CHRISTIAN

lovablemum · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4068 Location: Northants

Name: Christian

Height: 6 foot 2
Weight: 235 pounds
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Finishing Move: Un-Prettier
Career Highlights: Intercontinental Champion; World Tag Team Champion; Light Heavyweight Champion; Hardcore Champion; European Champion

Christian is smug, extremely confident and believes his very presence is a gift to sports-entertainment fans everywhere. Truth be told, he is a nine-time World Tag Team Champion and three-time Intercontinental Champion â€” and he won a championship in his very first WWE match. The date was Oct. 18, 1998 at the Judgment Day pay-per-view, where this long-haired, black-clad member of the faction known as the Brood beat Taka Michinoku for the Light Heavyweight Championship.

Not long after, Christian and Edge would form what would become one of the winningest and most outlandish tag teams in WWE history. Together they won the World Tag Team Championship on seven separate occasions. Heâ€™d later add two more tag championship reigns, once with Lance Storm and another with Chris Jericho.

The off-beat duo of â€œE & Câ€? engineered some of WWEâ€™s most memorably absurd moments. Their egomaniacal â€œfive-second poseâ€? morphed into a â€œ37-second poseâ€? for the benefit of those with flash photography, and Christian never allowed a shot without his signature giant-framed, bug-eyed sunglasses. They signed autographs â€” then charged for them. They tormented hometown crowds with skits belittling their beloved sports teams. And they never passed up an opportunity to mess with a nearby authority figure.

Together, Edge and Christian were masters of the â€œConchairtoâ€? â€” sandwiching an opponentâ€™s head between two steel chairs. The chair was their signature weapon; the Hardy Boyz were famous for flying off ladders; and the Dudleys were synonymous with tables. When the three clashed, TLC (Tables, Ladders and Chairs) was born.

No one can deny that Edge & Christian took part in many of WWEâ€™s most famous and dangerous tag-team matches, including the Ladder Match at WrestleMania 2000; Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match at SummerSlam 2000; TLC II at WrestleMania X-Seven; and TLC III on the May 24, 2001 episode of SmackDown!

Things were great for the duo until King of the Ring 2001, which Edge won thanks to assistance from his ally. Captain Charisma would obsess over Edgeâ€™s trophy, often taking it from his hands mid-ring entrance and carrying it himself as if he were King.

In August at SummerSlam, Christianâ€™s slight jealousy turned to full-blown discontent after watching his partner win the Intercontinental Championship. Captain Charisma tried to respond in kind by challenging for the now-defunct European Championship. But when that match went awry, Christian snapped, marking the end of their most-successful allegiance.

Christianâ€™s first singles championship since his debut match came against his former partner at Unforgiven, where he took away the Intercontinental Championship. From there, the two would tangle in many memorable Intercontinental Championship matches, including a Ladder Match at No Mercy and a Steel Cage Match at Rebellion.

In addition, Christian won the Hardcore Championship at WrestleMania X8 and his second Intercontinental Championship at Judgment Day 2003, when he won a Battle Royal featuring all former Intercontinental Champions. The third time came against Booker T in August.

In early 2004, Christian stole Chris Jerichoâ€™s love interest, Trish Stratus while gaining a huge win at WrestleMania XX. He also secured Tyson Tomko to serve as his â€œProblem Solver.â€?

In the 2005 Draft Lottery, Christian was drafted to SmackDown! after calling out such Superstars as Triple H, Ric Flair, Batista, JBL and John Cena proclaiming that after the draft lottery, he was certain to become world champion.

Since joining SmackDown!, Christian has certainly continued his creepy little b**tard ways getting on the wrong side of the likes of Batista and other SmackDown! Superstars with the debut of the Peep Show â€“ Christianâ€™s own talk for all his peeps worldwide

ukevents.net · Joined: 15 Dec 2003 Posts: 2439

He stole Lita from Matt Hardy :smt027

~~debbydo~~ · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 19959 Location: Hertfordshire

oh i didnt know that .. :smt012

lovablemum · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4068 Location: Northants

No, ur thinking of Edge hun

lovablemum · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4068 Location: Northants

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 225 lbs

Real Name: Jason Reso

DOB: 11/30/73

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Other Names: Canadian Rage, Suicide Blond, Christian Cage

Wrestler Since: 1995

Finishing Maneuver: The Unprettier (Impaler), Tomakazie

History:

The Beginning

Jason Reso's success in professional wrestling can really, in a way, be traced back to his long-time friendship with Adam Copeland, otherwise known as Edge. Copeland began training for a wrestling career in 1992, and Reso followed in his footsteps two years later, training with Ron Hutchinson at Sully's Gym in Reso's home country of Canada in the fall of '94. Reso's determination to become a professional wrestler was strong, and he spent nearly nine months training at the gym to gain the skills necessary to succeed. Reso finally convinced Hutchinson to give him a shot, and made his debut against Zakk Wylde in June '95. The two men wrestled to a respectable draw, starting Reso out on his chosen profession.

Independents

It didn't take long for Reso, now calling himself Christian Cage, and Copeland (under the name of Sexton Hardcastle) to get together as a tag-team. The duo first wrestled together as High Impact. They later changed their name to the Suicide Blondes, making a great team no matter where they wrestled in. Although I'm not sure about this, I do believe that the Suicide Blondes held the SSW Tag-Team Titles together at one point. I know for sure that the duo won the ISW Street-Fight Tag-Team Titles at the end of 1997, a big victory for the team. The Suicide Blondes also, at one point, belonged to the stable Thug Life, which also included future stars Rhino Richards and Joe E. Legend.

In June '98, Copeland was called up to the World Wrestling Federation, leaving Christian Cage without a tag-team partner for the time being. Cage took advantage of the singles bracket, though, defeating Viper in July '98. This was a huge victory for Cage, as it was his first major singles title. Cage also wrestled in other federations, continuing to grow his skill over the summer. With his best friend, Copeland, already at "the show", it was only a matter of time for Christian, and he was invited to the World Wrestling Federation training camp. Christian's skills were sizable enough for him to stand out in the tryouts, so it wasn't too surprising that Christian Cage signed a contract in August '98 to wrestle for the WWF.

WWF

In the fall of '98, Copeland, as Edge, was a growing name in the WWF. He was feuding with Gangrel, a wrestler who was also apparently a vampire. During some of Edge's matches, Christian Cage would appear in the crowd, distracting him. It was later revealed that Christian was actually Edge's brother, and that he was with Gangrel. Around the same time, in October '98, Christian defeated Julio Sanchez to win the Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Title. The belt, though, would later be vacated (as would the ECWA belt) due to Christian's WWF commitments. Back in the WWF, Christian made a strong pay-per-view debut at Judgment Day '98. With Gangrel in his corner, Christian utilized a missed Michinoku Driver by TAKA Michinoku and rolled him up to win the WWF Light Heavyweight Title! Christian, in only his first official WWF match, was already wearing some gold.

Things looked even better for Christian soon after, as he and Gangrel convinced Edge to join up with them, forming the Brood. The three men created a strange union, with blood and 18th-century clothes being the norm. Christian also defended the Light Heavyweight strap for a month, before shockingly being upset by Duane Gill (Gillberg). The Brood continued on, however, and had a feud with Al Snow's Job Squad, which consisted of Snow, Bob Holly (later known as Hardcore), and (Too Cold) Scorpio. The two teams had it out at Rock Bottom in December '98, with the Brood managing the victory over the Job Squad. It was around this time that the Brood began to become famous for their "Bloodbaths". A wrestler would be inside the ring when the lights would go out. When they came back on, the wrestler would be covered in blood, a nerve-racking experience, to say the least.

