Should Jericho return as a face?

_{taken from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/668228-wwe-why-when-chris-jericho-returns-it-needs-to-be-as-a-face}

A couple of days of back, Chris Jericho announced that when ABC's Dancing With The Stars is over, he will indeed be returning to the WWE.

Of course, as many of you reading may have also done, I rejoiced. It will be great to have Chris Jericho back on our TV screens, whether it be on Monday or Friday Nights.

This also will soften the blow left by Edge's forced retirement from the WWE. The bottom line being, this is great news for all pro wrestling fans and more importantly; the WWE.

Now, after my initial happiness, I began to wonder how he would return. Would he return to seek revenge against Randy Orton, who punted him in the skull to write him off television? Would he return with an altered heel gimmick? Or would he return as Y2J, the face we all know and love?

First of all, even as a heel, Jericho would get huge pops. This isn't going to change, because Internet fans simply adore this man. I can't blame them either, because I am also a Chris Jericho mark. I have no problem admitting this.

When Jericho returned in 2007, he did so as a face. He quickly became one of the top faces in the WWE. He got the reaction of a rockstar (okay, he is a rockstar). It wouldn't be very difficult to recreate magic here.

Jericho has a great personality that he can't fully utilize as a heel. In fact, his last gimmick was completely opposite of his real personality. I know, this shows how versatile he can be, but why not use his likability to your advantage?

Think about it. Jericho is funny. As a heel, you can't be all that funny. You can make fun of guys, but with Jericho's last gimmick, that didn't fit.

He is charismatic. He knows how to get the fans behind him (or for that matter, against him as well).

Now, I think I've praised Chris Jericho enough. What I'm saying here is this; the WWE doesn't need to let Jericho grow stale by returning under his last gimmick.

Nor do they need to hide his personality in an unlikable heel gimmick. It just doesn't make sense.

Instead, let Chris Jericho go out there and be himself. It makes for far more entertaining television.

This does it for now! What do you think Chris Jericho should return as; a face or a heel?

I would say that given the current roster and the number of faces and heels they have at present there is no choice but for him to return as a face.

That said it would be fairly easy to put him across as a heel again given the old "you sold out to go on the dancing programme angle"

I voted No as I always preferred Jericho as a heel but I'll be cheering him on either way!

That's exactly why he should come back as a face. It just won't work if he comes in as a heel and everyone is cheering him over the face opponent. It's in WWEs best interest to bring him back as a face.

Legend wrote:That's exactly why he should come back as a face. It just won't work if he comes in as a heel and everyone is cheering him over the face opponent. It's in WWEs best interest to bring him back as a face.

Could they go down an Eddie Guerrero style route - the guy who cheats to win but people still cheer for?

I really hope he returns as a face, at least first of all then eventually turns heel again, it all depends on how long he is going to be around for. If this is his last run however long it is, he should go out as a face, the man deserves it. I do hope we get a good run out of him if it is his last though.

He should come back as a face on Smackdown because they've got a dearth on main-event level talent on that show. If Del Rio's going to win the World title then he needs credible opponents and Jericho is certainly that. Normally it wouldn't be wise to have a guy come back, challenge for the title and lose but Jericho's shown that wins & losses don't really matter.

I read an interview with him just before he went into DWTS; unfortunately can't find a link for it but I remember him saying that he wanted to come back with a fresh gimmick and wasn't interested in rehashing his previous work. Which is what he managed to do, morphing from Y2J into 'The Best in the World at what I do today'. But have to agree with Edge gone he seems a natural face to slot into the roster.

Absolutely 100% yes. His old heel gimmick, which worked very well and was brilliant ultimately became very stale.

Id love to see some of the old Jericho back.

i would like to see him reserect the man of a million holds or whatever it was from WCW great charecter

In reality, he could only come back as a face. WWE will want to use Jericho's appearance on DWTS, and heels will want to mock him about ball room dancing.

ncfc_Tooze wrote:i would like to see him reserect the man of a million holds or whatever it was from WCW great charecter

I think it was a man of 1,004 holds as he was trying to better Dean "The man of 1,000 holds" Malenko...

ARMBAR!

Face all the way!

Face.