10 Wrestlers Who Defeated The WWE Machine
2. Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho was doomed by sheer virtue of his self and his history. He was a short WCW cruiserweight. He might as well have sneezed all over Stephanie McMahon's m*nge.
He wore lifts in his boots to compensate for the fact that he wasn't the required height - which resulted in a slew of botches for which he was branded sloppy. First impressions count for virtually everything, and Jericho was screwed - which explains why, after incredible pre-debut fanfare, he was quickly removed from the WrestleMania 2000 main event. His stock rose later that year, during which he contested stunning matches with the increasingly influential Triple H. Eventually, Jericho fashioned himself as something of a master of all trades. He could play heel. He could play face. He could shift merchandise with his catchphrases. He could wrestle awesome matches. He could cut awesome promos.
He could also reinvent himself. This became his defining trait. So creative was Jericho - the past tense doesn't actually apply, almost two decades later - that he became the proto part time star. He didn't need WWE, but WWE needed him to lend them his everlasting star power.
Jericho wrestles for WWE whenever he pleases. He doesn't work for the company so much as the company works around him.