Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels

[9.0] "This was the first singles match between Jericho and Michaels, two of my favorites. I was prepared to go full 10 for this one until I saw the first ten minutes and was bored out of my mind waiting for the action to pick up. Jericho's best singles match in his career until this point."

[8.0] "Shawn's first WrestleMania match in 5 years, and the first classic of a legendary WrestleMania streak of classic matches (2003-2010). Y2J makes for such an appealing match-up, especially with the storyline of him wanting to defeat and surpass a man he looked up to and almost idolized in real life. The dynamic between the two is great and the character work is excellent. There's plenty of slick counters including one particularly slick counter right into a Walls of Jericho. It starts off slow with Shawn having fun, but it builds quite slowly but surely towards a pretty thrilling finishing stretch. HBK winning is so satisfying, and Y2J hugging him and hitting him with a low blow post-match is perfect. ****"

[7.0] "I think this match is pretty overrated. Don't get me wrong, it is good, but far from anything special. It drags at points, and the high spots aren't crazy enough to really fully pull me back in. 7/10."

[10.0] "One of the best matches of Jericho's career, this was an excellent display of two of the sport's best. Jericho and Michaels put on a masterpiece and this was the best match on the card. Even the classic "Fake Turn" helped boost the storytelling that was on display throughout. The technical wrestling, the continuous back-and-forth, etc. Excellence in execution. One of the best mid-card 'Mania matches of all-time."

[10.0] "A really phenomenal match between both men with really spectacular in ring work and psychology between each other, Michaels showed that after five years off from wrestling, he still is Mr WrestleMania, and this was an incredible taster of what they'll be doing with their masterclass feud in 2008."

[9.0] "Outstanding match. There was a lot of hype going into this because it was Michaels' WrestleMania return and to this point, Jericho hadn't had a classic match at WrestleMania, so it was big for both guys. They delivered the goods as far as I'm concerned. They did an amazing job of making believable nearfalls, timing everything perfectly well and putting on a great display of counter wrestling. My one main gripe is that Jericho worked over Michaels' back quite a bit early, then it kind of stopped and he didn't sell it as much as he probably should have. The back injury was the key story going in and it was the big reason why Michaels got so much sympathy babyface heat. I would have liked an even longer Walls of Jericho sequence at the end. The finish with Michaels beating him with a cradle instead of the superkick was cool because it let us know that a big match like this could end at any time. Their best match ever was the No Mercy 2008 ladder match, which was a five star match that was my match of the year too. This one is special too, though."

[7.0] "This is actually my favorite of the Michaels Jericho feud in terms of in ring work. However I don't think it quite lives up to Michaels other work at WrestleMania. Match would've likely benefitted form being a bit shorter in the middle portions."

[9.0] "This is one of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history. the only thing that keeps it from being a 10/10 for me is the ending. A roll up at Wrestlemania felt weak for Jericho and Michaels."

[9.0] "A very good middle of the card match that would've been a showstopper (No Pun Intended) on ANY Indie fed at the time. And even now. This is one of the best matches at any WrestleMania that's not for a championship. Just two incredible talents, showcasing their skills in an almost passing of the torch match."

[10.0] "I have a soft spot for this match. An undercard match that stole the show. A prelude for their vicious rivalry in 2008."

[9.0] "This was a super fun match. Both of these guys have great chemistry and told a great story; Michaels as the returning veteran (back at Wrestlemania after five years) and Jericho as the younger star trying to prove to himself and his childhood hero that he had eclipsed him. Jericho "heeled" it up big time and got some good heat from the crowd. The work on HBK's back was great and made the Walls of Jericho feel like a huge threat. The near falls in this were great which added a nice shock value to the roll up finish. Both of these guys executed everything flawlessly. Excellent match."

[7.0] "I think the rave reviews about this match are a bit exaggerated. I don't understand why there's such a stir. I watched it and didn't see anything that really caught my attention. It was just a good match, nothing more or less. There were no outstanding moments, no brilliant decisions, nothing that made it stand out."

[9.0] "An underrated classic match. I mean what's there to say, it went by like it was 5 minutes, great psychology, especially by Jericho that sells the whole storyline of wanting to upstage Shawn Michaels. Only thing I didn't like was the lack of a decisive finish, but other than that, tremendous match. It's two of the all time greats so what do you expect other than greatness."

[9.0] "This match is a great example of if the guys in the ring are 2 of the greatest to ever do it than less is more. It was not about the spots it was about the art of wrestling and everything was magical and worked. I loved the roll-up finish too. Just a great wrestling classic."

