Shoot or Sell #2: Could Christian Main Event WrestleMania 21?

[Mr. Nerfect]

Keep in mind one thing during this topic, JBL is WWE Champion. It may see irrelevant, but just remember the WWE has been fairly big on both Christian and JBL in their careers, and when JBL rises to the top in a few months, only to become one of the most entertaining personalities on that show, I really don't think someone can say without a shadow of a doubt that it could never happen for Christian, who has been winning titles his entire career, and even started off with a title win.

Just before I start, I'd like to let it be known that although I like the guy, I am not his biggest fan. I see all these Christian marks all over the net, and while I have similiar beliefs about Christian Cage, "The Canadian Rage", my feelings about him are not as strong.

Anyway, it has been quite a while since we've seen a heel winner of the Royal Rumble, and I think this COULD be the year. It probably won't be, but I think the WWE even knows how predictable their Rumble has become. Here is my scenario to what potential could be a great WrestleMania 21 main event.

Next week on RAW, Eric Bischoff books a tag team match. We are sorrowed to learn that it looks like it will be Triple H & Batista vs. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho again. Eric Bischoff then says there has been a misunderstanding, and the match will be Triple H & Chris Jericho vs. Batista & Chris Benoit with the winning team being the last two to officially enter the match, while the losing two will be the wrestlers to star off the match. Benoit then starts ferociously chopping Jericho.

Batista then beats up both Jericho and Benoit, as Triple H then joins in. But it is Batista who pins Jericho, which pisses off Triple H. Batista then explains that Triple H cna survive this match right fromt he start, but with Batista the biggest guy in the match in their last and fresh to back him up, there is no way Triple H is going to lose the Elimination Chamber. We then see more Triple H abusing Batista's gameplay strategies leading up to New Year's Revolution. Eventually Batista says fine, and tells Triple H he's going to pull out of the match, and not The Game can run the gauntlet without anyone backing him up. Eric Bischoff then says he has found a good replacement.

Enter Shawn Michaels. The order of elimination looks something like this: Benoit by Shawn Michaels, Orton by Triple H, Triple H by Chris Jericho, Jericho by Edge. This leaves it down to Edge vs. HBK. The two have themselves an intense confrontation, which is eventually won by Shawn Michaels. HBK heads into WrestleMania with the World Heavyweight Championship around his waist again, and only the second man to ever hold the World Title multiple times since its reincarnation on RAW.

Now we get to the Royal Rumble. #30 remains a surprise, but in the Rumble we see Tyson Tomko act dominant, and eliminates a lot of people. Maybe even have him shatter Kane's record from 2001? The fianl four in the match are Tyson Tomko, The Undertaker, Batista and the #30 entrant...CHRISTIAN! People in attendence may think Christian could come second, most people think it will go to Batista or Taker, but when Tyson Tomko eliminates the Dead Man and Batista (in that order) we see a really weird predicament. Jobber bodyguard who has done exceptionally well, and his "master" who hasn't come close to Heavyweight gold, despite being talented and a three-time IC Champion. Tomko presents himself for a handshake. Christian reluctantly agrees (Christian is shitting himself at this point in time). We then see Tyson Tomko back off and flip over the top rope out of the ring. Christian is the winner of the 2005 Royal Rumble. Shawn Michaels comes out to investigate as we can assume Christian vs. Shawn Michaels for the World Heavyweight Championship will headline WrestleMania.

This Rumble win rivals Shawn Michaels' wins is several different ways. Christian is the first-ever man to win the Rumble from his position, even if it is the polar opposite to Shawn Michaels' position. Christian's bodyguard is runner-up, like Diesel was in 1996. And this match at Mania could really get us interested. Christian did the clean job to Shawn Michaels a while back on RAW, so in the fans' eyes, he isn't good enough to hold a candle to HBK. In our eyes we can smell a Christian title win, but we don't believe it. Who would?

