10 WWE Matches That Were Meant To Be Epic (But Failed Miserably)
2. Chris Jericho vs. Triple H (WrestleMania X-8)
It is clearly fair to place some of the blame for the lack of heat for the main-event of WrestleMania X8 on the exhausting response generated by The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan match from earlier in the show. It is quite fair, as well, to place some of the blame on the creative team for pretty much the entire execution of the hype for 2002s Granddaddy of em all, as that year featured (among other blunders) a fight over shampoo, Hogan running Rocks ambulance over with a semi-truck, and the coup de grace for Y2J-HHH the family dog. However, it is also fair to place some of that blame on Jericho and Triple H, themselves. Their peers all had lousy storylines, too, but were able to meet or far exceed expectations, whereas HHH and Jericho struggled, mistimed a spot, and were unable to wake up the crowd for the first Undisputed World Championship match in Mania history. Part of the problem was that Trips was out of his element, thrust into the role of the badass babyface, which he proved in 2002 was the only role he was incapable of playing well. He could be the funny, hip, trendy babyface, he could be the best heel in the business, and he eventually showed he could be the legend who combined the best traits of each of his personas, but there is just something missing when he tries to act like the Incredible Hulk. He looks the part, but cannot act the part. Jericho, meanwhile, was booked about as strong as a gym sock during his first title reign. Historically, the weaselly heel works just fine, but not after an era of strongly booked heels preceded him. The feud was a dud and the match, while certainly not bad by any means, fell far below expectations. Two years prior, they tore the house down in a great storyline in 2000. That is what people wanted to see. It is tough to overlook a B- effort from A+ players.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
