Jason Reso

Career

The name Christian came from his earlier wrestling name, Christian Cage, which was a spur of the moment combination of the names of the actors, Nicholas Cage and Christian Slater. Trained by Ron Hutchinson, Christian's wrestling career began in June 1995 in a match against Zakk Wylde, a fellow trainee from Sully's Gym in Toronto. One of his first stage names was Canadian Rage. From very early in his career Christian formed one half of a tag team with Adam Copeland ("Edge"), first called High Impact, later The Suicide Blondes, and most recently simply Edge and Christian. The duo held titles in numerous wrestling promotions, and Christian held the East Coast Wrestling Association title before signing with the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) in August 1998.

Related Topics:
Nicholas Cage - Christian Slater - 1995 - Adam Copeland ("Edge") - Wrestling promotions - East Coast Wrestling Association - August - 1998

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Christian had some early singles success, capturing the Light Heavyweight Championship in his debut match. However, his real success came while wrestling in the tag circuit. Christian was given the character of a vampire and formed a stable with Edge and Gangrel known as The Brood. The Brood briefly joined The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness, but left after Christian was thrown out of the group.

Related Topics:
Light Heavyweight Championship - Vampire - Stable - Gangrel - The Brood - The Undertaker's - Ministry of Darkness

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The gothic angle was unsuccessful, but soon after, Edge and Christian began to reach their potential. After an unremarkable run as faces most notable for their tendency to approach the ring via the audience, Edge and Christian redefined themselves as a bumbling comic duo of surfer / teenyboppers. They were most known for their "5 second poses," which mocked either the opponents or city they happen to be in and their finisher, "the con-chair-to" which was a double chair shot to an opponent. They began to hang out with Kurt Angle and repeatedly captured the World Tag Team Championships, as well as winning a triple threat ladder match and two TLC matches. In 2001, Rhyno debuted in the WWF, aligning himself with Edge and Christian.

Related Topics:
Gothic - Faces - Kurt Angle - World Tag Team Championships - TLC - 2001 - Rhyno

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Friction arose within the team after Edge won the annual King of the Ring tournament. Christian appeared to be jealous, and insisted on carrying Edge's trophy to the ring. His true colors were revealed to the world after he assaulted his on-screen brother and tag team partner Edge after he lost a WCW Championship Match to The Rock in September 2001. The former partners went on to feud over the Intercontinental Championship for several months. They dropped the storyline brotherhood gimmick when he and Edge broke out on their own.

Related Topics:
King of the Ring - Intercontinental Championship

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Singles competition

Christian began a singles career, becoming known for throwing tantrums in the ring when he was unable to gain a pinfall. After a series of defeats, Christian announced that he was quitting the WWF. Diamond Dallas Page, then using the gimmick of a perpetually cheerful motivational speaker, persuaded him not to quit and adopted him as his protege. Christian teased a face turn before betraying his mentor and solidifying his heel status. Christian faced DDP for the WWE European Championship at WrestleMania X8, but was defeated, and once again threw a tantrum in the middle of the ring.

Related Topics:
Tantrum - Pinfall - Diamond Dallas Page - Motivational speaker - Face - Turn - WWE European Championship - WrestleMania X8

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Christian then formed a tag team with fellow Canadian Lance Storm as part of the UnAmericans faction, and then became the sidekick of Chris Jericho, with whom he once again won the Tag Team Championships. Christian helped Jericho eliminate Shawn Michaels from the 2003 Royal Rumble by dressing as Jericho and distracting Michaels, allowing Jericho to attack him from behind.

Related Topics:
Lance Storm - UnAmericans - Chris Jericho - Shawn Michaels - 2003 - Royal Rumble

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During the time when the then heel, The Rock drafted from Smackdown! to WWE Raw, Christian befriended him and was therefore told by The Rock himself that Christian was his new favourite WWE Superstar. Delighted and happy that he was labeled as that by The Rock, Chirstian began using many of The Rock's mannerisms, which varied from calling his fans "The Peeps" (which is similar to who The Rock refers to his fans as "The People") to using The Rock's one arm raised victory pose (something that The Rock always does, and a unintentional reference to Mortal Kombat's Sub-Zero). He even went far to call himself "The New People's Champion", and used his newfound charisma was used to defeat Booker T at WWE Judgment Day for the WWE Intercontinental Championship in a special 20 Man over the top rope battle royale for the Vacant championship (despite the fact that Booker T was the original winner). He claimed that The Rock called him to "bring home the Intercontinental Championship" and furthermore used his victory to establish himself as The People's Champion.

Related Topics:
The Rock - Smackdown! - WWE Raw - Mortal Kombat - Sub-Zero - WWE Judgment Day - Intercontinental Championship

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However, on the other side of the fence, the original People's Champion, The Rock wasn't too happy about Christian's claims and his act of stealing a lot of The Rock's stuff, so therefore he would appear on Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel and confront Christian about this, stating that The Rock is "The one and ONLY People's Champion". Unhappy about this, Jericho and Christian assaulted The Rock, only to fall victim to The Rock Bottom and The Book End when Booker T made the save. By this, The Rock officially turned face, although he wouldn't return to the WWE until December of 2003 (in which was a brief return).