At Mania we see a great match between the two (as can be expected), and the high quality of the two's performance really overshadows that this match happened on RAW a few months back. With a little help from Tyson Tomko, Christian takes the win with The Unprettier. We go off the air with Christian as our World Heavyweight Champion. JR talks about how he never saw it coming, as neither did Shawn Michaels, but Christian deserves it just as much as the next man.

On RAW we see Christian come out and cut a promo directed at HBK. When Shawn Michaels left The Rockers, everyone thought he would fail. Everyone told him he was too small. Everyone told him he wasn't popular enough. Everyone told him he didn't have the talent. Christian then tells Michaels that every achievement Shawn Michaels has achieved in the WWE, in his wrestling career, have been matched and surpassed by Christian. Out comes HBK, and congradulates Christian. Michaels tells Christian that he has done everything HBK has done, in a shorter amount of time. HBK tells Christian that when he started off in this business, when he really took off, only he knew he had the talent, the heart, the desire, the need. HBK tells Christian that in all the time in wrestling, before he rose to the top, HBK knew he would be huge. Shawn Michaels says although he is not Christian, he knows the same things hover about Christian. A sign of respect is actually returned by Christian!

We now have our beloved Christian on top of the mountain, as an arrogant tweener-style entertainment machine. Will this happen? Probably not, with Christian's best chance being that he was swapped at birth with a Canadian boy, who was raised as Vince's own son, and this finally being realised by the McMahon family. But being that that's not likely, all Christian has is his talent, loyalty and entertainment factor, which are all well and good, but they probably won't kick in for another year or two as career steerers for Christian.

What good comes out of Christian being World Heavyweight Champion? I think a potential planet-load. Christian has the ability to draw, IMO. It may not be seen now, but Christian as World Heavyweight Champion could really catch on, in my belief. Will it? Who knows if it will ever get the chance? Having Christian as World Champion does open the doors for loads of potential feuds, the most impressive ones being with Triple H, Jericho, Benoit, Flair, Batista, Orton and most noteably Edge.

How would you feel that after years of busting your ass, bringing your brother into your wrestling promotion, being his partner, winning singles titles and tournaments, winning tag titles, being in barabric yet classic matches, and finally being betrayed by that brother you brought in, after all that, how would you feel to see that little brother become World Heavyweight Champion, before you've won the title? You've made your intentions clear, you've made your actions clear. And this little brother wins two matches and he's World Champion, after you've been busting your ass week after week. An Edge vs. Christian feud along these lines could really, REALLY work well if given the dedication and time.

I wouldn't mind seeing Edge & Christian not turn this into a one-track thing either. Have them wrestle tag matches together to try and prove who the better tag wrestler was. Have Edge & Christian team up together to help each other when Triple H and Evolution attacks. Simply have it built-up that these two have something to prove to each other, and each man needs that gold to sleep with the pain they have caused themselves over the last few years.

Remember, right now JBL is WWE Champion. John Bradshaw Layfield. Bradshaw. Blackjack Bradshaw. Justin Hawk. He is a beacon to me, saying that anyone can reach this goal if they are entertaining and put all their effort into one ball of yarn. It all pays off in the end, and I believe Christian's done everything JBL has in this business, and I think he has just as much of a following backstage as JBL has (from management). They probably won't give him the title, but it's nice to think about.

[Nervous Ferret]

sorry, but that's wayyyy to long for me.

[Savio]

no

[John la Rock]

Christian is not ready........YET. maybe 2006

[Joe Kerr]

Christian is entertaining but no...he could not. He's not high enough on the totem pole yet to even be a #1 contender...

[Heyman]

The chances of Christian main-eventing WM-21, is about the same as the Toronto Blue Jays winning the world series next year (due to Joe Carter un-retiring, re-joining the Jays, and hitting a World Series winning home run again ).

