Jericho addresses the audience
Ever since his entrance into the World Wrestling Federation, Chris Jericho's status as one of the world's finest wrestlers has been further elevated. On August 9, 1999, Chris Jericho debuted on Monday Night Raw in one of wrestling's most extraordinary entrances ever. He entered the WWF as the Millennium Man, one of the most anticipated events in WWF history. (Click here to see Jericho making his awesome debut in this video from WWF.com: [28.8k | 56k | ISDN | 300k]) On that day when he interrupted the Rock's speech, everybody knew that his impact would be huge.
Jericho pins X-Pac
Jericho would have his first match on WWF Smackdown against the Road Dogg shortly thereafter. In that match, Jericho unveiled a new attitude and showed the WWF that he was a truly serious competitor. Jericho lost that match by disqualification when he showed the world one of his new signature moves, the double powerbomb, by double-powerbombing the Road Dogg through a table placed in the ring. (Click here to see the footage of this match from WWF.com: [28.8k | 56k | ISDN | 300k]) His double powerbomb through the table nearly ended the Road Dogg's career, but it still injured his back and kept him out of action for a couple of months.
Jericho puts The Rock in the Walls of Jericho
Jericho soon found a "friend" in Howard Finkel, former ring announcer for the WWF. By "friend," I mean a person who would do all of Jericho's bidding and dirty work. Finkel obeyed Jericho while Jericho just "borrowed" Finkel for a little while. Then Y2J took on the biggest competitor of his young World Wrestling Federation career: Ken Shamrock. Jericho played with Ken Shamrock, toying with the world's most dangerous man's strongest emotion: rage. Jericho was quick to title Shamrock "Ken Scamrock." Time and time again, Jericho fooled Ken Shamrock with games and pranks which resulted in Ken Shamrock receiving a beating. The most notable trick Y2J played on Ken Shamrock came when Jericho dressed Finkel up with Jericho's clothes and a wig like Jericho's hair. Shamrock attacked Finkel from behind, and out of nowhere, Jericho waffled Shamrock with a shovel, and put him in the Walls of Jericho while Finkel snapped pictures. (Click here to see the footage of this from WWF.com: [28.8k | 56k | ISDN | 300k]) From the numerous beatings Shamrock received at the hands of Jericho, Shamrock sustained injuries that have kept him out of wrestling action to this date.
"Welcome to Raw is Jericho!!!"
Finkel, however, continued to be a burden to Jericho, constantly screwing up, so Jericho got rid of him. Soon, Jericho found another person to do his dirty work. Curtis Hughes, formerly Mr. Hughes, aligned with Jericho, but from the beginning, Jericho found Mr. Hughes to be a constant annoyance, always messing up and costing Jericho matches. So Jericho fired him and went it alone.
"Stop changing the channel, because your hero
has arrived!"
After Chyna defeated Jeff Jarrett at the Pay-Per-View No Mercy for the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Title, Jericho focused his efforts on a new cause: that very IC title. Disgusted by the fact that a woman of all people could be the Intercontinental Champion, Jericho set out to prove to the world that Chyna could not play ball in a man's world, he took Chyna on at Survivor Series. Jericho outwrestled and outperformed Chyna that night, but a distraction by Miss Kitty and a low blow off the top rope cost Jericho the IC title. At WWF Armageddon on December 12, 1999, Jericho defeated Chyna and won his first gold in the World Wrestling Federation.
Y2J, your new Intercontinental Champion!!!!
However, Jericho's reign as sole IC Champion would soon come to an end, as in a controversial decision on Smackdown, Jericho and Chyna were both declared Intercontinental Champion by two different referees. After a back suplex, both Chris Jericho and Chyna were laying on the mat, each with their arm on their opponent. A decision by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley declared Chyna and Jericho co-champions.
Up next for co-champions Jericho and Chyna was a triple threat match to determine the undisputed Intecontinental Champion at WWF Royal Rumble. In a classic match, Jericho pinned Chyna using the Lionsault (now only called the Asai Moonsault) to become the Intercontinental Champion. Wisely, Chyna came to her senses and recognized Jericho as the great champion that he truly is. Her respect for the better competitor has led her to help out Y2J from time to time.