1999

It was around this time that the Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness was the most powerful force in the WWF. So it made sense that the Brood would join up with them. For a short time, the Brood were the grunts of the Ministry. But the Brood eventually broke away again from the Ministry, and feuded with them for a time, facing off against Mideon, Bradshaw, & Faarooq at Backlash '99. The two teams were almost evenly matched, but Viscera proved to be the one who gave the Ministry the edge, attacking Christian and tossing him into the ring post while the referee was distracted. Viscera then rolled Christian back into the ring, where Bradshaw's Clothesline From Hell finished off the match for the Ministry.

The Brood next feuded with the Hardy Boyz, in a back-and-forth series of matches. While Edge & Christian had Gangrel, the Hardy Boyz had Michael Hayes to even things out. At the King of the Ring '99, Edge & Christian took on the Hardy Boyz, with the winners to get a WWF Tag-Team Title shot. It was a solid back-and-forth match, but things turned bad in the end, as Gangrel accidentally hit Edge while trying to help out his partners. Jeff Hardy then took out Edge for the victory, costing the Brood the match. Problems continued to grow between Edge & Christian and Gangrel, and eventually Edge & Christian broke away from the Brood, forming their own team. Gangrel retaliated by hiring the Hardy Boyz to become the New Brood, escalating the feud between the two teams.

At Summerslam '99, Edge & Christian were entered into the Tag-Team Turmoil match, where the winner would become the #1 Contenders to the tag titles. Edge & Christian drew #1, while the Hardy Boyz drew #2, ensuring that the two teams would go at it. The two teams fought it out again, with Gangrel working for the other team, getting in any cheapshots he could. But Edge & Christian proved their skills, as Christian got a Top-Rope Elbow Drop on Matt Hardy for the victory. They next faced Mideon & Viscera, their old Ministry foes, who looked to dominate with their power. But when Viscera accidentally splashed Mideon, Edge took advantage with a spear on Mideon to move on. Droz & Prince Albert came out next, but they couldn't beat Edge & Christian, either, losing to the brothers. However, fatigue was really starting to play a factor, and Edge & Christian didn't have enough left in the tanks to get past Bradshaw & Faarooq of the Acolytes, who went on to win the match and the title shot.

Edge & Christian continued to gain respect in the tag-team division, as their skills were plain for all to see. At Unforgiven '99, Edge & Christian got their first pay-per-view title shot, going against the New Age Outlaws. It wasn't Edge & Christian's night, though, as the former DX team won out. Edge & Christian quickly got back into the mix, though, as they won a "Three-Way #1 Contenders" Match at the UK pay-per-view, Rebellion '99, defeating the Acolytes and Hardcore & Crash Holly. Edge got the victory for his team, getting a Tornado DDT on Bradshaw for the victory. The title shot, though, again didn't pay off, so Edge & Christian concentrated on another endeavor: The Terri Runnels Invitational Tournament. Terri offered $100,000 and her managerial skills to the winner of the tournament. Edge & Christian, not surprisingly, made it to the final match, taking on their old foes, the Hardy Boyz, in an absolutely amazing Ladder match at No Mercy '99. The two teams put on some unbelievable moves, easily stealing the show as the best match. In the end, though, Matt Hardy was the one who made it up the ladder, winning the match, and the money, for his team.

After their battle, some respect grew between Edge & Christian and the Hardy Boyz. The two teams united for a time, to fight two heel teams, Too Much and Hardcore & Crash Holly, at the 1999 Survivor Series. The match didn't take long to break down into an out-and-out brawl, and during the confusion, Hardcore Holly rolled up Edge to eliminate him. Soon after, Scott Taylor eliminated Matt Hardy, leaving it 2-4. Jeff Hardy fought back, getting an unbelievable splash on Taylor to eliminate him. But Brian Christopher avenged his partner, taking out the other Hardy with a top rope leg-drop. It was Christian vs. 3 other wrestlers. But Christian fought hard, and eliminated Christopher with the Impaler (later known as the Unprettier). Christian then survived a brutal attack from the Hollys to take out Crash with a tomakazie. But the odds were too tough for Christian, who finally fell to Hardcore Holly, losing the match.

To finish out 1999, a Tag-Team Battle Royal was set up at Armageddon '99, between eight tag-teams. The teams were Edge & Christian, the Hardy Boyz, the Acolytes, the Dudley Boyz, the Mean Street Posse, the Headbangers, Too Cool (formerly Too Much), and Mark Henry & the Godfather. The teams all went at it, with 16 men brawling it out in the ring, trying not to be eliminated. The Posse tried to cheat, by sending new wrestlers into the ring when one was thrown out away from the referee, but they didn't have the power to survive. Near the end, only four teams were left: Edge & Christian, the Hardys, the Dudleyz, and the Acolytes. Unfortunately, this was as far as Edge & Christian got, as both wrestlers were eliminated next. In the end, the Acolytes took out the Hardy Boyz to win the match.

2000

Edge & Christian continued to work as a strong tag-team in the new year, with both men competing in the '00 Royal Rumble, with little success. They just seemed to work better as a team. So Edge & Christian concentrated again to get closer to the World Tag Titles. At No Way Out '00, a #1 Contendership Match was set up between Edge & Christian and their old rivals, the Hardy Boyz. The Hardys were joined at ringside by both Terri Runnels and Runnels' 'protection', the Acolytes. The match was a wild display of high-flying activities, from Edge getting a mid-air spear on Jeff Hardy to a double-Hardy top-rope dive on Christian. The end of the match, though, was decided by Terri. When Jeff Hardy was up on the top rope, ready to end things, Terri surprisingly got up on the ring apron and pushed him off. Terri then slapped Matt in the face, leaving him off-balance and vulnerable to Christian's finisher, giving Edge & Christian the victory. After the match, the Acolytes beat down the Hardys, 'protecting' Terri Runnels just like they were paid for.

The problems continued to grow between Edge & Christian and the Hardy Boyz, quickly also involving the current WWF Tag-Team Champions, the Dudley Boyz. After various brawls involving the three teams, a major match was signed for Wrestlemania '00: a "Triangle Ladder" Match. The match was an incredible spotfest, involving at least 3 different ladders in the ring at one time. Every wrestler in the match took some horrible bumps, falling off the ladders. One of the biggest moves came from Edge & Christian, who superplexed D'Von Dudley off of one of the ladders. Christian later leapt off the top of one of the ladders all the way to the outside, splashing both Dudleys. The Dudleys later took control of both teams, however, when tables became involved. At one point, Bubba Ray Dudley powerbombed Matt Hardy off the Spanish announcers' table through another table. Bubba Ray then planned to do a similar maneuver to Jeff Hardy, but Christian intervened, knocking out Bubba Ray with a ring bell. Jeff then climbed the tallest ladder around and did the Swanton Bomb, putting Bubba Ray through the table and essentially taking both men out. In the end, after Matt took out D'Von with the Twist of Fate, both he and Christian climbed for the belts. Edge climbed as well, and the tag-team tossed Matt Hardy off the ladder and through a table. Edge & Christian then got to the belts, winning the match and finally gaining the WWF World Tag-Team Titles.

