10 WWE Creative Success Stories In 2017
1. The Ballad Of Chris & Kevin
As inconsistent as WWE's creative team have been over the past few decades, sometimes, the writers just bloody nail it, with the Kevin Owens/Chris Jericho saga a shining example of this.
2016 was all about laying the groundwork. KO and Y2J were established as WWE's most entertaining double-act, with Jericho vital in each of Owens' Universal Title defences, though the company had already teased tension between the two. It was a matter of 'when,' not 'if,' Kevin would betray his "best friend" as we entered 2017, but the delivery was fantastic, and culminated in one of the best televised angles in company history.
The Festival Of Friendship was a beautiful piece of wrestling storytelling, with KO's treachery utterly crushing. Fans knew what was coming when Kevin handed Chris his List Of Owens, but that didn't make the moment any less devastating, and the heartbreak was palpable both on Jericho's face, and in his "how come my name's on this?". Seconds later, his head had been smashed through a TV monitor, and the turn was complete.
The ensuing bouts won't finish on anyone's Match Of The Year list, but each told a great story, and few would complain if the rivalry was to resume should Jericho ever return.