Perhaps Iâve written it before, but the feud between Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho is one for the ages. They just donât make storylines like this anymore. There has been build, twists and turns, and significant character shifts in this ongoing drama.
Most wrestling feuds over the years have felt hurried. Others have been botched. Still others have been abandoned with little to no explanation. Frankly, WWE creative hasnât shown the attention span to craft out a long-term angle where the intensity and hatred between two wrestlers builds over time.
As wrestling fans, we are long overdue for a feud that can be described as epic. Y2J vs. HBK has the potential to be another, dare I say, Tommy Rich vs. Buzz Sawyer.
Okay, for you younger fans, I may have lost you. But older fans are nodding their head in agreement when it comes to the intensity of the two-year (yes, two-year) feud between âWildfireâ and the âMad Dogâ in Georgia Championship Wrestling. It seethed with hatred and it simply would not let up.
The feud ended in 1983 in the now legendary âLast Battle of Atlantaâ featuring a âlast man standingâ steel cage match for the NWA Georgia National championship. To say it was bloody would be an understatement. It was hell in a cell before there was âHell in a Cell.â Rich won and later briefly teamed with his longtime nemesis.
Jericho vs. Michaels isnât like any other feud. It has stripped away the gimmicks of both men. It isnât over a championship. They are not fighting over a woman or control of the promotion. No one is going to be a manservant for the other. Neither man has to wear a dress. The storyline focuses on a legacy. Jerichoâs obsessed with his while HBK is merely protecting his place in history.
Jericho is no longer the party host. Michaels is no longer the âsexy boy.â This past Monday night on Raw, Michaels and Jericho (via Titantron) underscored the effectiveness of the feud. Jericho was calm, cool and collected. He didnât back down from Michaelsâ challenge. HBK was controlled as well, but occasionally lost his composure, demanding Jericho face him in the ring.
It was realistic and intense. More importantly, it is bringing out the best in each man. Iâve never been a huge fan of Shawn Michaels, but he is showing that there is still gas left in the tank. He can be more than just the degenerate goofball. He has set aside his âborn againâ approach to seek his âeye for an eye.â Usually, wrestlers at this stage of their careers do not show such flexibility.
What WWE creative needs to do is not abandon this feud after Unforgiven. They need a slow build to a Wrestlemania showdown where Jericho and Michaels can settle it all. A series of confrontations and matches leading up to the big show and then their own âlast battle.â
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho. They just donât make feuds like this anymore.
Epic.