Edge & Christian didn't waste time defending their newly-won straps, feuding briefly with former DeGeneration-X members X-Pac and the Road Dogg. The two teams fought against each other at Backlash '00, with Christian 'earning' the win for his team by knocking out (and bloodying) X-Pac with the ring bell while the referee's back was turned, allowing Edge to make the pin. Next, Edge & Christian began to side regularly with their ally, Kurt Angle. The three men found that they all had a lot in common, and each helped the others win matches. The three men teamed up to face Too Cool & Rikishi at Judgment Day '00. Before the match, the three men joined together in insulting the Kentucky crowd, wearing straw hats and dancing around with banjos. The team didn't fare as well during the match, though, with Angle taking a Stinkface from Rikishi during the bout. Although they nearly got the win with Edge hitting Scotty Too Hotty with the ring bell (the ref was down, so there was no count), Grandmaster Sexay took out Edge with the Hip Hop Drop, then rolled Scotty on top, getting his team the victory.

Only a week later, Edge & Christian lost the WWF Tag-Team Titles to Too Cool. Furious at the loss of their belts, Edge & Christian quickly began working to earn the chance to regain their gold. Unfortunately, there were other teams also interested in a title shot against the young champions, leading to a Four-Way Elimination Match being set up for King of the Ring '00, pitting Edge & Christian against Too Cool(c), Test & Albert, and the Hardy Boyz. This meant that the winner would have to survive three other teams. The beginning of the match mainly featured a battle between T & A and the Hardys, with many double-teams taking place. Matt Hardy struck the first blow, knocking out Test with the Twist of Fate to eliminate T & A. But Edge & Christian quickly stepped in, going to war with the Hardys, and eventually, after Christian survived his own 'Twist of Fate', he eliminated Matt Hardy (and Jeff) with the Impaler. This led to Edge & Christian taking on the champs, Too Cool. Edge & Christian went for a double-Worm on Grandmaster Sexay at one point, only to have it backfire on them when Scotty Too Hotty took down Edge and got the Worm on him instead. But Christian was able to knock out Sexay with a title belt, enabling Edge to make the pin to get the tag-team titles back around their waists.

The next challenger to Edge & Christian were the Acolytes, a very powerful tag-team that the brothers were obviously worried about. Going into Fully Loaded '00, Christian tried to act sick, going as far as to throw fake vomit into the toilet. The duo was caught, though, by Commissioner Mick Foley, and they were forced to compete at the PPV. The Acolytes dominated the majority of the match, although Edge & Christian did isolate Bradshaw for a time. When Bradshaw managed to make the tag to Faarooq, though, things looked bad for the champions. Faarooq caught Christian with the Dominator, and made the pin. But Edge came in with one of the tag-team titles and hit Faarooq with it, saving the belts while losing via disqualification. Edge & Christian didn't care, though, having kept their prized titles around their waists.

Going into August '00, Edge & Christian had stayed the dominant team, continuing their habit of doing "5-second poses" before their matches. But old rivals were challenging again, as both the Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz were major contenders for the WWF Tag-Team Titles. To remedy their feud, Commissioner Foley arranged for an unbelievable match between the three teams: Tables, Ladders, & Chairs, or TLC. The match was signed for Summerslam '00, and really had too many high spots to be mentioned in this history. It literally would have to be seen to believed. One of the best spots was when Jeff Hardy tried a Swanton Bomb from a 20-foot ladder, but when Bubba Ray Dudley moved, Hardy went through the table on his own instead. Bubba Ray later went through four tables at once himself, a horrific crash. At the end, D'Von Dudley and Jeff Hardy both went for the belts, with the ladder falling out from underneath them. Hardy managed to kick D'Von off of the belt, sending him down, but Edge & Christian then knocked Hardy off by throwing a ladder at him! Edge & Christian then climbed their own ladder and got the belts, winning the 2000 Match of the Year.

The feud between Edge & Christian and the Hardy Boyz didn't end, though, as the two teams continued to fight over the next month. At one point, Edge & Christian showed footage from Matt & Jeff's early years, making fun of their past. When Matt, Jeff, and their valet, Lita, entered the viewing room to get revenge, Edge & Christian ambushed them, injuring all three with ConChairTo chair shots, including giving Lita a minor concussion. They then bragged that the Hardyz just can't beat them. At Unforgiven '00, the two teams met in a "Steel Cage" Match. Things quickly turned back for the Hardys early on, as Jeff was knocked out of the cage, eliminating him from the match, while Matt was trapped with Edge & Christian, who continued to double-team. Christian was also careful not to let Jeff back into the cage, despite repeated attempts. Christian even stopped Jeff from coming through the cage door, and used the open door to get a steel chair to use on Matt. Christian later fell out of the cage, though, leaving it a one-on-one affair, until Jeff used a ladder to get back into the ring. Jeff then hit a spectacular "Whisper In The Wind" from the top of the cage on both Edge and Matt Hardy. Christian tried to reenter the ring using the same ladder that Jeff used, but Lita appeared, catching Christian with a Lita-cunrana off the ladder to take him out. The Hardy Boyz then got a ConChairTo on Edge on top of the cage, sending Edge all the way to the ringfloor. The Hardys then left the cage, winning away the tag-team titles.

Edge & Christian tried to get their belts back within the next few weeks, but failed to enter into the Tag-Team Battle Royal for the #1 Contendership for the Hardys' straps, as they were said to be sick. However, another team, the Conquistadors, won the match, and definitely seemed to be Edge & Christian under masks. When asked Spanish questions, the Conquistadors would only say yes in Spanish. Still, having earned the shot, the Conquistadors fought the Hardy Boyz at No Mercy '00. At the PPV, Edge & Christian were interviewed in the back, where they hilariously talked about how they got sick due to eating some nuts, but that they were better now. They also said they'd be cheering on the Conquistadors to victory. In the match, the Hardy Boyz seemed more interested in unmasking the Conquistadors then beating them down. In the end, this proved to be the downfall, as Matt Hardy got the Twist of Fate on one, then went for the mask instead of the pin. He got the mask off, but another mask was on underneath! The other Conquistador then took out Matt with an inverted neckbreaker to win the match, making the Conquistadors tag-team champions.

After the match, a winded Edge & Christian were seen in the back, saying that they had ran all the way to the store to get chips and dip to celebrate the Conquistadors' victory. They celebrated with two masked men, neither of whom looked very tired after the grueling match, and announced that the first defense for the Conquistadors would be against Edge & Christian on Raw. A night later, Edge & Christian showed up ready to 'fight' for the belts. But Christian was taken out before the match, being put through a table (supposedly by the Dudleys). Edge, though, said he would have no problems beating Los Conquistadors on his own. However, Edge was thrown off when the Conquistadors came out and competitively wrestled him, instead of throwing the match. Edge then was beaten by the Conquistadors after a Twist of Fate followed by the Swanton Bomb. After the match, the Conquistadors unmasked, showing the Hardys! Commissioner Foley then came out and rolled footage, showing that Edge & Christian had been Los Conquistadors the night before. Foley then said that, indeed, Edge & Christian were the champions at the PPV, but since the Hardys pinned Edge on Raw, they had regained the belts!

