WWE Raw Preview: Analyzing CM Punk and Chris Jericho's First Confrontation

The WWE Universe has anticipated a feud between WWE Champion CM Punk and the recently returned Chris Jericho since the last few months of 2011. Last week on Raw, they finally faced each other down in the ring.

In preparation for tonight's WWE Raw, Bleacher Report is here to recap the first confrontation between CM Punk and Chris Jericho.  It wasn't the war of words the fans were expecting, but was undeniably memorable. 

Chris Jericho made his way to the ring, absent his smile, and no longer pandering to the crowd as he had in past weeks.  He took to the microphone, immediately letting us know that the end of the world as we know it had arrived.  

Jericho revealed that the "end of the world", which was brought on by his return to Raw, means the end of thievery, plagiarism, charlatans and liars who claim to be something they are not.  He claimed that by returning to the company, he's made every performer in the company obsolete. 

The arrogance didn't stop there.

In his mind, Jericho believes that every man and woman on the roster are nothing more than Chris Jericho wannabes who have stolen his style and ideas.  In case the fans were getting the wrong idea, Jericho let them know that they too were wannabes, which led to a chorus of boos.

Jericho called the fans pathetic, as they were manipulated by him without him saying one word.  

"I trolled all of you."

He went on to say that The Miz, Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler, and CM Punk, the men he will face in the Raw Elimination Chamber match, have all copied him.  It's when he reached CM Punk that Jericho began to turn it up.

Jericho said that Punk was the worst of them all. He claimed punk would lie to everyone's face and call himself the best in the world, and he's not original or unique.  To top it off, Jericho said that he's the best in the world at everything he does, and he doesn't need to put it on the back of a shirt to prove it.

He claimed that he proved he was the best in the world, that it's his legacy, it's who he is, and he's returned to claim what is his.

It was then that CM Punk had heard enough, and made his way to the ring with the WWE Championship, new shirt, and a microphone. 

Punk stared down Jericho, and after a few moments of almost saying something, Punk dropped the "pipe bomb" and raised the WWE Championship in the air.  To top it off, Punk turned his back to Jericho and let him read the back of his shirt, which featured the "best in the world" text.

Punk left the ring with a smirk, and Jericho yelled at him from the ring, ordering Punk to speak to him, ending the segment.

These two know that the fans expect an epic war of words between them, and they're going to draw it out nicely.  Jericho losing his cool over Punk not speaking to him was a great touch which, intentionally or not, mimicked the very same reaction that fans gave to Jericho when he wasn't speaking.  

Chris Jericho earned the right to be the last entrant in the Elimination Chamber match in the main event of Raw last week, and the odds are stacked against CM Punk.  Tonight is the go home show for Elimination Chamber, and I fully expect to see the tension between Jericho and Punk grow.  

Were you satisfied with this first confrontation?  Will Punk address Jericho verbally tonight?  Sound off in the comment section, Bleachers!