[RGWhat316]

I'm sorry, but I just don't really see most of this happening. I agree that HBK v Christian would be a great main event, but I just don't see Christian ever holding the World Title. Edge would definitely get it before Christian does. I'm not even saying this because I'm not a Christian fan, personally I just think he's a CLB, but I think he could get a title shot, but not the title itself.

I'm also not too sure about Tomko being that dominant in the Royal Rumble. Shattering Kane's record in '01 is pretty farfetched.

[Mr. Nerfect]

While he is low on the totem pole, the idea of this roster split is to make new stars. To use what you have to make up for the loses they've suffered over the last few years. Christian is one of those wrestlers who is getting lost when he shouldn't be. He's been around since the rise of Stone Cold Steve Austin to his peak of popularity.

Christian can get over, wrestle and isn't new. People like him, Val Venis, Edge & Steven Richards should be the ones rising above the new talent (who take their roles), not the other way round. That's just my opinion, and although I love Gene Snitsky's charatcer, I'd much rather see himin the IC division as its lead champion than being slightly above it while Christian is slight below it.

[Loose Cannon]

Batista/HHH. I'll take that over everything.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon Batista/HHH. I'll take that over everything.

As would I.

But would that need the title? Christian vs. Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton vs. The Rock, Mick Foley vs. Ric Flair, Muhammad Hassan vs. Hulk Hogan, Batista vs. Triple H, Shelton Benjamin vs. Maven, etc.

That's almost a WrestleMania by itself.

I would rather see Triple H vs. Batista for the title, but realistcally, I can't see the WWE bailig on their Triple H/Randy Orton belief.

BTW, who would mark out if Jericho beat Triple H at New Year's Revoultion (with Chris Jericho winning the title). Then the next night Evoultion's in the ring and Batista says at the Royal Rumble Triple H will get the title back (which he does), and then Batista goes "I still think you should have beaten Jericho." or something like that taking us back to the line Triple H sais on RAW a while back.

[Goulet]

Originally Posted by Alienoid06 Muhammad Hassan vs. Hulk Hogan

What the hell are you thinking?

[Gouda]

No. I'll admit I'm the biggest Christian fan in existence but just.... No. Wrestlemania 21 is way too close. First you have to build Christian up a bit. I'm still dreaming of my angle where he gets a Orton length IC title run and push. Then on the day where he would beat Orton's record he faces Orton title vs. title (Orton being heavyweight champ by this time). That's how I'd do it anyways. Wouldn't matter if he won or lost that match, it would just bring him to the main event level.

And what IS it with you and wanting to have Tomko eliminate a crapload of people in the Royal Rumble? That was in your other thread too.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Gouda No. I'll admit I'm the biggest Christian fan in existence but just.... No. Wrestlemania 21 is way too close. First you have to build Christian up a bit. I'm still dreaming of my angle where he gets a Orton length IC title run and push. Then on the day where he would beat Orton's record he faces Orton title vs. title (Orton being heavyweight champ by this time). That's how I'd do it anyways. Wouldn't matter if he won or lost that match, it would just bring him to the main event level. And what IS it with you and wanting to have Tomko eliminate a crapload of people in the Royal Rumble? That was in your other thread too.

I actually had the Tomko idea for this one, but I used it in the other one, too. Tyson Tomko is more decent than everyone gives ihm credit for, and I hope that we'll one day see the Disciples of Synn teaming in the WWE.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Mr.RobertGoulet What the hell are you thinking?

That a legend who has more star power than 99% of people on the roster could put over a new talent as a major force in the WWE. What the Hell are you thinking?

[The CyNick]

Christian is still a joke.

Anytime you have a guy forced to wear a rediculous super hero outfit for a match, you know that guy will not be anywhere near the main event of any Wrestlemania in the near future.

I think they need to make Christian a more serious character, he's obviously got the tools, he just needs to be portrayed as a top guy. Problem is, he's a heel, on the wrong show to be a heel.

