Chris Jericho recently reflected on his historic Undisputed Championship win during an appearance on UNTAPPED with Spencer Matthews, admitting he wasn't truly prepared for the moment that should have defined his career.
In December 2001, Jericho defeated both The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin on the same night to become the first-ever Undisputed WWE Champion. Despite the magnitude of the accomplishment, the 55-year-old says it took him years to become the performer that moment demanded.
When I beat The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin the same night, I wasn't really ready to be the top top guy," Jericho said. "It was years after when I finally locked in — 2008, 2009 — that's when I became the Chris Jericho that you're talking to now. A guy who knows what he's doing in all aspects. Total confidence, total pro. I wasn't that at that point in time in 2001 when I was the Undisputed Champion.
The George Harrison of the Attitude Era
Jericho explained the difficult position he faced when he first arrived in WWE during the Attitude Era. Despite being hugely popular, he was competing for attention alongside two of the biggest babyfaces in wrestling history.
I was like the George Harrison of the Attitude Era," Jericho said. "I'm a great musician, a great songwriter, but I'm in a band with Paul McCartney and John Lennon. What can I do? Nothing. There's no way I can get bigger than them. So I turned bad guy, turned heel, and that's when I really started getting to the next level.
That heel turn ultimately positioned Jericho as the perfect antagonist for WWE's top stars. As he put it:
Every dragon slayer needs a good dragon to slay. And that's what I was for The Rock and Stone Cold. That's when I really started making it to the next level as a main event guy.
Jericho's AEW contract status has been the subject of intense speculation over the past year, with many expecting a WWE return in 2026. This candid interview comes at an interesting time as the wrestling world waits to see where the nine-time world champion lands next.
