Jericho Interview on Goldberg

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

from wwe.com

 

The Chris Jericho/Bill Goldberg match at Bad Blood is one of the most anticipated matches of the year. Since Goldberg's arrival to WWE, Internet fans have been begging for this match to finally take place. Why? Because they know that the story revolving around this encounter started well before Goldberg signed a WWE contract. Below is the full story about "The war before THE WAR!" straight from Chris Jericho's mouth.

 

WWE.com: What you said on RAW about Goldberg not wanting to work with you in WCW was actually a true story, wasn’t it?

 

Jericho: It was a true story as far as an angle that we had that we never actually worked. I don’t know so much if he didn’t want to work with me, but it didn’t happen. I don’t know why, but it didn’t. We had probably about a month-and-a-half or two-month angle that culminated with him spearing me on the ramp way at Nassau Coliseum. It never culminated in a match. This’ll be the first time that we have that.

 

WWE.com: You’ve never wrestled him one on one?

 

Jericho: No. I’ve never wrestled him ever. One on one, tag team, whatever it was. I wanted to wrestle him. We started this angle (in WCW) on a whim, as kind of like a joke, and it became something that people wanted to see. I was calling him “Greenberg” at the time, because he was just starting out. And I always claimed victories over him whenever I escaped. It got to the point where I would always have a shirt that said, “Jericho 1, Greenberg 0.” And then when I “beat” him again, it would be “Jericho 2, Greenberg 0” and then “Jericho 3, Greenberg 0.” People had signs in the crowd counting along with me. People wanted to see him kick my ass, and that’s what I wanted him to do. This was when he was in the middle of his winning streak, and the office wanted to end this in a two-minute squash match, as we call them, with him just spearing me and jackhammering me. I refused to do it because people wanted to see this match, and they were going to pay for it. I wanted to have a match on a pay-per-view, and he could kick the s*** out of me in a minute if that’s what they wanted, but at least people would be paying to see it – not seeing it on free TV as just another guy that was part of his streak. It was never a problem with losing to Bill – in being speared and jackhammered – that’s what I wanted to do. But I wanted people to pay to see it, because I knew that they would, because I could tell by the reactions we were getting doing this angle. And that was basically one of the reasons why I left WCW. Actually, that was the catalyst for me to leave because I realized if they weren’t going to go with that, they were never going to go with anything that I had. Because that was a hot angle that people were into. If they weren’t going to go with it, it was probably best for me just to move on.

 

WWE.com: How does it feel to get in the ring with him now?

 

Jericho: It’s cool. We basically have to start from scratch. Unless you’re a diehard wrestling fan, you wouldn’t remember the Greenberg stuff – the Goldberg-Jericho stuff from before. For people who remember that, that’s where Ralphus came from. The idea was a spoof on Goldberg’s security guards that he used to have come to the ring with him. And I had this fat, out-of-shape guy with bad teeth taking me to the ring, with “Jericho Personal Security” written on his half-shirt. But like I said, long-term wrestling fans will remember it (and) maybe Internet fans will remember it. But for the majority of wrestling fans, we have to start from scratch again. But they know the Chris Jericho character. They know what I’m all about. They might not know Bill too well, but I know what he does, and I know what he does best. We’re trying to put together this program so that the same thing will happen – people will want to see him kick my ass, and they’ll pay to see it. I think that we’ll be able to do that. It already started on a good note the last couple of weeks.

 

WWE.com: Do you remember when you first met Goldberg? What was your impression?

 

Jericho: We used to do tapings down at Disney. There were so many big guys they just had hanging around in WCW that were training at the Power Plant. So I didn’t know. He was just another big guy to me. I remember the first day. I think he worked against Chavo Guerrero. And Chavo lost the match. And I was like, “Why would they have Chavo lose to just another big, green guy?” And then I saw the intensity that he had and what he had going for him. Soon after that, they started the whole streak angle and really capitalized on it. One of WCW’s shining moments was the creation of Bill Goldberg as a character. Because people were into him huge. And they still are now. But when he first came out, it was a magical thing. When I first met him, I thought he was a pretty good guy. I remember we went to a hockey game in Boston one time. We weren’t the best of buds, but we were acquaintances. Friendly to each other. Things just kind of changed after that whole thing with the angle. I think some people were in his ear telling him that I didn’t want to lose to him, and all this stuff. And that was never the case. Like I said, I just wanted to do business and make some money together. We’ve had our differences, which culminated early in his WWE tenure, and we kind of straightened those things out. Because we basically knew that we’d end up working together, because the dynamic is very good between us. I know I’ll be able to have a good match with Bill, and I think Bill knows that as well. We can make some money together. Like I said, we’ve had our differences, and there was legitimate conflict between the two of us, and there very well may be to this day animosity between us and deep-seated hard feelings. But it doesn’t matter to either one of us because we’re both out there to make some money together. And if we go out there and beat the hell out of each other in the ring, it’s just going to be better for the fans. We’re not out there to break bread together and clink a glass of beer together. We’re out there to beat each other’s ass and make money, and that’s what’s going to happen.

