Jason Reso
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William Jason (Jay) Reso (born November 30, 1973 in Kitchener, Ontario), better known by his ring name Christian Cage, is a Canadian professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
He is well known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment known just as "Christian", including his run in the dominant tag team Edge and Christian. Despite being a heel for most of his WWE run, he gained some measure of popularity, especially in his native Canada for his cocky persona and his humorous promos. Although he was considered to be over with the fans, his push to main event status was inexplicably cut short and several months after he was transferred to SmackDown!, his resignation was announced by WWE.com on October 31, 2005.
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Early career
One of Reso's early lasting ring names, Christian Cage, was a spur of the moment combination of the names of the actors, Christian Slater and Nicolas Cage. Trained by Ron Hutchinson, Christian's wrestling career began in June 1993 in a match against Zakk Wylde, a fellow trainee from Sully's Gym in Toronto. One of his first stage names was Canadian Rage. During 1997 he was part of THUG Life , a stable that included Joe Legend, Sexton Hardcastle, Bloody Bill Skullion and Rhino Richards. From very early in his career Reso formed one half of a tag team with his childhood friend Adam Copeland ("Edge"), first called "High Impact", later "The Suicide Blondes", and most recently simply "Edge and Christian". Also allied with Judd the Studd, the duo held titles in numerous wrestling promotions, and he held the East Coast Wrestling Association title before signing with the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) in August 1998.
World Wrestling Entertainment
Edge and Christian
When Reso came to WWF, he shortened his ring name to Christian. He made his televised debut at the September 27 1998 Pay-Per-View entitled Breakdown: In Your House. He had some early singles success, capturing the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship in his debut match. However, his real success came while wrestling in the tag circuit. Christian was given the character of a vampire and formed a stable with Edge and Gangrel known as The Brood. The Brood briefly joined The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness, but left after Christian was thrown out of the group.
The gothic angle was successful, but soon after, Edge and Christian began to reach their full potential. On October 17, 1999, at No Mercy 1999, Edge and Christian competed against The Hardy Boyz in a Ladder Match for the Terri Invitational Tournament. Although the Hardys won the match, the careers of both tag teams soared, and fans gave them a standing ovation. After a run as faces most notable for their tendency to approach the ring via the audience, Edge and Christian redefined themselves as a bumbling comic duo of surfer / teenyboppers. They were most known for their "5 second poses" (for the benefit of those with flash photography), which mocked either the opponents or city they happen to be in and their finisher, "the con-chair-to" which was a double chair shot to an opponent. They began to associate with Kurt Angle (as Team ECK; Edge-Christian-Kurt) and repeatedly captured the World Tag-Team Championships, as well as winning a triple threat ladder match and two TLC matches. In 2001, Rhyno debuted in the WWF, aligning himself with Edge and Christian.
Friction arose within the team after Edge won the annual King of the Ring tournament. Christian appeared to be jealous, and insisted on carrying Edge's trophy to the ring. His true colors were revealed to the world after he assaulted his on-screen brother and tag team partner Edge after he lost a WCW Championship Match to The Rock in September 2001. The former partners went on to feud over the Intercontinental Championship for several months.
Singles competition
Image:Abdominal stretch.jpg Christian began a singles career, becoming known for throwing tantrums in the ring when he was unable to gain a pinfall. Fans dubbed this move the "Christian Fit" and often chanted for and during it. After a series of defeats, Christian announced that he was quitting the WWF. Diamond Dallas Page, then using the gimmick of a perpetually cheerful motivational speaker, persuaded him not to quit and adopted him as his protegé. Christian teased a face turn before betraying his mentor and solidifying his heel status. Christian faced DDP for the European Championship at WrestleMania X8, but was defeated and once again threw a tantrum in the middle of the ring.
Christian then formed a tag team with fellow Canadians Lance Storm and Andrew "Test" Martin as part of the UnAmericans faction and then became the sidekick of Chris Jericho, with whom he once again won the Tag Team Championships. Christian helped Jericho eliminate Shawn Michaels from the 2003 Royal Rumble by dressing as Jericho and distracting Michaels, allowing Jericho to attack him from behind.
