View Full Version : Jericho's WWF Push
Swiss Ultimate
09-27-2014, 03:05 PM
As great as it was I am surprised it happened like it did. A super-popular WCW mid-carder gets a monster introduction, gets pushed like crazy and eventually becomes the first Unified World Champion.
How the fuck did that happen? I'm glad that it happened, don't get me wrong, but it seemed like they dropped the ball with every other ECW/WCW guy outside of Booker T and RVD (oh and some jobber who died a while back).
What was Vince thinking doing this? Was it just that Jericho was such a solid guy in and out of the ring or was it something else?
Anybody Thrilla
09-27-2014, 03:29 PM
The thing is, I think they made Jericho look like a bit of a bitch for much of his career. He could have been on the level of guys like The Rock and Austin, and they try to fool us into thinking that he is by constantly reminding us that he beat them both in one night, but he's definitely on a tier below them. Sure he grabbed a bunch of Vince McMahon's imaginary brass rings (as CM Punk called them), but he could have been a MUCH bigger deal in the WWE.
Love Jericho, though. His WCW heel character is probably my favorite character in wrestling history, and I've watched a ton of this shit. I'm glad he's doing so well in life, but he's not the wrestling mecca god that he deserved to be.
Destor
09-27-2014, 04:11 PM
As great as it was I am surprised it happened like it did. A super-popular WCW mid-carder gets a monster introduction, gets pushed like crazy and eventually becomes the first Unified World Champion.
How the fuck did that happen? I'm glad that it happened, don't get me wrong, but it seemed like they dropped the ball with every other ECW/WCW guy outside of Booker T and RVD (oh and some jobber who died a while back).
What was Vince thinking doing this? Was it just that Jericho was such a solid guy in and out of the ring or was it something else?The things was is that he jumped shipped. the others just floated over in the wreckage.
The thing is, I think they made Jericho look like a bit of a bitch for much of his career. He could have been on the level of guys like The Rock and Austin, and they try to fool us into thinking that he is by constantly reminding us that he beat them both in one night, but he's definitely on a tier below them. Sure he grabbed a bunch of Vince McMahon's imaginary brass rings (as CM Punk called them), but he could have been a MUCH bigger deal in the WWE.
Love Jericho, though. His WCW heel character is probably my favorite character in wrestling history, and I've watched a ton of this shit. I'm glad he's doing so well in life, but he's not the wrestling mecca god that he deserved to be.
Jericho played a chicken shit heel every stage of his career. One of the side effects is by being a "bitch."
Anybody Thrilla
09-27-2014, 04:20 PM
Yeah, that's a point. He was never a bad ass submission machine.
Destor
09-27-2014, 04:24 PM
Yeah, that's a point. He was never a bad ass submission machine.
My point is it wasnt exclusive to his WWE/F run. Outside of Japan were being a chicken wont get you over he always was exactly that.
erickman
09-27-2014, 05:52 PM
well vince did good pushing steve austen, triple h mick foley and undertaker they were all wcw guys.
but vince messed up after taking over wcw and only pushed wwe guys.
Damian Rey
09-27-2014, 06:10 PM
None of them were anywhere near the level of Jericho when he jumped, nor was it a big deal when they did. You could even dare call them castoffs WCW didn't want or use. Jericho was a prominently featured talent the entire time he was there.
erickman
09-27-2014, 06:17 PM
i forgot about ray myesterio vince pushed him post wcw buy out.
Emperor Smeat
09-27-2014, 06:18 PM
His initial push was good but think Jericho stated in his DVD that for a while afterwards, he thought he made a big mistake career-wise. Wasn't until around the push to Undisputed champ that he finally felt like he made the right decision.
On why Vince did it, Destor's right about him jumping ship during the Monday Night War played a big role. Vince was still in the mindset of anyone who jumped over at the time was seen as a big accomplishment by the WWF. Think the Radicalz or Tazz were the last ones to get those benefits.
Razzamajazz
09-27-2014, 07:48 PM
I remember being disappointed with his big push. His stuff with steph and the IC thing with Chyna was entertaining. But after that and winning the undisputed belt was really uneventful to me.
SNLfunnyguy
09-28-2014, 02:41 PM
Jericho was pushed to the moon from the off. A big fucking countdown clock, TV time with the Rock... it went downhill after there because higher ups didn't like him. He was given so much opportunity.
Crippla
09-28-2014, 08:00 PM
I think Jericho's push in the WWF/WWE was perfect for him. Everything they did with him fit his persona to a T, I had no problem with it.
Swiss Ultimate
09-28-2014, 09:01 PM
I did have a problem with it, only because I was such a Jericho mark. I wanted more. In retrospect, I think they handled him perfectly.
