The WWE seems to be making a lot of moves the fans have been waiting expectantly for years to see. Chris Benoit has finally won the title, and so far, most signs point to him NOT losing it at Backlash. This inspired some thought in me, though, over the subject of what else I would like to see happen. Specifically, what would make for a truly special feud with the Canadian Crippler" I have a good mental image of not only a perfect dream match, but an entire feud to go along with it. I would like to share this vision now.

Since Chris Benoit is in the middle of a push now, I would love nothing more than to see the rise of the other Canadian RAW superstar named Chris. Yes, our feud could start with Benoit being invited to the Highlight Reel with "Y2J" Chris Jericho. There are several ways an angle between the two could be executed, but I would much like to see a competitive face vs. face angle, much like a few of the more memorable matches between Benoit and Eddie Guerrero. There could be a lot of old clips showcasing the legendary status of both wrestlers, such as what they did to hype the feud between Jericho and Shawn Michaels for Wrestlemania XIX. In the end, it would be presented as two proud warriors with a good deal of mutual respect, competing for the ultimate prize.

As we are dealing with two proudly Canadian superstars, the best place to showcase this event would be some location in Canada to capitalize on the extremely passionate crowds. I was thinking of a place besides Edmonton or Winnipeg to rule out any obvious bias, for the same reason I want this to be a face vs. face match; I find the matches are that much more memorable when you are not told exactly who you are supposed to be rooting for. As the home of Bret "Hitman" Hart, Calgary would be a good place with significance to the match, but the fact that Calgary and Edmonton are both in Alberta might skew something. I finally settled on the most notorious Canadian locale: Montreal, Quebec.

The match would have no stipulations, since it really makes a statement to make a really memorable event with nothing more than good wrestling. In the era of Hell in the Cell and the Elimination Chamber, this match could truly stand out just with the performance of the two superstars. As both wrestlers are known for their submission holds, the match would mostly feature those. Just for fanservice, both men could lock on or at least attempt a Sharpshooter over the course of the match. This match could easily go for half an hour or more, with many Crossfaces and Walls of Jericho, and many near-falls and spots where the match could easily have ended. (Think 2003 Royal Rumble, Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle.) In the end, and after an angle of working one of Benoit's legs throughout the match, Jericho could execute a perfect combination of his running bulldog, then a Lionsault, then apply the Walls of Jericho on a fallen Benoit. After a lengthy attempt to escape or reverse the hold, Benoit would finally submit, ending his reign in what would probably go on to be a P.W.I. Match of the Year contender.

Unfortunately, the fallout of this feud would be rather drastic, as there are not a lot of options for a face Chris Jericho title reign. He could go on to face Kane, but if Kane did any more "enhancement talent" work these days, he would be on HEAT jobbing to A-Train to try and prepare him for an eventual RAW debut. Jericho could reenact his old feud with Triple H with the face/heel roles reversed, but every single face title reign on RAW these days seems to be about "How long can he keep the title away from Triple H before he gets it back"" Quite honestly, I am tired of Triple H, and I am probably not the only one. I suppose a feud with Christian would be a safe bet, since they have had a rather interesting one so far that could easily be continued past their Backlash match. The odds of Christian dethroning Y2J and becoming the champion would be almost nil, but that hasn't stopped John "Bradshaw" Layfield from challenging Eddie Guerrero, now has it"

I would enjoy reading feedback and other thoughts on this angle. .

by Kjorteo Kalante ..