Could WWE Raw Be in Trouble without Chris Jericho?
By Bryan Heaton
Chris Jericho is rumored to be taking time off from WWE following WrestleMania 33. Does his absence spell trouble for Raw?
Chris Jericho has been one of the bright spots on Raw for some time now. For years, Y2J has offered a strong veteran presence in WWE. He is equally accomplished both in the ring and on the mic. His natural ability seems to elevate those around him, both opponent and ally.
But as we head into WrestleMania 33, rumors are flying around that Jericho will be taking time off from Raw and WWE in the very near future. One of his passions in life is his rock band, Fozzy. The group has several tour dates scheduled in the month of May, and it’s difficult to put on a concert without your lead singer. Reading between the lines would indicate several weeks of Raw without Y2J.
With the role Jericho has in WWE right now, does his absence spell trouble for Raw? He’s the reigning United States Champion, for one – though a title match at WrestleMania against Kevin Owens could change that. In terms of sheer presence, is there anyone on the roster who can fill Y2J’s shoes?
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As far as place on the roster, Jericho’s recent face turn puts him as one of the top babyfaces on Raw. The only other full-time performers who are truly big-time babyfaces are Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Someone would need to step up to fill the gap created by Jericho’s absence.
What about Sami Zayn? Prior to Jericho’s turn, Zayn seemed to be a prime candidate for a decent push. His in-ring work is stellar, and the WWE Universe absolutely wants to root for Zayn. There’s also Finn Balor, returning from injury. Unless WWE finally pulls the trigger on a reunion of Balor and The Club, there’s no way Balor doesn’t rise up towards the top of the card. He wasn’t the first WWE Universal Champion for nothing.
So with in-ring ability seemingly taken care of, the bigger hole in Raw will be the loss of Jericho’s natural charisma and mic ability. As good as Sami and Finn are, they’ve never been known for stellar mic work. Depending on what the upper midcard feuds are, it may be on the heels to drive the non-wrestling portions of the story. Can guys like Samoa Joe or Kevin Owens do that on a consistent basis?
Must Read: 5 Best Moments of Chris Jericho's Latest WWE Run
Does Chris Jericho’s absence spell doom for Raw? What do you think?