Moreso than any other shift in tide in the Monday Night Wars, the debut of Chris Jericho in August 1999 signaled a shift in tides as WCW fans literally became WWF fans upon noting that Jericho was working for the competition. Ever the charismatic showman, Jericho's move was also important in that it showed that a "cruiserweight" could be a credible heavyweight contender in the "big man" friendly WWF. The key? His ability to cut entertaining promos, as well as be a well-rounded in-ring performer, too. Possibly the first nail in WCW's coffin, Vince McMahon owes Chris Jericho signing to the WWF for not having to worry about competition anymore.
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.
