and some of his matches are just absolute classics. He didn't cut many promos or win many titles, but this guy was always a face, and that's a rare accomplishment in its own right. Look as much as you'd like but you won't find someone as all around solid as Ricky the Dragon Steamboat.

Make your picks.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

The amazing thing about this match is how much influence one had on the other.

Jericho told this story in his first video - "Break the Walls Down." As a young kid, he met Steamboat at an autograph signing. When he finally got up to him, he asked Steamboat "how tall are you?" Mind you, this was his hero, and that question is what came out. Steamboat replied "5'11, 230." Not a big guy at all, but a former World Champion. Jericho left and told himself "I can do this..."

That conversation made Jericho get a job for the summer as a deli, weighing himself daily on the giant meat scale, eating cold cuts, and hitting the gym to pack on weight. The rest is history.

I will go with Jericho here. He did what Steamboat did, and he did it better. While people point to Steamboat's classics with Flair and Savage, I point to what Jericho's done with less. He's gotten great matches with lots of guys whose names WEREN'T Savage or Flair. And in terms of charisma and mic work, there are few better.

Jericho also works equally well as a face or a heel, making him extremely versatile. Steamboat was only workable or effective as a face, and often he only got over as the result of a really good heel.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'll have to agree on Jericho. Steamboat has two main claims to fame-the feud with Flair over the title, and the Savage match. Jericho has had I believe 4-5 world title reigns which trumps Ricky's 1, and is simply better on the mic than Steamboat. Jericho has had some very fine matches of his own, matches that are up close to the levels of classics on their own as well. His feuds with Angle and Benoit are nothing short of great. Also as IC said, Jericho was more versatile as I don't think I could see Steamboat working as a heel. Have to go Jericho here as well.

 

[pyrusane]

I'm a mark for both guys, so this is a tough one. I think the fact that Steamboat is locked into the face role is what gives him the edge though. The role of a good heel is to make you want to see the face ultimately beat him. Jericho talks about that himself in his book. Jericho plays the consummate heel, and takes pride in his work. I think with this pairing you would see a lot of back and forth, some amazing technical wrestling, and Jericho cheating to win time after time. Ultimately, however, when it came to pay-per-view time, Jericho would do the job and he would do it proudly.