Hey everyone, I'm Ofek and today I am going to talk about one of the most underrated wrestlers I have ever seen, The Captain Charisma, Christian Cage!
Why I think Christian Cage was Underrated?.
1st off, he was so talented, WWE could do a lot with his character and they blew it up not once.. yeah they gave him a World Heavyweight title run and Tag Titles but they could do a lot with that. Yeah they used him as a Tag wrestler very well, as him and Edge were one of the best tag teams in history, but he was in Edge's shadow, not Edge's fault but still. He was sometimes in the shadows of Edge.. also, when he had his 1st World heavyweight title reign, he lost it after less than 3 weeks, and he lost it to Randy Orton, yeah WWE after that made a great storyline with Christian's Heel turn but.. they shouldv'e make Christian's reign even longer, but the WWE also blew it in 2005 with Christian, when John Cena had his amazing title reign, Christian was in his Peak! WWE Could give Christian and Cena a great feud, they didn't gave Christian a lot of chance on the WWE title back there. So Christian left to TNA and was a major star back there and rightfully so. Another reason why Christian is so underrated in my opinion is because of his push, he could be a legit Main Eventer in 2003-4 , even though he was an outstanding IC champ in that time, WWE Could do a lot with him, and they didn't used their huge opportunity to make him a huge Draw. That's why I think Christian Cage was Underrated in the WWE.
Are E&C Aka Edge And Christian the best Tag Team in WWE History?
Well.. that's actually an open question usually, in my opinion E&C are the best tag team in WWE History, by far.. they revolutionized the division in 00' – 01' along with the Hardyz and Dudleyz , those 3 teams gave life to the WWE's Tag team division back there. They wrestled in the 1st ever 3 Way Tag Team Ladders Match in WWE! At WrestleMania 16. Stole the show out there…and 6 months later, SummerSlam 2000, 1st Ever TLC Match. An instant classic, they literally killed each other in a huge match, and than WrestleMania 17, TLC II , Match of the Show, they topped Austin Vs. Rock which was the Main Event of the show, that was CRAZY Match. And than they just went on and on until, in the INVASION Era, Christian Turned on Edge, which was SHOCKING, E&C broke up in mid-late 2001 and they reunited for some matches in 2005 but that was basically the end of E&C . well in their time as a tag team, I think that they are way…WAY better than most of the tag teams today in WWE. They had the right booking, the right matches, and the great chemistry, which's a MAJOR key in order to be a tag team. Where I place E&C in the Tag Team History? All time.. I don't know, but in the WWE, I place them 1st.
Now Before I give you Cage's best matches in his 1st run in the WWE, I want to talk about that 1st run,
So.. it started in 1998, him and Edge came to the WWE in the same year, and than after few months they were a part of the brood alongside Gangrel , a very good trio, than after few months, E&C was born, one of the most iconic tag teams in history, along with the hardyz and the Dudleyz they gave life to the Tag Team Division which I actually thought was "Dead" before they made that change, and yeah, they had one of my favorites feuds in history, than on July of 2001. Christian turned on Edge, that was so shocking, but so good at the same time, Christian was a single wrestler until he teamed up with Lance Storm as a part of the Un-Americans in 2002, in 2003 Christian formed another tag team, this time with "Y2J" Chris Jericho, they were so good together, in 2004 they split and went on in a feud, that feud was my favorite Christian feuds ever to be honest, and than the final year before leaving WWE for the 1st time… that was when WWE needed to turn the volume on Cage's career and to give him that fucking push, but they didn't..they blew it, and missed a huge chance, Christian was unsettled in the WWE at that time, so in late 2005, he left WWE for TNA.. that's where he started to grow his legend more…
Christian's Best Matches as a Singles Wrestler and as a Tag Team Wrestler
Tag Team:
1. TLC II , E&C Vs. Hardy Boyz Vs. Dudley Buyz, WrestleMania 17
When you talk about an instant classic you talk about this mega electric match, when you have 3 of the best tag teams in history against one another, it can lead to a lot of success and they did it on WM17 in a highly rated match, I personally gave it a 5 star rating. That was incredible match. The spots were so Fuckin' insane, the swanton bomb by Jeff… the spear from the 20 ft. ladder… holy fuck! And the booking was so even, nobody got buried. That's a key for greatness when nobody gets buried.
