10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About Chris Jericho

6. Booking Undermined His First 'Mania Headline Appearance

Chris Jericho Stephanie McMahon
WWE Network

Come WrestleMania X8 in 2002, Jericho would get that elusive main event berth. Best of all, it'd be against red-hot babyface hero Triple H. The match seemed set to be a cracker, one befitting of the spot and a great complement to the dream Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock blockbuster earlier on the card.

Due partly to how well-received that match was, and some awful, counter-productive pre-show build, it didn't stand a chance to be anything more than decent.

Jericho, the reigning Undisputed Champion, was treated like an afterthought on TV. When he should have been presented as a strong opponent Triple H would struggle to overcome, he was written to play second-fiddle to the ongoing break up soap opera between Hunter and Stephanie McMahon.

There's no disguising it: the WWF's booking was crap. Y2J walked Steph's dog, fetched her coffee and muttered to himself about being the champ. By the time 'Mania came around, the heel barely looked like a threat and his match was dead in the water.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.