10 Greatest WWE TV Matches Ever
6. Triple H Vs. Chris Jericho - RAW (April 17, 2000)
Chris Jericho goaded Triple H into putting his WWF Championship on the line for this curtain-jerker, instantly lending it a sense of urgency and importance.
He had struggled to live up to his buzz between the ropes since his summer 1999 debut. Vince McMahon even shelved plans to feature him in WrestleMania 2000’s main event, but this was the night on which he did so. That, allied with Triple H’s legit best in the world 2000 form, converged to create a seminal novella of match and a true moment of episodic television. Triple H cut off Jericho’s opening shine with his sadistic power game, cutting Jericho’s mouth open the hard way, elevating the already breathless drama; even the stars had aligned to propel this into the stratosphere.
There were none of Jericho’s then-trademark sloppiness. Everything he struck was unbelievably smooth, and the sudden stakes and customary Attitude Era flourishes imbued it with the sense that it could end at any time - a heated and vital match that would not have resonated as much as it would have, had it taken place on pay-per-view.
The fast count Dusty finish was deflating at the time, but it was great booking. Triple H was reset as despised heel champion, while Jericho had advanced in the eyes of the audience. It added to the angle much more than it detracted from it.