Where does Jericho go from here?

So, I'm wondering where Jericho goes from here. It's too early to tell, but not too early to speculate.

After he was jobbed out in 2002, he slid down the card, but still won the IC and World Tag Team title. In 2003, he jobbed to HBK at Mania but rebounded by beating Kevin Nash in a hair v. hair match and later defeated RVD for yet another IC Title run. After that, his career got more and more boring, until the point where he retired and left pro wrestling.

When he came back, last year, I assumed it was to promote his book and to put over some of the new guys. I figured that he'd already be long gone by now and that most of us would have forgotten he even came back. However, he has had a very decent run. He returned by challenging for the World Title on PPV. He beat JBL. He won a record-setting eighth IC Title (beating his own record of seven) and actually held the title longer than he ever did with any previous reign. He's spent the entire summer in a high profile feud with Shawn Michaels, looking pretty good in the process and he just won the World Heavyweight Title.

Does he establish himself, once and for all, as a main event player and prove to just be a late bloomer, of sorts, or is this just a transitional thing? Oh well. I never thought it would turn out this good... I want more, but I'm satisfied with things so far.

I'm surprised the feud with HBK has gone this long, but I still can't see it going to Wrestlemania without some new element. The title can definitely give it enough to last until the Rumble. I don't think I want to see Jericho losing the strap to HBK, but I don't want him to lose it at all. This could get very interesting OR WWE could do what they typically do in a situation like this; ruin it. It's odd to think that, at this stage, he still needs to be established. Surely, this will be the one to do it.

He defeated the Rock for the WCW World Title, in October 2001. Next, he defeated him for the same title in December and, immediately after that match, he pinned Austin for the WWF Title, creating the Undisputed Title. So, this is his 4th reign as World Champion. Actually, if you want to count his victory over HHH in 2000, this would make number five. If this isn't enough to cement him as a main eventer, who knows what will.

It's going rather well, so far. He takes a PPV loss to HBK and then totally negates that by walking out with the World Title. Bringing up how the match was unsanctioned; therefore, meaning nothing, was a stroke of genius. This is why I've been calling for him to return to his heelish ways and to return to the spotlight for so many years. Absolute brilliance.

That aside, they definitely need to put him over HBK in this feud. Michaels got his revenge, but now it's time to put Jericho over as a solid main eventer. Holding the belt until the Rumble or Wrestlemania is essential, here. Actually getting wins, no matter how dirty, over Batista, Cena and so on would make this look a lot better. Of course, ever since they split the titles up, I've been wanting them to put them back together, so I'd like to see him take out HHH to become the Undisputed Champ once more.

It's too bad there aren't many big names for him to go over, to establish himself even more. I don't consider people like Orton, Batista or Cena as big names, just because they've been in the main event these last few years. I don't see any single one of them as anything more than a mediocre Johnny-come-lately, only in the main even because there are no real stars left. It's too bad Rock won't come back and work a short program with him. That would draw a lot of attention and it would help put Jericho over even more. Austin's probably too broken down to come back and do anything, and I don't see HHH or Taker putting him over, for whatever reason. I'm still waiting for him to get a pinfall or submission on HBK.

Looking back to their encounter at WM 19, I still say that Jericho needed that victory more than HBK did. It would have done a lot for him, much like it would if he could get the decisive victory over him now. I really don't think WWE was thinking about the longterm effect that would have on Jericho's career, and how things could have changed.

With regards to the upcoming ladder match, I'd be interested to see if they'll use some of the promos leading up to their WM 19 match; Jericho wanted to end his career, even back then. Yes, continuity in WWE. It would show that this goes beyond this year. It would give it more history.

I think the booking for Jericho's current title reign is, at least, just as strong as the last time. He just got a clean win over the former champ, in a cage match, yet did so in heelish fashion. That should be all it takes to legitimize his reign, especially since he pinned Punk weeks ago, anyway. Unlike 2001, he didn't have anyone run in and interfere. He beat him all on his own. I hope this continues. I'm sorry as hell that it looks like Batista is stalking him.

Is it likely that Jericho will be going over HBK in, of all things, a ladder match? That would be a hell of a title defense, but if he followed that up by losing to Batista, I'd be pretty disappointed.

Regarding the Champion v. Champion v. Champion match scheduled for SD; I'm not sure about the stipulations, but I think it would be great to put Jericho over and unify the three titles (if only for a little while) as the WWE Triple Crown World Heavyweight Title. I don't think it's as crazy as it seems. Then, even if they tried to job Jericho back to the midcard, it would be harder since no one would be able to take away such an accomplishment.

Enough random musings and Jeri-markdom...