10 Best TV Wrestling Matches Ever

7. Triple H Vs. Chris Jericho - WWF RAW, April 17, 2000

PAC Kenny Omega
WWE.com

A symphony of what episodic professional wrestling television can accomplish, Chris Kreski's expert pen arranged several moving parts with an elegance the likes of which only Bill Watts had managed previously and only Tony Khan has managed since.

Chris Jericho challenged Triple H for the WWF Heavyweight Title, after goading him into it with what passed for clever babyface strategy in 2000 (rank misogyny), and entered the best performance of his Titan career to that point.

Typical of Jericho, the timing was magnificent: he levelled up as a main event-level threat the very second Kreski asked the fans to perceive him as one. With the purchased protection of the APA warding off interference, maximising the tertiary characters in the grand, shared universe and creating an electric, sh*t-this-might-happen atmosphere, Jericho overwhelmed Triple H. This was a crisp as hell performance ablaze with raw fire. Jericho fused the characteristics and style of a timeless and futuristic babyface, creating a composite with a charisma all of his own.

Another legendary booker informed the perfection of the finish: the use of the Dusty here put the heat back on Triple H like a backdraft, and the tantalising glimpse of Chris Jericho, WWF Champion, felt so right that it launched what was, to that point, an inauspicious countdown.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!