I Give this match: 100 outta 100
2. Triangle Ladders Match: E&C Vs. Hardy Boyz Vs. Dudley Boyz, WrestleMania 16
Holy fuck! Another instant classic! Those 3 teams tore the roof out the arena out there in Cali, that was huge match, they went all out. They gave it all out there in a CRAZY showdown, it was fantastic.
I Give this Match: 93 out of 100.
3. E&C Vs. Hardy boyz, Unforgiven 2000, Steel Cage match.
That match was very cool, it had some crazy stuff, the story went on from SummerSlam 2000 and that was so great to see that feud going, they took it to the extreme and went at it very well, the match was superb I couldn't take my eyes off it. The ending was so crazy with Lita getting involved. I loved it,
I give this match: 90 out of 100.
Singles: ( not in order) from 1998 to 2005 (before leaving WWE 1st time)
1.Christian Vs. Taka Michinoku, Judgment day 98'
That was very good start to christian's career. A match for the Lightweight title, and him and taka gave a hell of a match. I give this match: 76 out of 100
2.EDGE Vs. Christian, No Mercy 2001, Ladder Match
after Christian turned on his brother. They went on a short feud for few months, that led into a Ladders match between them, an instant classic! A highly suggested match, I gave this match: 83 out of 100
3.Christian Vs, RVD, Raw 29/9/03
That was a very technical match, I watched it today again and yeah, one of my favorite RAW matches, I give this match: 82 out of 100
4.Chris Jericho Vs. Christian, RAW 15/5/04, Cage Match
An incredible feud, Christian and Jericho was the best thing going on at that time I think it was the time when WWE shouldv'e give them a world title feud also..
That cage match was incredible, I give this match: 80 out of 100
In late 2005, Christian Cage left WWE and joined Total Nonstop Action (TNA), he quickly became the face of the company, after defeating Jeff Jarrett For the NWA Heavyweight title, Christian had an outstanding time in TNA, he looked so happy out there, he left TNA in 2009 in order to join WWE, Now let's see what matches of Christian Cage in TNA are on my list.
1.TNA Against All Odds 2006, Christian Cage Vs. Jeff Jarrett, NWA Heavyweight Championship.
A good way to push the captain charisma and to start his reign as TNA's premier face of the company. A match full of twists as "Double J" was a full heel, who did whatever he could to keep the title around his waist, but at the end, an incredible finish led to Christian's 1st world title victory. I give this match: 79 out of 100
2.Christian Vs. Abyss, TNA Lockdown 2006
I remember this match so well, as a kid who started watching TNA at that time, that particular match is one match that I always going to remember because it was 1st the first PPV I saw in TNA, and that was iconic, I loved this match, the build up was very good, I loved how they built Abyss's momentum to this match. Him and Cage literally stole the fucking show, I give this match: 85 out of 100
3.Christian Cage Vs. Samoa Joe, Destination X 2007.
This match…the excitement..the build up, that was very good match, and the chemistry they had, that was iconic match, I actually think it was one of the best singles matches in TNA history.. I give this match: 87 out of 100
4.Christian Cage Vs. Samoa Joe, Bound For Glory 2007
Another match between Cage and Joe, this time on TNA's Grandest stage of them all, BOUND FOR GLORY! It was a very good match, I don't think it was as good as the previous one but it was very close, I loved it when this 2 went head to head, I give this match: 84 out of 100.
