Around late 01/early 02, whoever the WWF World Championship Belt holder was, had to be reduced to comic relief fodder next to Stephanie McMahon while she's fighting a newly-turned babyface Triple H.

The three choices were Austin, Angle or Jericho. Austin and Angle refused to reduce themselves to comedy fodder WWF world champ, so Jericho was the unlucky pick.

Jericho beat Austin and Rock for the WWF and WCW World Championship Belts, and even then he needed help from Booker T, Hogan, Hall and "Roster Wrestler" to help him retain against Austin before getting inevitably fed to Triple H at WrestleMania 18.