WM19 was Austin's first real match in well over half a year. It's call ring rust and it's been addressed in kayfabe.
I have addressed this match in another argument. If Austin was smarter then he would have realised that he would not be able to jump back to his old self after such a long absence. The fact that he charged headlong into this match and lost using the same old tactics just proves my point further.
Yeah, the end of the Alliance was Rock developing. Has nothing to do with someone getting involved on Rock's behalf...
The Rock won because Austin couldnt beat him, even after Jericho, ironically enough, interfered and put Rock down for Austin to finish. The failure of the Alliance to win was weakness on Austins part, because he didnt account for a possible betrayal by Angle, a man who he had been taunting and threatening for months leading up to this match.
I fail to see how either of these examples reflect poorly on Austin.
They reflect poorly on Austin because they show how his attitude makes him enemies, and the combination of complacency towards his in ring game and his large number of enemies has led to him lose matches in the past.
So, what exactly to I get in response to me pointing out how often Jericho loses?
"Well of course. He's been a heel for most of his career."
That's no excuse in a kayfabe match. So you can either go to war using heel Jericho, who loses consistently and has not one clean victory that would justify a single-handed win over Steve Austin in his prime. Or you go to war with face Jericho, who failed consistently to rise above the upper-midcard and didn't belong in the same ring as Austin in his peak.
You say Jericho doesnt belong in the same ring as Austin? I dont see it this way actually, I dont see why Austin, a man notorious for his selfish and unprofessional conduct, should be considered better than a well rounded and well respected performer such as Jericho. Austin capitalised on a boom period in wrestling, and as soon as this started to wane, he took off for an extremely lacklustre acting career. Jericho has proven himself time and again to be a company man, helping out with younger talent and developing storylines, as well as stepping up his game and evolving over his whole career. You are right; they dont belong in the same ring together. Austin was a one trick pony; his complacency was one of his biggest flaws, and the main reason that Jericho would defeat him in this match.
From a kayfabe perspective again, Austin has any number of lasting injuries that Jericho could exploit, whereas Jericho has none for Austin to target. Austins knees would give out under the strain of Jerichos Walls of Liontamer, and his neck would be targeted from any number of moves that Jericho could employ. If we take Jericho to be a heel in this match then I dont see why exactly you ask for a reason that Jericho would have to win clean. Jericho would win by whatever means necessary, just as he has done against Austin in the past.
Yet somehow, the burden of proof is being placed on Austin supporters. For some reason, we're expected to explain why the man with the more vastly more successful career is on Chris Jericho's level. How does that make sense? If anything, we deserve a proper, logical explanation for why a glorified JTTS, perennial upper-midcard gatekeeper, and occasional transitional champion goes over one of the top American professional wrestlers of all time. Go on, regale us with your convoluted reasoning as to why Jericho deserves anyone's vote here. Be sure it makes more sense than the fluff that you've tried to pass as "proof" thus far. But while doing it, remember that Booker T. and the nWo won't be charging to ringside to cost Austin the bout. Also, be sure to remember that Jericho has lost to countless repetitive, headstrong wrestlers on many, many occasions.
I have made arguments throughout this thread, and you have done nothing but prove that you are seemingly unable to approach a debate in any manner other than taking quotes out of context and building flimsy arguments around them. If you want a simple reason why Jericho would win, it is because he has beaten Austin more times than Austin has beaten him, and I believe that he would do it again in this match. There is no reason to think that Austin would win this match, when he hasnt shown himself capable of beating Jericho in their other bouts. People have jumped all over the fact that Jericho lost a Triple Threat to Austin, well this is not going to make any difference in a singles match. Add to that the fact that Jericho wasnt even pinned by Austin here, and where is your argument for Austin winning? You call Jericho a transitional champion, that didnt stop him beating Austin on more than one occasion.
What exactly is going to stop people from interfering in this match? Jericho and Austins matches at both No Way Out and Vengeance were standard rules matches, and Jericho won both after interference, so why exactly could that not happen again? You say Austin is more successful, how exactly are his catchphrases and merchandise sales going to help him go over Jericho in this match? If you want to see success, just look up Jerichos win to loss ration against Austin, that should help you understand why Austin will lose this match.
Vote Jericho.