[7.0] "Although I thought this was a good match, I found it to be very overrated, especially considering Shawn's Wrestlemania resume and the constant bangers he's put on. The match is too long for what it is, it genuinely could've been 10 minutes shorter and it would've been a lot better in my opinion. The first few minutes are very good, and the ending is really good. Again I do think this match is good, just not HBK Wrestlemania level good. 4*"

[10.0] "This match was a ways down the card but these two men wrestled like it was the main event. These two legends take their time in this one, methodically shifting momentum back and forth throughout the match until the crowd explodes for the Shawn Michaels pin. A game of human chess that's likely match of the night and one of the greatest Wrestlemania matches ever."

[10.0] "***** (10/10) Officially halfway through the card, and we were in for a ride of a lifetime that nobody saw coming. That ride began with HBK/Y2J. After a brief four year retirement, Shawn Michaels returned to the show of shows with one of the most technically gifted performers the world had ever seen. It was here that began Michaels' returned to form as THE show-stealer at WrestleMania, a run that would last all the way till his send-off against Taker at Mania 26 (just ignore that one match from 2018 that no one likes to talk about). Jericho and Michaels were surely on a mission to steal the show by hitting every beat with precision and mastery. Typically, I do not enjoy the roll-up finish, unless it's done correctly to separate an even fight that had no choice but to end with a roll-up. Sorry, Women's triple-threat! There was a new king on the card."

[8.0] "I love a good "idol v pupil" match, the storyline really just always plays, especially with HBK. These two are some great strikers who sell incredibly well and this match just showed it. The scene outside the ring where the Walls were applied after HBK's dropkick was great. These guys trading pretty stellar shots with one another and attempting the other's moves was pretty great. HBK's hurricanrana countered into a Walls of Jericho went CRAZY. Vintage HBK with the elbow drop looks so clean too. The Walls are such a perfect move when it's really gruelling. There was probably a 45 second hold when HBK just sold the hell out of it. Only thing that didn't benefit this match was ending with a roll-up rather than having someone win it clean, but this isn't the end of the story, obviously given the after match shenanigans."

[9.0] "Very much the only thing that didn't go right in this match was the Sweet Chin Music, but funny enough, a spot Shawn Michaels later perfected with John Cena at WrestleMania 23. The spot is the same, rising up out of a finisher submission to catch a frustrated opponent who took their eye off him. The timing was as good as ever here, but the camera angle and reaction wasn't the same. That being said, it is one move, not the telltale of this match, which flows with purpose throughout as Michaels looks to reestablish himself on the WrestleMania stage, and Chris Jericho wants to upset his hero to claim his domain over this new age of WWE. Jericho is frustrated, focused, at times mocking Shawn, but early in his conversion, Shawn really does show you how faith is on his side. A fantastic match, that stands the test of time, and a benchmark of Ruthless Aggression."

[9.0] "Compelling feud with an excellent in-ring execution. Probably the most heartwarming highlight of Wrestlemania 19."

[8.0] "The match was amazing overall, make no mistake, it's just that (to me) some parts felt heatless. I understand the dynamic and the story, and I think the technique and psychology were quite good, but I don't think it deserves more than 8. The final 3 minutes really moved me, the out-of-nowhere SCM and HBK's sudden victory were exciting."

[9.0] "The story was electric, with Jericho dead-set on proving he'd outgrown his idol. He wrestled like he'd studied Shawn's every move, trying to one-up him at every turn. Shawn fought back with veteran smarts, showing he wasn't just a legend but still the guy to beat. Their back-and-forth felt personal, like Jericho's ego was on the line against Shawn's legacy. Every counter and taunt built that tension, making you believe Jericho might actually end him. It was storytelling that sucked you in and made the match unforgettable. I loved the mirror moments where Jericho does a kip up and then Shawn does the proper one, Then Jericho doing the sweet chin music with a little shuffle but it only got a 2. Shawn's perfect sweet chin music only got a 2 as well. I also liked when Jericho got so desperate after Shawn got the ropes from a Walls Of Jericho that he begged to the ref but then walked into a Sweet Chin Music Everything looked smooth and crisp, these two always had incredible chemistry with each other in the ring and as characters. Shawn was unreal, taking everything Jericho threw and still coming back stronger. You could see the fire in him, as he showed out for his first 'Mania match in 5 years. The ending saw Shawn Michaels wins out of nowhere with a rollup in a shock finish but it actually worked here and Jericho looks good in defeat. This is a classic for a good reason, these two here were superb."

