100 Greatest Matches Part 1 (100-81)

100. Bruno Sammartino vs. Pedro Morales (WWWF Championship: Showdown at Shea Stadium, Sept. 30, 1972)
99. Randy Orton vs. Christian (Summerslam 2011)
98. CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan (Over the Limit 2012)
97. Steve Austin vs. Dude Love (Over The Edge 1998)
96. Trish Stratus vs Lita (Unforgiven 2006)
95. CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy (Summerslam 2009)
94. Randy Savage vs DDP (Spring Stampede 1997)
93. Hulk Hogan vs Iron Sheik (MSG 1/23/1984)
92. Bayley vs. Sasha Banks (NXT Takeover Brooklyn)
91. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant (WrestleMania III)
90. Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch (WrestleMania 32)
89. Chris Jericho vs Rey Mysterio (The Bash 2009)
88. Money In The Bank (WrestleMania 21)
87. Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair (WrestleMania XXIV)
86. Brock Lesnar vs John Cena (Summerslam 2014)
85. Triple H vs Chris Jericho (Last Man Standing: Fully Loaded)
84 Sami Zayn vs Adrian Neville (NXT Takeover R:Evolution)
83. Kevin Owens vs Finn Balor (Beast in the East)
82. Triple H vs The Rock (Summerslam 1998)
81. Ricky Steamboat vs Rick Rude (Beach Blast 1992)

100. Bruno Sammartino vs. Pedro Morales (WWWF Championship: Showdown at Shea Stadium, Sept. 30, 1972)
Showdown at Shea was the WrestleMania BEFORE WrestleMania ever existed. It was the Original Supercard of Wrestling. For years, Bruno Sammartino had been the biggest star of the WWWF, but Pedro Morales was on his trail by 1972. Their match drew 22,000 fans to Shea Stadium. During that time, it was rare for two babyfaces to collide in the squared circle. These two legends of their Era wrestled to a draw at 65-minutes. This show was the Precursor to what we know now as the Pay Per View.

99. Randy Orton vs. Christian (Summerslam 2011)
Four months earlier, Edge retired because of injuries. As a result, he had to forfeit the World Heavyweight Title. Christian would later become Champion as a way to pay tribute to his best friend ever. Fans were generally happy because Christian was a longtime veteran who was mainly seen as Edge's sidekick. Not soon afterward, Orton would reemerge to defeat Christian for the Title. Christian had the support of Edge and the fans at first, until he used heel tactics to win the title. The roles reversed as Randy would become the babyface. Regardless of who was face or heel, Christian and Randy proved to have great chemistry in the ring. Their matches were among the most noteworthy for Smackdown in 2011. The Viper would walk out of Summerslam victorious to become the World Heavyweight Champion.

98. CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship: WWE Over The Limit 2012
CM Punk and Daniel Bryan are regarded by many as the Greatest Stars that the Independent Circuit has ever produced. Both were well renowned among the "Internet" crowd as their grassroots following continued into WWE. By this point, Punk was the reigning WWE Champion, while Bryan just lost the World Heavyweight Title to Sheamus in the famous 18 second match at WrestleMania XXVIII. Daniel would also lose the rematch to the Celtic Warrior in a 2/3 Falls Match at Extreme Rules match. Bryan's fortunes would change when he clashed with fellow Ring of Honor Alum CM Punk. It was a true testament of greatness to both ROH Stars that the WWE Championship revolved around them during the Summer of 2012. CM Punk proved that he could not only have great matches with the likes of John Cena, Jeff Hardy, Triple H and Undertaker, but he could also deliver a great technical match with a fellow ring general like Daniel Bryan. For those that are enthusiasts about technical wrestling, this is a great treat. Punk would retain the title in a show stealing match. This storyline also introduced AJ Lee, as she would play a huge role in the culmination of their feud.

97. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. Dude Love: Over The Edge 1998

After winning the WWF Championship from Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV, it seemed as if Stone Cold Steve Austin would not have a great feud to initially start off his run as Champion. That was until Mick Foley transformed from Cactus Jack to Dude Love and interrupted Austin's "Match" with Vince McMahon. Instead of giving Vince the Mandible Claw, Dude turned around and gave it to Austin. Interestingly enough, Dude Love was also the replacement for Shawn Michaels when it came to being Stone Cold's tag team partner. They were good partners but better rivals. Their match at Over The Edge was the culmination of their feud as it personified The Attitude Era. It was a pure street fight from start to finish. As Foley would say "It was wild for all the right reasons". The biggest twist in the match was Vince McMahon himself as the Referee, along with the involvement of Vince's stooges, Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco. The Officiating was shady until The Undertaker got involved in the chaos. The Texas Rattlesnake would put the nail in the coffin with a Stunner while using Vince's lifeless arm to make the three count. 

96. Trish Stratus vs. Lita (WWE Women's Championship: Unforgiven 2006)

When it comes to Women Wrestlers at the Dawn of the New Millennium, Trish Stratus and Lita were the Top Flagbearers (Besides Chyna). Trish vs. Lita was the Female Equivalent of Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels. Trish was Bret and Lita was HBK. They carried the torch for Women very well going from the Attitude Era into the Ruthless Aggression Era. It is a testament to their greatness anytime Women can Main Event RAW. They opened the door for the likes of Natalya, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, AJ Lee and others. That is why it was fitting for Trish to have the Final Match of her Career against her Arch Rival in her Hometown of Toronto, Ontario Canada. Trish would defeat Lita with the Sharpshooter and ride off into the Sunset on Top. 

95. CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy (World Heavyweight Championship: Summerslam 2009)

In 2009, CM Punk and Jeff Hardy had a very heated and personal rivalry. Punk took shots at Jeff's personal demons and drug problems in his promos. At Night of Champions, Punk lost the title to Hardy. The feud would continue going into Summerslam. On this night, CM Punk and Jeff Hardy clashed in a TLC Match for the WHC. The best element to add to this match was the difference in ideals. Punk was Straight Edge and Self-Righteous, while Jeff was Extreme and Live for the Moment. Punk would emerge as the winner and new World Heavyweight Champion. This match was the right Main Event because it absolutely stole the show, as it was also the pinnacle of the feud. After the match, CM Punk would be attacked by The Undertaker. 

94. "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. Diamond Dallas Page (Spring Stampede 1997)
Spring Stampede 1997 was the high point for what was the Feud of the Year in WCW during 1997. Savage was at his most intense and unhinged state at that time, while DDP was at his most resilient. This match had everything you wanted in a brawl, especially when it came to weapons (chair, trash cans, etc). They brought the fight to each other. It was the hardest working man in WCW (DDP) vs. the most insane man in WCW (Savage), and they held nothing back.

