10 Times Chris Jericho Shocked The Wrestling World
4. Going 61 Minutes In The 2017 Royal Rumble
Acutely measuring the pulse of the fanbase at the time before a legendary split solidified both on either side of the heel/face divide, Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens' tumultuous friendship had fast become the most entertaining aspect of Monday Night Raw despite their doomed destiny.
Stealing only tiny glances towards Owens' title whilst still mindlessly referring to them both as the Universal Champion, Jericho's aspiration to eventually gain a shot against his friend wasn't lost on a crowd willing him to get one, nor Owens himself. Having given himself up over and over again to protect 'KO's tenure, Jericho's first fight for himself in some time was an epic struggle managed with exquisite aplomb.
Ducking, diving and dodging the action early on, 'Y2J' became a vital cog in the match later on, gutting through a memorable performance in which he survived some of the biggest names in company history to make it all the way to the end alongside Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt and eventual winner Randy Orton.
Even his elimination was booked masterfully. Disposed by Reigns after 'The Big Dog' had just made himself the biggest heel in the building (even more so) by dumping The Undertaker, Roman didn't even afford the fans the chance to gravitate towards Jericho as their sentimental favourite of the final four, callously chucking him to face Wyatt and his faux-acolyte alone.