[9.0] "This feud has a sublime build that is propelled by the execution of the match, where it was wrestled in a manner that conveyed and painted the picture of the narrative of their story. Throughout their build, Jericho arrogantly questioned Shawn's capabilities at this stage of his career, later professing his admiration for him that he developed since he was a kid; Shawn was his muse, and he expressed how he emulated his wrestling style after him. Jericho also declared his goal and intention to surpass Shawn by defeating him at WM, and with that, we have the elements that created the competitive nature that drove the action in the ring. In the first act, HBK demonstrated his veteran savviness by outsmarting Jericho and maneuvering around him, however, Jericho also had moments where he outperformed Michaels in the more straightforward physical aspects of it. It's an act that quickly answers Jericho's questioning of HBK no longer being the wrestler of years past, proving Shawn's years of experience can make up for any physical decline. This act also introduced the thread of Jericho becoming visibly frustrated at HBK's successful efforts, and it's a thread that comes into play in other sections of the match as well. As they headed to the second act, Jericho was the first to establish dominance, which plays to his favor of questioning Shawn no longer being in his prime. He works a heat segment where he flagrantly works it with cockiness, which is what ends up costing him. When Shawn began to turn the tide, Jericho had an opportunity to reassert dominance but opted to showboat, and Shawn took advantage of that, turning the match in his favor. Shawn goes on to have a burst of offense. The rest of the match features more of their veteran vs. admirer dynamic as we see in their counters, Jericho having moments where he has HBK's offense scouted as a result of studying him, and Shawn using his veteran knowledge to fend off Jericho. There's also the thread of Jericho being able to use Shawn's offense against him while Shawn was unable to turn Jericho around for The Walls of Jericho, which once again touches on their dynamic and leads to good, digestible storytelling. There's a particular spot where I thought it showed the parallels of Shawn, in a way, wrestling a younger version of himself. When Jericho kicked the ref onto the ropes, causing Shawn, who was atop the turnbuckle, to fall, someone on commentary mentioned how younger Shawn would have done that too, which again speaks to Jericho emulating HBK. We get more of Jericho becoming frustrated as we saw him begin to work HBK's back to employ his finisher but was ultimately unsuccessful, leading to visible frustration, which I thought played beautifully to Jericho stating he wanted to surpass Michaels but couldn't get it done with his own finisher, which could've been the symbol that he surpassed him if he'd been successful. I interpreted Jerichos's frustrations as his ego being hurt. I enjoyed the finish, as it did not entirely and cleanly kill off Jericho; instead, it showed how HBK's years of knowledge got a fast one on Jericho, and it gave the match a good conclusion, because in the end, Jericho lost as a result of his internal egotistical conflicts rather than being physically outmatched as we saw Jericho had the lengthier control. Terrific match. ****1/2"

[9.0] "Loved the build leading up to this match & they did a great job incorporating that into the in ring aspect of this match. These two always meshed well together in the ring & surprisingly this isn't even their best match with each other. Just shows how these two are great dance partners with each other. I thought the ending & post match angle really did a great job boosting the whole thing"

[7.0] "Honestly it's just a matter of preference and me for me honestly i just don't get the hype around this match at all and would go the levels saying it is a bit overrated which is a shame because i do rate both The heartbreak kid shawn michaels and chris jericho"

[9.0] "It feels almost unfair to give this match anything less than a 9, yet at the same time, I struggle to consider it a perfect 10. Still, what we got was an absolutely incredible performance, perhaps more rooted in classic wrestling than today's high-paced style, but elevated by outstanding storytelling. For HBK, this was the perfect way to make his WrestleMania return. The match itself is flawless in execution, striking the perfect balance between simplicity and top-tier quality. A true masterpiece of in-ring psychology and pacing, this remains one of the best examples of how a wrestling match can tell a compelling story while delivering technical excellence."

[8.0] "[4.0*] Their chemistry was off the charts here and they told a pretty compelling story of Idol vs Fan. Jericho clearly wanted to be HBK but he pretended that he did not, which created this whole situation. The match is not as heated as I was expecting but man the actual wrestling is almost perfect. Jericho worked on Shawns back in order to win via submission with the Walls of Jericho and it was pretty well done, alongside the HBK selling. Shawn was just showing off and trying to teach Jericho a lesson lol. It was 100% focused on the workrate, so this had phenomenal in-ring work but also lacked a little bit of brutality for my taste. The sequences, reversals, submission exchanges and technical skills were simply amazing, but I missed more stiff strikes and something like that. It was still an impressive match with fucking awesome nearfalls, including some of the most realistic roll-ups I have ever seen because I thought the match would end multiple times. At the end Shawn won with a beautiful and creative roll-up and Chris attacked him afterwards."

