This week’s episode of Talk Is Jericho was billed as “The Best/Worst WrestleMania Preview EVER!” Chris is on tour this week and was joined by the Fozzy production manager, and son of AC/DC drummer Chris Slade, Jack Slade. Chris mentions at the start that Jack is the only member of his tour group that is also a pro wrestling fan. The two discussed the lineup for WrestleMania XXXIV, made predictions and provided lots of additional insight along the way. Below are the noteworthy wrestling-related items that came up, listed in chronological order:
1. Jericho says Vince doesn’t like to use numbers on each WrestleMania, as he feels it like it dates it. He also doesn’t permit usage of the phrase “Grandaddy of them all,” because he feels that makes it seem old.
2. Jericho has a tradition at each WrestleMania he performs at where he approaches Vince, congratulates him, reminds him that he (Vince) created all of it, and tells him to take a minute to step back and enjoy it. This always makes Vince feel uncomfortable, but at the Mania in Dallas, Chris actually saw Vince take a breath, look around and enjoy the moment.
3. Vince doesn’t like the American National Anthem. He feels America the Beautiful is the better choice for opening a show.
4. Regardless of what he says, Chris feels people always think he’s lying. He cites being in Paris during the Royal Rumble, taking a picture and posting in online, and fans thinking it was a fake. They were then frustrated when he didn’t appear in Philadelphia for the Rumble.
5. Fozzy will be performing in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire on WrestleMania Sunday. Jericho arranged to hold the concert in the afternoon so any wrestling fans attending it will be able to watch WrestleMania afterwards.
6. Jericho says there are three categories all WrestleMania matches (presumably outside of mid-card and some title matches) fit into: 1. Show stealers (ex. Styles vs. Nakamura), 2. Attraction matches (Angle & Rousey vs. Triple H & Stephanie), 3. Match that gets everybody on the show (Men’s and Women’s Battle Royals)
7. Perry Saturn’s Moppy t-shirt was the worst.
8. Jericho was not a women’s wrestler in the 1960’s and 70’s.
9. Jericho texted Vince and suggested he name the Women’s Battle Royal “The Sensational Invitational” after Sensational Sherri. Vince texted him back with a “Thx.” Jericho took this to mean Vince didn’t care for the idea.
10. Jericho thinks Bayley and Sasha Banks must be very disappointed to have been placed in the Battle Royal.
11. Chris feels that Mustafa Ali’s 054 Imploding 450 Splash is the most impressive finisher in the company right now.
12. After interviewing Rusev and Lana on his show last year and getting a sense of his personality, Jericho told Rusev he was going to be a huge babyface.
13. Bobby Roode has not caught on the way Jericho thought he would and is not ready for a run with the U.S. title.
14. Jericho confesses to having a crush on Nia Jax.
15. Vince initially wanted Jericho’s WrestleMania match with CM Punk to go five minutes to a DQ finish.
16. After working a series of matches with Luke Harper , Jericho feels if you can’t have a good match with him, you suck.
17. Jericho thinks Asuka is on a one-year collision course to face Ronda Rousey at next years WrestleMania.
18. Jericho can honestly say he will not be Braun Strowman’s mystery tag partner at WrestleMania.
19. Jericho believes the finish of the mixed tag match will see Rousey break Stephanie’s arm. Stephanie will then do a six-month program wearing a cast.
20. Jericho got AC/DC drummer, Chris Slade, to sign a drum head for Vince McMahon. Vince appeared to love the gift, but Jericho has a feeling he probably left the gift at the arena where Jericho gave it to him.
21. Paul Heyman joined Jericho for an AC/DC concert at Madison Square Garden. He stood out by wearing a three-piece suit to the show and Jericho found him to be “a little weird” and “socially awkward,” avoiding conversation with members of Anthrax and Norman Reedus from The Walking Dead.
22. Jericho would hate to be in the WrestleMania match that goes on after Daniel Bryan’s match.
23. Jericho predicts an eventual turn by Shane McMahon on Bryan, leading to a match at SummerSlam.
24. Jericho hates the “Sweet” call fans do following a referee’s two-count.
25. Jericho loves Roman Reigns. He would work with him 1,000 times in a row.
26. Jericho feels there is no way an Undertaker-Cena match doesn’t take place at WrestleMania. He thinks Vince feels that people will watch the show, regardless, and having him show up on Raw would only cost money he didn’t need to spend.
27. If the Undertaker is going to be effective as a performer going forward, Jericho thinks he should never lose again.
28. Jericho refers to Reigns as “the heir apparent,” “the prodigal son,” and “Vince’s chosen one” at different points in the discussion. This is noteworthy considering the storyline leading into Mania is Reigns accusing Lesnar of being all of those things.
29. Though Vince feels Reigns should be the face of the company, Jericho thinks such a concept is a thing of the past, that the company has succeeded at establishing WWE as a name so big, it requires no face.
30. In Jericho’s opinion, John Cena and Roman Reigns are never turning heel.
31. Jericho has never seen one Rockstar Spud match or segment. Ever.
Jericho’s WrestleMania Match Predictions
– Matt Hardy wins the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
– Bayley wins the Women’s Battle Royal.
– Mustafa Ali vs. Cedric Alexander (Jericho trailed off without making a prediction. Jack Slade picks Ali for the win.)
– Rusev defeats Randy Orton, Jinder Mahal, and Bobby Roode for the U.S. Championship.
– Nia Jax defeats Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Championship
– The Bludgeon Brothers defeat the Usos and New Day to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship.
– Asuka defeats Charlotte Flair to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
– Braun Strowman and the Big Show defeat The Bar for the Raw Tag Team Championship
– Finn Balor defeats Seth Rollins and The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship.
– Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey defeat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon when Rousey breaks Stephanie’s arm.
– Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon defeat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
– Shinsuke Nakamura defeats AJ Styles for the WWE Championship.
– The Undertaker defeats John Cena.
– Roman Reigns defeats Brock Lesnar to win the Universal Championship.
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