Remembering Chris Jericho's 7 Most Memorable Highlight Reel Segments

Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel segments have left the lasting images of broken glass scattered on the canvas, Randy Orton attacking a legend and John Cena being drafted to Raw in fans' minds.

Not since Piper's Pit has there been a more consistent source of memorable moments and snappy comebacks. WWE's biggest names have stepped onto Jericho's show-within-a-show, violence almost always following the interview.

After stepping away from the WWE in September, Jericho is set to return, and The Highlight Reel is coming with him. As announced in a recent interview with Michael Cole, The Authority will be his guests on the Nov. 14 edition of SmackDown.

How will that interaction stack up to the best segments in its decade-plus existence?

Ranked on the name power of the stars involved, the entertainment value of the segment overall and how big the moments produced were, here are the editions of the Highlight Reel that made the most impact on WWE fans.

Honorable Mention

Credit: WWE.com

The Rock

• Final Edition: July 28, 2008
• The Rock, Christian: June 2, 2003

What ended up not actually being the final edition of The Highlight Reel was essentially a showcase for Chris Jericho's unsettling heel character. Channeling Nick Bockwinkel, an AWA wrestling legend, and Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men, Jericho gave a cold speech about how the fans didn't understand him.

It was one of Jericho's best promos, but it didn't have the explosive moments other Highlight Reel segments had. 

It also didn't have a star opposite Jericho. Lance Cade doesn't count. 

When The Rock showed up to Jericho's show, the expected banter ensued. The Great One spends most of the segment trashing Christian with hilarious results.

As fun as it was, though, other Highlight Reels had more significant moments and more electricity.

7. Paul Heyman: May 27, 2013

Chris Jericho hosted his former boss from ECW, setting up a match with CM Punk at Payback.

The segment meandered more than you'd like to see, but putting two men with such superb mic skills on the same stage is going to produce explosive results. Jericho's jokey jabs paired well with Paul Heyman's more serious approach.

The fact that this occurred after Jericho's long absence from 2010 to early 2012 made it more special. It was also aided by having one of the greatest performers in wrestling history, Heyman, in the ring with Jericho.

Its biggest moment was Jericho reminding Heyman that Heyman still owed him money from his work at ECW. That was a great line but doesn't compare to the more momentous events that have gone down during The Highlight Reel.

6. Steve Austin, Eric Bischoff: June 7, 2003

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Steve Austin and Eric Bischoff's power struggle bled over onto The Highlight Reel.

At Insurrextion 2003, Austin interrupted Chris Jericho's show, and Y2J tried to intimidate the intruder. As you might expect, it didn't work.

After the three men had a beer together, Stone Cold hit Jericho with a stunner that had him tumbling out of the ring.

This being on a pay-per-view and in the United Kingdom made it memorable. Even with Austin being inactive at the time, it's hard to find a bigger star than Stone Cold to have come onto a segment. It was more fun than momentous, though.

Other Highlight Reel segments built toward major matches.

5. Edge: March 12, 2010

En route to WrestleMania XXVI, Chris Jericho invited his opponent in the ring for a face-to-face. Edge soon got more acquainted with The Highlight Reel set than he would have liked.

Jericho, in full calculating-villain mode, clocked Edge with a stool and laid him out with the World Heavyweight Championship. 

This was Jericho at his best during this run, a snarling predator in a suit and tie. It didn't have the amusing banter that other Highlight Reels did thanks to this darker character. Other editions were more crowded with stars and mayhem.

4. Goldberg: April 28, 2003

Chris Jericho's interview with Goldberg is memorable for a long list of reasons.

It was the first-ever Highlight Reel segment, for one. Seeing Goldberg and Jericho in the same ring was an attention-grabbing moment. Rumors of a real-life feud between them had been circulating since they were both at WCW. 

It also featured a tremendous spear from the master of the move.

Stevie Richards led a group of wrestlers who wanted to oust Goldberg from WWE. The problem was that only he stepped into the fray, his friends all hanging back. The powerhouse then upended Richards, beginning a tradition of scuffles happening on The Highlight Reel. 

A rising star laying out a legend was an even bigger moment than that, though.

3. Randy Orton, Jake Roberts: March 14, 2005

This Highlight Reel played host to one of Randy Orton's many attacks on legends.

Jake Roberts made a rare appearance in order to advise Orton not to battle The Undertaker at WrestleMania. Orton responded with an RKO, knocking the beloved star out cold. This was one of the better moments during the build to Orton vs. Undertaker.

It added to the perception of Orton being dangerous and heartless. It featured a star in Roberts that fans didn't see often. 

However, John Cena and Shawn Michaels' star power help their appearances on The Highlight Reel move past this one on the list.

2. John Cena Gets Drafted: June 6, 2005

In the days of the brand split, Raw snagged WWE's biggest star. The Highlight Reel hosted the switch.

Eric Bischoff drafted John Cena, the WWE champ at the time. His first Raw appearance was on the Highlight Reel set, Christian and Tyson Tomko soon greeting him. Cena delivered a memorable (albeit homophobic) rap to his new foes.

Bringing Cena aboard and having him trash-talk Christian as he did made for a Highlight Reel that is hard to top. Only the catalyst for one of WWE's best feuds of all time manages that feat.

1. Shawn Michaels: June 9, 2008

The Highlight Reel makes fans think of funny moments and big names barking at each other. One can't think of the segment, though, without also remembering Chris Jericho's heel turn.

Having a star of Shawn Michaels' caliber as a guest would have been significant in itself, but this was about far more. Jericho turned on Michaels, adopting a dark, vicious persona that would energize his career and spark a feud that was a career highlight for both men.

Jericho vs. Michaels won the Feud of the Year and Worked Match of the Year awards from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter in 2008. That all began with Jericho hurtling The Heartbreak Kid into the Jeritron.

That violent act and Michaels' bloody brow have since become part of WWE lore, and they had this edition of The Highlight Reel dig most deeply into fans' minds.