#5 – Rey Mysterio, WWE The Bash 2009
Hot off his career-defining feud with Shawn Michaels, and a recent scuffle with Hall of Famer Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Chris Jericho went to war with long-time friend Rey Mysterio. After being drafted to the Smackdown brand – back when that distinction almost mattered – Y2J tossed a chair in Rey Rey’s face, launching them into three back-to-back PPV matches. In the first, Mysterio defeated Jericho by pinfall to retain the Intercontinental Championship. Jericho took the second match – an Extreme Rules match – to break his own record and become a 9-time champion. And in the third, final and best encounter between the two, Mysterio was able to narrowly sneak by in a fantastic match to regain the Intercontinental Championship.
#4 – CM Punk, WWE Payback 2013
Chris Jericho’s runs in recent years have been very hit or miss, as he’s more focused on his rock band Fozzy’s musical career, and only stops in for a few months at a time to put over up-and-coming stars. But in 2013, one year after their epic feud over the WWE Championship, and the title of “Best in the World”, the two faced off in a one-time return match at WWE Payback, in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, IL.
Sometimes you don’t need an incredible story to have an incredible match. These two had recent history, and Chicago was hot for the return of their Second City Saint, who hadn’t been seen since losing to the Undertaker at WrestleMania XXIX. There was no real heel or babyface, as Punk was the hometown hero, and Jericho has become one of Chicago’s many adopted children. This was just a great wrestling contest, on a PPV card with no bad matches, elevated by a Hall of Fame worthy crowd.
