Show
Time and location
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Flashy, flamboyant … 1-0. Fandango’s first dance in WWE — and in front of a capacity crowd of 80,676 at WrestleMania, no less — was truly impressive, as the enigmatic, fleet-footed Superstar bested six-time World Champion Chris Jericho in a hard-fought match on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Photos of Jericho and Fandango tangoing at MetLife Stadium
After several weeks of refusing to make his debut because announcers and Superstars alike proved unable to pronounce his name to his liking, Fandango (pronounced FAHN-DAHN-GO) was finally coaxed into his first WWE match due to his rapidly escalating rivalry with The Ayatollah of Rock ‘n’ Rolla. Jericho mocked Fandango’s name during a backstage interview on Raw, making him a target for vicious retaliatory attacks and setting he and his agile assailant on a WrestleMania collision course.
The bitter feelings between the diametrically opposed Superstars manifested themselves immediately once Fandango finally waltzed his way into the squared circle at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium — accompanied to the ring by a gaggle of gorgeous back-up dancers — and the bell was officially rung.
Fandango tried to display some of his dance moves to start the match, but Jericho was having none of it, hitting a takedown and wailing on his adversary with heavy punches. Fandango looked to fight back, but Y2J continued the assault with powerful kicks. A searing Codebreaker further prevented Fandango from showcasing any of his vaunted rhythm, grace and precision and sent him to the floor.
Jericho leaped off the top rope, leaving his foe nowhere to hide. But back in the ring, when Jericho went for a springboard dropkick, his opponent nailed an outstanding high kick off the ropes, seizing momentum in the suddenly less one-sided match.
Jericho managed to kick out of the subsequent pinfall attempt, but Fandango kept the heat on with brutal stomps. Jericho regained momentum for a moment, but Fandango kicked out of a two-count and threw Jericho into the ring post with impact. The tango specialist went up top and nailed a leg drop, but somehow Jericho kicked out.
When Fandango turned to the referee to complain, Jericho went for a quick roll-up followed by the Walls of Jericho, but Fandango endured and hit a clothesline before going up top for another leg drop. This time, however, Jericho moved and caused Fandango to crash to the mat.
After missing a Lionsault on his downed opponent and seemingly injuring his left knee, Y2J went for the Walls of Jericho again, but this time Fandango secured a shocking roll-up and three-count for a hugely impressive WrestleMania win. As his adversary left the ring, Jericho could only shake his head, knowing he likely let one slip away.
Fandango is feeling fantastic after WrestleMania 29
Fandango now has one of the more impressive WWE debuts in recent memory under his velvety satin belt. Defeating a surefire future WWE Hall of Famer at The Showcase of the Immortals, the inscrutable, tip-tapping Superstar appears poised to be dancing in WWE for quite some time.