Going into November '00, Edge & Christian continued to battle with the Hardys and the Dudleyz, their long-term foes. In a strange union, Edge & Christian joined up with Right To Censor, who won the Tag Titles from the Hardys, to face their respective adversaries at the 2000 Survivor Series. The eight men all showed that they truly hated their opposition, as the match had a lot of tension underneath it. Edge got the first strike for his team, as he took out Matt Hardy with the Edge-o-Matic for the pinfall. D'Von Dudley tried to take the momentum back by attacking both Edge & Christian, but this would backfire, as Christian got the Impaler to eliminate D'Von as well, making it 4-on-2. Teamwork, however, soon became a problem, as Edge, during some chaos, accidentally Speared Bull Buchanan. Bubba Ray Dudley then covered Bull to eliminate him. Bubba Ray then hammered Edge, with Christian trying to make the save by coming off the top rope. Bubba Ray moved, though, and Christian hit Edge instead! Bubba Ray tossed Christian out of the way and made the cover, taking care of Edge. Bubba Ray's power, however, was ended when the Goodfather took him out with a death valley driver. Christian & the Goodfather tried to double-team Jeff Hardy at the end, but Jeff fought back, eliminating Christian with the Swanton Bomb, then taking advantage of Val Venis (at ringside) accidentally hitting his partner, the Goodfather, to make the pin and win the match.

Edge & Christian didn't waste any time moping over their loss. They went right back to work climbing the contenders' ladder for the tag-team titles. At Rebellion '00, Edge & Christian had a "Three-Way Tables" Match with the Dudley Boyz and T & A. Edge & Christian were able to eliminate T & A by pushing Albert off the turnbuckle and through a table. But they couldn't get past the Dudleys in their own match, as the Dudley Boyz 3-D'ed Christian for the victory. Edge & Chrisian and the Dudley Boyz were then included in the "Four-Way Tag-Team Title" Match at Armageddon '00, also involving Bull Buchanan & the Goodfather(c) and K-Kwik & the Road Dogg. For a while, different wrestlers were teaming together on double-teams, as each team sought to get that one pinfall that would get them the belts. In the end, chaos reigned, as all four teams went at it. The Dudleys seemed to be in control, hitting 3D's on both Bull and the Goodfather. But when Stevie Richards (part of Right To Censor) took out D'Von Dudley through a table, Edge & Christian capitalized, getting first a spear, then a tomakazie on Bubba Ray Dudley to win the match, becoming four-time tag-team champions.

Edge & Christian came out on the next Raw to celebrate with their friend, Kurt Angle, who had defended his Heavyweight Title in a Hell In A Cell 6-Man Match the night before. The three men praised each other, saying that they had had the most dominant year in WWF history. They were interrupted, though, by the Rock & the Dudley Boyz, who set up a Four T's Match, or a "Tag-Team Testicle Tables" Match. Edge & Christian were seen in the back after the announcement, a little worried that the match would mean their testicles would have to go through a table. In a way, that's what happened, as first Edge, then Christian, were put through tables, as the Dudley Boyz and the Rock got the victory.

A week later, Angle was placed into a World Title match against his boss, Vince McMahon, by Commissioner Foley, and asked Edge & Christian to try to get the match canceled. But Foley would hear none of it, and instead decided to put Edge & Christian's titles on the line in a match against the Rock & the Undertaker! Edge & Christian tried to win the match, with Edge taking advantage of a downed ref to clock the Undertaker with a title belt. But the Rock was too strong, getting the People's Elbow on Edge to get the victory, winning away the belts. A rematch was set up for Smackdown one day later (at the taping), with Angle arranging with Vince McMahon to be the "fair and impartial" referee. Angle obviously favored his friends, at one point 'arguing' with Christian instead of counting a fall for the Undertaker, who had just hit the Last Ride on Edge. The Rock later took out Angle with the Rock Bottom, then nearly won with a new referee. At the end, however, Angle returned to the ring and nailed the Rock with the Angle Slam, then placed Edge on top of him and made the count, getting the belts back to Edge & Christian.

2001

Going into the new year, Edge & Christian continued to battle both on the side of Kurt Angle and against the threat of the Dudley Boyz. Going into the Royal Rumble '01, Edge & Christian had the definite advantage, as they gave both Dudleys a concussion with chair shots the week before the PPV match between them. The Dudleys started out well in the title match, dominating Edge, but Christian turned things around by hitting D'Von in the head from the outside. Later on, Edge & Christian appeared to go for a DQ, as they tried for a ConChairTo on D'Von, only to have D'Von block it with a double clothesline. D'Von then made the tag to Bubba Ray, who came in with all the momentum, dominating the tag-team champs. The Dudleys, at the end, went for the 3-D on Christian, only to have Edge stop it with a Spear on Bubba Ray. Edge & Christian showboated, though, opting to try the Dudleys' own move, the Wassup Drop, on Bubba Ray. D'Von blocked it, taking out Christian, and the Dudleys then got the 3-D on Edge to win the match, costing Edge & Christian the Tag-Team Titles.

It didn't take long for Edge & Christian to quickly pursue regaining their tag-team titles from the Dudley Boyz. A surprising element was added to their feud, though, as Kane & the Undertaker, the Brothers of Destruction, also announced their interest in the belts. A brutal match was signed for No Way Out '01, setting up a "Three-Way Tables" Match for the Tag-Team Titles. Although the match rules seemed to favor either the Dudleys or the Brothers of Destruction, Edge & Christian persevered, doing their best to try and get the victory. The six men actually started fighting it out on the entry ramp, and went backstage for a time, before finally making it to the ring. Edge & Christian tried to capitalize on the "No DQ" part of the match, going for a ConChairTo on Bubba Ray. But Bubba Ray ducked, forcing Edge & Christian to collide chairs. Several times during the match, a team was close to winning, only to have someone move the table out of the way. The Brothers of Destruction were in full control as the match headed towards its conclusion, chokeslamming all four opponents. But the two monsters were distracted by Rikishi & Haku, who came down to the ring and attacked them. As those two teams brawled, Edge & Christian and the Dudleys went at it, with Edge missing a crucial Spear on Bubba Ray. This left Christian on his own, and he was 3-D'ed through a table, allowing the Dudleys to retain the belts.

Edge & Christian were unhappy with the way things went down, and continued to be a thorn in the Dudleys' side, as they battled them routinely for the tag-team titles. Another tag-team, though, again became involved in their feud. But this time, it was an old rival, as the Hardy Boyz reentered the title fray. In early March '00, the Hardys defeated the Dudleys to regain the Tag-Team Titles. The Dudleys were supposed to have a rematch on the March 19th Raw, but Edge & Christian came out instead, saying that the Dudleys weren't there, and that Edge & Christian were taking the title shot instead. The match was a typical E & C/Hardys match-up, with Lita working as always to help out the Hardys. But Edge & Christian had their own surprise, as Rhyno made his return to the ring and Gored Jeff Hardy! Edge & Christian made the cover, winning the titles back.

Later on that same night, Edge & Christian celebrated their win, and told Rhyno he could go back to the hotel room, since he had done his job. We then saw the Dudley Boyz arriving at the local airport, complaining that someone (i.e. Edge & Christian) had canceled their reservations. When the Dudleys arrived at the arena, Commissioner William Regal told them that they were too late. But the Dudleys were able to convince Regal to give them a title shot that night, since they were the ones who were supposed to compete. Edge & Christian weren't happy, since Rhyno was no longer there to help them, but they had no choice. The four men had another hard fight, with Edge stopping D'Von from getting the tables late in the match by dropkicking the table into D'Von's face. However, another returnee, Spike Dudley, came down and gave Christian the Acid Drop, which set up Christian for the 3-D and the loss, making Edge & Christian champions for less than a few hours.

