Undisputed_ How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps - Chris Jericho [105]
“Chris, there are guys in this business who want to bring you down, but when you’re a great worker, nobody can ever touch that. Don’t fall into these traps. Don’t let these guys get into your head. You’re too good for that, you’re too talented. It’s beneath you.”
Once again, Flair’s words put perspective on things. I had just bested Vince’s new acquisition and I wasn’t sure how everybody would feel about it.
The gossip girls were in full force for this juicy tidbit and I still get asked about it all the time. In a way, I feel bad for Bill, as deep down I know he’s got a good heart, but when our international incident happened, it really got him off on the wrong foot with a lot of guys in the dressing room. When the word got out that David had taken down Goliath, I gained admiration while Goldberg gained more resentment than he already had.
But not everybody admired me after the brawl.
A week later in Richmond, Virginia, I got word that Vince wanted to talk to me.
“I’ve got a bone to pick with you.”
“I’m sorry about the fight, boss.”
Vince replied, “That’s not why I’m upset with you. I’m upset because you didn’t tell me about it yourself.”
“I didn’t think you’d want to hear that I just took down Goldberg.”
Vince replied in a stern voice, “Chris, I need to know these things.” And then he repeated one of his favorite themes, “I’m not just trying to teach you wrestling lessons, I’m trying to teach you about life. I’m your boss and if something like that happens I should be the first person you call. And if anything like that ever happens again, I want to hear it from you.”
His words made sense and I nodded in agreement. But I had to throw one back at him.
“Okay, Vince. Now I have a bone to pick with you. Have you watched my WrestleMania match with Shawn yet?”
Vince had worked with Hogan that night and didn’t watch any of the matches before his. But he still hadn’t seen the whole show and was the only person in the company who hadn’t complimented me or Shawn on our show-stealing match on the biggest stage of them all.
“No. I haven’t had a chance.”
“You should watch it. It was my favorite match ever and I’d like you to see it.”
Vince said, “I promise to watch your match.”
“And I promise if I ever beat up somebody in your locker room, you’ll be the first to know.”
After our brawl, Goldberg and I became very cordial with each other, almost friendly. We ended up having a good match at a PPV in Houston (when I walked into Gorilla afterward, I received no reaction, and when Goldberg walked through Vince gave him a standing ovation—grrrrr). Bill even invited me to fly on his private plane a few times. I think he was embarrassed that he got into the fight with me during his very first week of work with the WWE and wanted to show his good side.
I think it still bothers him that his status as a badass (great album title) will always be tarnished by the fact that Chris Jericho took him down. Bret Hart wrote an article in the Calgary Sun about how “Jericho used the moves that Stu Hart taught him in the dungeon to stretch Goldberg.”
If I died tomorrow, it would probably be my biggest legacy among other wrestlers.
But let’s be honest. I’d like to say that in no way shape or form would I want to go through that with Goldberg again. He’s a big man and he studies the art of fighting. I’m just a wiry guy from Winnipeg who was sick of being buried and reacted accordingly. I surprised him with my ruthless aggression and he was stuck in a moment that he couldn’t get out of and didn’t know what to do. I basically held on for dear life and was credited with the win.
Suffice it to say there will never be a rematch.
But for the record the final score is: Jericho 1, Goldberg 0.
CHAPTER 29
A Brutal Shade of Jaundice
One of the reasons why the Y2J character was so popular was that I was getting time to talk every week on TV. It allowed me to show off my creativity, my sense of humor, and my charisma, all of which helped me connect