PWTorch Specialist Roundtable Question 1/31 - Where do you see WWE going with the Chris Jericho-C.M. Punk feud that started on Raw, and does it relate to Jericho's proclamation of "the end of the world as you know it" for the Royal Rumble?

Alex Roberts, PWTorch review specialist

Another year, another incorrect Royal Rumble prediction from yours truly. While I still think Chris Jericho should have won the Rumble, I'm excited to see the potential WrestleMania feud that is made for Sheamus. After Raw on Monday, it looks like everyone who predicted Jericho as the Rumble winner weren't too far off either. It may take a slightly different form, but the Punk-Jericho "Best in the World" feud being clamored for will still happen.

I'll revise my pre-Rumble prediction somewhat, and say that Jericho will still speak sooner than later and explain that he'll bring about "The End of the World" by beating Punk at WrestleMania. I imagine this feud will be escalated one way or another through interactions in the Elimination Chamber.

It's worth saying, though, that I still think the ball was really dropped by allowing Jericho to compete legitimately (and lose legitimately) at the Rumble. So, Jericho, if he was successful, would have brought about "the end of the world" by... what, winning a big match? I still think this angle has legs and an eventual Jericho-Punk match has a chance to be terrific, but, right now, I'm concerned Jericho's eventual reveal will be less intriguing than it might have been. (Read Roberts's regular DVD, book, and movie reviews.)

Michael Moore, PWTorch TV specialist

Despite years of evidence to the contrary, Chris Jericho’s fans were convinced this had to be different. All of the videos, overacted returns to the ring, and warnings of “the end of the world as you know it” had to mean something. Jericho would never come back to WWE without something creative to do; he couldn’t possibly be returning just for the money. He wouldn’t let the writers screw this up; he had to have a plan. And yet, here we are in familiar WWE territory: another big, mysterious angle, a lot of loose that will probably never be tied together.

Jericho’s appearance in the Royal Rumble and sneak attack on C.M. Punk on Monday's Raw didn’t show any hints of a new character; he was still playing the same bitter, frowny-faced heel that left WWE in 2010. Jericho’s attack on Punk could have just as easily been done by Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, Wade Barrett, or just about any other heel. “The end of the world as you know it” is nothing but a catch phrase; it has simply taken the place of “You will never – ever – be the same again.”

All of that said, Jericho and Punk should have some fantastic matches. Jericho, like Undertaker, has gotten better with age, and is a much better worker now than he was 10 or 12 years ago. Sheamus and he had great chemistry at the end of the Royal Rumble, and Punk and Jericho should be even better. But, it’s time for all those Jerichoholics to admit they were wrong. There is no big, creative angle that Jericho has meticulously crafted himself – just another question without an answer, another mystery without a big reveal.

Who was “she?” What was meant by “the end of the world as you know it?” Why wouldn’t Jericho speak? Maybe the anonymous general manager of Raw has the answer. You can ask him right after you’ve tracked down the higher power of the Nexus. (Read Moore's Collectibles Column every Tuesday and Thursday.)

Ben Tucker, PWTorch TV specialist

At this time, it seems as if the "end of the world as you know it" tagline is nothing more than a phrase just to get people talking. I mean, how did the world "end" at the Rumble, or even when Chris Jericho debuted? In my opinion, the Jericho-Punk feud could go in numerous ways, one of them being Jericho taking offense to Punk calling himself the "best in the world." However, that seems to go against Jericho's plight to change up his character whenever he makes a return.

I see this as Jericho using his pandering to the crowd to make a point. He's tired of Punk being a "good guy" with all of his crowd-pleasing antics. Then again, it still seems like a key point is missing from their feud, something that probably won't come up until right after the Elimination Chamber. A past conflict between them, like Punk and Randy Orton last year? Or, maybe something entirely different. I just have a feeling that Jericho's pandering will become one of the main facets regarding his issue with Punk. (Questions or comments? Follow Tucker on Twitter at BTuckertorch, or e-mail at btuckertorch@aol.com.)

Shane McKinley, PWTorch Absurdity specialist

"The end of the world" stuff was seemingly just Jericho trolling once again. You have to admit, it sounded cool...but what exactly does it mean? Does winning a battle royal that consist largely of weak jobbers bring an end to the world? That "end of the world" declaration capped off a memorable four-week debut that had people guessing just what Jericho would do at the Rumble. The end of the world turned out just to being a patsy to the whitest kid everyone has ever known.

Jericho could go down the route of "You people are so fickle, you boo and cheer at the drop of a hat. I'm going to end C.M. Punk's world," but it would take a lot of maneuvering on his part to reach an audience that is mostly kids and casual viewers. His character before the Punk attack on Raw wasn't really heel or face, it was just weird. To me, I see them going down the "who's the best in the world" and "true champion vs. underdog" road. One thing's for certain, the promo interaction between these two should be top-notch. (Read McKinley's regular Absurdity of it All humor columns.)

Nathan Kyght, PWTorch PPV specialist

After Jericho proclaimed that the Royal Rumble would be "the end of the world," I think a lot of fans were expecting...well, something. Instead, the Rumble ended with a fairly great final five minutes featuring Jericho and Sheamus. And, then? Nothing. Now, this feels like 2011 WWE where plans were seemingly cast away with no regard to what was said on television. I'll at least give them the benefit of the doubt that there was an idea in place that maybe didn't pan out, or at least was postponed. But, I guess we'll see on that one.

The good news, though, is that if the planned WrestleMania match-up is C.M. Punk vs. Chris Jericho, then we can at least look forward to what will almost certainly be a terrific in-ring encounter; both men can seemingly bring out the best in the majority of their opponents, and putting them against one another seems like a virtual guarantee of a great match. I think these two are capable of accidentally putting on a heck of a show, so imagine what they'll do under the "WrestleMania" banner.

I imagine the transition will be to Jericho as a much-more defined heel (perhaps that is the gimmick? He promises things that don't pay off to frustrate the audience?), and C.M. Punk will play the role he has been playing as of late: catering to "smart" fans with "shoot" comments, and I expect there to be considerable amount of supposed insider-sounding talk. For instance, Punk teasing Jericho's involvement in shows like 'Dancing With The Stars,' etc. Either way, no matter how the storyline itself goes, if the end result is the two men one-on-one at WrestleMania, I think viewers will be in for a treat. I just hope WWE takes the storyline seriously, and they get there the right way. (Read Kyght's PPV Evaluation column, including Sunday's Royal Rumble PPV.)

Jimmy Eaton, Retrospective of the Common Fan Specialist

For me, this angle is going to be a blast all the way to WrestleMania. I'm not sure where exactly they're going with this, but besides the obvious singles match at the biggest PPV of the year, I actually see this not being for any titles. Would I mind? Of course not. Any time a title reign goes this long by WWE standards, I'm in favor of it, but I'm not sure this angle needs a title. That's just an initial thought, though. Despite thinking that's the way they will go, I'd love to see Punk get the win and keep his title reign going into the summer. Either way, these guys will tear the house down and can't wait to see it happen, both in the ring and on the microphone.

Despite everyone's feelings on the message Jericho conveyed before the Rumble, I think his "End of the World" one-liner was just a subtle meaning for his feud with Punk over who the "Best in the World" really is. Nothing more, nothing less. The video was fun, but there isn't a hidden meaning behind it. Jericho's heel persona has always lied and kept fans guessing, like now. Personally, I think his character's lying is just a part of the fun. Over time with the build-up over the next two months, I think fans will be rewarded pending the usual chance of "WWE screws it up." (Agree? Disagree? Follow @TheCommonFan to start the debate.)

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]

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