93. Hulk Hogan vs Iron Sheik (WWF Championship Madison Square Garden 1/23/1984)

The Iron Sheik kicked off the New Year by ending the 5-year WWF Title Reign of Bob Backlund with the Camel Clutch (along with Arnold Skaaland throwing in the towel). With Backlund's injuries, wrestling needed a new American Hero. Enter Hulk Hogan. Hulk had just left AWA to return to WWF but under new ownership. The Hulkster was the hot new star that Vince McMahon Jr would pin his hopes on to be the Future of Wrestling. Vince Jr made the investment and it paid off. Hogan would challenge Sheik for the Title with Bob's endorsement. On January 23, 1984, Hulk Hogan would battle the Iron Sheik in Madison Square Garden for the WWF Championship. Hogan was on fire during this match, as Iron Sheik could not handle him. The Hulkster ran wild that night. Hogan powered out of the Camel Clutch before nailing Sheik with the Big Boot and The Leg Drop for the 1,2,3. This match is significant because it launched the Phenomenon known as "Hulkamania". It would mark the start of Hogan's 4-year Reign as WWF Champion. This was the starting point to a journey that took wrestling to incredible new heights. The rest is history.   

92. Bayley vs. Sasha Banks (NXT Women's Championship, NXT Takeover: Brooklyn)
Since NXT has exploded in popularity and quality of talent, the Women's Division has made a comeback. The Leaders of the new "Divas Revolution" in WWE have been the "Four Horsewomen" (Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Becky Lynch). In NXT, the Top feud among the Women was between Sasha and Bayley. They set a new standard for Women's Wrestling not just among modern wrestling, but also of all-time, well before they have even started to decorate their resumes. NXT Takeover: Brooklyn has been considered to be critically better than the Summerslam PPV the following night. The card itself for NXT was great, but the match that carried that event was Sasha vs. Bayley for the Women's Championship.It was Bayley's will and determination as the Underdog vs Sasha's arrogance as the Champion. Sasha constantly targeted the arm just in time for the Bank Statement. However, Bayley's aggressiveness won out in the end as she defeated Sasha with the Bayley to Back Suplex to become the new NXT Women's Champion. The other Horsewomen (Charlotte, Becky) joined them to celebrate.

91. Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant (WWF Championship, WrestleMania III)
The Irresistable Force vs. The Immovable Object. This match has been apart of wrestling lore and mythology for nearly 30 years. Two of the figure heads of wrestling for their time. Andre The Giant during the 70's was the symbol of wrestling all around the World going into the early 80's. Hogan would take the torch and run even further in the 80's. Andre the Giant was "Undefeated" for 15 years leading up to this point. However, there was one prize that had eluded him during his winning streak, the World Title. His good friend Hulk Hogan sat on the throne as WWF Champion. Filled with inner frustration and jealousy, Andre joined Bobby "The Brain" Heenan in the Mission to dethrone Hogan. The frustration reached it's fever pitch at WrestleMania III as two of the Biggest Titans of their Time collided. While the match is not as aesthetically pleasing as Savage vs Steamboat was earlier that night, this match was the Top Draw of the PPV. Hogan vs Andre was a Spectacle of Monumental Proportions. The Defining Moment of the Match was the Slam Heard Around The World, as the Hulkster used every ounce of strength to pick up the 525 lb Giant to Bodyslam him before Finishing him off with The Leg Drop as the Exclamation Point. This match was the Official Confirmation that the Torch had been Passed for the first time in WrestleMania History. This was Super Hogan at his Apex.

90. Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch (Triple Threat Women's Championship Match: WrestleMania 32)

In July of 2015, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch were all brought to the Main Roster as they were announced by Stephanie McMahon on RAW. This would be considered the start of the "Women's Revolution" in wrestling, as they would soon carry the Women's Division on their shoulders. Charlotte would defeat Nikki Bella to end her reign as Diva's Champion, soon ending the Era of the Divas. At WrestleMania 32, Lita unveiled the new Women's Championship, as Charlotte, Sasha and Becky would compete in a Triple Threat Match to crown the new Champion. Charlotte had the Diva's Title as well as the help of her Legendary Father Ric Flair. This match was the perfect storm of the top three figureheads of the Women's Division. Sasha even made a tribute to Eddie Guerrero with the design of her tights as well as her Frog Splash. The Chemistry between these women was excellent. The ending of the match saw Becky Lynch give Charlotte a fisherman suplex from the top rope. Charlotte would then roll to the floor, which opened the door for Sasha Banks to apply the Bank Statement on Becky. However, Charlotte returned just in time to throw Sasha out of the ring so that she could lock the Figure-Eight Leg Lock on Lynch. Meanwhile, Ric Flair distracted Charlotte from getting back in the ring. During that time, Charlotte made Becky submit to the Figure-Eight to become the Inaugural Women's Champion.

89. Chris Jericho vs Rey Mysterio (IC Title Match: The Bash 2009)
Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio enjoyed great matches dating back to their time in WCW over the Cruiserweight Championship. However, they had never established a true rivalry until 2009. By this point, Jericho was at his Best as an Arrogant Heel that wore suits and insulted fans with big words. He was obsessed with taking off Rey Mysterio's mask. Not only was the Mask the focal point of the feud, but so was the Intercontinental Title (similar to Rey vs. Eddie in WCW). This personal element is what added to an already spectacular match on paper. They turned back the clock a Decade and put on a match that is a classic in both of their match libraries. Jericho accomplished both of his goals of unmasking Mysterio and winning back the Intercontinental Championship.

88. Money In the Bank Ladder Match (WrestleMania 21)
These days, Money In The Bank has become a staple in WWE. Arguably, it has taken the place of Survivor Series, because we have been treated to many good to great MITB Matches and Cash-Ins. However, nothing compares to the Original, which took place at WrestleMania 21. The Concept of Winning a Briefcase to become Number 1 Contender for a World Title originated with names like Edge, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Shelton Benjamin, Christian, and Kane. Shelton Benjamin set the standard of creativity for MITB in this match. Ultimately, it was only fitting that The Ultimate Oppoortunist Edge would seize the briefcase and set the path to becoming a Main Event Star and Perennial World Champion.

87. Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair (Career Threatening Match: WrestleMania XXIV)
Student vs. Teacher. Shawn Michaels grew up watching Ric Flair and wanted to be like him. HBK used elements of Flair's character and added his own twist. When it comes to great in-ring performers and showmen, you can say that Shawn was Ric's successor in the 90's. That is why it only made sense for Flair to end his Career with the Man that not only admired him, but the same Man that is forever Synonymous with WrestleMania. That would be none other than "Mr. WrestleMania" Shawn Michaels. This was the match that told the Greatest Story of them all that night. Shawn went from being the kid in San Antonio that wanted to be like Flair to sending his hero into Retirement. This was the best match that Flair had during his run in the 2000's. Michaels put the Nail in Flair's Coffin with an "I'm Sorry, I Love You" Sweet Chin Music for the victory.

86. Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena (WWE Championship: Summerslam 2014)

Coming fresh off of Breaking The Undertaker's Iconic and Mythic WrestleMania Streak, Brock Lesnar was a natural choice to be the Number 1 Contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Title. Following the injury of Daniel Bryan, the WWE Title was Vacated for a Six-Man Ladder Match at Money In The Bank. John Cena won the vacated WWE Title and became a 15-time World Champion. The Stage was set to take on The Beast of Suplex City at Summerslam. Brock decimated and annihilated Cena. It looks like John took Daniel's place as Lesnar's punching bag. Brock unleashed a Flurry of 16 German Suplexes. Cena put up very little Offense in this match, but it was nothing against Terminator Brock. Super Cena's Kryptonite is clearly a German Suplex, and Lesnar was Doomsday. After 16 German Suplexes and 2 F-5's, Brock Lesnar was the new WWE Champion. This is an all-time classic just for how Lesnar dominated Cena throughout the match. This was the best way to make up for the match at Extreme Rules 2012. Doomsday Lesnar Conquered Superman Cena. 

85. Triple H vs. Chris Jericho (Last Man Standing Match: Fully Loaded 2000)

By 2000, Triple H was Truly at the Top of his Game (pun intended). The Game was at his Best as the Quintessential Villain of Wrestling. He was the Ultimate Heel that made you despise him. Coming off of a great run as WWF Champion, The Game was firing on all cylinders. On the other hand, his latest rival Chris Jericho was in a transitional phase of his Career. The transplant from WCW had established himself as a world-class ring technician with a flair for great promos, but lacked the hard edge that fans were looking for. That was, until he went toe to toe with Triple H. The same way that Trips displayed his aggressive side against Mick Foley, Y2J showed his resilience against The Cerebral Assassin in a Last Man Standing Match at No Mercy. Since Jericho enjoys using "Spinal Tap" and other Rock references, he turned his Intensity up to 11 with his combination of fists and chair shots. Jericho took everything that Triple H threw at him and he still kept going until the end. The Game won, but Jericho made a statement that he could hang with the very best in the Main Event during the Attitude Era. 

84. Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville (NXT Takeover: R: Evolution)

Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville took NXT to another level with their match at Takeover R:Evolution. The Card itself was already great, but this match is what carried the show and put that year's "Hell In A Cell" PPV to shame. Zayn vs. Neville was a Career vs. Title Match for the NXT Championship. This match had the classic high-flying, and intensity that kept fans hooked on their every movement. Sami fought with a passion and never say die attitude. The storytelling was very accurate as Zayn gave his all in this match, as did Neville. Sami threw everything at Neville, from the Blue Thunder Bomb, to the Exploder Suplex to finally the Helluva Kick to finish off his opponent to save his Career and win the NXT Title. After the match, the NXT Roster came out to celebrate a match that will live on in NXT History. During the Celebration, Kevin Owens came out to congratulate his long time friend/rival Sami Zayn. However, the celebration was short lived as Owens attacked Zayn and gave him a Powerbomb on the apron as the show ended. 

83. Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor (NXT Championship, Beast in the East)
The WWE Network Exclusive Special "Beast In The East" took place on the 4th of July in Tokyo, Japan. Brock Lesnar was the Main Attraction, but the match that was the highlight of the day was Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor for the NXT Championship. Owens was the vicious heel Champion that did not care about tradition as he threw the bouquet of flowers out of the ring before the match started. Balor was a major star in NJPW, so this was a homecoming for him in a sense. KO trolled John Cena by using the Five Knuckle Shuffle and Attitude Adjustment. Kevin also copied Cena's "You Can't See Me" by telling Finn "You Can't Beat Me". Owens brought the intensity with his physicality, but Balor did not give up. Finn countered the Pop-Up Powerbomb with a lariat. After taking down the Champ with two Dropkicks, Balor finished the match with the Coup De Grace (Top Rope Double Stomp) for the win and the NXT Championship.

82. Triple H vs. The Rock (Ladder Match for WWF Intercontinental Championship, Summerslam 1998)
After WrestleMania XIV, there was a changing of the guard for two of the Best Factions in the WWF. The Rock became the Leader of the Nation of Domination, while Triple H became the Leader of D-Generation-X. From that point, DX and NOD feuded like Gangs fighting over Territory. It was a War that became one of the highlights of the Attitude Era next to Austin 3:16. The Alpha Male Leaders of each group feuded over the second richest prize in the company, the Intercontinental Title. They settled their feud in a Ladder Match for the IC Title at Summerslam. This was not the atypical Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon Ladder Match where you had the High-Flying Acrobatics of HBK vs the Power and Aggressiveness of Razor. Instead, you had two warriors who were identical in size and strength. It was a pure brawl that included a Ladder. Their personal hatred was on display in this match. The Fans could feel the Story that they told. Helmsley would defeat The Brahma Bull thanks to a Low Blow from Chyna to become the new IC Champion.

81. Ricky Steamboat vs. Rick Rude (30-Minute Ironman Challenge: Beach Blast 1992)
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and "Ravishing" Rick Rude battled each other in one of the greatest tests of stamina in all of wrestling: an Ironman Match. However, instead of going the full Hour like Flair vs. Steamboat (Clash of Champions VI) and Bret vs. HBK (WrestleMania XII), Steamboat and Rude went for half an Hour. Ravishing Rick had the advantage planned out, as he tried to gain a 3-1 lead in the first ten minutes of the match to make things out of reach. Steamboat had other plans in mind, with his will to win as he tied the match at 3-3 with ten minutes left. After reversing a sleeper hold into a pin, Steamboat took the lead and the win as time expired.

Royal Rumble 2016: All About The Game

As everyone knows, the Road to WrestleMania has been very bumpy to say the least. The Roster has recently been depleted with the losses of major players like John Cena, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Cesaro and Sting due to injuries. There are still questions about the WrestleMania Card itself. However, WWE found a way to call an audible while things have been breaking down around them heading into the Royal Rumble.

In the midst of their drought of talent, WWE signed NJPW Stars such as former TNA franchise player AJ Styles, Nakamura, Doc Gallows and Carl Anderson. The group was famously known as the Bullet Club in NJPW.

Another major twist for this year's Royal Rumble was that the title was on the line in the Rumble Match itself. This was the second time in WWE History where the title was on the line in the Royal Rumble. As we know, Ric Flair won the Vacated Title as the Rumble Winner in 1992. However, the difference between then and now is that the WWE Champion was involved in this year's Rumble.

This PPV exceeded expectations in many ways. Here is the breakdown.

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match (Last Man Standing): Dean Ambrose (c) def. Kevin Owens

The opening match of the night was for the IC Title. This could very well have been the match of the night outside of the Rumble itself. It was very intense and told a great story between two brutal rivals. Just when it looked dark, Dean Ambrose came through in the clutch. Kevin Owens set up 5 or 6 chairs in the ring to deliver his backward Splash on Ambrose. Dean pushed Kevin off the top rope and onto the tables set up outside. Ambrose retained the title as Owens did not answer the 10 Count.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match: New Day (c) def. The USO's

The New Day and the USO's are the teams that have carried the Tag Team Division from 2014-2015. On their way to the ring, the New Day introduced Francesca II since Chris Jericho killed the first trombone. The Orlando crowd gave New Day a nice reaction. Even though they were chanting "New Day Sucks", it sounded like there were many that were chanting "New Day Rocks". This goes to show how entertaining they are even as goofy heels. The USO's got next to no reaction from the crowd whatsoever.