 

WWE.com: Does Goldberg deserve any blame for the problems that WCW had towards the end?

 

Jericho: I don’t think he does. Bill pretty much just did what he was told to do. Turning Goldberg heel was a dumb idea, but he went with it, to his credit. He was just trying to follow the company plan. I don’t place any blame on Goldberg as far as the demise of WCW because Bill hadn’t been in the business enough to really get a hint of what goes on. Right from the start, people were trying to manipulate their way into being the first guy to beat Goldberg, or salivating at the prospect of beating up Goldberg. A lot of guys were seeing him as just another business steppingstone, rather than as a guy who could make some huge bucks for everybody. There are a lot of sharks in the business, and there are a lot of people who are out just for themselves, who wanted to lead Bill down the wrong direction. And he didn’t know any better, nor should he have known any better, because he was just starting out in the business. I think now, five years later, he knows what the deal is. That’s the difference between just starting out and a guy who’s been around for a while. (Inexperienced guys) don’t know who your friends are. That’s the wrestling business.

 

WWE.com: When Goldberg first came in to WWE, you mentioned that you were excited to have him here. Were you just being politically correct?

 

Jericho: No. If I didn’t want him here, I’d say so. I’d say, “It’s a bad idea to have him here.” But I was excited for the business prospects. I think he was the last free agent out there who could come in and make a difference. I think a lot of people who watch our show maybe didn’t know about Goldberg. A lot of WCW fans didn’t switch over to WWE when WCW closed. We have to introduce his character, and we have to show people what makes this guy different from everybody else. I think we can make some good money with Bill, which is going to make good money for me. That’s why I was excited to have him here, not (because I was being) politically correct. From a pure business standpoint, it’s great to have him here. And from a pure business standpoint, it’s great for me to have him here because it’s another person for me to work with, another person for me to have conflict with and have a good storyline with. So, selfishly, I’m glad to have him here as well.

 

WWE.com: The much-talked-about backstage altercation between the two of you a few months ago: How did it start? How did it end?

 

Jericho: Well, I don’t think we really need to get into all of that because it’s between Bill and me, and nobody else. People know or heard what happened, and that’s fine. It’s something that had to happen between the two of us for us to be able to co-exist in the locker room. There had to be that critical mass, that blow off. It went off the way it did. I think both of us are happy that it went down because now we can get on with our lives business-wise and personally. Things happen sometimes that work out for the best. If I had to go back in time and do it again, I would have done the same thing because, like I said, it was something that had to happen for the two of us to co-exist in this company.

WWE.com: If there is tension between the two of you, is it going to affect your performance at Bad Blood?

Jericho: Hell no. It’s going to add to it. Any tension that there is between us that’s legitimate, if people can smell that, it’s good. They’re going to respond to that, and they’re going to get into our storyline more. At Bad Blood, I intend to steal the show, both physically with the match, and anticipation-wise, as far as people looking forward to this match more than any of the other ones on the show. If there’s some real-life animosity there, that’s good for business. It’s nothing where we want to kill each other, but if there’s some bad blood – no pun intended – between the two of us, that just makes it better. That’s always been the way in WWE and in the wrestling business. I mean, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were never the best of friends, but they always had great matches. People could see that there was some real dislike between the two of them. Anything that people can sniff that makes it different than the norm – different than just a wrestling angle – it’s good for business. And it’s good (to build) the fans’ anticipation for what we’re going to do.

 

WWE.com: What happens after this match if you lose? Does that set Chris Jericho back?

 

Jericho: Absolutely not. I’m bulletproof. Nothing can hurt me because I always go out there, nine times out of 10, and steal the show. People know that they can always count on me to entertain them. Whether they love me or hate me, I could care less, as long as they know they’ll be entertained by what I’m doing. I’m far beyond the point of wins and losses affecting me. I think I proved that two years ago – you can go to the archives – when I lost seven consecutive pay-per-views as a babyface and was still the second most popular babyface on the roster, besides The Rock. And besides, I’m going to win anyways. But nothing can hurt me. I’m too good and I’m too entertaining.

[Murmuring Beast 0]

Didn't read it, didn't have to.

 

Monitored Bullshit.

 

Welcome to Jericho IS Squashed!

[Guest Austin3164life]

Nice read. Chris sounds like a professional guy.

[Guest Trivia247]

See he is right on...

 

He did want to wrestle Goldberg and in fact wanted to lose to him so it would not damage Goldberg's Rep there but they wanted to 2 minute squash him and he refused...

