8 Best Second Act WWE Careers Ever

Like many Attitude Era stars, Chris Jericho struggled to find relevance in an era where you needed more than sunglasses and a catchphrase to rule the world. After a disappointing world title run the saw him forced to care for Triple H's incontinent dog, Y2J seemed doomed to be the Tito Santana of the new millennium, a bland babyface in constant midcard title contention who could unsuccessfully challenge for the world title should the need arise. In 2005, Jericho took a years-long hiatus, though his time away from the ring did little to freshen his character. A few months after his return, he was back in midcard limbo with little prospect of ascension.

Seeing the writing on the wall, Jericho devised a new persona reportedly based on equal parts Nick Bockwinkel and Anton Chigurgh. This cold, egomaniacal sociopath was a complete shift from both his previous "comical weaselly heel" and "comical fun-loving babyface" characters; gone were neon shirts, replaced with grey suits and a scowl. He had several meaningful reigns as world champion (devoid of dog poo), he faced off with Shawn Michaels in an incredibly personal rivalry, and formed a wildly successful, if unlikely duo with Big Show. And now Jericho wrestles on his own terms; with the interim success of Fozzy, he has become one of the fabled few who don't need Vince McMahon.