It was later announced that the three teams would try to duplicate their greatest match ever, as TLC II was signed for Wrestlemania X-7. The match started as a brawl and continued from there, as there were no real tags made. Each wrestler used tables, ladders, and chairs as lethal objects. Involvement also came from other areas, as first Spike Dudley, then Lita and Rhyno interfered for their favorites. At one point, Jeff Hardy found the largest ladder around and jumped off of it, getting a Swanton Bomb on both Spike Dudley and Rhyno, putting them all through two tables! Jeff later got back up and grabbed for the belts, hanging from them, but the swing brought him too close to Edge, who Speared him off to the ground! In the end, Rhyno proved to be the best ally, as he took care of Bubba Ray Dudley and Matt Hardy, sending them through a huge set-up of tables, then carried Christian up the ladder on his shoulders, allowing Christian to grab the belts and made himself and Edge 7-Time WWF World Tag-Team Champions.

A few weeks later, Edge & Christian became involved in the main event picture, as their friend, Rhyno, was facing Kane for the Hardcore Title on Smackdown. With the added help of Hunter Hearst Helmsley & Steve Austin, both of whom were heels at the time, Edge & Christian kept the Undertaker, Kane's partner, out of the picture, and the four men took down Kane to win Rhyno the Hardcore Title. However, the Brothers of Destruction later threatened Commissioner Regal to give them a Tag-Team Title shot against Edge & Christian that night in a "No Disqualification" Match. Edge & Christian didn't seem too worried, making sure to state that they "reeked of awesomeness". Edge & Christian came out with Rhyno to the ring, making it almost 3-on-2 for the titles. Since the Brothers would get Stone Cold & Triple H if they won the match, Austin & Helmsley also soon became involved. But despite Austin & Helmsley taking out Kane, the Undertaker was able to dodge a ConChairTo, take out Edge, and hit the Last Ride Powerbomb on Christian for the victory, taking away the belts.

Surprisingly, Edge & Christian didn't immediately pursue the tag-team titles after the loss. In fact, Christian showed some interest in the singles division, as he challenged Matt Hardy for the European Heavyweight Title at Backlash '01 in a "Triple Threat" Match also involving Eddie Guerrero. The match-up started with the two heels in Christian and Guerrero double-teaming the champion. But after Matt was thrown to the outside, Christian attacked Guerrero from behind, destroying any partnerships. Edge tried to help Christian win in the later stages of the match, Spearing Matt on the outside. But Jeff Hardy also interfered, getting Christian with the Swanton Bomb. Matt Hardy then took the victory with the Twist of Fate on Christian, keeping Christian from getting a singles title around his waist.

With this taste of singles competition, Christian renewed his goal with Edge to go for the tag-team titles. At the UK pay-per-view, Insurrextion '01, Edge & Christian fought in an "Elimination" Match against the Dudleys, the Hardys, and X-Factor. The Hardys took care of X-Factor after Jeff hit X-Pac with the Swanton Bomb. But Edge & Christian basically ruled the rest of the way, as Christian eliminated the Hardys with the Unprettier on Matt, and, after some help from Rhyno, Edge pinned Bubba Ray Dudley to win the match. Edge & Christian took this momentum into Judgment Day '01 a few weeks later, where they were involved in a "Tag-Team Turmoil #1 Contenders" Match.

During the night, Edge & Christian were shown talking with Kurt Angle, who had a "Three Falls" Match against Chris Benoit, with Angle's gold medals on the line. Angle and Benoit won one fall each, leading to a "Ladder" Match competition with the medals above the ring. Just when Benoit had control, putting Angle in the Crippler Crossface, Edge & Christian came to the ring and attacked, holding back Benoit so that Angle could climb the ladder and get back his medals. Later on, during the "Tag-Team Turmoil" Match, Edge & Christian watched from the back as Chris Jericho came out with his mystery partner, who turned out to be Benoit! Jericho & Benoit defeated X-Factor, which brought Edge & Christian, the last team, down to the ring. The two teams went back and forth, with various close calls. Near the end, a frustrated Edge & Christian went for the chairs to perform a ConChairTo, only to have Jericho & Benoit baseball slide into them. Jericho & Benoit then attempted their own ConChairTo, only to have Christian nearly roll up Benoit for the victory. Christian then went to hit Benoit with the chair, but Benoit got the Crippler Crossface instead, making Christian tap. Thus, once again, Edge & Christian's friendship with Angle ended up costing them.

A short time after Judgment Day, the 2001 King of the Ring Tournament began, with both Edge & Christian in the mix. The two partners helped each other in their matches, with Christian getting past two monsters in Kane and the Big Show, while Edge took down Test and Perry Saturn. This got both tag-team partners into the semi-finals. However, in an interesting twist, the other two semi-finalists were Kurt Angle and Rhyno, Edge & Christian's good friends! The four men swore to remain friends, but tensions grew between the allies, with Angle's ego sending Edge & Christian away from him. On the final Smackdown before the PPV, Angle came out and said that, although he was happy to be facing his 3 friends, he's a man and they're boys. Edge & Christian responded by calling him a dorkimus maximus. Rhyno then came out, angry about how he was being treated as well. It all broke down, with Rhyno Gore-ing Edge and Angle giving Christian an Olympic Slam. The two teams fought later in the night, with Angle & Rhyno winning the match.

In the '01 King of the Ring semi-finals, Christian faced off against Angle. The two wrestlers both showed that they wanted to move on, trying to finish the former friend off. During the match, Shane McMahon, who had a later match scheduled with Angle, came out to the ring, distracting Angle into missing a moonsault attempt. Later on, though, after Christian got the Tomakazie, Shane pulled Christian off the pin, keeping him from winning! As Christian argued with Shane, Angle recovered, getting an Olympic Slam over the ropes for the victory, eliminating Christian from the tournament. Later on, Edge defeated Rhyno with a jumping DDT, allowing Christian's partner to reach the finals against Angle. In the final, after Angle tried to convince Edge to forfeit, the two men went at it with a lot of violence. During the match, Christian came to the ring, but only succeeded in distracting the referee when Edge had a pin attempt. Later on, though, Edge, due to interference again from Shane McMahon, defeated Angle with the jumping DDT, becoming the King of the Ring.

Over the next few weeks, Christian seemed to care more about the King of the Ring trophy that Edge had won, rather than his brother. He seemed a little jealous of Edge's success. The two continued to work as a team, however, against the new threat of the WCW Invasion. Things looked worse for the WWF superstars, as ECW reformed and allied themselves with WCW. The federation groups met at WWF Invasion in July '01, with Edge & Christian leading off the PPV facing off against ECW wrestlers Lance Storm & Mike Awesome. The two Alliance members isolated Christian for a good portion of the match, but Christian eventually made the hot tag to Edge, who came in and furiously attacked both opponents. It soon broke down into a four-man brawl. Christian dodged a Storm superkick at one point, only to have Edge hit by it instead. Awesome only managed a 2 count on Edge, though, and Christian came back to Spear Awesome and put Edge on top for the victory for WWE. It also gave Christian the 'right' to brag about winning the match with Edge's own move.

Things seemed to continue to grow worse between Edge and Christian, as Christian's ego continually got the better of him. At Summerslam '01, Edge was given a chance to gain the WWF Intercontinental Title back from the Alliance, or more specifically, Lance Storm. At the beginning of the match, Christian watched from the back, cheering Edge on with the WWF contingent. But when the referee was knocked down, Christian ran to the ring to try and take out Storm with another Spear. Unfortunately, Storm dodged, and Christian Speared Edge instead! Christian then was taken out of the ring by a Storm superkick. But Edge kicked out of the pin attempt, then got an Implant DDT to win the match and the title. Christian celebrated with Edge after the match, but also stole a little thunder by announcing that he would face Matt Hardy for the European Title on Raw.

