Ranking What Was Really The Best Wrestling Debut Every Year 1990-2021

23. 1999 - Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho
WWE.com

Following a superb marketing campaign that built anticipation with such a neat twist - the digital clock gimmick fused the vignette and the Royal Rumble countdown to unmissable effect - Chris Jericho, rock star, finally made his way onto the Monday Night RAW stage on August 9.

Y2J himself fused every aspect of the game as a hyper-charismatic sports entertainment composite, and he turned up the volume of an arena-shaking pop just by standing with his back to the audience.

When he delivered a promo more uneven than most remember - one that did not go down well with the boys - he still delighted fans with his star presence and about 1,004 catchphrases.

Not all them made it onto the fabric of a t-shirt, but every fan entered meltdown mode at the realised promise of a "saviour".

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!