In the end, the New Day squeaked out the win to remain champions.

WWE United States Championship Match: Kalisto def. Alberto Del Rio (c)

This match was a do-over from two weeks ago, when Kalisto defeated ADR for the title before it was hot-shotted back to Alberto. It was a decent match, but I am not a big fan of how WWE creates comparisons between Kalisto and Rey Mysterio. Kalisto is the Dollar Store version of Mysterio.


WWE Divas Championship Match: Charlotte (c) def. Becky Lynch

In typical Flair fashion, Charlotte used heel tricks and tactics to defeat Becky Lynch. This was a rather underwhelming Divas Title match because of how Charlotte did whatever she could to carry this match.

The real highlight came after the match when Sasha Banks made her return. Sasha kicked Becky out of the ring to confront Charlotte face to face. As Charlotte would make her exit, Sasha hit her with the Bank Statement and rolled her into the Crossface Submission. Expect this to be Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte for the Divas Title. With the Road to WrestleMania, hopefully this is their way of cleaning up the dirt of the Divas Revolution.

The Royal Rumble for the WWE Championship: Triple H wins the Rumble to become WWE Champion

• From the start, this Royal Rumble was strategically planned for Triple H and Roman Reigns to be the Central Figures. The Authority made Roman the first entrant into the Rumble to stack the deck. Rusev would be the next entrant. Things started off between them before the biggest surprise made his debut. TNA Cornerstone AJ Styles made his long awaited debut in the match to an ecstatic crowd at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL. I guess it was also natural because they were in Florida, home of TNA. I respect the way that WWE recognized him as AJ Styles instead of giving him a corny, generic name. AJ was able to keep his character original and the fans loved it. Styles was very impressive in his first Rumble ever. He remained in the match for more than 27 minutes to showcase his talent before being eliminated by Kevin Owens. This could be a sign of big things to come for Styles.

• Chris Jericho entered the Royal Rumble at number 5. I must honestly say that physically he has been letting himself go as of late. It felt like Jericho was in there for at least a day because he lasted for a very long time. Kofi Kingston avoided elimination as long as he possibly could like he always does in the Rumble. This time, he sat on the shoulders of Big E while drinking a fan's soda and eating popcorn. When it was time to get back in, Jericho was the one to eliminate him. It looks like the Y2J vs. New Day feud continues.

• Brock Lesnar came and dominated in true Beast form. He eliminated the Wyatt Family before standing face to face with Bray Wyatt. The rest of the Wyatt Family returned to eliminate Lesnar. This continues to set the stage for Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania. 

• Midway through the Rumble, Roman was attacked by the League of Foreign Losers (I mean League of Nations) outside of the ring. The assault was completed with Rusev running from two or three announcers tables to do a big splash on Roman through another announcers table. 

• The comedy spot was R-Truth pulling out a ladder and placing it inside of the ring as if it were a ladder match. Silly comedy to say the least. 

• Sami Zayn made his long awaited return as an entrant of the Rumble. Zayn immediately set his sights on long-time rival Kevin Owens. Sami would eventually eliminate Kevin from the Rumble match. Clearly, there is still unfinished business between them. 

• Kevin's opponent from the first match was Dean Ambrose. Dean was very impressive in the Rumble as he came within an inch of winning the title. This was similar to when Roddy Piper was in the '92 Rumble as IC Champion. Things looked bright until the number 30 entrant joined the match:

• In the ultimate swerve, Triple H entered the Royal Rumble as the final entrant as Reigns was number 1. This goes to show how WWE made this entire Rumble revolve around Reigns vs. The Authority. Reigns returned in strong fashion as he knocked out Sheamus before wiping out the League of Nations. Roman would meet his end with an elimination from Triple H. 
• When it was Ambrose vs. Triple H, it was only a matter of time before the Game would win. 

Overall, I was satisfied with the Royal Rumble. The biggest surprise was the debut of AJ Styles and how impressive he was. Like many fans, I did not agree with Triple H winning, but it was "Best For Business". Considering the circumstances with the injuries to the major stars on the roster, Triple H is the only one that is truly capable of being the heel that could carry Roman Reigns and get him over with the fans. This is used to ultimately set up Roman's WrestleMania moment. Heading into WrestleMania, The Game is the best dance partner for Reigns, and it is time to take the ride. Remember, in the words of Mike Knoxxx (@MIKEKNOXXX) #WrestlingIsStoryline. This is simply for the purpose of strengthening a Storyline.

I give the Royal Rumble 4 WWF Winged Eagle Titles out of 5.

Let's Dance (vol. 5- John Cena)

The "Let's Dance" Series continues to roll in a strong way. Dance Partners are made to bring the very best out of each other.

Now, I would like to examine the many dance partners of the Franchise Star of the Modern WWE Generation, John Cena.

There have been very few stars that have had the same abundance of dance partners that Cena has had over the course of his impressive career. The only other names that come to mind with an array of rivals were Undertaker, HH and Ric Flair. Just like them, Cena has been able to spark amazing rivalries over the history of wrestling.

Just like Superman or Goku, Cena has enjoyed a variety of villains to dance with. Since Cena is the Superman of WWE, these villains are his Lex Luthors, Brainiacs, General Zods, Doomsday, etc. Time to examine his "Who's Who?" of Dance Partners.

Edge:

Length of Feud: 2006-2009

Featured Matches:

Royal Rumble 2006
Backlash 2006
Summerslam 2006
Unforgiven 2006 (TLC Match)
Backlash 2007
No Way Out 2009
WrestleMania XXV
Backlash 2009

Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 9/10
Rivalry Rating 9.5/10

Edge and John Cena were very much counter culture. Cena was Rap, Edge was Rock/Heavy Metal. John Cena was the clean cut standard hero while Edge was the villain that served to be the ultimate thorn in his side. Edge made his first Main Event Impact by cashing in his MITB Briefcase on a wounded John Cena after he survived a Brutal Elimination Chamber Match. Edge conquered Cena with two Spears to win his first WWE Championship. As a result, RAW's Ratings spiked (with the addition of Edge's live sex celebration with Lita). Cena would gain his revenge when he defeated Edge to win back the WWE Title at the Royal Rumble. They feuded over the title throughout 2006 as their feud was named "Feud of the Year" by PWI. This was Cena's biggest challenge as Champion at that point in his career. The highlight of their feud took place at Unforgiven 2006 when Cena defeated Edge at his own game of a TLC Match. To add fuel to the fire, the match was in Edge's hometown of Toronto, Canada. Cena and Edge would meet again in a Fatal Four Way Match at Backlash involving Shawn Michaels and Randy Orton. Cena remained Champion as Edge would move to Smackdown concluding their feud for the time being. However, their paths would cross once again during 2009 as Edge won the World Heavyweight Championship at No Way Out. Cena would defeat Edge and Big Show at WrestleMania XXV to win the title. Edge would have the last laugh at Backlash to win back the WHC with help from Big Show.