The best guy to help make a guy seem more serious is to put them in a program with Mick Foley (see the before and after of Rock, Hunter and Orton). The problem is that unless they are serious about pushing Christian, its useless to waste 6 months or so, unless they are serious about him, which they are not.

[Goulet]

Originally Posted by Alienoid06 That a legend who has more star power than 99% of people on the roster could put over a new talent as a major force in the WWE. What the Hell are you thinking?

That Hulk Hogan is 50 years old can barely move and shouldn't be wrestling at all, never mind against somebody we've never even seen wrestle in WWE yet. On a different note, I'd like to see Hogan appear at WM21 just not wrestling

[corey99999]

i actually wouldnt mind to see christian headline. It would be very unpredictable

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Mr.RobertGoulet That Hulk Hogan is 50 years old can barely move and shouldn't be wrestling at all, never mind against somebody we've never even seen wrestle in WWE yet. On a different note, I'd like to see Hogan appear at WM21 just not wrestling

That's true, which is why I would mark out for a squash. Who even needs a match? Just have Muhammad Hassan get annoyed at this "new girl" (Brooke Hogan) singing the nation anthem with such pfalse patriotism, as if America has more rights than any other coutnry in the world. Then enter Hulk Hogan who brothers, insults and threats Hassan down to the ring, steps in and gets his ass kicked by Hassan. Maybe throw in a Finishing Touch right there, and have the lockerroom poor out to help Hogan as we have a symbolic beginning with RAW, a rise of a new era, and the final nail in the coffin of an old one.

Maybe have Brooke Hogan low blow Hassan, which allows Hogan to try hitting Hassan, which backfires when Hassan sulks-up and then hits The Finishing Touch?

[SuperSlim]

they can have anybody main event WrestleMania, techincally, but could Christian main event WrestleMania 21? not yet no.

[Fignuts]

No way. Wrestlemania 22 maybe, as I am one of those Christian marks you mentioned, but it's too close to WM21. I also think he needs to bulk up a bit before he goes for the title. I know size isn't as important as it used to be, but the guy looks small compared to Benoit for god's sake. He needs to pack on some more muscle.

Also no offense but that is one of the worst endings to a rumble I have ever heard. It would work for a battle royale, but not the $30.00 Royal Rumble, where people are expecting a climactic ending. The PPV company would be getting a lot of angry calls if they did that.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Fignuts Also no offense but that is one of the worst endings to a rumble I have ever heard. It would work for a battle royale, but not the $30.00 Royal Rumble, where people are expecting a climactic ending. The PPV company would be getting a lot of angry calls if they did that.

I really disagree with that. Christian winning would be a surprise. It's special enough just having the Rumble, it's hard for it to stay fresh after so many years. I swear if Orton or Cena wins the Rumble, I will be more upset than say Heidenreich winning, and I mean that seriously.

IMO the Rumbles have become predictable beyond belief. 2002, 2003, 2004 and what looks to be 2005 will all be so predictable it isn't funny. If you couldn't see Triple H, Brock Lesnar or Chris Benoit winning you need help. What I wouldn't give to just see a winner that makes us go "WTF?", a heel win, an itneresting ending, or a person who's won it before to win it again. I'm actually hoping Shawn Michaels wins. #30, Batista is runner-up, HBK goes to SmackDown!.

I am too much of a loyal viewer to do this, and I am much too content with WWE programming to do this, but I will be more likely to stop watching WWE forever if Randy Orton or John Cena win the Rumble than I would be if Hardcore Holly, Viscera or The Repo Man won the Rumble this year.

[Danny Electric]

Christian is the greatest. (personal bias)
Seriously he plays the cocky heel really well and is a great talent.

[Innovator]

If Christian is going to be pushed and is gonna remain on RAW, he needs a face turn. Let him show Randy Orton how to be a cocky guy who fans like.

