8. Breaking The Code: Behind The Walls Of Chris Jericho
One of the most complete performers in wrestling history, Chris Jericho got his documentary treatment in 2010, some 11 years after his monumental debut with the company in August 1999. While some argued that he should not have had to wait as long as he did, WWE went above and beyond to ensure that the wait was well worth it. Everything from Jericho's upbringing as the son of NHL star Ted Irvine to his early years in the sport, the piece does a phenomenal job of setting the stage for the young Canadian's first bit of national exposure. From the moment he arrives in ECW, it is a rollercoaster ride of both emotion and achievement as his work with the Paul Heyman-owned promotion caught the eye of WCW executive Eric Bischoff, who threw a sizable offer at Jericho to jump ship. As part of the Ted Turner-earned company, Jericho watched what should have been a dream job turn into a nightmare as he was repeatedly sacrificed to the New World Order, even though it was the Cruiserweight talent like he, Rey Mysterio and Dean Malenko that brought the workrate to Monday Nitro and pay-per-view. Jericho is candid about his dissatisfaction with the way things were being run at the time and how he became even more disenfranchised when he watched months worth of work dedicated to building a program with Goldberg go unfinished because of backstage politics. It was that failure by Bischoff and the other suits at WCW to recognize what they had on their hands that necessitated Jericho looking elsewhere for employment and signing with WWE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g2z1-dJiFE One of the most interesting aspects of the entire disc is Jericho's discussion about the heat he encountered when he first arrived in WWE. The Superstars who had fought from underneath to overcome WCW and retake the lead in the Monday Night Wars were not overly welcoming of an outsider into the fold. Jericho met resistance from WWE Creative as well. Despite debuting opposite The Rock in one of the most memorable promos of all-time, he was left to feud with Road Dogg, which was scrapped following an injury to the babyface, and then sat on the sidelines and watched as WWE presented its No Mercy pay-per-view in October 1999. He recovered nicely, becoming a sure-thing for the company's Hall of Fame whenever he decides to hang up the boots, not to mention the only man to beat Steve Austin and The Rock in the same night to become Undisputed champion, but those first few months with the company shook his confidence and had him questioning his decision to sign with the company. "Breaking the Code" is a Jericho-centered DVD set so there should be no questions about the quality of the matches accompanying the documentary. Sure, the obvious are on there, including his wars with The Rock and Shawn Michaels but there are a number of hidden gems, including an excellent match with Kurt Angle from No Way Out 2000, a Cruiserweight Championship match against Eddie Guerrero from WCW Fall Brawl and a huge victory over Cactus Jack in ECW. With a perfect blend of action from Japan, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, ECW, WCW and WWE, the set features a complete sampling of Jericho's in-ring work from a number of companies and territories.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