Related Topics:
The Rock Bottom - The Book End

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In 2004, Jericho and Christian split, beginning a long feud involving WWE Diva Trish Stratus, the on-camera love interest of Chris Jericho at the time, who Christian had injured on an episode of RAW. During a match between Christian and Jericho at WrestleMania XX, Trish betrayed Jericho, allowing Christian to defeat him. Trish then joined forces with Christian and his "Problem Solver" Tyson Tomko to make Jericho's life on RAW miserable. The team eventually split, with Tomko deciding to remain with Christian.

Related Topics:
2004 - Diva - Trish Stratus - RAW - WrestleMania XX - Problem Solver - Tyson Tomko

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Christian's current gimmick is that of a cocky, overconfident heel, although he is immensely popular in Canada. He dubs himself "Captain Charisma", and on December 6, 2004 was forced to wrestle as Captain Charisma, complete with superhero costume, by his then-enemy Chris Jericho, who was general manager for one night. Christian was often accompanied by Tyson Tomko, and usually wins his matches with interference from Tomko or by some other creative method of cheating. Christian teamed with Edge again several times in late 2004 and early 2005, but failed to recreate the success of their original partnership. Despite being a heel, he has acquired a cult fanbase, who he refers to as his "Peeps", "Peepulation" (a play on the word "population") or the "Christian Coalition". His current entrance theme music is "Just Close Your Eyes" by the rock band Waterproof Blonde.

Related Topics:
Gimmick - Heel - December 6 - 2004 - Superhero - 2005 - Christian Coalition - Rock

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At the 2005 Royal Rumble, Christian had an encounter with then-WWE US Champion John Cena. He claimed that he was a better rapper than Cena, asking Tomko to 'drop a beat'. Tomko refused. Over the next months, Christian began making promos denouncing John Cena as a 'poser'. It all came to a head when John Cena, now WWE Champion was drafted to RAW. Christian and Tomko came out to cut a promo against Cena, leading to a tag-team match for the June 13th RAW featuring Cena and Chris Jericho against Christian and Tomko. Jericho and Cena won that match, but after it Jericho attacked Cena from behind because he wanted to prove to Eric Bischoff that he deserved a shot at the WWE Title. Cena went on to successfully defend the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match between himself, Christian and Jericho at Vengeance.

Related Topics:
2005 - WWE US Champion - John Cena - Promos - Poser - WWE Champion - Chris Jericho - Triple Threat Match - Vengeance

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Between the run-ins with Cena, Christian participated in the "Money in the Bank" Ladder Match at WrestleMania 21. He was generally a non-factor, though one of the more memorable moments was when Tomko carried him half-way up a ladder, then Christian got his ladder knocked over by Kane, going over the top rope and landing in Tomko's arms. He also had a primary role in the parody trailer for Basic Instinct in connection with the WrestleMania goes Hollywood theme at the event.

Related Topics:
WrestleMania 21 - Kane - Basic Instinct

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On June 27, 2005, on RAW, Christian teamed up with Jericho and Tyson Tomko against Cena, Shawn Michaels and Hulk Hogan, and lost. On the June 30 episode of SmackDown!, Christian was the second-to-last man drafted to SmackDown! in the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery. He replaced The Big Show in a six-man elimination match for the new SmackDown! Title, and finished as the runner-up to John Bradshaw Layfield. Christian did manage to eliminate Booker T, however. After the match it was revealed that a new SmackDown! Title would be unnecessary, as World Heavyweight Champion Batista had been acquired with the last pick in the draft lottery.

Related Topics:
June 27 - 2005 - RAW - Shawn Michaels - Hulk Hogan - June 30 - SmackDown! - WWE Draft Lottery - The Big Show - SmackDown! Title - John Bradshaw Layfield - Booker T - Batista

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Christian made hay about how he was on the main event of both RAW and SmackDown! in the same week (even though he lost both times). However, he was defeated by Batista in a lengthy non-title match on the July 7, 2005 edition of Smackdown!

Related Topics:
Batista - July 7 - Smackdown!

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At The Great American Bash on July 24, 2005 in Buffalo, New York, Christian lost a match to Booker T after being hit with a scissors kick.

Related Topics:
The Great American Bash - July 24 - 2005 - Buffalo, New York - Booker T - Scissors kick

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Christian now has his own talk show on Smackdown! called "The Peep Show."

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On the September 15th edition of SD!, Christian teamed up with Orlando Jordan to face Booker T. and Chris Benoit in a tag match, which Christian won after delivering the Unprettier to Benoit.

Related Topics:
Orlando Jordan - Booker T. - Chris Benoit

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The next week on SD!, Christian faced Booker T again. Booker won after a schoolboy cradle.

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Christian is now booked to partake in a Fatal Four Way match for the United States title at pay-per-view, No Mercy 2005. His opponents will be current champion Chris Benoit, Booker T and Orlando Jordan.

Related Topics:
Chris Benoit - Booker T - Orlando Jordan

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