WWE Classic of the Week: Chyna vs. Jeff Jarrett from No Mercy 1999

The Attitude Era featured the rise to prominence of several bright young stars in World Wrestling Entertainment. Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Kane and Big Show were Superstars who benefited from opportunity and increased spotlight, becoming some of the biggest stars in all of professional wrestling in the process.

There is one star who does not get the credit she deserves for her impact, as well as the fact that she forever changed the perception of what a woman was capable of in the industry.

The years following her departure from WWE in 2001 have not been kind to her. No matter what she achieved between the ropes, her entire career has been judged on what she did away from the squared circle. As a result, her accomplishments and importance have been unfairly downplayed, as has her place in history.

She was Chyna, the first woman to win the prestigious intercontinental title.

This is the story of how she did it.

The Background

Shortly after regaining the Intercontinental Championship from D'Lo Brown at SummerSlam 1999, Jeff Jarrett allowed his mouth to get him in trouble. He issued an open contract to anyone in the locker room who wanted to challenge him for the coveted midcard title. Chyna signed the contract, and a historic match appeared to be on the horizon.

It appeared to be, because Billy Gunn was none too pleased with someone he considered a friend swooping in and taking the title opportunity away from him in the manner Chyna did. It led to a schism between the two that culminated with a match on the September 2 episode of SmackDown. There, Chyna and Gunn would meet with the opportunity to challenge Jarrett at stake.

Chyna defeated Gunn and headed to Unforgiven in September for her monumental title opportunity. In the weeks leading up to the match, Jarrett had denounced the role of women in the workplace, going as far as to claim that they belonged not in a wrestling ring but rather at home, barefoot in the kitchen.

This raised the ire of various women, including Hall of Famers The Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young, ring announcer Lilian Garcia and even Internet celebrity Cindy Margolis.

All of them paid in pain and agony as Jarrett proved himself truly detestable, blasting them with guitars or trapping them in the dreaded figure-four leglock. It was for those women that Chyna fought so valiantly at Unforgiven. Unfortunately, a screwy finish involving scab referees Harvey Wippleman and Tom Prichard resulted in a reversed decision and Chyna missing out on her opportunity to reign as champion.

Jarrett would continue his crusade against women, leading to the first-ever Good Housekeeping match at No Mercy.

The Match

The Analysis

The match was not what one would necessarily call a classic in traditional terms. It consisted of weapon shots and the use of daily household items but at the same time played upon fans' desire to see more hardcore and garbage wrestling. It stuck to the storyline and never tried to be anything it was not.

So why would the match earn "Classic of the Week" status here on Bleacher Report?

Because it was a history-making match that finally crowned Chyna as the most revolutionary woman in the industry. It was also one of the more memorable and enjoyable gimmick matches of the era, whether that is cool to admit or not. She hung in with Jarrett, and no matter how much negativity is heaped upon her today, she was an integral part of WWE programming throughout the three hottest and most profitable years in company history.

Chyna made history, worked hard to prove that she could compete with the boys and earned everything she ever received. Did backstage politics and her relationship with Triple H have something to do with it? Sure. But The Game was not out there holding her hand when she was mixing it up with the likes of Jarrett and Gunn. It was on her to hold up her end of the bargain, and she did with great success.

The Aftermath

Coming out of No Mercy, Chyna almost instantly jumped into a feud with Chris Jericho in what proved to be Y2J's first major program of note in WWE. He lost to Chyna at Survivor Series, suffering a huge Pedigree from the top rope.

The loss sent Jericho over the edge. He stooped to tremendous lows to avenge the loss, tying Chyna to a chair and repeatedly smashing her thumb with a hammer. It was a segment that drew harsh criticism for the violence perpetrated on a woman.

At Armageddon, Jericho overcame a valiant performance by Chyna and wrested the championship away from the raven-haired Diva, bringing her historic run to a close.

Eight months later at SummerSlam 2000, Chyna would regain the title in a tag team match. Her second run would end just weeks later.