Chris Jericho on Royal Rumble Return, Defends Triple H Over Bret Hart Comments

[Shockage]

Source: WrestleView.com

WWE star Chris Jericho made an appearance on the "Busted Open" satellite radio show recently talking about his return at the Royal Rumble PPV and his thoughts on Bret Hart calling Triple H "overrated" as a wrestler.

On his return at the Royal Rumble PPV:
"Well it’s funny because, two things about that was, one, I was so happy that it didn’t leak. Like I thought for sure, sooner or later it’s going to leak on a website or dirt sheet or somebody would hear something and it would get out. But nobody knew that I was there until the moment that music played. And I think that was such a cool vibe, that we could still surprise people, still surprise guys like you who have your finger on the pulse and have spies or contacts or sources. And that’s what wrestling is all about. It’s all about the surprise element that takes you back to when you were a kid. When I was a kid, we had no internet or no dirt sheets. All we knew, all I knew, was what was coming by promotions. And that’s how we’d have a surprise. And then number two was, I didn’t even think about it until afterwards, that I was in there for so long, like 48 minutes, or whatever it was. And Vince even asked me after 'how did you stay in such good shape? I was like. I don’t know, I’m not sure."

His thoughts on Bret Hart calling Triple H "overrated":
"It was funny because when I saw that comment that Bret had said, I was kind of surprised because I think that Triple H has had a lot of great matches, dozens of great matches. I could think of two or three that I was in with him myself, so, maybe, I don’t know why Bret would say that, maybe it’s still a little bit personal or some bad vibes or taste in his mouth from what happened years ago. But I’ll tell you face to face that Triple H has had many great matches and I always enjoyed watching him work, even up to the match he had with Lesnar. I don’t know if that was a great match, it was definitely a very good one, so I would definitely never ever bury Triple H’s wrestling talent for sure I think he’s one of the best we’ve ever seen."

[Shockage]

Chris Jericho comes off as a coward in the way he defended HHH. Obviously someone wants a job to come back to in between his music tours. Maybe Jericho can reminisce about the time he and HHH couldn't close WrestleMania 18.

[Darth Shizzel]

I think Jericho is just giving his honest opinion Bret is being a bitter old crow and just learn to let the past go yes Triple H was an ass yes he was a pain but he has matured he has grown up and he has done good for.the company.

[Shockage]

But when you line up HHH/Jericho @ WrestleMania WWE Title Main Event up against Hogan/Rock, it proves Bret's point. What did HHH ever accomplish? It was evident by the crowd reaction that HHH's presence was overwhelmed and diminished by two enormous wrestling names, and it puts HHH in his rightful place as a guy who had 10+ World Title reigns, most of them had no historical time line like a Flair World Title win/loss.

[The Legend Killer]

I think bringing up Triple H VS Chris Jericho at WrestleMania X8 is unfair. Yes, that was a match that you'd think would be the main event, I mean, an Undisputed Championship match at WrestleMania? With 2 of the greatest superstars of their time? I'm there! But, seriously, trying to top Hollywood Hogan VS The Rock was almost impossible. The match itself wasn't the greatest, but the hype and the storyline of the match was unbelievable. I didn't watch WWE back then (still a WCW guy!), but, I remember when i'd pass by it seeing something to do with Hollywood Hogan VS The Rock. So, trying to top that match was almost impossible. I know the Undisputed Championship match was the main event, but it wasn't the headliner. Really, the only thing that could have had the matched be any bigger was if it was for the Undisputed World Heavyweight Championship. The match is probably up there in hype with Andre VS Hogan at WM3.

I'm not a Triple H fan, I think he has done the right thing by staying out of the ring, and just doing whatever it is he does backstage, I didn't like seeing him trying to keep himself in the WWE/World Championship picture, he's not what he used to be, but, back in his prime, Triple H was definitely a great wrestler. He is alot more hype than he is a wrestler, but, he does have in-ring talent. I'm not a fan of his, and even i'll say he's talented. I do think he is over-rated now, but, he did earn some of those WWE/World Championships from talent, it wasn't just pure backstage bullcrap.

