Poor Christian. Even though fans were seemingly desperate to see him elevated to the top line mix for years, WWE clearly didn't feel the same. It's been said that Vince McMahon has long admired Christian's skills, but doesn't see him as a true main event level talent. That theory seems to ring true when analysing the events of April, 2011. Christian's long-time storyline brother and real-life friend, Adam 'Edge' Copeland, had been forced to retire following WrestleMania XXVII. Serious neck problems had forced him to vacate the World Heavyweight Championship, leading to a big Ladder Match between Christian and Alberto Del Rio at Extreme Rules. When the former managed to climb the ladder and grasp the big gold belt, the live crowd came unglued. There were even tears in Edge's eyes as he embraced his compatriot. A few days later, WWE pulled the rug out from underneath Christian and the fans, booking Randy Orton to beat him for the title on Smackdown. Enthusiasts responded angrily, rightly feeling that it was pointless to book such an emotional title win, then retract it almost immediately. Christian could have been a fine fighting babyface champ, but he was turned heel for the purpose of a feud with Orton shortly after his big win.