During this time, The Rock was drafted from the SmackDown! brand to the RAW brand. Christian befriended him and was therefore told by The Rock himself that Christian was "his new favorite WWE Superstar". Delighted to hear that from The Rock, Christian began using many of The Rock's mannerisms, which varied from calling his fans "The Peeps" (similar to The Rock calling his fans "The People") to using The Rock's one arm raised victory pose. He even called himself "The New People's Champion" and used his newfound charisma to defeat Booker T at Judgment Day 2003 for the vacant WWE Intercontinental Championship in a special nine man over-the-top-rope battle royal. The following night on Raw, he appeared on Chris Jericho's "Highlight Reel" talk show segment, sporting a new haircut and ring attire. He claimed that The Rock called him to "bring home the Intercontinental Championship" and furthermore used his victory to establish himself as The People's Champion.
However, The Rock wasn't too happy about Christian's claims and his imitation of The Rock, so he would appear on Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel interview segment and confront Christian about this, stating that The Rock is "The one and only People's Champion". Unhappy about this, Jericho and Christian assaulted The Rock, only to fall victim to The Rock Bottom and The Book End when Booker T made the save.
Late in 2003, Jericho and Christian started to court Divas Trish Stratus and Lita, on-screen as part of a bet (for one Canadian dollar) to see who could get their target into bed first. Although the girls found out about the bet, Jericho and Stratus would stay together for the time being, leading to Jericho and Christian's split over her in early 2004. Christian was actually depicted injuring Stratus in a match on RAW. During a match between Christian and Jericho at WrestleMania XX, however, Trish betrayed Jericho, allowing Christian to defeat him. Trish then joined forces with Christian, the on-screen couple was called "Tristian" and his "Problem Solver" Tyson Tomko to make Jericho's life on RAW miserable. During a steel cage match against Jericho on May 10, 2004, Christian suffered a severe back injury, causing him to miss almost four months of ring action. He returned on the August 30 2004 edition of Monday Night RAW, picking up where he left off and continuing his feud with Jericho.
Captain Charisma
Christian's gimmick became that of a cocky, overconfident heel, although he was popular in Canada and the United Kingdom. He dubbed himself "Captain Charisma" and on December 6, 2004 was forced to wrestle as Captain Charisma, complete with superhero costume, by his rival Chris Jericho, who was general manager for the night. Christian was often accompanied by Tyson Tomko, and usually won his matches with interference from Tomko or by some other creative method of cheating. Christian was loosely paired with Edge again several times in late 2004 and early 2005. Despite being a heel, he acquired a cult fanbase, who he refers to as his "Peeps", "Peepulation" (a play on the word "population") or the "Christian Coalition". He was given new entrance theme music, an edited version of "Just Close Your Eyes" by the rock band Waterproof Blonde.
At the 2005 Royal Rumble, Christian had an encounter with then-WWE US Champion John Cena and claimed that he was a better rapper than Cena. Over the next months, Christian began making promos denouncing John Cena as a 'poser'. Christian was noticably cheered during these segments, and was thought to be finally rising into the main event picture. Soon after Cena came to RAW from SmackDown!, Cena went on to successfully defend the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match between himself, Christian and Jericho at Vengeance 2005.
Between the run-ins with Cena, Christian participated in the "Money-in-the-Bank" Ladder Match at WrestleMania 21. He was generally a non-factor, though one of the more memorable moments was when Tomko carried him half-way up a ladder, then Christian got his ladder knocked over by Kane, going over the top rope and landing in Tomko's arms. He earlier joined Edge and they gave a con-chair-to with ladders to Kane. He had a primary role in the parody trailer for Basic Instinct in connection with the "WrestleMania Goes Hollywood" theme at the event.
