5 WWE World Heavyweight Champions You Forgot About

#3 Christian

Christian: Two time WWE World Heavyweight Champion

Christian was not originally in contention to be World Heavyweight Champion in WWE. Despite enjoying success as NWA World Heavyweight Champion whilst wrestling for TNA between 2005 and 2008, Christian was deemed too small and nondescript by WWE boss, Vince McMahon to be booked as a legitimate headline talent.

However, plans changed when Christian's storyline brother, Edge suddenly retired following his successful title defence versus Alberto Del Rio at Wrestlemania 27.

With no obvious title program set up; original plans called for an Edge versus Del Rio re-match to take place the following month, Christian was slotted into Edge's spot instead.

In a Ladder Match at the Extreme Rules pay per view on May 1, 2011 Christian won the title thanks to an outside distraction from Edge.

That Christian needed assistance to win the belt and did not even have to pin or submit his challenger owing to the rules of the match, did not bode well for his long term title credentials.

And so it proved. Just five days later, he dropped the strap to established main eventer, Randy Orton on the next episode of Smackdown.

Despite his first title run ending before it started, it did lead to a Christian heel turn which was staggeringly entertaining as the obnoxious and conceited challenger regained the title via DQ after he spat in Orton's face at the July Money in the Bank pay per view which led to Orton battering his foe mercilessly and hitting him with an illegal low blow. A special pre-match stipulation dictated that the title could change hands on a DQ and the sneaky Christian exploited Orton's short fuse.

While the logic of the title change made sense for Christian's character, it did nothing to build his credibility with the WWE Universe. He dropped the title back to Orton four weeks later at Summerslam and never challenged for the belt again.