Editing Chris Masters (section)

====WWE Championship pursuits (2005–2006)====
"The Masterpiece" Chris Masters made his debut in WWE on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' as a [[Heel (professional wrestling)|villain]], drawing attention to his physique in bodybuilding poses during his entrance to the ring. On the February 21, 2005 episode of ''Raw'', Masters made his debut by defeating [[Stevie Richards]]. During the contest, Masters broke Richards' nose performing the [[Polish hammer|Polish Hammer]].<ref name="OWW"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/050221.html|title=RAW results - February 21, 2005|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2008-04-05}}</ref> The Polish Hammer continued to be a signature move of Masters' for months after this first match, but with warning that it would only be used in striking an opponent's chest.<ref name="OWW"/>

Masters made a claim that his version of the [[nelson hold#full nelson|full nelson]] hold, which he dubbed the Master Lock, was unbreakable.<ref name="OWW"/> Masters began a series of contests he would call "Master Lock Challenges" where Masters would put an opponent in the Master Lock and the opponent would try to break free before Masters made him submit or pass out. Masters would go on to log more full nelson submission victories than any wrestler in WWE history, breaking the record previously held by [[Kurt Angle]].<ref name="OWW"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/050418.html|title=RAW results - April 18, 2005|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2008-04-05}}</ref> Originally he would call out [[glossary of professional wrestling terms#Plant|plants]] from the crowd, placing a $1,000 prize of his own money to be paid to anyone who could break free from the Master Lock.<ref name="OWW"/> At [[Backlash (2005)|Backlash]], he defeated [[Melissa Coates]] in a Master Lock Challenge.<ref name="OWW"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/wweppv/backlash05.html|title=Backlash 2005 results|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2008-04-05}}</ref> He engaged in feuds with lower-card wrestlers, [[Val Venis]]<ref name="OWW"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/383310/mainarticle|title=A Barbaric Batista|publisher=WWE|access-date=2008-04-05|date=2005-05-30}}</ref> and [[Sgt. Slaughter]], who both failed to break the Master Lock.<ref name="OWW"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/050613.html|title=RAW results - June 13, 2005|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2008-04-05}}</ref> Using villainous tactics, he often attacked the wrestlers beforehand and frequently cheated (for example using a low-blow to escape Sgt. Slaughter's [[professional wrestling holds#Cobra clutch|cobra clutch]]). Masters increased the offered reward each week up to $20,000 and sometimes threw in a bonus. After defeating the 400-pound [[Rosey (wrestler)|Rosey]] on July 18, Masters defiantly stated "it doesn't matter how big they are!", prompting The [[Big Show]] to accept a Master Lock Challenge.<ref name="raw-july18-05">{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/050718.html|title=WWE Raw Results - July 18, 2005|date=2005-07-18|access-date=2008-09-18|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref> In accordance with his villainous persona, Masters fled, refusing a match with the Big Show.<ref name="raw-july18-05"/>

In late August, Masters entered a [[Feud (professional wrestling)|feud]] with [[Shawn Michaels]], leading to a tag match between himself and [[Carlito (wrestler)|Carlito]] against [[Ric Flair]] and Michaels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/050829.html|title=WWE Raw Results - August 29, 2005|date=2005-08-29|access-date=2008-09-18|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref> During the match, Masters defeated Ric Flair by submission. Masters regularly teamed with Carlito, albeit in a rigid business relationship. Michaels competed in a Master Lock Challenge on September 5.<ref name="Michaels-masterlock">{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/050905.html|title=WWE Raw Results - September 5, 2005|date=2005-09-05|access-date=2008-09-18|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref> Masters, upset at the vigorous resistance of Michaels, released the hold and beat him with a [[Folding chair|steel chair]] before re-applying the hold.<ref name="Michaels-masterlock"/> The Master Lock Challenge, which had not decided a clear victor between the two, led to a match at [[Unforgiven (2005)|Unforgiven]] which Michaels won.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/unforgiven/history/2005/results/ |title=Unforgiven 2005 Results |access-date=2008-09-18 |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214234311/http://www.wwe.com/shows/unforgiven/history/2005/results/ |archive-date=2007-12-14 }}</ref>

