10 Things You Totally Forgot About Chris Jericho
1. WWE Failed To Capitalize Off His Hot Debut
The WWE debut of Chris Jericho will go down as one of the greatest ever, as it has stood the test of time for over 20 years and has yet to be topped.
Although spoilers online weren't nearly as prevalent back then as they are today, there was still a small contingent of viewers who were privy to Jericho's first-ever appearance in the company beforehand. Not because they were in the know or anything, but because most fans figured he was on his way to WWE following his departure from WCW earlier on in 1999.
After so many months of build-up, Jericho getting to trade verbal jabs with The Great One on the flagship show his first night in solidified him as a star from the get-go... or so fans thought (or at least seem to think looking back on it).
Their interaction didn't lead to an immediate program between the pair. In fact, Jericho's debut match for WWE came against Road Dogg on the premiere episode of SmackDown later that month, where he lost by disqualification.
Y2J continued to flounder for many months before getting his first big break in a storyline with Chyna over the Intercontinental Championship. For such an iconic arrival, you'd think WWE would have booked him better from the start, but it actually wasn't until years later that he finally came into his own as the mega star he is today.