A night later, Christian came out (with the KOTR trophy) for his shot against Hardy's belt. Christian came close several times, almost winning with a roll-up but being caught cheating by using the ropes. Hardy eventually won the match, causing Christian to pitch a fit in the ring, slapping the mat repeatedly. The next week, Christian forced Edge into an Intercontinental Title defense against Hugh Morrus, then cost Edge the win by attacking Morrus, causing the DQ. It was announced on Smackdown that Christian would get a WCW World Title match against the Rock on Raw. Christian was confident going in that he would win in his home country (Raw was in Toronto). Before the match, Christian overheard some people calling him "Edge's brother". Christian quickly told security to put those fans in the nosebleed section.

Before the match, Christian told Edge that he wanted to win the belt on his own. He then gave the KOTR trophy back to Edge, saying that Edge's name was on it, so he should be keeping it. Christian then headed off, confident that he would have better gold soon. Christian got some help early on, as Booker T, the Rock's rival, was the ring announcer for the match. Shane McMahon also helped to try to distract the Rock, giving Christian an advantage. There was also a WCW official in charge of the match, who let Booker T & Shane-o-Mac to get away with a lot. Despite all this, though, the Rock was a strong force, almost making Christian tap to the Sharpshooter. Christian was only saved by Shane pulling the referee out of the ring. The Rock then took out Shane, and then later, Christian was whipped into Booker T, knocking him down. The Rock then got the Rock Bottom on Christian to retain the title.

Later on in the night, Edge had a scheduled Intercontinental Title defense against Lance Storm. In another furious match, Edge was injured by Storm's Maple Leaf submission hold, but won anyway with a roll-up pin. Storm attacked Edge after the match, going after the leg, but Christian came to the ring with a chair to get rid of Storm. Christian then hugged Edge and gave him the KOTR trophy, but then, shockingly, nailed Edge with a chair shot! Christian blamed Edge for his recent losses, angrily cursing his own brother! Christian then set Edge's head on top of a steel chair, then got another, giving Edge a ConChairTo shot. Christian then departed the ring, leaving his brother down and out inside the ropes, with the KOTR trophy that started it all laying nearby.

Christian later demanded an Intercontinental Title shot against Edge at the next pay-per-view, Unforgiven '01. Edge was glad to oblige, going after his brother with all his heart. Edge's fury was so strong that, at the beginning of the match, Christian retreated down the aisleway and was chased by Edge, who threw Christian into the stage. The two men fought back to the ring, with blood being spilled between the brothers when Edge's head was cut open from a shot to the ring steps. Christian, in his fury, eventually tried another one-man ConChairTo, but Edge stopped him. Edge then tried to set up the same maneuver on Christian, but the referee stopped him, allowing Christian to slip in a low blow with the other chair and get the quick pin, winning Christian's first WWF singles title!

WCW/ECW Alliance

The brothers continued to feud for the next few weeks, but it seemed that things were going to be changed by a tragedy, as Edge was told that their mother had been in an accident. Edge went and found Christian, and the two brothers looked to be leaving together. But the Alliance ambushed Edge, and Christian joined in, showing that Christian had left the WWF and was now part of the WCW/ECW Alliance! At No Mercy '01, Christian put his Intercontinental Title on the line against his brother in a "Ladder" Match. As expected from these two ladder experts, the match saw some incredible moments. At one point, Christian was climbing the ladder for the belt, but Edge actually jumped off the ropes and Speared Christian off the ladder. The two later climbed the ladder together and fought on the top, only to have the ladder fall, sending both to the outside. In the end, Christian seemed to have the lead, climbing up. But Edge came in with a chair, and gave Christian a painful low blow. Edge then got a ConChairTo variation, sending Christian off the ladder and allowing Edge to easily get the belt to win the match.

Christian's problems continued with his brother, but Christian also had other interests. Only a few weeks removed from his title loss, Christian managed to defeat Bradshaw for the European Heavyweight Title, another great belt for Christian to wear. However, this wasn't enough for the new Alliance star, and he signed to face Edge in an Intercontinental Title Steel Cage Match at Rebellion '01 in the UK. The match was, of course, a violent one, with Christian trying to escape every chance he got. This almost worked for Christian, as he managed to climb over the top and work his way down. But Edge pulled his brother's feet through the cage, trapping him. Edge then climbed up as well and jumped down, clotheslining the helpless Christian along the way before touching the ground and winning the match.

Despite his losses to his brother, Christian was still confident that the Alliance would emerge victorious after the 2001 Survivor Series, while the WWF would be destroyed. On Sunday Night Heat before the PPV, Christian's confidence led to a confrontation with Al Snow. The two were signed for a match at the pay-per-view, with Christian's European Title on the line. The match wasn't a stunning event, but it got the Survivor Series started off well. Christian's overconfidence nearly cost him, as Snow got his Snowplow to land. Christian just barely got his foot on the ropes nearby. Christian then came back to land the Unprettier and get out with the title still around his waist. Unfortunately, Christian then had to watch the final "Survival" Match, where Kurt Angle turned on the Alliance to help the WWF win. This meant that the Alliance was no more.

WWF

On the next Raw, Christian appeared with a select group of former Alliance members, mainly the ones that held titles (with Test, who won the Immunity Battle Royal at the Survivor Series). For a while, Christian had a rough road to climb, as Vince McMahon and the rest of the WWF (including new co-owner Ric Flair) did not take it easy on the ex-Alliance members. The group earned some points, though, by joining together with an assault on Steve Austin, the former Alliance leader, but Austin later got payback. Christian soon regularly teamed with another former Alliance member, Test. Since the two had both jumped from the WWF to join the Alliance, they made a strong pair. At Vengeance '01, Christian & Test took on Scotty Too Hotty & Albert. It wasn't a great match for the ex-Alliance, though, as Scotty Too Hotty got the Worm on Test, and Christian was Baldo-Bombed by Albert and pinned. Despite the defeat, however, Christian continued to defend the European Title throughout the rest of 2001.

2002

In the new year, Christian concentrated mainly on being "the champion of Europe". He also partnered occassionally with various heels on the WWF roster, including Lance Storm and the Unified Champion, Chris Jericho. At the '02 Royal Rumble, Jericho was defending his title against the Rock. Both Christian and Storm got involved, trying to help Jericho win, only to have both men be taken out by the Rock. However, Jericho still came through later, pinning the Rock with the use of the ropes. Later on, Christian came out lucky #13 in the Rumble, going one-on-one with Scotty Too Hotty. Christian later formed an unlikely partnership with Chuck Palumbo, and the duo eliminated Diamond Dallas Page, Albert, and the Godfather. But "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was too strong, quickly eliminating Christian and Palumbo, as well as Perry Saturn. Austin then had so much time left before the next participant, he brought Christian back into the ring, hit the Stunner, then eliminated Christian again!

Christian's bad luck continued during the month of January, as he became well-known for throwing whining fits in the ring when things didn't go his way. On the last Smackdown of January '02, Christian put his title on the line against Diamond Dallas Page. Christian nearly won with a series of close pinfalls, but he still broke down in frustration, slapping the mat. Christian then went for the Unprettier, but the time allowed DDP to come back with the Diamond Cutter, winning away Christian's European Title. Needless to say, Christian threw an even bigger fit after the match. Page later seemed to take Christian under his wing, trying to help Christian deal with his temper. At one point, he had Christian smiling like Page, which was almost a scary sight.