[7.0] "I really think people overrate this match. Both of these guys are amazing workers in arguably the prime of their careers and put on a very good match with an even better story beat after, but the match itself isn't anything better than just straight-up good wrestling."

[9.0] "This match is definitely worth the hype. Super storyline-driven here, as Jericho was touted as the next HBK going up against the OG HBK, and it clearly leaks into the in-ring action as well, with Jericho effectively countering many of Shawn's go-to moves and even hitting a sweet chin music on him. Favorite part of the match is probably when Jericho gives Shawn the Walls on the ramp, really feels brutal and makes you think Jericho will win this one. Really like the ending here as well, with Jericho kicking out of sweet chin music only to get countered and rolled up by a very unique-looking pin by Shawn. Excellent match."

[10.0] "An all-time classic. The story was great, the action was incredible and you could really feel the emotion. Michaels is, in my option, the GOAT and Jericho really held his own with him. On an absolutely stacked PPV, this stood out as the best match to me."

[10.0] "There are moments when it feels like everything just works. That's exactly what happened in this fight, everything these two did flowed perfectly, with unreal chemistry. I could've watched them go at it for much longer without getting bored, but the match ended right where it needed to and exactly how it should. Though, there were a few moments where the intensity was lacking."

[8.0] "I liked this better upon a recent rewatch. It flowed well, and was enjoyable throughout without a dull moment. Jericho and Michaels told a good story of one-upsmanship, though I do think Michaels' back injury could have been incorporated a tad more into the match. And I think Jericho could have done a better job targeting Michaels' lower back to set-up for the Walls of Jericho. His offense instead seemed to oscillate between targeting Michaels' lower back sometimes and his upper back at other times. But, the two keep a quick pace throughout, and were successful in creating a sense of rising drama with some big nearfalls toward the end. Nevertheless, I thought the match ended just as it was beginning to get really good, and just as the crowd was starting to get really invested in it. Not that I think a match needs twenty nearfalls to be great, but this one could have used a couple more and some more standout moments for me to think of it as one of the all-time great WWE matches, let alone of all-time. ****"

[10.0] "A fantastic match. I'd recommend watching the promos before this one, at the bare minimum the one on RAW before Mania, the match makes more sense if you know the context of the story. Really well put together, with the moments where Jericho uses HBK's moveset throughout the match having a good build-up."

[8.0] "A very good match, but I guess my expectations got too high with this one. This just felt like it was too empty"

[7.0] "It's definitely a good match, but it's not as good as 9 points, as one would expect from these two wrestlers, there is no technical problem in the ring of the match, but there is not a single spot that you can think of when you want to remember it again days later."

[3.0] "The thing this match had going for it was a very interesting storyline attached to it. Jericho is the heel who used to look up to the babyface Michaels who now wants to prove that he is better than him. There is some good character work attached to this as Jericho steals some of Michaels moves and Michaels does appear to go for the Walls Of Jericho though its nothing more than a fake out. Other than that, I don't think I enjoyed this match all that much, they have fine chemistry and fine ring work but this went on for too long and there were too many nearfalls."

[10.0] "From the entrances to the end the crowd was on it, and a Shawn Michaels that was a kind of veteran with a Chris Jericho who was on a great moment, this match was amazing and entertaining from the entrances, deserves 10/10 and [*****]"

[7.0] "Very solid match between two of the best to ever do it in Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho, what more can you say that hasnt already been said a million times before. Not as big of a fan of it as others may be but you cant deny that it was a good match"

[9.0] "This was an amazing technical masterclass. The in ring action and chemistry between the two was great. The build up to this match was also amazing and benefited the match greatly. Ended in a roll up and an amazing heel turn took place right after."

[10.0] "Chris Jericho match, he does all the ring work here really, everything impressive in this match is done by him and Shawn seems on autopilot, This is a classic but if Shawn tried harder we would've one for the generations (*****)"

[9.0] "Very good match, fantastic chemistry between HBK and Y2J. Maybe lacks the intensity and context to be a 10. The storytelling is sublime as is the finish."