SlickyTrickyDamon
09-28-2014, 09:41 PM
It was great that he tried to save the WWF from nothing. It mirrors his entire WCW career when he worked hard and got over for nothing.
Savio
09-28-2014, 09:44 PM
Big Show and Goldberg were handled correctly as well.
Tazz Dan
09-28-2014, 10:08 PM
Jericho's push got slowed quickly when he first debuted because he couldn't live up to the hype. He performances were only average at best, and coming in with a debut like he did against guys who were at their peak, it wasn't good enough.
He got ther eventually though, but was probably lucky Vince invested so much money in him to start with to get the extra chances. I'm guessing a few other guys wouldn't have.
Tazz Dan
09-28-2014, 10:09 PM
Also, I knjw this doesn't really answer your question Swiss, but still.
Savio
09-28-2014, 10:27 PM
Scott Steiner was used properly as well.
Hanso Amore
09-28-2014, 11:17 PM
Its hard to quantify today. You were able then to bring someone in day one who the audience all knew.
In his case he was mad over in WCW. 5 million people plus a week watched him tear up the mid card and saw him mis used and wanted more...Like Christian today on a lesser scale.
Then WWF smartly took a "mid carder" people liked and gace him his break and Y2J ran with it.
I miss this. This will never happen again.
As great as it was I am surprised it happened like it did. A super-popular WCW mid-carder gets a monster introduction, gets pushed like crazy and eventually becomes the first Unified World Champion.
How the fuck did that happen? I'm glad that it happened, don't get me wrong, but it seemed like they dropped the ball with every other ECW/WCW guy outside of Booker T and RVD (oh and some jobber who died a while back).
What was Vince thinking doing this? Was it just that Jericho was such a solid guy in and out of the ring or was it something else?
Yeah, Eddie Guerrero was a glorious jobber.
Shadrick
09-29-2014, 08:40 AM
Its hard to quantify today. You were able then to bring someone in day one who the audience all knew.
In his case he was mad over in WCW. 5 million people plus a week watched him tear up the mid card and saw him mis used and wanted more...Like Christian today on a lesser scale.
Then WWF smartly took a "mid carder" people liked and gace him his break and Y2J ran with it.
I miss this. This will never happen again.
You don't feel like this applies to Daniel Bryan?
Innovator
09-29-2014, 09:17 AM
He also came with a shitload of heat just because he was a WCW guy.
Vastardikai
09-29-2014, 09:28 AM
Much of Jericho's success can be attributed to the WWE machine. But he did a fair amount for himself.
Much more of his success can be attributed to Lex Luger needing to tan one day.
Hanso Amore
09-29-2014, 01:51 PM
You don't feel like this applies to Daniel Bryan?
Not really. He was a WCW Mid carder and came to the WWE and was pushed to the main event pretty much right away. they kind of were up and down on him.
Bryan was really more of a typical ascent from mid card to champion over time.
http://oi57.tinypic.com/2lx8eut.jpg
It was great that he tried to save the WWF from nothing. It mirrors his entire WCW career when he worked hard and got over for nothing.
Wait... what?
Destor
09-30-2014, 04:10 AM
http://oi57.tinypic.com/2lx8eut.jpgthe dreaded flying nothing was countered into an RKO
Swiss Ultimate
09-30-2014, 09:41 AM
Jericho's push got slowed quickly when he first debuted because he couldn't live up to the hype. He performances were only average at best, and coming in with a debut like he did against guys who were at their peak, it wasn't good enough.
He got ther eventually though, but was probably lucky Vince invested so much money in him to start with to get the extra chances. I'm guessing a few other guys wouldn't have.
I thought they had asked him to change up the style...the double-triple powerbomb stuff was unexpected and caught me by surprise (I know he did it in Japan NOW, just never remembered it in WCW) and I remember him looking "huge" relatively speaking.
Hmmm, my memory may be faulty during that period.
Innovator
09-30-2014, 09:46 AM
That reminds me, my favorite move for my CAW in No Mercy was the Multiple Powerbombs into a DVD
Ultra Mantis
09-30-2014, 01:41 PM
the dreaded flying nothing was countered into an RKO
I think Del Rio is the only one who has ever successfully pulled off the flying nothing against Orton.
Shadrick
10-15-2014, 02:36 AM
Not really. He was a WCW Mid carder and came to the WWE and was pushed to the main event pretty much right away. they kind of were up and down on him.
Bryan was really more of a typical ascent from mid card to champion over time.
when is that ever typical in wwe now tho?
they gave bryan, a midcarder that people liked, a shot and he hit a home run.
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