Chris Jericho Says WWE HOFer Was 'Terrible To Work With'
Chris Jericho is undoubtedly a legend in the professional wrestling business but he's also known for being brutally honest.
In an interview with "True Gordie", Jericho claimed that fellow Attitude Era star Chyna was "terrible to work with" during their program for the Intercontinental Championship. He said that she wasn't as good as she thought she was, but because of how hard the company was pushing her, she was given the chance to work with men when it was rare for women.
"She was really stiff too, which means she worked very strong. I'm not talking bad of her, I'm just telling the truth. So when we worked together, it was a solid fight in a lot of ways. I remember one time, she got a little bit of a black eye from me, and you would've thought I cut her arm off with a chainsaw like, I got in so much trouble. I didn't do it on purpose."
Jericho stated that Vince McMahon told him to treat her like a wrestler rather than a woman. He vented his frustrations when it came to taking heat after their matches, and went on to say that he felt like he never got credit for making her look good.
Jericho also felt that he was put in a tough position from the start because it was his first proper angle. He said that while he did not have the best experience, he did the best that he could and tried to prove all his critics wrong.
Chyna won the Intercontinental Championship at No Mercy 1999 after qualifying for King of the Ring earlier that year. She dethroned Jeff Jarrett to become the first and only woman to ever win the title. She then entered into a feud with Jericho, retaining the championship against him at Survivor Series of that year but then the title to him at Armageddon. During a rematch on "SmackDown", the two pinned one another in a controversial ending and would be declared co-champions, but would officially lose the title during Royal Rumble 2000.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "True Geordie" with an h/t to Wrestling INC. for the transcription.