Randy Orton:

Length of Feud: 2007-2013

Featured Matches: 

Backlash 2007
Summerslam 2007

WrestleMania XXIV
Backlash 2008
Night Of Champions
Summerslam 2009
Breaking Point
Hell In A Cell
Bragging Rights
TLC 2013

Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 8.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 9/10

The unique thing about the John Cena vs. Randy Orton feud is how their career paths have followed each other from their time at OVW. Both Cena and Orton made their debut on the main roster in 2002 as part of Smackdown. Cena would become the Dr. of Thuganomics while Orton joined Evolution. They won championship gold around the same time. Orton and Cena had unique paths to the top. Randy won the IC Title at Armageddon 2003, while John won the US Title at WrestleMania XX. Orton became the youngest World Champion at Summerslam 2004 at just 24 years old. Meanwhile, Cena became WWE Champion at WrestleMania 21. This shows how their careers have been parallel. Even though Randy won his titles first, Cena won his on bigger stages. However, Orton hit a roadblock in 2004 when he lost the WHC. When John Cena won the WWE Championship from JBL at WM, he maintained his spot at the top on a consistent basis and gained stronger momentum. By 2007, Randy Orton had become a more polished performer just in time to be inserted into the WWE Title picture. Orton was involved in the Fatal Four Way match at Backlash for the WWE Championship. The match also included Edge and Shawn Michaels with Cena winning. However, Cena suffered a pectoral injury during the Summer. On an episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, Orton added further damage by giving him the RKO on an open steel chair. As a result of John Cena's injury, Randy Orton was crowned the new WWE Champion. This is what helped to escalate their rivalry to another level. Cena would return at the Royal Rumble for a shot at the title. Orton retained at WM XXIV. The feud between Cena and Orton would consistently go through 2008-2009. The high points of their feud would be from Breaking Point to Bragging Rights. These two are considered the legends of their generation with nearly 30 world championships combined between them.


CM Punk:

Length of Feud: 2011-2013

Featured Matches:

Money In the Bank 2011

Summerslam 2011

Summerslam 2012

Survivor Series 2012

RAW 2013

Match Quality: 4.5/5
Storyline Quality: 9/10
Rivalry Rating: 9/10

As John Cena was in the midst of his feud with The Rock building up for WrestleMania XXVIII, he was met with another intense feud in between that time. Enter CM Punk. In the Summer of 2011, CM Punk had grown frustrated of being pushed to the background while the likes of The Rock ("Dwayne") and John Cena took over a lion's share of the spotlight as they were in the marquee headline of WrestleMania while he was not. In his famous "Pipe Bomb" Promo, Punk shot straight from the hip about his anger of being disrespected and unappreciated by WWE. His main target for the frustration at that moment was John Cena. Punk threatened to take the WWE Title with him back to Ring Of Honor and NJPW. Once they had the contract signing along with Vince McMahon's involvement, the stage was set for Money In the Bank 2011 in Punk's backyard of Chicago. CM Punk would emerge victorious as he defeated Cena for the WWE Title. Cena's feud with Punk would continue into Summerslam 2011. It would be on again, off again as they would have Triple Threat Matches featuring Big Show and Ryback (Summerslam 2012, Survivor Series 2012), along with their final match at RAW 2013 to determine the number one contender for WrestleMania XXIX. Cena and Punk danced tremendously together. Contrary to the popular opinion of the Internet, dancing with John Cena put CM Punk on a higher platform. 

Brock Lesnar:

Length of Feud: 2003, 2012-2015

Featured Matches:

Backlash 2003

Extreme Rules 2012

Summerslam 2014
Night of Champions 2014
Royal Rumble 2015

Match Quality: 3.5/5
Storyline Quality: 8/10
Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10

Much like with Randy Orton, and Batista, John Cena's history with Brock Lesnar dates back to their time in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW). You can say that their rivalry started casually in 2003 when Cena was the Dr. of Thuganomics. During that time, Cena challenged Lesnar for the WWE Championship. One of the most memorable things about that time was when Cena cut a freestyle about Brock's tattoos. Lesnar would win, but it was a sign of things to come for Cena in the future. The timing is interesting from when Brock left to when Cena became the face of the company. In Brock's absence, Cena established a Hall of Fame Caliber Career and became one of the biggest box office draws in WWE History. The night after WrestleMania XXVIII, Brock made his long awaited return as he gave John the F5. Cena looked like he was on his way to a downward spiral going into Extreme Rules. Their match was brutal with Brock throwing Cena from left to right and nearly beating him half to death. Suddenly, Cena surprises everyone as he hits Lesnar with the chain before nailing him with the Attitude Adjustment for the win. It seemed as though Cena got rid of the monster once and for all. However, business was not finished. After Lesnar broke the Streak, he was Cena's automatic challenger at Summerslam. Lesnar destroyed Cena in a one-sided match to become the new WWE Champion. The rivalry continued as Brock retained at Night of Champions and ended with him remaining Champion at the Royal Rumble. 

The Rock:

Length of Feud: 2011-2013

Featured Matches:
WrestleMania XXVIII
WrestleMania XXIX

What makes this stand out as one of John Cena's top rivalries is not only the star value of his dance partner but the buildup surrounding the feud. This was the quintessential example of a "Dream Match" on paper. Rock and Cena are the premiere stars from different generations. This was more tangible than a dream feud between Rock-Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart-Kurt Angle, Hulk-Bruno, etc. FINALLY, after seven years away from WWE, the Rock HAS COME BACK to the WWE. Rocky wasted no time in taking care of business. Rock's main target the night of his return was John Cena. He shot straight from the hip about the jabs that Cena took in various interviews. This led to a war of the words. The Rock even became the host of WrestleMania XXVII. It was obvious that The Rock was going to get involved in Cena's match. Rocky cost Cena the WWE Title match against The Miz. The next night, The Rock and John Cena booked their "Once In A Lifetime" Match for WrestleMania XXVIII. From that time, they kept their distance with jabs at each other in the mainstream media and in Social Media including Rock's classic promo via YouTube. This feud ran simultaneously with the feud that John Cena started with CM Punk during the Summer. Their paths would finally collide at WrestleMania XXVIII in The Rock's BattleGround of Miami, FL. Rock was the hometown favorite and the favorite of Attitude Era fans, while Cena was the favorite among the current demographic. Both were faces going into the match, even though Cena was booed out of Miami heading into the ring. For what it was worth, this was a great match with The Rock standing tall as the winner in the end. The buildup and storyline for this match (along with Taker vs. HHH) made this the highest grossing live event in WWE history. Naturally, Rock and Cena would have a sequel at WrestleMania XXIX for the WWE Championship. Cena won the Rumble the same night that Rock defeated CM Punk to become WWE Champion. Their paths would collide again, but this time Cena won to redeem himself in a passing of the torch moment similar to what The Rock experienced at WrestleMania X8. The buildup and the drawing power that this feud created is enough to rank among John Cena's greatest rivalries.


