10 Greatest Canadian Wrestlers Of All Time
4. Chris Jericho
At this point in the list, rankings become inconsequential as every wrestler in the top four is truly an elite talent. Chris Jericho draws the short straw of this exclusive group because he was born in America, but was nonetheless raised in great white north from Canadian parents. Aside from growing up in the frigid city of Winnipeg (Manitoba), his father was a professional hockey player, which gives significant street cred in Canada.
The frontman of rock band Fozzy has accomplished a great deal in his wrestling career and has competed for companies such as: ECW, WCW, WWE as well as several international promotions. Jericho has won a combined twenty-four championships in WWE alone, which includes six World titles and a record nine Intercontinental championship reigns. The “Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla” is also the only WWE competitor in history to win the both the Slammy awards for “Superstar of the Year” (2008) as well as the “Tag Team of the Year” (2009, with Big Show). In 2009, the Lionheart ranked number two in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s five-hundred best singles performers.
In December of 2001, Chris Jericho famously defeated The Rock and Steve Austin in separate matches on the same night to become the first ever Undisputed WWF Champion. While the reign itself may have left something to be desired, the feat of winning the Championship alone is monumental. After losing the title in 2002, Jericho floated around the card until he eventually began feuding with Shawn Michaels in early 2003. In what would start PWI’s “Feud of the Decade,” the talented duo clashed at Wrestlemania 19 to much acclaim. The rivals would again become entangled in 2008, renewing a program that created several memorable moments, including Jericho throwing Michaels through a television set on Raw.
Continuing to reinvent himself to this day, Jericho still actively competes within the WWE ring at the age of 46 alongside his ‘best-friend’ Kevin Owens. With a career as amazing as Chris Jericho’s, it is ridiculous to think that the savvy Canadian has more left to give the industry. Maybe even one last title run.