How Chris Jericho Tricked Vince McMahon Into 'Un-Banning' the Styles Clash in WWE

Perhaps Chris Jericho is the savviest wrestler in WWE history. No one knows how to connect with WWE's crowd like Y2J, in fact, he's so keen that he's begun to use his charismatic powers to help other wrestlers in WWE.

In particular, AJ Styles.

In an interview with 107.7 The Bone, Jericho told a fascinating story about how he maneuvered around the ever rigid Vince McMahon in order to give AJ Styles a boost:

"When A.J. came in I believed he was going to be a huge star which of course he is. He had this finishing move called the Styles Clash which was kind of unofficially banned in the WWE because there was rumors that people had gotten hurt from it and all that sort of thing, but I knew it was a great move. I knew it was an easy move to take. I knew it was something that could give AJ an extra color to paint your pictures with."

So to help introduce the Styles Clash, Jericho volunteered to be the move's perpetual recipient:

"I basically…started using it [taking it] during matches just so Vince could see it. I figured if he saw it and didn't want me to do it then he would know…and people were so mad at me because I was kicking out of the move like 'Jericho's burying A.J...' It's like shut up you idiots I have a plan here..."

The move was said to be taboo, so other wrestlers thought that Jericho was going to get Styles in trouble by ignoring a WWE edict. However, Jericho was able to establish the move as "safe." Armed with proof that the Styles Clash would work in WWE, Jericho approached Vince McMahon:

"Eventually I went to Vince and said 'Did you see that move that AJ Did?' Never using the words the Styles Clash because I knew…that name is taboo. Oh, the Styles Clash you can't do it. So, I said 'You know that move where he picks me up and dumps me on my face?...He should use that as a finish!'"

And Vince bought it:

"'Yes, absolutely use it as a finish.' So, I was able to kind of indirectly able to get the move unbanned by just doing it, and not asking for permission, and never using the name Styles Clash when I talked to Vince about it. Now it's one of AJ's biggest moves. I believed it could work."

Jericho proves he's sly as a fox with this anecdote. Now the Styles Clash is used regularly by The Phenomenal One and has yet to cause a scare (except when James Ellsworth almost died). Good on Jericho for standing up for Styles and the move.