Match Quality: 3.5/5
Storyline Quality: 9.5/10
Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10

Batista: 

Length of Feud: 2008-2010

Featured Matches:

Summerslam 2008

WrestleMania XXVI

Extreme Rules 2010

Over the Limit

The John Cena-Batista feud was well built by how wisely they were kept apart from each other. Their origins began at OVW. They were the last two men in the 2005 Royal Rumble with Batista winning. At WrestleMania 21, they were positioned as the top franchise players for the WWE. Both of their victories were torch-passing moments. Their paths ran parallel with each other. Cena defeated JBL for the WWE Title, while Batista defeated Triple H for the World Heavyweight Title in a more intense match. That summer, they were the most valuable stars in the WWE Draft during the Brand Extension Era. Cena was the 1st overall pick for RAW, Batista was the 2nd overall pick for Smackdown. It was clear that John Cena was 1A as he became not only the Captain of RAW, but star of WWE itself. Meanwhile, DC Dave was Captain of the B-Show as he became 1B. Batista had the initial firepower coming out of WM 21, but Cena would slowly pull ahead. While they could have very well collided at Survivor Series (possibly WrestleMania), they stayed out of each other's way for three years. Batista carried Smackdown as he feuded with JBL. Meanwhile, Cena defended the title against Kurt Angle before kicking off his feud with Edge. Their paths would finally cross when Batista returned to RAW for a superstar showdown at Summerslam 2008. This was one of the rare cases of WWE using the brand split to build dream matches (ex: Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle). However, Cena and Batista were both faces in this match. In rare fashion, John Cena ended the match looking up at the lights as Batista broke his neck with a Batista Bomb. This would be a sign of things to come as this was the fuel for their fire going into WrestleMania XXVI. Going into their WM Match, their was actual doubt that Cena would walk away as champion because of how dominant Batista was as a monster heel champion. Not only that, but Batista already had the victory over Cena before. Cena would overcome the DC Monster Batista at WrestleMania and sweep the series with wins at Extreme Rules and Over the Limit. Even though Cena won the overall series, he found an opponent that matched him when it came to physical and star power credentials to a degree. It was a battle of "I should be number 1". It proved to be one of the most significant feuds not only for John Cena, but for Batista as well. 

Match Quality: 3.5/5

Storyline Quality: 8/10

Rivalry Rating: 8.5/10

Chris Jericho:

Length of Feud: 2002-2008

Featured Matches:
Vengeance 2002
Summerslam 2005
Surivor Series 2008

This feud was a launching pad for Cena becoming a star in WWE. They had a match early in Cena's career before he became the Dr. of Thuganomics with John getting the win over the veteran Jericho. However, things were kicked up another notch as we fast forward to 2005. John Cena was just drafted to RAW as the first overall pick as he was the guest on Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel. It wasn't long before Jericho stepped up to become the challenger for the WWE Championship. Naturally, Jericho becomes the heel and goes into arrogant rockstar mode. It was truly "Rap vs. Rock". They even had a "Battle of the Bands" on RAW. Cena with his rap group vs. Fozzy. However, Jericho came to the stage by himself and refused to perform. Cena's band won by default. Jericho vowed to take the title away from Cena at Summerslam. John Cena defeated Y2J at Summerslam 2005 with the Attitude Adjustment (At that time it was the F-U). Cena defeated Jericho the next night on RAW in a "Loser Leaves Town" match. After Y2J lost, he was "fired" and taken out by security screaming and crying. In the midst of Jericho's return (aka: "Second Coming") he turned heel and started wearing a suit. During his time as a heel, Y2J became World Heavyweight Champion and finished a great feud with Shawn Michaels. Jericho would then rekindle his feud with John Cena. Cena would defeat him at Survivor Series for the WHC. What makes this feud so unique is that Chris Jericho was instrumental in helping to legitimize John Cena as a star that can dance in the main event. Y2J helped to pull things out of Cena that he probably thought that he never had before. In Cena's early run as Champion, Jericho proved to be a very good foil for him to defeat. Both legends certainly did great music together in the ring. This was certainly one of the high spots for Cena's first title run along with his feud with Kurt Angle. 

Match Quality: 4/5

Storyline Quality: 7.5/10

Rivalry Rating: 7.5/10

Conclusion:

Edge:

As I have come to my conclusion, there is no other dance partner that was better for John Cena than Edge in my view. John Cena is the marquee star of his generation, but there was a critical point in Cena's rise where many people were not sure if he was really going to work out. People may not want to admit this now, but fans were happy to see him relieve JBL of the WWE Title at WrestleMania 21. They were also more or less on his side in his early feuds with Chris Jericho and Christian. Then, he ran into Kurt Angle a wrestling machine that fans knew John Cena was no match for hold for hold. Kurt was the premiere ring general of his time, but he was playing heel to John Cena's silliness. However, smart fans were not willing to shun Angle in favor of Cena. After Jericho left, Bischoff turned up the heat with Angle. After Cena conquered the Olympic Gold Medalist, he faced the likes of Carlito and Chris Masters who were the next heels in line for the title. Promising at the time, but a downgrade from the likes of future Hall of Famers like Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle. Masters and Carlito were certainly not world title material. Cena's first run lasted 9 months but it had its hit and misses.

This is where Edge enters. In true heel fashion, Edge makes WWE history by cashing in his the first MITB Briefcase on a bloodied and wounded John Cena that just overcame five other wrestlers to retain the WWE Championship. Edge cashed in on a grand opportunity by defeating Cena after the match was over to win his first WWE Championship. This was a turning point for both stars. Cena finally had a red hot feud with someone that was a lethal thorn in his side. Edge was not a match for Cena physically like Brock or Batista, but he was a master manipulator who could use his heel psychology to push Cena to his limits. This would become the premiere standard bearer feud of John Cena's career. This was the most defining feud of Cena's legacy. Edge was elevated by successfully cashing in his MITB Briefcase on the Captain of RAW and WWE overall. Edge was launched from being an upper mid-card glorified tag team star that everybody loved to becoming the perennial main event villain of his era. They danced in a series of matches, from singles matches, triple threat matches and even a classic but sometimes overlooked TLC Match. Edge and Cena danced in many different ways to their own instruments, but they left fans with some great performances that they would never forget. With that said, Edge is John Cena's quintessential dance partner. You could say that he was Lex to Cena's Superman.