 

thats a standup guy.

 

who just wants to lose good as well as win good.

[Guest Downhome]

See he is right on...

 

He did want to wrestle Goldberg and in fact wanted to lose to him so it would not damage Goldberg's Rep there but they wanted to 2 minute squash him and he refused...

 

thats a standup guy.

 

who just wants to lose good as well as win good.

No, it was his realizing that Goldberg/Jericho should have been on a PPV and not given away on free TV that was Jericho's issue, and I happen to agree with him.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

I cant BELIEVE they mentioned the inertnet fans...I wonder if Jericho even said any of this. That whole opening paragraph just sounds so worded to mess with the smarks. Of course if Jericho actually said this stuff, he truly is a stand up guy.

[Guest Lightning Flik]

Jericho is more professional then I give credit.

 

And I love how they played it out to the smarks. Is the WWE finally getting the hint that we are here?

 

*remembers what's headlining Raw's PPV*

 

...um, I'll say no.

[Guest CanadianChick]

Good interview. It wasn't just company line, which is cool.

 

Nothing can hurt me because I always go out there, nine times out of 10, and steal the show

 

Haha, so true. After all, Raw is Jericho.

[Guest Breetai]

Any tension that there is between us that’s legitimate, if people can smell that, it’s good. They’re going to respond to that, and they’re going to get into our storyline more. At Bad Blood, I intend to steal the show, both physically with the match, and anticipation-wise, as far as people looking forward to this match more than any of the other ones on the show. If there’s some real-life animosity there, that’s good for business. It’s nothing where we want to kill each other, but if there’s some bad blood – no pun intended – between the two of us, that just makes it better.

 

 

Poor fucker is going to get the shit stiffed out of him.

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

Depending on how long this match goes, it’ll be interesting to see if they really beat the shit out of one another.

[Guest MD2020]

See he is right on...

 

He did want to wrestle Goldberg and in fact wanted to lose to him so it would not damage Goldberg's Rep there but they wanted to 2 minute squash him and he refused...

 

thats a standup guy.

 

who just wants to lose good as well as win good.

No, it was his realizing that Goldberg/Jericho should have been on a PPV and not given away on free TV that was Jericho's issue, and I happen to agree with him.

Absolutely correct. Of course, this is the same company that put Hogan-Goldberg on Free TV just to pop a rating, when they could have made huge money with it on PPV. Hell, they wouldn't have even needed to build it up--just come out and say "Oh by the way, Hogan and Goldberg will meet at the next Pay Per View".

[Guest Mattdotcom]

That was the same buildup given to the Hogan/Goldberg match, anyways.

[Guest evilhomer]

Depending on how long this match goes, it’ll be interesting to see if they really beat the shit out of one another.

If it's kept off TV and is just something for the IWC to look for, then that's allright.

 

But if they decide to do some "shoot" promos where they go on about how if things were real the other guy would stand no chance, so hey, you never know, one of them may slip up, that would kill the match. This was something that was done with Goldberg during Russo's WCW reign of terror. It started with Tank Abbott, then intensified during a Nash/Goldberg program, and totally bombed. Of course with Nash in there, bombing is a given, but you can't openly tell the audience that the action you are seeing is fake, it completely kills any chance to get lost in the illusion.

[Guest NoCalMike]

People need to start bringing "Jericho 5, Greenburg 0" signs to Raw. That would be so fucking hilarious.

[Guest sean pyro]

I've seen a few (Goldberg.. not Greenburg) signs, but they don't last long.

 

Seems like their screening the crowd alot for signs, I remember when some dude was holding up a sign with his website on it and the kicked him out of the arena soon afterwards.

 

Kinda bunk as hell if you ask me.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

We need to make a dictionary of wwe politically correct corporate lingo that all wrestlers are told to use. I personally love the "If he makes the company money, he makes me money, so as long as he keeps his nose clean I am all for it". Like EVERY former WCW employee who has entered the promotion since the NWO has this said about them.

[Guest Lord of The Curry]

You can add JR's classic "We're never gonna have Christmas dinner together....." to that dictionary.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

Jericho seems so upbeat and professional about his upcoming squashing. God bless ya for that, Mr. Jericho.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

Well maybe he isn't going to get squashed...didja ever thing of that? HUH?! DIDJA?!

[Guest ViciousFish]

He is going to be squashed.

 

1. It's Chris Jericho

2. It's the WWE

3. It's Goldberg. He squashes everybody. He raped Storm 1:08

[Guest Lightning Flik]

Well maybe he isn't going to get squashed...didja ever thing of that? HUH?! DIDJA?!

If Jericho was to win, it'd still be a DQ finish that would then end up giving up the win to Goldberg in any result.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

Oh Rudo, you're such a cad.