On the June 30 episode of SmackDown!, Christian was the second-to-last man drafted to SmackDown! in the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery. He replaced The Big Show in a six-man elimination match for the new SmackDown! Championship, and finished as the runner-up to John Bradshaw Layfield. Christian had previously said in a promo that he hoped to be drafted to SmackDown! because the show needed a Canadian.
Christian bragged about how he was on the main event of both RAW and SmackDown! in the same week (even though he lost both times). However, he was defeated by Batista in a lengthy non-title match on the July 7, 2005 edition of SmackDown!. Christian was soon given his own interview segment on SmackDown! called "The Peep Show."
At The Great American Bash on July 24, 2005 in Buffalo, New York, Christian lost a match to Booker T. Christian then lost a Fatal Four Way match against Chris Benoit, Booker T and Orlando Jordan for Benoit's United States title at the No Mercy 2005 event, tapping out to Benoit's Sharpshooter.
On October 31, 2005, Jay Reso quit WWE. According to Dave Meltzer, he was asked on the spot to sign a new contract during the tapings for the October 21, 2005 edition of SmackDown!. He wouldn't sign the contract, and his last match occurred during the tapings for the November 4, 2005 edition of SmackDown!. Despite his quitting, Christian would appear on RAW and at Taboo Tuesday 2005 and would have wrestled if he was voted in.
Contrary to prior rumors, Reso would later claim during his debut speech at TNA Genesis 2005 that WWE did not lowball him on their contract offer; in fact, supposedly, they offered him "a very hefty sum" to stay. He had made the decision to leave months before his contract expired, and had agreed in principle to terms with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling prior to his departure.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Reso debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling on November 13, 2005 at TNA Genesis 2005 under his original ring name, Christian Cage. After teasing an alliance with longtime friend Scott D'Amore of Team Canada and Planet Jarrett, he delivered the Unprettier to D'Amore and helped Team 3D drive Jeff Jarrett through a table.
Cage made his TNA iMPACT! debut on November 19, engaging in a verbal sparring bout and brawl with "The Alpha Male" Monty Brown. Brown managed to Pounce Cage, leading to a match being scheduled between the two at TNA Turning Point 2005, with Brown's number one contendership to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at stake.
Cage wrestled his first match for TNA on December 8, 2005, defeating Team Canada enforcer Bobby Roode despite interference from Monty Brown. He went on to defeat Brown at Turning Point.
On the January 9, 2006 edition of iMPACT!, Cage humorously interrupted a sketch where members of Planet Jarrett and Team Canada were mocking Sting. He retorted, "I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is you guys are making yourselves look like complete jackoffs. The good news is I just saved money on my car insurance!" At TNA Final Resolution 2006, Cage and the returning Sting defeated Brown and Jarrett.
On February 12, 2006 at TNA Against All Odds 2006, Cage defeated Jarrett for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In the process, he became the first Canadian to hold the championship since Ron Garvin in 1987, and the fourth Canadian to hold the title in NWA history (after Whipper Billy Watson, Gene Kiniski and Garvin). He successfully defended the title against Monty Brown at TNA Destination X 2006 on March 12, 2006.
On April 2, 2006 a video was shown on the TNA Wrestling website showing Abyss entering Christian Cage's house with Father Mitchell, filmed by Alex Shelley. In the video a fight ensues between Cage and Abyss, including a notoriously funny scene in Cage's kitchen where Cage gets the better of his opponent temporarily, hitting Abyss across the head with a water dispenser. The video climaxes with Abyss throwing Cage into his swimming pool. Christian Cage accepted the challenge of Father James Mitchell to face Abyss at Lockdown.
Like many other TNA talent entrance themes, Cage's is inspired by a real song - the opening bars of "My Last Breath" by Evanescence. "My Last Breath" is covered by Dale Oliver, TNA's in-house composer. The track has been re-arranged to provide a consistent sound, unlike the Evanescence original. The song is also thematically similar to "Just Close Your Eyes" theme in WWE, as both are slightly gothic rock pieces. His TNA theme is dissimilar as it more electronic based than his WWE theme, and lacks the distinctive strings of his arrangement of "Just Close Your Eyes".
