10 Times Chris Jericho Shocked The Wrestling World
1. Winning The IWGP Intercontinental Title At NJPW Dominion 6.9
Rewarded perhaps for his superlative work in the build-up, Chris Jericho's Intercontinental Title victory over Tetsuya Naito at NJPW Dominion played to the sound of millions of jaws hitting decks the world over - though the match never looked to go any other way.
Jericho was as wild and untamed as he'd been with the company thus far, beating the 'Tranquilo' out of the LIJ leader before the bell, barely letting up after bloodying his eye and face. Jericho had called Naito a "f*ckin' moron" as part of his four-letter assaults in the build-up, but made him look one in their eventual scraps.
How long the title remains around the slightly-larger-than-usual waist of 'Y2J' remains to be seen. The match-ending shenanigans seemed to spark a brief rivalry with Naito's stablemate EVIL, and a rematch with the former Champion looks likely before the end of the year. NJPW and Chris Jericho's relationship has been one of the creative success stories of the year though, even without a clear path ahead it's unfair to doubt they won't successfully make it to their next destination.