Word Life Vol.14: Kicking It Up A Notch, Two Wrestlers Take It To The Next Level

Welcome again to "Word Life" as I continue my stride to 25 volumes in honor of Wrestlemania's 25th anniversary. I took a break on the Tag Team Crossroads as I look for another team that I feel like writing about. Last volume, I got carried away with things like the BK kids club, White Castle Crusaders, and Mcdonalds Playhouse..full of McNuggets. It was a fun tenure and I might do more in the future, but for now its back to business.

Two heels in today's WWE both have gone to extreme lengths to show their dominance. I'm talking about Chris Jericho and Randy Orton. A few years back they were considered both top card, and mid-card talents and they both took two turns that maybe no one saw coming.

Lets start with Chris Jericho. He returned in 2007 to "save the WWE" in what we saw as the second coming of Jericho. The "Ayatollah of Rock-n-Rolla" was as funny as ever and coincidentally his first feud back was with the other man who took took a drastic turn in his career, Randy Orton.

Chris Jericho would lose the feud to the rising Orton and 2008 we saw a turn that dropped Jaws. Chris Jericho started wearing suits and stopped wearing his long tights. He dropped the goofy voice as well as his Y2J moniker. His losses may have ignited an epiphany for Jericho.

Soon not too long after Wrestlemania, Jericho took aim at HBK, this is where we really saw the change. Jericho called HBK a phony and that he will longer continue to entertain the fans because he's too good for them and because they're hypocrites. Jericho's feud with HBK was one of the most personal feuds in years.

HBK had his head smashed through Jericho's Jeritron 5000 and it wasn't not pretty. HBK had a damaged eye. The two would also have a ladder match and an unsanctioned match, which HBK won. Jericho would emerge victorious when all the smoke settled. This was certainly not the Jericho that we saw face HBK at Wrestlemania 19.

He would also feud with Batista and John Cena, and even won the WWE Superstar of the Year at the 2008 slammy awards. He has also canceled the once beloved Highlight Reel, his talk show and continues to down talk the fans. His evolution not only made him better in the ring, but better on the mic. He not only proved he can work the mic as a face, but better as a heel if not the same.

He was fired by Stephanie McMahon and had to beg before the fans and the nation to get his job back which he did, but something tells me he isn't finished with "us fans" and will continue to boast about his superiority. He did not to long after he lost the Rumble.

He got into a mini feud with Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke, and then called out Ric Flair and insulted him too. Flair will be heading to confront Jericho soon, what will happen? I'm not sure but one thing for sure is every time Jericho opens his mouth, he had complete disdain for everyone and everything around him.

Orton was riding a wave of momentum in the peak of the age of Orton with successful WWE title defenses against Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, and HBK twice. He held on to the title until Wrestlemania 24 where he defended it against Triple H and John Cena in a triple threat match.

Orton shocked the world and won. Triple H had defeated him in Backlash for the belt and Orton went on a punting rage. The Randy O's! some call it because every time he punted someone, all you hear is OHHHHH!! You can ask HBK, CM Punk, Tommy Dreamer, RVD, Sgt. Slaughter, Dusty Rhodes, Ted DiBiease Jr, John Cena Sr. and the most recent, Vince McMahon.

He went from the Legend Killer to a guy who hears "voices" in his head....talk about complete a transformation. His chase for the World Heavyweight championship is in full swing as he has won the 2009 Royal Rumble and has his stable, The Legacy to boot with it.

Cena may be running on borrowed time. Hopefully next time he faces Orton he won't have his father, let alone his family near by. Orton now as a showdown at No Way Out against Shane McMahon. Shane saved his sister Stephanie McMahon from the punt, but come No Way Out, he might be the next on the Randy O!! list.

Thanks for reading, hoped you enjoy. As usual until next time.."Word Life"!