Chris Jericho was featured in an interviewed by BetweenTheRopes.com today. Here
are some of the highlights.
On how this WrestleMania feels different than previous WrestleManias: "I figured this out earlier; this is my tenth WrestleMania and there's only been two (matches) that I've been involved with that I felt had the potential to be the show-stealer. One was with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV and this is the next one. So, you can never say for sure what's going to happen and there's a lot of big matches on this show. I just think -- with the story line and the chemistry and the work style that we have and the anticipation from the fans -- that are match has the potential to be a very special one.
"So, I'm excited about this WrestleMania. Not that I'm not excited about every WrestleMania, but this has a little bit of a special twist to it."
On what fueled his return: "[The] time and going against C.M. Punk. I was fine. I was doing a lot of touring with Fozzy and we were doing a lot of work. We were getting ready to do a break and start working on a new record. So, I knew the window of opportunity was there but for me, I have to have a mindset of something that I think I can really make a difference with.
"When Punk started going on the rise and calling himself the best in the world, I thought, 'Well, there's your natural story line right there.' I actually flew to Stanford last August to pitch this whole idea and story line to Vince."
On how this WrestleMania feels different than previous WrestleManias: "I figured this out earlier; this is my tenth WrestleMania and there's only been two (matches) that I've been involved with that I felt had the potential to be the show-stealer. One was with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XIV and this is the next one. So, you can never say for sure what's going to happen and there's a lot of big matches on this show. I just think -- with the story line and the chemistry and the work style that we have and the anticipation from the fans -- that are match has the potential to be a very special one.
"So, I'm excited about this WrestleMania. Not that I'm not excited about every WrestleMania, but this has a little bit of a special twist to it."
On what fueled his return: "[The] time and going against C.M. Punk. I was fine. I was doing a lot of touring with Fozzy and we were doing a lot of work. We were getting ready to do a break and start working on a new record. So, I knew the window of opportunity was there but for me, I have to have a mindset of something that I think I can really make a difference with.
"When Punk started going on the rise and calling himself the best in the world, I thought, 'Well, there's your natural story line right there.' I actually flew to Stanford last August to pitch this whole idea and story line to Vince."
It doesn't surprise me the best in the world idea was Jericho's (and not the writer's)idea, though it's too bad Punk and him weren't able to write their own angle because it would've been better than what the WWE writers did with this angle. The entire angle should've been about two wrestlers who proclaim themselves to be the best in the world fighting to see who the best in the world is for the richest prize in all of wrestling: the WWE championship. It also would've made more sense for Jericho to win the Royal Rumble or the Elimination Chamber match because it's hard to believe someone proclaim their the best in the world even though they lost two important matches.
The family/personal stuff was unnecessary and I believe the WWE should learn how they can keep a feud hot without having both wrestlers on TV every week. I think the WWE ran out of things for them to do so decided to make this into a Raven-Punk rehash angle to try and keep the iron hot and, as a result, have overshadowed the best in the world theme of this match. I'm not the only one who feels this way because it was reported that Jericho and Punk weren't happy with where their angle went either.
If Jericho is staying around until at least the next PPV, they should've just had him do a job here and then made the feud more personal by talking about Punk's family to set up a gimmick match (possibly no holds barred ) at Extreme Rules in Punk's hometown. That way you kill two birds with one stone instead of one bird with two stones.