Chris Jericho Recalls The Heat He Faced For His Bold WWE Promo: A Deep Dive Into The Controversy
In the sweltering summer of 1999, the wrestling international witnessed a seismic shift as Chris Jericho transitioned from WCW to WWE. His debut on August 9, 1999, throughout WWE Monday Night Raw in Chicago, is etched within the annals of wrestling records, no longer merely for its fanfare however for the debate it ignited. Jericho’s audacious entry into WWE blanketed a memorable second wherein he interrupted none aside from The Rock, a circulate that set the stage for even greater drama in the weeks that observed.
Just sooner or later after this historical debut, on August 16, 1999, WWE filmed some other episode of Raw in Milwaukee. At this point, WWE became within the midst of transitioning its programming time table, with episodes being taped on Tuesdays earlier than the debut of Smackdown. It was in the course of this taping that Jericho observed himself on the center of an excessive storm of backlash.
The Undertaker, a respected parent in the wrestling global, become delivering a promo within the ring with Big Show through his side. Jericho, ever the provocateur, seized the possibility to make his mark. He launched a scathing critique of The Undertaker’s speech, accusing him of uninteresting the target market together with his lengthy and monotonous transport. This audacious move would prove to be a double-edged sword for Jericho.
On his Talk Is Jericho podcast, Jericho recounted the aftermath of this controversial promo. “I did a promo on Undertaker on Tuesday. Originally, it was supposed to be a promo on Austin, but I think Steve said, ‘Screw that. I’m not doing it.’ My idea at the time was I was just going to bury all the top stars and tell them how boring they are. I told Undertaker how boring he was after he just delivered a ten-minute super boring promo. I got so much heat for that.”
Jericho’s critique was not taken lightly by his peers. Wrestling legend Shawn Michaels offered Jericho a piece of sage advice, “Word of advice. Something you might not want to do on the second night in the company is tell the top star in the company how boring he is.” Michaels’ warning underscored the high stakes of Jericho’s brash behavior, emphasizing that challenging the status quo so early in one’s career could have repercussions.
Despite Michaels’ advice, Jericho remained steadfast in his belief that The Undertaker’s promo was lacking. “Shawn was right, but Undertaker was actually really boring that night. I kind of hit the nail on the head. He did this big promo with the Big Show, walking through the desert and getting bit by a scorpion. Everyone was like, ‘Huh?’ ‘Undertaker, you’re boring, and you’re washed up.’”
The Undertaker’s response to Jericho’s criticism was sharp and memorable. He retorted with a line that became part of wrestling lore: “I’ve had more shower time than you’ve had ring time.” While this quip was aimed at diminishing Jericho’s experience, it didn’t quite hold up to scrutiny. By that point, Jericho had accumulated approximately 1,500 matches over nine years, making the comment more humorous than factual.
Remarkably, despite their lengthy and storied careers in WWE, Jericho and The Undertaker by no means confronted off in a one-on-one PPV singles suit. They did proportion the ring in different in shape sorts, but a dedicated singles bout remained elusive at some stage in their careers. The “uninteresting” promo and Jericho’s ambitious interruption continue to be a poignant instance of the friction which could get up whilst new talent demanding situations set up icons.
The video of The Undertaker’s promo and Jericho’s interruption continues to circulate among fans and serves as a testament to the enduring nature of wrestling’s dramatic narratives. It highlights the risks and rewards of pushing boundaries in the high-stakes world of professional wrestling.