At No Way Out '02, Christian teamed up with Lance Storm in a "Tag-Team Turmoil #1 Contendership" Match. Their team started first against Scotty Too Hotty & Albert. After a short brawl, Christian scored the Unprettier on Scotty to eliminate their team. The next team, though, was the Hardy Boyz, who took out Storm with their combination Twist of Fate/Swanton Bomb to end Christian's title shot hopes. Christian teamed with Diamond Dallas Page for a few more weeks, but Christian finally turned on DDP, stating that he was ready to stop the tantrums and to get his European Title back. At Wrestlemania X-8, Christian and DDP went at it, with a more focused Christian wrestling in the match. Near the end, Christian nearly won it with the Unprettier, but DDP surprisingly kicked out. Christian threatened to lose it, but held it in, going back after Page. But DDP came back to hit the Diamond Cutter, winning the match. Afterwards, DDP congratulated Christian on not losing his temper. Of course, Christian immediately lost it, smacking the mat with his arms and legs.

The night wasn't over, though, for Christian. Throughout the night, the Hardcore Title had changed hands many times, with Mighty Molly betraying the Hurricane to get the belt. As Molly tried to escape the arena with the belt, Christian came out of nowhere to slam her in the face with a door. Christian then pinned Mighty Molly to become the Hardcore Champion! Christian later was shown celebrating his victory. He went to get into his limo, only to be grabbed from behind and rolled up by the former Hardcore Champion, Maven! Before Christian could figure out what had happened, Maven took the title and dived into the limo, driving away and leaving Christian to throw yet another fit at his bad luck. This made Christian, like so many others, a one-day WWF Hardcore Champion.

WWF Smackdown

After Wrestlemania X-8, a draft took place, splitting the wrestlers between Raw and Smackdown. Christian was one of those chosen to compete for WWF Smackdown, along with his partner, Lance Storm. Christian spent the next few months feuding with different individuals, including a short program with Maven. Christian also teamed frequently with Storm, with the two talking about how, as Canadians, they were better than US wrestlers. The two were joined with Test, another Canadian, and became known as the UnAmericans. This led them into a feud with the "Real American", Hulk Hogan, who held the tag-team titles with Christian's brother, Edge.

A match was set up at Vengeance '02 between Hogan & Edge and Christian & Storm, with the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment, after WWF lost their name in a lawsuit) Tag-Team Titles on the line. Christian fought his brother hard at one point, with the two showcasing their well-known talents. Christian & Storm also did well against the legendary Hulkster, double-teaming him to come close to winning, until Edge got the hot tag. But when Edge accidentally took out the referee, Test was able to get involved, attacking the Hulkster. Test, though, was taken away from the action by Rikishi. Edge then looked to take out Storm and get the victory, but Chris Jericho surprisingly came to the ring and knocked out Edge with his title belt! The ref came to just in time to count to 3, giving the UnAmericans the WWE World Tag-Team Titles.

WWE Raw

Christian & Storm continued to defend the Tag-Team straps for the next few months, usually with the help of the other members of the UnAmericans involved in the outcome of the matches. They also jumped as a group, appearing with Eric Bischoff on the final July '02 Raw, having left Stephanie McMahon's Smackdown behind. Christian & Storm defeated Billy Kidman & Rey Mysterio Jr at Global Warming, getting some momentum going for their match-up with BookDust (Booker T & Goldust) at Summerslam '02. During this time, the UnAmericans became even more hated, as they brought an upside-down American flag to the ring. They also tried more than once to burn the flag, only to be stopped by the face wrestlers. At Summerslam, BookDust started off strong, but Christian & Storm were able to come back, successfully keeping Goldust on the defensive for a long while. But when Christian & Storm missed a ConChairTo attempt, Goldust made the hot tag to Booker T, who took on both men. During the melee, the referee was knocked out by Storm. This allowed Test to nail Booker T with the big boot, allowing Christian & Storm to get the cover and survive with their belts.

The brawls continued between the UnAmericans and BookDust, and eventually brought in other faces to even the odds, as Bubba Ray Dudley & Kane joined the fray. The UnAmericans were able to counter, though, by bringing Sir William Regal, well-known for his British ties, into the UnAmericans. The eight wrestlers came to the ring to face off at Unforgiven '02, with the crowd fully behind the face wrestlers. Chants of "USA" came throughout the match, which eventually turned into an eight-man brawl. During the confusion of the fighting, Storm was unfortunately paired off with the monster, Kane, who easily lifted Storm up for the Chokeslam and got the pin, winning the match. On the very next night on Raw, Christian & Storm went for some revenge on Kane, with a tag-team title match being signed. Kane had a surprise partner, though, in Hurricane Helms, and the two men surprisingly dethroned the champions, taking the belts away from Christian & Storm. Only a week later, friction broke up the UnAmericans, sending each wrestler on his own path.

Going into October '02, Christian starting teaming up with Chris Jericho, forming the Chris Connection (as it became informally known as). The two competed in a "TLC" Match against several other teams, with Kane winning on his own, due to the Hurricane's injury. Christian & Jericho didn't give up, though, facing Kane & the Hurricane in a title match the next week. Despite Jericho being attacked by Booker T before the match started (due to their feud), the Chris Connection fought hard, with several weapons coming into play despite the normal rules of a match. This included the title belts, the steel steps, and more. In the end, Jericho blocked a Hurricane Chokeslam and went for the Walls of Jericho, only to have the Hurricane roll him up. However, Jericho reversed the roll-up, then grabbed the ropes, cheating to get the pinfall victory. Christian became the nine-time WWE Tag-Team Champion, with his third tag-team partner. (The belts, by now, were known as the Raw Tag-Team Titles, as Smackdown was having their own tournament to crown champions.)

The Chris Connection had their first title defense at No Mercy '02, where they squared off against Christian's old nemeses, BookDust. After a great series of moves (and some cheap shots), Jericho got the victory for his team by hitting a Moonsault on Goldust. Over the weeks following the PPV, Christian & Jericho fought several teams, always making it out with the belts. Some problems started up between the two partners, though, in November, as Christian started to talk about how he wanted to enter the "Elimination Chamber" Match at Survivor Series '02, which Jericho was already in. The disagreement led to blows, but the two men eventually patched things up, so that they could continue to reign as the tag-team champs.

Near the end of November '02, Christian & Jericho were booked to defend their Raw Tag-Team Titles against the powerhouse team of the Dudley Boyz. Twice in the match, Christian & Jericho lost the match, only to have it restarted by the Chief of Staff, Sean Morely (better known as Val Venis). This allowed the Chris Connection to pull out the win, keeping the belts. The Dudley Boyz had the last laugh, though, as they stole the champions' bags and clothes while the duo was in the shower, then coming to the ring and giving away their possessions to the crowd. When Christian & Jericho came out to the ring, wearing only towels, to try and reclaim their luggage, Spike Dudley appeared behind them and pulled off the towels, 'exposing' the two men.

At Armageddon '02, the Chris Connection was placed into a tight spot, as they defended their Raw Tag-Team Titles against three other teams: the Dudley Boyz, BookDust, and Lance Storm & William Regal, Christian's former UnAmerican buddies. The battle was fierce between all 8 men, as all realized that they had to eliminate every other team to get the tag-team gold around their waists. The first elimination, shockingly, was the Dudley Boyz, as Bubba Ray was taken out by Regal. However, that was the big moment of the match for Regal & Storm, as Goldust managed to pin Storm. This left the two old foes going at it, and things didn't work out for Christian & Jericho. Despite trying a few tricks, Jericho was knocked out by Booker T, who made the cover to take away the Raw Tag-Team Titles. For the rest of the year, the Chris Connection feuded with BookDust to try and regain the belts, with no success.

