By Richard Gardner, Torch specialist

Ricky Steamboat appeared on Raw on Monday night, nineteen years after his last run in the WWF, becoming the latest legend to be attacked by Chris Jericho. Steamboat was not noted for delivering quality promos during his time as an active wrestler yet his performance on the microphone was exceptional as he castigated Jericho for turning on the fans numerous times throughout his career, while Steamboat himself was a career-babyface.

Whether Mickey Rourke has an active role at WrestleMania or not, his film has heavily influenced some of the best promos we have seen in 2009 so far.

"The Wrestler" brought the fate of wrestling stars from the '80s into the public conscious, which has been capitalized on by Vince McMahon. Credit where credit is due, McMahon could have tried to ignore a film that exposes the darker side of the industry in which he operates in. Instead, The Wrestler has been promoted on WWE television, with an appearance by Mickey Rourke planned for WrestleMania.

Even before this cross-promotion occurred, the storyline of Shawn Michaels losing all his money and having to work for JBL was clearly influenced by the film. Mickey Rourke's failed attempt to participate in a match at Wrestlemania provided the backdrop for Chris Jericho's latest storyline.

With Rourke out of the picture, Chris Jericho turned his attention to the legends of the WWE. At first the link seemed a little tenuous, as Jericho claimed that The Wrestler was based upon the career of Ric Flair. However, as the weeks have passed, we have been exposed to some unique and emotional promos by the stars of the past.

If Ric Flair is the embodiment of pro wrestling, Chris Jericho provided his perfect foil as the cynical heel, ridiculing him for hanging on to the business he loved. Yet Jericho provided some valid points when belittling Flair; he has every right to have a continued presence in the wrestling business, but Flair is essentially taking a paycheck from any promoter who will meet his price.

Jericho's character is so set against the mentality of performers hanging on past their prime that he feels justified in his actions and is not simply beating up the old guys.

Then there was the Roddy Piper promo. It is almost inconceivable that on the night when the main angle for WrestleMania began, the show would be stolen by an aging veteran who wrestles infrequently. Piper produced his best performance on the microphone in recent years, explaining why he continues to participate in wrestling long after his best years have passed him by.

Roddy Piper was a hard act to follow, particularly for an ex wrestler who is not know for delivering quality promos. However, Ricky Steamboat was excellent on Monday night, criticizing the hypocrisy of Jericho's regular heel and babyface turns. It was excellent material for a career babyface to work with, and his performance created sympathy for him when Jericho's inevitable attack occurred.

Despite the exceptional performances that we have seen so far, the real MVP of this angle has been Chris Jericho. His mic work has been outstanding, while his acting has provided the justification for his character's actions.

It is still unknown who Jericho will be facing at WrestleMania. There have been no obvious clues given away by the angle, which suggests that the WWE are keeping their options open for the return of Steve Austin or Hulk Hogan. No matter who takes Mickey Rourke's spot at WrestleMania, this angle is shaping up to be the best out of all those planned for the biggest Pay Per View of the year.

We suggest these recent related articles...

10/5 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Natalya vs. Paige, Owens vs. Cara, Stephanie McMahon, Sasha Banks, Xavier Woods

COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: The History of Foam Hands in Pro Wrestling

9/28 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Kane's Split Personality, Divas Revolution, Heyman & Big Show, Reigns vs. Wyatt