Finishing and signature moves
- Unprettier / Impaler (Inverted double underhook facebuster)
- CCT (Diving reverse tornado DDT)
- Abdominal stretch
- Diving reverse DDT
- Modified Frog splash
- Gutbuster drop
- Inverted facelock neckbreaker
- One man con-chair-to
- Sitout inverted suplex slam
- Spike DDT
- Texas cloverleaf
- Tornado DDT
Championships and accomplishments
- 1-time ECWA Heavyweight Champion
- Insane Championship Wrestling
- 2-time ICW Streetfight Tag Team Champion (with Sexton Hardcastle)
- Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling
- 1-time PCW Heavyweight Champion
- PWI ranked him # 454 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003.
- PWI Match of the Year Award, 2000, with Edge, versus the Dudley Boyz and the Hardy Boyz.
- PWI Match of the Year Award, 2001, with Edge, versus the Dudley Boyz and the Hardy Boyz.
- 1-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion (current)
- 3-time WWF/E Intercontinental Champion
- 9-time WWF/E World Tag Team Champion (7-time with Edge, 1-time with Lance Storm, 1-time with Chris Jericho)
- 1-time WWF European Champion
- 1-time WWF Hardcore Champion
- 1-time WWF Light Heavyweight Champion
- 2000 Tag Team of the Year (with Edge)
Championship succession
Template:Start box
| colspan = 3 align = center | NWA World Heavyweight Championship
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Jeff Jarrett
| width="40%" align="center" | First
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by
Current
|-
| colspan = 3 align = center | WWF/E Intercontinental Championship
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Edge
| width="40%" align="center" | First
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by
Edge
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Vacant
| width="40%" align="center" | Second
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by
Booker T
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Booker T
| width="40%" align="center" | Third
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by
Rob Van Dam
|-
| colspan = 3 align = center | (WWF/E) World Tag Team Championship
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
Dudley Boyz
| width = 40% align = center | First, with Edge
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
Too Cool
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
Too Cool
| width = 40% align = center | Second, with Edge
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
Hardy Boyz
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
Hardy Boyz
| width = 40% align = center | Third, with Edge
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
Hardy Boyz
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather
| width = 40% align = center | Fourth, with Edge
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
The Undertaker and The Rock
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
The Rock and The Undertaker
| width = 40% align = center | Fifth, with Edge
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
Dudley Boyz
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
Hardy Boyz
| width = 40% align = center | Sixth, with Edge
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
Dudley Boyz
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
Dudley Boyz
| width = 40% align = center | Seventh, with Edge
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
The Undertaker and Kane
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
Edge and Hulk Hogan
| width = 40% align = center | Eighth, with Lance Storm
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
Kane and The Hurricane
|-
| width = 30% align = center | Preceded by:
The Hurricane and Kane
| width = 40% align = center | Ninth, with Chris Jericho
| width = 30% align = center | Succeeded by:
Goldust and Booker T
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|WWF European Championship
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Bradshaw
| width="40%" align="center" | First
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Diamond Dallas Page
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|WWF Hardcore Championship
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Molly Holly
| width="40%" align="center" | First
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Maven
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|WWF Light Heavyweight Championship
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Taka Michinoku
| width="40%" align="center" | First
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Gillberg
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|PCW Heavyweight Championship
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Julio Sanchez
| width="40%" align="center" | First
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Vacant
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"|ECWA Heavyweight Championship
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:
Viper
| width="40%" align="center" | First
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:
Vacant
Template:End box
Acting career
In March 2006, Reso began filming his part in "Shoot 'Em Up", a film due to be released in December 2006. Reso has a short speaking part, that of a Secret Service bodyguard for a United States Senator.
Reso also was in New York City this past week to film the April 12, 2006 edition of "Casino Cinema" on Spike TV.
Personal life
Reso married a German woman, Denise, on May 25, 2001. He has a tattoo (the head of a bulldog with a yellow rose in its mouth) on his left upper bicep.