Dueling Diary: CM Punk and Chris Jericho, Day 3

STEP AND REPEAT, 9:13 a.m.
Chris Jericho?s first morning in Miami is spent in front of a total of no less than 25 different cameras within less than an hour. Hosts and journalists from around the globe, from international networks like n-tv Germany, FX Korea and Eurosport, open up televised segments in mixed languages, then engage in casual English conversation with Jericho.

WrestleMania is the topic for the ?step and repeat? setup at this media event but Jericho is sure to keep it entertaining, weaving in discussion about his roots in similar nations where wrestling is adored, where he is adulated. When addressing Japanese and German audiences, Jericho speaks about places he once called home and expresses his ties with such countries, not to mention his enthusiasm for his next return. ?It?s all part of my legacy, part of my history,? The ?Ayatollah of Rock ?n? Rollah? proudly explains.

DRAGON BIRTHS LION, 9:34 a.m.
After wrapping up his last interview, the lead singer of Fozzy has his attention snared by a beacon ahead on the floor of WrestleMania Axxess. Jericho enters a Show of Shows exhibition where classic attire and other relics rest on display, telling tales of 27 previous iterations of WWE?s greatest annual spectacle.

A moth-to-flame metaphor is appropriate in this instance as Jericho is drawn to the hanging costume of a ?Dragon,? specifically, Ricky Steamboat. Jericho examines the ornate reptilian garb worn by Steamboat, the WWE Hall of Famer who was the original inspiration for Y2J?s ring mastery. The mat classic at WrestleMania III between Steamboat and Randy Savage is often celebrated by many of WWE?s top performers and the first-ever Undisputed Champion admits that the feats of The Dragon (who Jericho himself had faced at The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania) encouraged him to break through.

?That?s the match that really inspired me to get into wrestling,? Jericho proclaims. ?I saw that match and thought, ?I want to try to do this somehow.? WrestleMania X was also special to me because I was already in the business at the time and I saw my favorites [Owen Hart, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels] have amazing matches that night.?

He continues, ?These guys weren?t all 6-foot-8, 350 pounds. I was no longer intimidated by the size factor.?

?People were always telling me I wasn?t big enough, I wasn?t tall enough, I wasn?t this, I wasn?t that. Then I realized that I was,? he adds, affirming that witnessing Steamboat?s successes fueled his persistence.?

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