Chris Jericho got the best type of return anyone could ask for. He received weeks of build - up (or was it months?) with mysterious, cryptic videos. He walked onto the stage with a massive special effects show with a new video, remixed music, and plenty of time to soak up cheers. He also happened to be immediately booked against the World Champion and top heel, Randy Orton. Can Jericho live up to the hype?
Part of that he has control over, part of it he doesn't. There are people in high positions in WWE who aren't sold on him being a full - time top tier player to build around. There are doubts about his height, his promos, his in - ring style that some believe limits him to a second tier role with occasional visits into main events. Nobody in WWE can be picky at this point, though, with the roster depth what it is.
Jericho has a lot of pressure. He has to live up to John Cena, whom he is essentially replacing as the top babyface feuding with Orton, now that Orton has moved past the Shawn Michaels feud. Cena, despite his weaknesses and shortcomings, really stepped up and became comfortable with carrying himself as a true top tier star. Cena had epic matches with Orton in a 2007 disciplined, realistic style. Jericho, meanwhile, has been out of the ring for years. Timing, never Jericho's strong point, can take a while to get back.
My concern with Jericho isn't that politics will cut the legs out from under him. The deck has been cleared. Shawn Michaels is moving into a secondary feud with Mr. Kennedy, Triple H is not going to get in the way and try to rush into another feud with Randy Orton. Jericho vs. Orton is on, and it will reveal a lot about the 37 year old Jericho.
On Raw, he looked young, refreshed, healthy, vibrant, almost pretty. Maybe too pretty. He had gotten himself all dolled up for an aspiring career in entertainment outside of wrestling. Other than a really embarrassing performance on a reality celebrity singing show, he didn't do much that landed on any mainstream pop culture radar. Is the look and style that he has now conducive to being taken seriously as a tough fighter? With size working against him already, will a disco ball glitter vest and a $150 haircut with highlights get over with the target market?
The early indication is yes...
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LATEST PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER #1037 (16 PAGES)
This issue begins with a cover story on the annoucement on Raw that Mike Adamle is the new Raw G.M... Wade Keller's BBL features a number of other shocking G.M. possibilities for WWE to consider... Page 2 Buzz with Jason Powell features his exclusive insider news galore... Pat McNeill continues his series of articles reviewing the history of Summerslam... Bruce Mitchell continues his series of Ric Flair DVD Liner Notes with a focus on "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers htis week... Part four of the "Torch Talk" with Doug Basham... Sean Radican reviews in detail the ROH PPV before it's offered nationally on PPV... Plus the Torch Newswire, Top Five Stories, reports on Raw, Smackdown, and Impact, and more......
