12 WWE Raw 25 Impulse Reactions
5. Guitar Hero
Chris Jericho was - until 24 hours ago - the most dynamic and relevant performer in the entire industry. His celebrated (and ongoing) run in New Japan Pro Wrestling had confirmed him as one of the closest equivalents to a modern day wrestling 'draw', capturing the attention and admiration of smart and casual fans alike and channelling their interest carefully into an exquisitely well-booked Wrestle Kingdom 12 show.
Simultaneously a modern phenomenon and a rarity, 'Y2J's presence either side of the ocean broke new ground for an ordinarily locked-in WWE performer, but the company seemed keen to remind 'The Alpha' of his place on their totem pole in another disparate section of the celebratory show.
Engaging in some lightweight back-and-forth with Elias before hitting the catchphrase and heading home, Jericho looked as big an afterthought as Stone Cold Steve Austin. In the current climate particularly, this was completely unacceptable.
Elias' night would only improve after talking himself into a spot on the vaunted 'List Of Jericho', but he too didn't exactly benefit from his verbals with one of the most talked-about performers on the planet today. How WWE contrived to use both and service neither was a glum footnote in a night full of them.