[8.0] "I really liked the story of Jericho wanting to prove his mentor that he's better than him to the point that he was getting desperate near the final minutes when Michaels wasn't tapping out. They had a very good chemistry with each other, Shawn looked like he was having fun while not forgetting about the wrestling psychology and Chris was using a lot of heel tactics, so even though both guys were over there was still a good and bad guy dynamic. The fans were invested, they were popping for all of the stuff and they clearly enjoyed what they were seeing."

[8.0] "I both love this match and think people are wild for saying it is one of the best mania matches. It is terrific work in ring by two great athletes who simply had terrific chemsitry. Jericho was at his best about HBK stole the show with a couple of wild spots. This was awesome, but it wasn't a spectacle either."

[8.0] "This is a very solid match, not quite sure how this has this sort of rating in all honesty, went into it expecting a really good match and while it was good not quite what I was expecting. 8/10"

[9.0] "This is one of the greatest Wrestlemania matches of all time and it honestly doesnt get enough love. The crowd was pretty dead for the start of this and seeing them get more and more into the match is awesome. These guys had instant chemistry and more than lived up to the hype this dream match had. Jericho in his physical peak here and Shawn proved that he was still the same guy from the 90s. An awesome awesome match. 4.5/5"

[9.0] "The beautiful aspect here is not simply the in-ring action, but the story these guys told in the ring and how a rather silent crowd sprang into life as the match progressed. I feel that apart from Jericho himself, people really don't talk much about this match. I don't think it's the best match of Jericho's career as he claims. I'd give that edge to his Last Man Standing match against Triple H, but this is definitely the best pure wrestling match of his career and far and away, his best at WrestleMania. There are so many good moments and sequences here. The walls on the outside; Jericho orchestrating his own sweet chin music; that moment when Shawn's on the top turnbuckle, Jericho kicks the ref. towards the rope using him as a leverage to ping Shawn down on his groin. I think Mr Perfect originally used this strategy. It was a nice throwback. Also, when Shawn grabs the rope to escape the walls, Jericho nearly breaks down into tears as he had thrown everything at Michaels, and still couldn't keep HBK down. It's such a beautifully crafted drama. My criticism would be Michaels not selling his back as adequately, especially when the Walls of Jericho is such a signature part of the match. He also looked to be in second-gear for most of it. Whatever awesomeness was coming here, it was coming from Jericho. But maybe that was intentional? Who knows? Regardless, the best aspect was Jericho coming to his own in the match, but Shawn, the original Jericho in the storyline, finding a wryly way of winning the contest. Just top stuff here."

[7.0] "It was fine, some fun moves and i like the story, but nothing else. I think both man can do a lot better and this just shows their basics, altough the last minutes were pretty good. There wasn't much to tell, they went and gave a fine 20 min match to try and save this show."

[7.0] "The match is fine. It doesn't really feel like its building to anything for the vast majority of its run time. I appreciate that this match was different from a lot of Attitude Era fare where there has to be a dozen ref bumps and weapon shots and half the match is just brawling on the outside."

[9.0] "Very nice moves. No downtime. A very good example of a jealous fan facing his idol. One of my favorite WrestleMania matches. (4*1/2)"

[8.0] "A match that started to dull in my opinion but progressively went better and made the slow building of the match have sense and make it believable due to the good storytelling of both Shawn and Jericho. The whole concept of the match is the new vs old generation. Old vs young lion. The once a kid who idolizes his opponent who now wants to make his own name shine for eternity against the established icon who now fights for redemption, both in his personal and professional life. Jericho was cleverly focused on the lower back of Shawn, his weak point after his injury in 1998 and tried to damage all they way he could for trying to submit HBK with the Walls later in the match, but Shawn played smarter and delivered some nice counter moves through the match. In fact, Jericho was the physical dominator of the match as the younger and hungrier man while Shawn was smarter and wiser as the older guy. Jericho always tried to put himself over Shawn, both in the ring and showing off to the crowd, slapping Shawn across the face, hitting him with his own Superkick, but Shawn always had a plan against Jericho while not falling for his mental games, which ultimately lead to a Roll Up counter pinfall to get the W. My only concern with this match to not rate it like the overall rating here is I didn't find the in-ring aspect too appealing, just solid, but the build-up, the storytelling and the psychology were really good and makes the match shine among the best WrestleMania matches ever. The fake hug at the end is a classic spot and truly makes the heel Jericho character so hateable (**** 1/4)"