Greatest Matches:

1. vs. CM Punk (Money In the Bank 2011)
2. vs. Edge (TLC Match- Unforgiven 2006)
3. vs.  Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (Royal Rumble 2015)
4. vs. CM Punk (RAW 2013)
5. vs. Randy Orton (Breaking Point 2009)
6. vs. The Rock (WrestleMania XXVIII)
7. vs. Edge vs. Triple H (Backlash 2006)
8,  vs. Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules 2012)
9. vs. CM Punk (Night of Champions 2012)
10. vs. Edge (Backlash 2009)

This Top 10 is based off of Cena's Dance Partners

Let's Dance (vol 1. Chris Jericho)

Welcome to a New Series that I would like to Introduce called "Let's Dance". This was inspired by a segment with the same name that was created by Mr. Mike Knoxxx (@RealMikeKnoxxx on Twitter) on his Wrestling Podcast "Perfect Plex Talk Radio".

This segment was a way to spotlight a wrestler and discuss who his/her best opponent was. In wrestling, we call opponents "dance partners". This segment was about who was a wrestler's best opponent based on their quality of storylines, matches, drawing power, etc.

The obvious rivals were Rock vs. Austin, Bret vs Shawn, etc. However, there were others that were very debatable.

In this series, I would like to explore a series of wrestlers and dissect their opponents and what kind of chemistry they had based on the following criteria:

Storyline
Match Quality
Rivalry Rating

It is time for me to take that same concept and present it in my own way.

Today, I would like to explore who the best Dance Partner (Rival) was for, Chris Jericho:

Throughout his highly decorated career, Chris Jericho has had a wealth of opponents as he has honed his craft all around the world. With those opponents, he has had some of the best storylines and best matches of his career, and in wrestling history. It is time to see what dance partners he had the best chemistry with:

Shawn Michaels:

Length of feud: 2008

Featured Matches:

WrestleMania XIX

Great American Bash 2008

Unforgiven 2008

No Mercy 2008

Match Quality: 5/5

Storyline Quality: 9.5/10

Rivalry Rating: 9/10

This was a student vs teacher rivalry that turned into a very personal feud filled with bad blood. As we know, Chris Jericho was largely inspired by "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels. Y2J patterned much of his early career, character and even image after HBK. That was the driving element in the early stages of their rivalry in late 2002-early 2003.

 In the video packages, WWE would show Jericho doing the same moves that Michaels did in his early career with the Rockers. When Shawn returned, Jericho called him the "Has Been Kid" right before HBK knocked him out with Sweet Chin Music. 

This led to a feud that culminated at that point in a fantastic match at WrestleMania XIX. In the match, Jericho matched HBK move for move. Jerry Lawler mentioned time and again that it was like Shawn Michaels wrestled a mirror image of himself. After a great technical show stealer, Shawn wins. They would encounter each other on and off again before Jericho made his exit in 2005. 

When Jericho made his second run, he rejuvenated his career by taking on one of the greatest heel turns in history. When Shawn Michaels wrestled Batista at Backlash, Jericho noticed that Shawn faked an injury. HBK confessed that he did fake it. 

Chris invited Shawn as a guest on the Highlight Reel. In that segment, Jericho would make a turn that no one saw coming as he attacked Shawn and threw him headfirst into the Jeritron 5000. This moment had shades of the classic Barber Shop Segment where Shawn Michaels threw Marty Jannetty head first into the Barber Shop window. This would ignite the best storyline of Jericho's career. The personal elements of the storyline elevated the value of the matches. This was the Feud of the Year in 2008. 

The ultimate conclusion was the match that they have both become famous for the Ladder Match. In the end, Jericho would prevail. 

Chris Benoit:

Length of Feud: 1995-2005

Featured Matches: 

Super J-Cup from WAR in Japan (1995)

WCW Fall Brawl 1996

Triple Threat Match (w/Kurt Angle) at WrestleMania 2000 for IC/European Titles

Backlash for IC Championship

Judgment Day

Summerslam 2000 (2 out of 3 Falls)

Royal Rumble 2001 (Ladder Match for the IC Championship). 

2001 King of the Ring (Triple Threat Match vs. Stone Cold for the WWF Championship)

Submission Match (RAW from Japan in 2005)

Match Quality: 4.5/5

Storyline Quality: 7/10

Rivalry Rating: 8/10

The Careers of Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit were connected, which naturally made them great dance partners. They both got their start as students of the Hart Dungeon in Calgary.

 From that point, their paths would cross in Japan where their rivalry would start. They would compete in the J-Cup Tournament in the smaller Japanese promotion WAR. 

You can call them the B+ version of HBK vs Bret. They would meet up again in WCW, but with no real storyline involved. Things reached another level when they met each other in WWF/E. 

Their first big match was the Triple Threat at WM 2000 for both the European and IC Titles. Jericho and Benoit pinned each other to win those titles. After Jericho lost the European Title, he would feud with Benoit for the IC Title. 

Through the Summer of 2000, Benoit and Y2J would square off in three PPV Matches. Benoit got the best of him. Things finally came to an onset at the 2001 Royal Rumble, when Jericho defeated him. Y2J mocked Benoit's missing tooth. The Rabid Wolverine was not smiling. The only way that Y2J was able to defeat his long-time rival was to beat him at his own game with physicality. This match has been compared to Shawn vs. Razor from WM X. I would not rank it above that match, but very close. 

Rey Mysterio:

Length of Feud: 2009

Featured Matches:
Cruiserweight Title Match at WCW Souled Out
The Bash 2009 (Title vs Mask for IC Championship)
Extreme Rules 2009

Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 8/10
Rivalry Rating: 7/10

Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio have crossed paths long before becoming stars in the WWE. They were both the key players for the Cruiserweight Division in WCW as they battled for the Cruiserweight Championship.

They had naturally great chemistry in the ring, but they did not have a substantial storyline to build around. It was not until they encountered each other in WWE that they finally had a strong storyline to create a great rivalry.

In 2009, Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio orchestrated a personal feud over the Intercontinental Championship that helped to strengthen the foundation of a storied title.

At the height of his legendary heel run, Jericho became obsessed with unmasking Mysterio. He wanted to know why Rey always wore a mask.

The feud started when Jericho disguised himself as a fan during one of Rey's matches on RAW. When the match was over, Mysterio went to celebrate with the fans.

One of the fans wore a mask and attacked him. The person took off the mask to reveal himself as Chris Jericho. It showed what lengths that Y2J would go to in order to get to Rey. Their matches for the title were personal and greatly executed, as these were the very best matches that both men have ever had with each other.

Dean Malenko:

Length of Feud: 1998
Featured Matches:
WCW/NWO Uncensored

Match Quality: 3.5/5
Storyline Quality: 7/10
Rivalry Rating: 6/10

This was definitely Chris Jericho's most entertaining feud in WCW. Dean Malenko called himself "The Man of 1,000 Holds". Jericho made a parody of it calling himself "The Man of 1,004 Holds". The feud was further ignited when Jericho read the list of holds. His most famous hold: Armbar.

