Third Round - Mexico City: Dog Collar Match - Rick Rude vs. Chris Jericho

[The Brain]

This is another tough match as the later round matches tend to be. There is reason to vote Jericho, including a possible home field advantage given his experience in Mexico for what that’s worth, but I have to go with Rude here. Jericho is a great wrestler and I’ve often referred to him as WWE’s mvp, but I think he lacks a certain toughness to win a dog collar match. I can’t help but think of how he got his ass handed to him by HBK at Unforgiven 2008.

I know Jericho has had more success than Rude, but I think that reflects more on the eras they competed during rather than their talent. Had Jericho been in the WWF in 1989 I think he would be have been on the losing end in a feud with Rude. If Rude were in WWE today I think he’d be a multi time world champion and at a level slightly above Jericho. I love Jericho, but he comes out on the losing end more times than not. The chain is not the only dangerous part of a dog collar match. These two will be chained together at the neck. The two of them simply moving around in a competitive match could cause some neck damage which would make the rude awakening more effective. The IWC isn’t going to let it happen, but I think Rude should advance here.

 

[Phoenix]

Jericho advances for me, simply because he is actually been accustomed to participating in hard fought gimmick matches where Rude only stands out as a guy with strength on the matt. No doubt Rude will give a tough challenge, but Jericho isn't going to hold up, not by a long shot, he's resourceful, cunning and knows how to try and defy the odds by scouting his opponent. Naturally people will think about how the Lionsault will be taken out of the equation, yet Jericho still can use the Codebreaker, Liontamer and Enziguri to give Rude a hard time to keep him restrained.

Knowing Jericho's offence, he would aim to keep Rude off his feet and use that advantage effectively, imagine him applying the Liontamer while keeping a tight lock on the chain, Rude wouldn't stand up to that with all that pressure being applied. Where Rude has strength, Jericho's agility will play a key role in trying to ease out of holds and attacks by his adversary.

Jericho advances for me.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Chris Jericho. I'm going to use a comic book explanation to you. To me Chris Jericho is similar to the HobGoblin. The HobGoblin was a character whose identity kept secret and a mystery was formed. This character was a master manipulator, he framed about half a dozen people to keep his identity secret. He left and only returned when he felt the need to (In the comics, The Goblin returns and murders a criminal named Jason Macendale who took up the HobGoblin persona after it was believed that Ned Leeds (who died) was the original HobGoblin because he felt the reputation of the HobGoblin had become 'tarnished'). There are several clear comparisons to The HobGoblin there. While Jericho is the HobGoblin, Rick Rude is The Rose (a character whom the HobGoblin had an alliance). The HobGoblinn was ALWAYS one step ahead of The Rose. He knew his next move, he predicted everything correctly. That is the way I see this match going. Jericho does his reasearch and taps into that brutal side that he has and beat The Ravishing One.

Vote Jericho

 

[Via Armbar]

It comes down to this; The Rude Awakening would be incredibly hard to hit without being choked by the collar. The Code Breaker however would be easy to hit. That's what finishes the match. They're pretty equal in most areas, so it's not going to come down to one outdoing the other in any way. It comes down to who can finish the match easier and faster. That man is Jericho.

 

[gd]

I'd say Rude would probably win this one here. Firstly, the gimmick probably helps him just a little bit due to a slight pure strength advantage. Jericho loses some muscle mass everytime he takes a break to do God knows what.

More importantly, Jericho is a jobber. People would say he's at his prime currently. Anyone who loses to Heath Slater and JTG in their primes isn't that unbeatable, methinks. In fact, there very beatable, especially by someone as accomplished and as solid as Rude.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

This match doesn't give anyone a clear advantage over their opponent making it hard for me to pick a clear winner. However I voted for Rick Rude.

While Jericho had the speed and agility edge over Rude, Rude easily has the strength. For me strength is going to be slightly more beneficial to be successful in this match type.

Jericho, while is easily the more successful wrestler out of the two, loses alot. He doesn't only lose to wrestlers on the same level as him, he loses to wrestlers well below him (Heath Slater).