Source: WWE.com
HOUSTON – When the dust finally settled inside Reliant Stadium Sunday night, the arrogant Chris Jericho may have emerged victorious in his battle against WWE Hall of Famers Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper & Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, but it was Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke & WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair who stood tall, hands raised in the ring.
For months, Jericho had preached that Mickey Rourke’s Oscar -nominated role as Randy “The Ram” Robinson in The Wrestler supplied WWE’s Hall of Famers & Legends with false hope. The role, at least in Jericho’s eyes, gave the older ring warriors an illusion of grandeur, encouraging these “pathetic has-beens” – as Jericho was fond of referring to them – to continue to step into the squared circle.
Four Legends, each friends of Rourke, took offense to the claim, stating that they were the ones who had opened the door for Superstars like Jericho. On several occasions, WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka & Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat confronted Jericho, only to fall victim to the egotist’s underhanded and excessively brutal attacks.
Tensions finally reached their breaking point, leading Jericho to challenge the Hall of Famers to a 3-on-1 Handicap Match, with Flair in their corner. He also invited Rourke to the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania so that the actor might witness the carnage first-hand.
In Houston, it seemed as though everything was going exactly as Jericho had planned. He systematically eliminated his foes, first Snuka, then Piper and, finally, Steamboat.
During his post-match tirade, however, Jericho overstepped his bounds. After giving Flair a Codebreaker, the devious Superstar goaded Rourke into the ring. The star of The Wrestler entered the squared circle, but soon decided he’d heard enough of Jericho’s relentless taunts. Rourke, a former boxer, swung a slew of heavy fists at his tormentor, finishing with a punch that dimmed the lights of the conceited Superstar and dropped both him, and his pride, to the mat.
After Jericho regained his footing, he quickly retreated up the ramp, leaving the “Nature Boy” to enter the ring and join Rourke in celebration. The two friends did not rejoice for themselves, however, but rather for all the Hall of Famers, Legends and in-ring performers of the past who have helped to shape the WWE into what it is today.
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