2003

Christian & Chris Jericho stayed a strong team going into the new year, although there were a few more problems between them at the '03 Royal Rumble. With both Christian & Jericho in the ring at the same time, the two men teamed up to eliminate Tommy Dreamer. This was all Christian was able to do, however, as he was later eliminated... by Jericho. Still, the two friends stayed together, and when Jericho accidentally knocked out Stacy Keibler during a match with Test, Christian was there to support his partner, telling Jericho that it was Stacy's fault for being at ringside. Jericho disagreed, though, saying that it was Test's fault for ducking the chair swing. Christian then helped out his partner with his feuds with Test, Shawn Michaels, and other wrestlers, as the months went on. But Christian himself didn't get in much action, as he didn't even wrestle a match at Wrestlemania X-9.

In April '03, Christian started up a friendship with the Rock, talking about how much he admired the wrestler. Christian then tried to help the Rock out with his current foe, Bill Goldberg, attacking Goldberg on several shows. This usually ended up with Christian taking a Spear or a Jackhammer Suplex for his troubles. In May '03, one of the co-General Managers, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, 'rewarded' Christian for his efforts against Goldberg, setting up a Steel Cage Match between the two wrestlers. Inside the cage, Christian seemed completely overmatched by the more powerful Goldberg, although a steel chair did help even things up for a while. But in the end, Goldberg was too strong, cutting Christian open, then Spearing and Jackhammering the bloodied wrestler.

Less than a week later, Christian was involved in the "Intercontinental Title Battle Royal" at Judgment Day '03. All competitors in the match were former IC Title holders, with the winner getting the revived belt. The line-up included Christian, Chris Jericho, Booker T, Goldust, Kane, Rob Van Dam, Lance Storm, Val Venis, & Test. Christian's condition was unsure at the beginning of the match, as he had taken such a beating from Goldberg. But Christian persevered in the match, watching as many of the other competitors were eliminated. It came down to Christian, Jericho, Booker T, & Goldust in the final four, with the two teams working together at first. Goldust scored two Curtain Calls on Christian & Jericho, then surprisingly tried to throw out his partner, only to see Booker T reverse it and toss Goldust instead. This left Booker T at the mercy of the tag-team partners, but when Jericho went for a Lionsault on the downed Booker T, Christian shoved him over the top rope instead, getting a little revenge for the Royal Rumble. Later on, with the ref down, Booker T eliminated Christian. But as Pat Patterson came in to award the title to Booker T, Christian reentered the ring, flattened Patterson, then ko'ed Booker T with the belt. The referee then came around, to see Christian toss Booker T out of the ring. This gave Christian the controversial win, as well as the Intercontinental Title.

Christian feuded with Booker T over the IC strap going into the summer of 2003. They faced off at the UK pay-per-view, Insurrextion '03, with Christian being dominated by Booker T. But the champ had a trick or two left up his sleeve, turning over a roll-up pin attempt and grabbing the ropes to win. The two men again met at Bad Blood '03, in front of Booker T's hometown fans, and again Booker T seemed to have all the momentum, despite Christian trying many dirty tricks. Christian did nearly get the win with a Rock Bottom, showing that he was still friends with the Rock. But Booker T came back strong, getting a Missile Dropkick followed by his Spinaroonie. Christian quickly left the ring, though, and appeared to be trying to leave. However, the referee said he would not count-out Christian, and that he had to come back. When he finally returned, Booker T chased him around the ring, but when they reentered, Christian hit Booker T with the belt, causing the disqualification to keep the gold around his waist.

Booker T didn't give up trying to get the title from Christian, but things got even more painful for the challenger soon enough. On a Raw show, it appeared that Booker T defeated Christian with a back-cradle pin. But co-General Manager Eric Bischoff came out and said that there was no way Booker T would win the belt when both men's shoulders were on the mat, and ruled the match a draw. This saved Christian's title again, keeping him the champ. However, on the very next Raw, the other co-GM, Steve Austin, came out to the ring and said that he was in charge, since Bischoff wasn't there that evening. He then said that Christian would have to defend against Booker T again that night. Christian tried to get out of it, saying that the ref might as well count him out, but Austin said that that the title would change hands on countouts or DQs. Austin then grabbed Christian and tossed him into the ring, where Booker T was waiting. During the match, Booker T pinned Christian while Christian's feet were in the ropes, and the referee later restarted the match. But, even with a second chance, Christian couldn't win without dirty tactics, and Booker T won away the IC Title with the Axe Kick.

Injuries started to take their toll on Booker T, though, even as he finally got the Intercontinental Title. Christian took full advantage of it, as, during an untelevised house show match, Christian pinned Booker T to win the title back! Christian announced his victory on the next Raw, and defended the belt against Spike Dudley, easily winning over the cruiserweight. However, Christian still had some problems with Steve Austin, who wanted Christian to defend the belt every week. Christian got through close matches with Rob Van Dam and Jerry "The King" Lawler, but then, when both Christian and Jericho complained about how Austin was treating them, Austin responded by setting up an Intercontinental Title match between the two friends. The partners battled fairly at first, but then both went to dirty tactics, with Christian actually trying to knock out Jericho with the belt. Jericho later rolled up Christian and used the ropes, but the referee saw it, allowing Christian to reverse the pin and get the victory, barely keeping his belt.

A week later, Christian again protested his treatment from Steve Austin, but also mentioned that he should get his own talk show like Jericho's highlight reel, since he had gotten the win over Jericho. An angry Jericho then came out and decked Christian, before conversing with Austin (this eventually ended in a Stone Cold Stunner). Austin set up a #1 Contenders Match for the IC Title the next Raw, between Jericho and Rob Van Dam. But Christian intervened in the match, causing the Double Disqualification. This annoyed Austin, who wanted a clean decision. But Austin decided to take the Double DQ as showing both men worthy, and he placed Christian's title on the line at the pay-per-view in a Triple Threat Match.

On Sunday Night Heat before the PPV, Christian & Jericho vowed that they would eliminate RVD first, then concentrate on each other. At Unforgiven '03, the tag-team partners stuck to their word at first, double-teaming Van Dam. RVD was able to get in some shots himself, including a great Double DDT, but he was basically fighting a handicap match. Van Dam did take out Christian at one point, diving over the top rope to knock Christian down for a while. Jericho later took control of RVD, putting him in the Walls of Jericho. Before Van Dam could tap, however, Christian came back in and kicked Jericho in the face, ending the partnership and making the match a true Triple Threat. Christian and Jericho then exchanged a bunch of maneuvers, with Van Dam sneaking in after a superplex to nearly steal the victory. Van Dam got a great shot in later, getting his 5-Star Frog Splash on both of his opponents. In the end, Christian tried to use the IC Title as a weapon, only to be caught by RVD and thrown into Jericho. Van Dam then went for another Frog Splash, but Christian put the title up, and RVD hit it on the way down. Christian then pinned RVD for the victory, barely managing to retain the title.

Christian matched up with Van Dam again on the next Raw, with Christian, as usual, finding the cheap way out, as he hit RVD with the belt to be DQ'ed. This again backfired on Christian, though, as Austin set up for Christian to defend against RVD a week later, this time in a "Ladder" Match! The two men flew all over the ring, using the ladder as a weapon in every sense of the word. But in the end, Christian couldn't make it out of the ring with his gold, as RVD climbed the ladder and got the