[Goldie79]

Chris Jericho is toeing the corporate line and defending his future boss!

[Shockage]

The WM18 layout was a blunder. Instead of going practical and sensing the fan's excitement leading up to Hogan/Rock, they went with theory. They tried theory and got the reality smacked in their face. HHH's apparent emotional return at MSG where he talked about overcoming a torn quad was forgotten when Hogan/Rock had their match. The emotion was sucked out of HHH's self indulging struggle. All this puts HHH in his place and proves Bret Hart's point. The only way to test greatness is to compare it to greatness.

[Goldie79]

I do think he is over-rated now, but, he did earn some of those WWE/World Championships from talent, it wasn't just pure backstage bullcrap.

I would say that Triple H's first few title runs from 1999-2000 were on merit. He wrestled some good matches and blended into the late Attitude era as the WWEs premier heel.
However by the time he became involved in a relationship with Stephanie he played the political strings even more ruthlessly than his buddy Shawn Michaels did in the 90s. Returning from his quadriceps tear in 2002 which benched him for 8 months he returned with an extra 30 pounds worth of muscles which affected his in ring performances.
From 2002-2007 RAW was pretty much the Triple H show.... and his constant mega push was more harmful to the product than good.
What was worse was his dressing down of the other wrestlers during a down period.... no one was allowed to blame falling ratings on Tripper... the guy who was being pushed the hardest and most responsible for bringing in the audience

[Darth Shizzel]

Look Triple H's reign of terror from 2002-2007 was terrible and really thank god for Smackdown at the time because Triple H bought any guy who even came close to his level down to midcard he sabataged

Kane, RVD, Jericho and Booker T could've been way bigger stars if it wasn't for Triple H I have no doubt that Katie Vick Storyline was used to sabatage Kane who was the most over he had ever been and for the others well they all could've had a world title reign each.

[Mr. Tambourine Man]

^

Exactly.

[Darth Shizzel]

A rep would've been nice :'(

[Mr. Tambourine Man]

I tried.

OWW says I need to spread it around before giving to Darth Shizzel again.

[Darth Shizzel]

Damn OWW don't they know when it comes to me everyone should be able to give me multiple reps

[Goldie79]

A rep would've been nice :'(

You shouldn't ask for Rep points. If people want to give them fair enough, but its not a necessity

[AJ]

Sad to see guy like Jericho is kissing ass now but he is being loyal to his boss so no judegment and DS as Goldie said, please don't ask for reps, it makes you look desperate and needy.

[Shockage]

Being loyal to your boss when he doesn't deserve it is a cowardly act. Chris Jericho is an eatass.

[Darth Shizzel]

AJ and Goldie you do realise I was only mucking around Tambourine man could see that why couldn't you.

Shockage when the dude is paying you you defend him like their's no tomorrow when he is no longer paying you then do whatever the hell you want its part of the job.

[Joey Idol]

Easy for y2j to defend. Some of his biggest matches were with hhh none were great tho. He wishes he had a match with Bret.

[Goldie79]

AJ and Goldie you do realise I was only mucking around Tambourine man could see that why couldn't you.
.

True but its still a waste of 2 posts. hehe

Easy for y2j to defend. Some of his biggest matches were with hhh none were great tho. He wishes he had a match with Bret
.

Agreed. I think Bret feels he can be in a position to criticise because he was a better worker than Triple H. Better than Chris too

[Shockage]

Chris Jericho has Sampson'ism. He became less of a man and more of a gutless swine as his hair got short.

[Darth Shizzel]

Have to disagree I have followed Jericho's career since his WCW days and he is an amazing wrestler he was better then Bret in every way shape or form except muscle size he could talk better, wrestle better and doesn't go on about being screwed every 5 minutes.

[AJ]

Chris Jericho has Sampson'ism. He became less of a man and more of a gutless swine as his hair got short

Jericho might be kissing ass but you're talking like he has committed some sin or something.

[Shockage]

Chris Jericho is a pansy.

[AJ]

^ You just do that to piss me off, don't you?

[Darth Shizzel]

At the end of the day triple h is his employer but he also may not.have any actual with him.