[Fignuts]

Originally Posted by Alienoid06 I really disagree with that. Christian winning would be a surprise. It's special enough just having the Rumble, it's hard for it to stay fresh after so many years. I swear if Orton or Cena wins the Rumble, I will be more upset than say Heidenreich winning, and I mean that seriously. IMO the Rumbles have become predictable beyond belief. 2002, 2003, 2004 and what looks to be 2005 will all be so predictable it isn't funny. If you couldn't see Triple H, Brock Lesnar or Chris Benoit winning you need help. What I wouldn't give to just see a winner that makes us go "WTF?", a heel win, an itneresting ending, or a person who's won it before to win it again. I'm actually hoping Shawn Michaels wins. #30, Batista is runner-up, HBK goes to SmackDown!. I am too much of a loyal viewer to do this, and I am much too content with WWE programming to do this, but I will be more likely to stop watching WWE forever if Randy Orton or John Cena win the Rumble than I would be if Hardcore Holly, Viscera or The Repo Man won the Rumble this year.

I don't mean Christian winning. I mean tomko just leaving, and thats it, end of rumble. Sure it would be unexpected, but in a bad way. I just think that would be very anti-climatic. Cristian should start the rumble early, then eliminate a top face at the end.

[Dave Youell]

I haven't read anything on here, but.

Xtrain could main event, but he wont, ever

[LK]

No I don't think Christian is ready for WM 21 to be in the main event. However I have always said that Captain Charisma vs HBK at WM 21 was the way to go. At the Royal Rumble it can be the last four guys with two being HBK and Christian and two others. HBK eliminates Christian which makes Christian pissed. Christian goes and blames HBK and challenges HBK to a match at WM 21. We all remember the great match Y2J vs HBK at WM 19. I think Christian and HBK could have a match of similar quality.

Jericho was the new HBK
Christian is the new Jericho

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Fignuts I don't mean Christian winning. I mean tomko just leaving, and thats it, end of rumble. Sure it would be unexpected, but in a bad way. I just think that would be very anti-climatic. Cristian should start the rumble early, then eliminate a top face at the end.

That's true, but I really think if they book the rest of the Rumble full of atcion and surprises, and not leave it to the climax, one that builds a weird sort of character like Tomko to be more of a mystery could be forgiven in my eyes.

I like the idea of Christian just hanging through like someone does every year, then for him to win it out of nowhere. Maybe have him leave the match and have the climax so action-packed we forget about Christian completely, then he runs up and eliminates three or four guys at the same time.

[Goulet]

Originally Posted by Alienoid06 That's true, which is why I would mark out for a squash. Who even needs a match? Just have Muhammad Hassan get annoyed at this "new girl" (Brooke Hogan) singing the nation anthem with such pfalse patriotism, as if America has more rights than any other coutnry in the world. Then enter Hulk Hogan who brothers, insults and threats Hassan down to the ring, steps in and gets his ass kicked by Hassan. Maybe throw in a Finishing Touch right there, and have the lockerroom poor out to help Hogan as we have a symbolic beginning with RAW, a rise of a new era, and the final nail in the coffin of an old one. Maybe have Brooke Hogan low blow Hassan, which allows Hogan to try hitting Hassan, which backfires when Hassan sulks-up and then hits The Finishing Touch?

You know that isn't a bad idea, but not at Wrestlemania, on Raw that would work though. And it would certainly get Hassan over

[The One]

...did anyone else notice how he had Shawn Michaels in the Elimination Chamber Match???

Anyway Christian isn't ready to Main Event WrestleMania...and for that matter neither is JBL. He will drop the title before Maina.

Main Eventing WrestleMania is sacred, and minus one Big Show, you need to be one of the company's biggest draws to get the spot. Quite frankly, Christian isn't ready. Now would it be fair to say that in 2006 he could Main Event WrestleMania? Yes, but Christiain needs some big single match wins. His greatest matches are still with Edge...Edge has the same problem too. They need to get some wins over guys like Hunter, Rock or Undertaker...some people who would give them the credibility it takes to be mega stars.