Malenko was a man of few words, but Jericho was a man of many, many words. He still is today. Chris would constantly call out Malenko and claim that he was a better wrestler than him. He would constantly take shots at Malenko saying that he could beat him.

Jericho was the WCW Cruiserweight Champion at the time in his best year with WCW. The two finally met at WCW Uncensored, where Jericho would defeat him with the Liontamer.

After the loss, Dean took a break from the company. During that time, Jericho continued to insult him. One night, Chris had to defend the title against a Mystery opponent. Little did he know that it was Dean Malenko. The surprise took Jericho by surprise as Malenko defeated him for the title. Jericho would then claim to be a "Conspiracy Victim".

This feud helped to elevate Jericho's status among the Cruiserweights in WCW and made him stand out as an entertainer. This was his most noteworthy feud of his time in WCW.




The Rock:

Length of Feud: 2001

Featured Matches:
No Mercy 2001
Vengeance 2001
Royal Rumble 2002

Match Quality: 3.5/5
Storyline Quality: 8/10
Rivalry Rating: 8/10


This feud gets special recognition because Chris Jericho finally got to work with one of the biggest Box Office attractions in wrestling History, The Rock. The Great One and The Ayatollah of Rock & Rolla teamed up during the Invasion to fight off WCW and ECW.

 However, they still had their own rivalry going. The origins of this friendly rivalry started during Jericho's debut on RAW on August 9, 1999. As we all know by now, Y2J dropped a legendary missile of a promo aimed at the WWF locker room including one of the biggest stars in the wrestling world (The Rock).

Rocky stood there and let Jericho fire his arrows and made him look even better than ever before. In his book "Undisputed", Y2J says that he was more famous after 30 seconds on RAW than he was for 3 years on Nitro.

That says everything, especially when he went on a verbal war with the People's Champ. This indeed put Jericho over more than anything he had done in WCW. After Jericho finished shooting his verbal bullets, The Rock fires back and shuts Jericho down.

At the end of the day, Chris Jericho became a made man in that place in time. The rest of his career would speak for itself. Fast forward back to 2001, Jericho feuds with The Rock for the WCW Championship.

Y2J brings everything that he had against The Brahma Bull. At No Mercy, Chris Jericho defeats The Rock to become the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Rocky would regain the title shortly afterward. At Vengeance 2001, Chris Jericho made history by becoming the first Undisputed Champion.

The first man that he defeated to unify the titles was The Rock himself. Jericho defeated Rocky for the second time to win the WCW World Title. This was the biggest mainstream dance partner that Jericho has had besides Austin.

His victories over The Rock put Chris Jericho on a different level than where he was in WCW. The significance of this feud is what puts The Rock in the conversation of Jericho's best dance partners.

Triple H:

Length of Feud: 2002

Featured Matches:
Monday Night RAW (April 17, 2000, WWF Championship)
Fully Loaded 2000 (Last Man Standing)
Monday Night RAW (July 2001, World Tag Team Titles)
WrestleMania X8 (Undisputed Championship)
Backlash 2002 (Hell In A Cell Match)

Match Quality: 4/5
Storyline Quality: 7.5/10
Rivalry Quality: 8/10

His first encounter may have been with The Rock, but Chris Jericho's first experience of a Main Event match was with Triple H. Jericho served as the thorn in the side of Triple H and Stephanie, because of his verbal attacks on the McMahon Princess. This infuriated The Game as it led to a great storyline between them.

Initially, Jericho went through his share of struggles after his legendary War of Words with The Rock. He was stuck in storylines with Chyna as he was running in circles. Finally, he got the chance to work with Stephanie and Triple H.

This led to a match for the WWF Title on an episode of RAW on April 17, 2000. The match was well executed with Jericho scoring the upset win over Triple H. Minutes later, Triple H forced the referee to reverse the decision. Y2J returned to give the title back, but he put the WWE on notice about what he was capable of. He earned the respect of the fans with his performance.

They would collide at Fully Loaded 2000 in a Last Man Standing Match. This was one of the best Last Man Standing Matches that I had ever seen, as I was convinced that Jericho would win. With a split second, Triple H won the match. However, he realized that Jericho brought the fight to him. This showed the toughness of Chris Jericho.

In 2001, Jericho teamed with rival Chris Benoit to defeat the Two-Man Power Trip of Triple H & Stone Cold Steve Austin to win the Tag Titles. If not for Benoit being erased, this would still be remembered as one of the greatest RAW Main Events in WWE History.

In 2002, the two would Main Event WrestleMania X8 in Toronto, Canada. This was a homecoming for Jericho, as he was able to close WrestleMania in front of what would technically be his hometown crowd. The match had great chemistry and was well organized, even though it followed in the footsteps of Rock vs. Hogan.

However, it was still a great match as The Cerebral Assassin defeated Y2J to become Undisputed Champion. They would clash again at Hell In A Cell, where The Game would reign Supreme to end their feud.





Conclusion:
In the end, after reviewing these great rivals, I would say that Jericho had his best dances in the ring with:

Shawn Michaels:

When it comes to matches, both legends are naturals at telling a story. When they added the personal element, it took their feud to a greater level.

This rivalry had the most substance out of all of Jericho's rivalries. His feuds with the likes of Benoit and Malenko were mostly based on matches while his feuds with The Rock and Triple H were mostly based on storylines. Jericho's feud with HBK was the perfect combination of both because Shawn Michaels had such a profound impact on his career.

It went from simply Student vs. Teacher to a man disappointed in a man that was once his idol. This was about a man proving that his hero was exposed as a liar. Even though Jericho was the heel, Shawn proved him right. Yet, the fans still cheered Michaels.

This feud revealed Chris Jericho's calculated heel side. This was also the point in Jericho's career where he needed to reinvent himself, and this rivalry came at the right time. Not only did Jericho spark new life into his career, but he sparked the most intense feud of his career.

In the end, it was still about the protege having the last laugh on his mentor. Jericho did it in a vicious way.

It provided the elevation that Jericho needed in order to be the most effective heel that he could possibly be. This proved why Chris Jericho called himself The Best In the World at What he did.



Greatest Matches:
1. vs. Shawn Michaels/No Mercy 2008
2. vs. Chris Benoit/Royal Rumble 2001
3. vs. Shawn Michaels/WrestleMania XIX
4. vs. Triple H/Fully Loaded 2000
5. vs. Shawn Michaels/Great American Bash 2008
6. vs. Rey Mysterio/The Bash 2009
7. w/Chris Benoit vs. Two-Man Power Trip/Monday Night RAW
8. vs. Dean Malenko/Uncensored 1998
9. vs. The Rock/Royal Rumble 2002
10. vs. The Rock/No Mercy 2001

Portrait Courtesy of Rob Schamberger (Twitter/Instagram: @RobSchamberger)