5.Christian Cage Vs. KAZ, Genesis 2007
Oh man, I've been waited to talk about that match, that was very nice match, that actually was when i realized how much talent Kazarian has, and yeah, he's got tone of talent, since that match, he kept evolving and continued his path very greatly, if there's any match I would love to see once again is this one, Christian Vs. KAZ. I Give this match: 86 out of 100
In 2009,The Captain Charisma returned to WWE, he joined the "Dying" ECW Brand, which was his place until ECW Died in 2010, after ECW Died, Christian joined Smackdown! ,
Christian's best matches in his 2nd tenure in WWE
1.Christian Vs. Tyson Kidd, ECW 2/6/09
That was a very good match, possibly the best singles match in Tyson Kidd's Career, it was good to watch the 2 of them fight, I give this match:79 out of 100
2..Christian Vs. Yoshi Tatsu, ECW, 27/10/09
Another very good TV match from ECW's last months, as Cage fought the talented Japanese wrestler Yoshi Tatsu, it was a fast paced match, I very liked that. I give this match: 76 out of 100
3.Christian Vs. Shelton Benjamin, TLC 2009
The last time Christian made a huge mark on ECW brand was in that match, and yeah that was a very huge mark, as Cage defeated Benjamin in a Ladder's match for the ECW title, that was an incredible match between two of the most underrated wrestlers in history, I give this match: 87 out of 100
After ECW's death in 2010, Christian moved to Smackdown! But his mark started in 2011, after his best friend, Edge's retirement, Christian got his 1st ever World Heavyweight title run in WWE, so let's talk about this incredible run he had.
1.Christian Cage Vs. Alberto Del Rio, EXTREME Rules 2011
A Ladders match for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight title, that match was spectacular, I loved that match, a very good show by both of Del Rio and Cage, the finish was extraordinaire and very emotional. ( but sadly that reign was so short that Cage lost to Randy Orton after few days..) I give this match: 85 out of 100
As I mentioned, Christian Cage's title reign wasn't a long title reign and he lost the championship to Randy Orton, that changed it all for Christian Cage, he turned heel and the feud he had with Orton was very good, Cage by the way won the World title again, on Money in The Bank 2011 in Chicago, and lost at SummerSlam. I liked 2 matches especially from this feud, so here are the Two matches.
1st: Randy Orton Vs. Christian Cage, Over The Limit 2011, that was a very good match, Cage made that match look very good, and personally it was very sad to me to see that he lost, I give this match: 84 out of 100
2nd: Randy Orton Vs. Christian: Summerslam 2011.
That match 1st off was the final match of their feud, and it was also on my birthday at that year.. anyway this match was a very good finale for this very godo feud, that was fun, I give this match: 82 out of 100.
Months After this feud, Christian was in his final years in the WWE, he won the IC title again, he held that title for a short time, and he gave few more good matches, but that was the end of his career, and when he retired, it was so shocking for me personally, it was a very emotional thing for me as a fan, who grew up watching Cage from his TNA days. I always feel good hearing him and Edge on the E&C Podcast.
Before I finish, here are few Dream matches I wanted to see but I won't see and overall thoughts about Christian Cage's career
1st: E&C Vs. Young bucks, two of my favorite tag teams ever, we saw how great the Young Bucks and the Hardyz were on the same ring and yeah it was awesome, now what if E&C And Young Bucks could wrestle each other at E&C's Prime days?..well.. I'm sure they will get into 5 stars.
2nd: Christian Vs. Owen Hart, two of my favorite Canadian wrestlers ever to be honest, and both of them in my view are "What Ifs" Owen's What if is what if he wasn't dead, what was his future titles and future career, and Christian's What if is .. What If the WWE booked him to be a world champ early on 2005 when he was in his career's best days, both of Cage and Owen are also Technical wrestlers, so it can be very good to see them collide.
My overall thoughts about Christian, he had an incredible Career, and he could go to be more successful if it was with the right booking, but overall, he had a fantastic career, the Tag team days, you could see the chemistry he had with Edge,Chris Jericho, Lance Storm and his singles career was very great, the feuds with Chris Jericho in 2004 and with Samoa Joe and Kurt Angle on TNA, The comeback to WWE in 2009 which got me some goosebumps to talk about it, it was a special moment for me as a longtime Peep, I remember when Christian won the World Title on Extreme Rules 2011, I Actually Cried, it was so emotional, It was a very great torch passing by Edge to Christian, If I could do one thing to make Cage's career better is to give him that title reign in 2005 too, 2005 was Christian's Year to do that rise, WWE blew it as I said.. but I am so glad that they got Christian back and gave him at least that World title that he rightfully deserve.
Thank You all for reading. I hope you enjoyed, P.S, if you have any tips to me as a blogger, send me a massage/ mail…anything, I will very appreciate it, and if you want to give me idea on what subject to write about, I'm here.
Thank You!
