25 Most Iconic WWE Ring Entrances Ever
12. Chris Jericho (Raw, August 9th 1999)
WWE was molten hot in the summer of 1999.
The Attitude Era was raging, The Rock was hitting peak superstardom alongside the already-established Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Monday Night Raw was cultural touchstone-level appointment television on a weekly basis. And just when it couldn't get better, a Millennium Clock struck zero in the middle of August.
For weeks, fans were teased with the mysterious countdown. Speculation was rife, but when the iconic “5… 4… 3…” flashed up on the TitanTron during a Rock promo - the mystery person was a big enough deal to be interrupting 'The Great One' - it became instantly clear something major was happening. And then, like a thunderclap across both major organisations, the name “JERICHO” exploded across the screen to an absolutely nuclear pop.
Not just loud. This was spine-tingling - on par with the glass shattering or Rock's own catchphrase sting before the beats hit. In one moment, Chris Jericho became a made man in WWE, before he'd even said a word and managed to alienate half his new colleagues in the process. Everything about it screamed Superstar, and to double down, his first ever WWE words were "Welcome to Raw is Jericho!" - a play on his Monday Jericho catchphrase from WCW and a brilliantly obnoxious suggestion that at long last the market leader had gotten what they needed in this new cocky Canadian.
He hadn’t just entered the company — he was planting a flag in its centre. Going toe-to-toe with The Rock on the mic was one of many trials by fire he'd have to face, and Jericho’s timing, charisma, and sheer guts instantly showed how he was going to escape without getting burned.