WWE: 10 Most Show Stealing Chris Jericho Performances

6. Ladder Match For Intercontinental Championship - Jericho vs. Chris Benoit (Royal Rumble 2001)

In 1999, the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian revolutionized the Ladder match. The tremendous risk they took and the high spots they delivered captivated audiences and thrilled even the most jaded casual viewers. With every passing Ladder match, the spots became more convoluted and the danger increased tenfold. So when Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit were booked in the gimmick match for their Intercontinental title bout at the Royal Rumble in January 2001, it was expected that the typically hard-hitting, very physical workers would abandon everything they knew and go the way of their fellow co-workers. Instead, they delivered what many believe is the most physical and violent Ladder match of all-time. The match was an excellent way to kick off the year. Jericho and Benoit, two Superstars who had wrestled each other so many times in the past, delivered yet another Match of the Year candidate, using their smash mouth styles and capitalizing on uncanny chemistry to craft a Ladder match unlike any fans had seen before. They sacrificed stunt and spectacle for psychology and storytelling. The major change did not adversely affect crowd reaction. Instead, the fans watched in awe and champion Benoit and challenger Jericho brutalized one another with little regard for their own health and well-being. By the time Jericho knocked Benoit off the ladder and to the arena floor, then scaled the rungs of the ladder and acquired the Intercontinental title, the fans erupted into a huge ovation for the Winnipeg native. The win ignited what would be a milestone year for Jericho. He would become one of the top babyfaces for WWE during the war with the WCW/ECW Alliance. He would capture the WCW Championship by defeating The Rock and in December, became the first-ever Undisputed champion. For Benoit, it was simply more strain on a neck that was barely hanging on. Within six months, he would undergo major surgery that would sideline him for an entire year.