Masters, alongside fellow Raw wrestler, [[Edge (wrestler)|Edge]], was one of several wrestlers to "invade" [[WWE SmackDown|''SmackDown!'']] in preparation for the match between the [[SmackDown (WWE brand)|SmackDown!]] and [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]] brands at [[Survivor Series (2005)|Survivor Series]]. The two ambushed [[Rey Mysterio]], leading to a tag match at [[Taboo Tuesday (2005)|Taboo Tuesday]] against Mysterio and [[Matt Hardy]].<ref name="Tabootuesday05">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/cybersunday/history/2005/results/ |title=Taboo Tuesday 2005 Results |access-date=2008-09-18 |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705175520/http://www.wwe.com/shows/cybersunday/history/2005/results/ |archive-date=2008-07-05 }}</ref> Edge chose not to participate, so Masters teamed with Edge's replacement, [[Gene Snitsky]].<ref name="Tabootuesday05"/> Masters and Snitsky lost when Mysterio pinned Masters.<ref name="Tabootuesday05"/> At [[Survivor Series 2005|Survivor Series]], Masters competed in a five-on-five [[Survivor Series match]] between SmackDown! and Raw wrestlers.<ref name="SurvivorSeries05">{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2005/matches/134645811 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127041438/https://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2005/matches/134645811 |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |title=Team SmackDown def. Team RAW (Classic Survivor Series Match) |publisher=[[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment]] |date=November 27, 2005 |access-date=September 18, 2008}}</ref> During the match, there appeared to be a near-break in the Master Lock by [[Bobby Lashley]], who "powered out" of the hold.<ref name="SurvivorSeries05"/> As the hold was never completely locked in, however, the "Master Lock" had not been officially broken. Masters was eliminated by Rey Mysterio.

Masters then set his sights on WWE Champion [[John Cena]], attacking him after a match and forcing him to pass out with the Master Lock.<ref name="firstWWEchampmatch">{{cite web|title=RAW results - November 28, 2005|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/051128.html|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2007-10-09}}</ref> This set up a [[professional wrestling match types#Basic non-elimination matches|Triple Threat]] [[Submission match]] for the November 28 edition of ''Raw'' with Cena defending his title against Masters and Kurt Angle, with whom he had already been feuding. The idea was to put Cena at a major disadvantage and guarantee a new champion; Masters and Angle, who used the ankle lock as a submission finisher, both were submission experts while Cena did not employ a submission hold as part of his repertoire at the time. On that night, however, Cena emerged victorious by making Masters tap out to his new submission finisher, the STFU.<ref name="firstWWEchampmatch"/>

Masters portrayed the role of a bailiff during the mock trial for then [[Professional wrestling authority figures#General Managers|General Manager]] [[Eric Bischoff]] on the December 5 episode of ''Raw'', with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon as judge. Upon being called to the stand to testify for Bischoff's defense, he was asked to give his name, which he did saying his name was Chris Masters. He was immediately accused of perjury and disqualified as a witness, as McMahon broke [[kayfabe]] and stated that Masters' real name was Chris Mordetzky.

On December 12, Chris Masters defeated [[Viscera (wrestler)|Viscera]] on an episode of ''Raw'' to gain a spot in the [[Elimination Chamber]] match for John Cena's WWE Championship at [[New Year's Revolution (2006)|New Year's Revolution]].<ref>{{cite web|title=RAW results - December 12, 2005|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/051212.html|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2007-10-09}}</ref><ref name=pwi120/> Viscera was shown to be too big to cinch on the Master Lock until being grounded. On the December 26 episode of ''Raw'', Masters faced [[Chavo Guerrero Jr.|Chavo Guerrero]], in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Beat the Clock challenge|Beat the Clock match]] to determine who would be the final entrant to be released from his pod in the Elimination Chamber.<ref name="beattheclock-Dec05">{{cite web|title=RAW results - December 26, 2005|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/051226.html|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2007-10-09}}</ref> Masters had to defeat Guerrero in 5 minutes and 56 seconds, which was the time set by Michaels (when he defeated Snitsky in the opening match of the show).<ref name="beattheclock-Dec05"/> Guerrero managed to survive the Master Lock long enough so that Masters was unable to beat the clock.<ref name="beattheclock-Dec05"/> At New Year's Revolution (which also took place on Masters' 23rd birthday), Masters was eliminated from the Elimination Chamber match when Carlito double-crossed him by delivering a [[Professional wrestling attacks#Low blow|low blow]] while he had Cena in the Master Lock and then used a [[Pin (professional wrestling)#Roll-up|roll-up]] for the pin.<ref name=pwi120/> On January 9, after some heated words with Carlito, both men had a tag match against two men who were also having difficulties, Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels.<ref name="Jan9-05">{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/060109.html|title=WWE Raw Results - January 9, 2006|date=2006-01-09|access-date=2008-09-18|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref> During the match, Michaels walked backstage, leaving Angle to fend for himself. Masters saw the opportunity and applied the Master Lock to Angle, thus gaining the victory.<ref name="Jan9-05"/> On January 16, Masters challenged Cena to take part in a Master Lock Challenge.<ref name="Cena-masterlock">{{cite web|title=RAW results - January 16, 2006|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/060116.html|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=2007-10-09}}</ref> Cena accepted the challenge and displayed signs that
he might in fact break out of the hold, until Edge attacked Cena with his title belt and ended the challenge.<ref name="Cena-masterlock"/>