Thank You Edge!
On Monday Night, almost out of nowhere, Edge (Adam Copeland) announced his retirement from pro wrestling. The first instinct of everyone was to think it was a not real. WWE, in the past two years, has done seemingly twenty five firings and fake retirements; only Shawn Michaels being real. What transpired on Monday Night Raw was as real a moment could be.
Courtesy of WWE.com
From my very first day (Feb 2002) in WWE in Milwaukee, Wi to the last day I worked with him (Jan 2008) when he came to do a guest shot on ECW to work with CM Punk, Edge was a nice, warm and passionate guy. He is a fan of wrestling, it’s all he ever wanted to do and you always saw that passion. He’s the kind of talent you dream to work with, create with and be a fan of. His speech tonight affirmed all of the reason I was a fan of the wrestler Edge and the person Adam.
The injury that sidelined Edge in 2003 is the same one now ending his career in 2011. Edge’s last show in 2003 was also my first show of taking over Smackdown as lead writer. Edge had really come into his own in 2002 as one of the “Smackdown 6” as booked by Paul Heyman. He was having great single matches with Jericho, Angle, Benoit, Guerrero and teaming with Rey Mysterio. The injury stopped that momentum but didn’t stop his hunger.
Not many people know that Edge went to the boss and asked “what he could do” in the time off. And for a short period, Edge was part of the WWE creative process. I remember the first time I sent him the script he called me and asked, “Okay, now what do we do.” Edge would offer input, give ideas and really wanted to keep himself fresh. But his passion was focused on returning to the ring. As he got closer, we’d talk from time to time and he was chomping at the bit. He knew that when he came back, he would make it his time.
Edge returned and was moved to Raw. It was the right move for him and he had this new passion in his eyes. Nobody was going to deny him and nobody knew how big he was going to get. It was a night in his home town of Toronto where the crowd turned on him that started him on the road to being the “bad guy”. An off screen love triangle launched him into the hottest storyline of 2005 with Lita and Matt Hardy. While Matt Hardy was the hot story at first, it was Edge’s eye catching promo ability that showed he was really ready to break through to that main event level. And then he cashed in the Money in the Bank briefcase.
And in one night, Edge became the biggest thing in WWE. He cashed in the briefcase, beat John Cena and was “the Rated R Superstar”. This was before Twitter and things trending. This shocked EVERYONE. Ratings shot up immediately with WWE crossing over that 4.0 level. For the next few weeks, he was the star of Monday Night Raw and the numbers proved it. His TLC match with Ric Flair became an instant classic and cemented that he could really hang as not only a main event talent but draw ratings. But the plan was always for Edge to drop the title back to Cena a few weeks later. I remember the disappointment that Edge felt; feeling he had genuine momentum. He had shocked the world and his segments were now fueling the brand. But he didn’t give up.
He worked Wrestlemania with Mick Foley and proved he deserved to be at that level. He might not have had the title but he was right back in the mix after that. And like the nickname he adopted of the “Ultimate Opportunist”, he was always ready to step in and show he was the guy for the company. When WWE needed to get the title off RVD in the summer of 2006, Edge was the guy. Edge was the perfect antagonist for John Cena. Most of Cena’s opponents would bring in the cheers. Edge was smart enough to turn the crowd against him.
When Mr. Kennedy was hurt in the early summer of 2007, Edge took the opportunity and became the top guy on Smackdown defeating the Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Title. The kid who watched Hulk Hogan main event Wrestlemania 6 got to live out his dream at Wrestlemania 24. Edge wrestled in THE main event against The Undertaker to close the show. Edge was the reason to tune into Smackdown most weeks. His chemistry with Vickie Guerrero proved how versatile a performer he was and signaled a possible future in acting.
I saw Edge again for the first time since my departure from WWE as he was finishing up a few scenes for a WWE movie in Los Angeles. He had unknowingly booked himself in the same hotel as the WrestleReunion convention. He didn’t hide, he interacted with fans and came to watch our ROH show that night featuring Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli. Edge, along with Sinn Bohdi, started watched the match from behind the curtain. I remember telling Edge there was a better spot to watch from but he was so concerned from taking away from the match. We found him a spot he felt comfortable and he watched the match intently. He still was that same little kid, he was still a fan.
Edge’s future in the ring seems to be over but I don’t think his contributing is. I can see him being an agent/producer, an on air talent, or maybe he takes the dive full time into acting. The outpouring of emotion on Monday shows that no matter what Edge does, the fans will be with him.
UPDATE – 3pm Pacific – Read more and hear more Wrestler and fan reaction to Edge’s retirement here.
Courtesy of WWE.com
David Lagana (@Lagana)
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My normal reaction is to be really sad when someone (legitimately) retires, but with Edge, I really can’t be sad, or at least not in the way I normally am. I feel oddly proud of him because that’s a wicked hard decision to make and I’d rather see him bow out gracefully in good health than to see him work himself to permanent injury. I can only hope that *maybe* if he’s interested/wwe is willing to keep him on the payroll, he might stay on for a while as a manager. Mic skills that good are a shame to waste, it’s been to long since we’ve seen a manager (a shame, in my opinion), and talking is something that won’t harm him physically. Some of these new guys could really use him on their side, I think. Either way, he will be missed. Thank you, Edge!
Great article. Edge was one of the greatest wrestlers of the past decade, I was a big fan ever since his TV debut on Raw when he came through the crowd. I really ate up the Edge/Gangrel vampire hunter angle at the time. Unfortunately I missed the best years of Edge (I didn’t watch a single program between 2001 – 2009) but with the magic of youtube and a lot of free time I’ve caught up. His speech on Raw was emotional and honest, and showed just what a likeable and passionate man he is. It’s a shame he has to retire, but like he said, he retires as the World Heavyweight Champion, having wrestled his last match at Wrestlemania – and finally winning at that PPV. He goes out as one of the very top performers in the company, and he goes out in a very dignified way. There’s no chance of Edge going on far too long like so many other have – I’m looking at Hogan and Flair here. That way he stays the Edge we know and love.
I only hope that in the aftermath of this, and out of respect for Edge, that Christian gets to slot in to the match at Extreme Rules. I imagine Edge will have pushed for Christian to get a main event push, maybe even used a bit of emotional blackmail! It would be the perfect tribute to Edge if his lifelong best friend takes up his mantle as the top face on Smackdown.
Thank you indeed. I started to watch wrestling 6+ plus years ago and Edge made me like it. He’s my first wrestling idol, and I will forever love him.
I’ll miss you, Edge. Thanks for every moment you gave this happy, now sad, panda.
I would like to see him commentating on SmackDown. With his verbal skills, I personally believe he can be the next Jesse Ventura on commentary.
It is weird thinking back that I saw this guy enter the WWF back in the 90s and now to see him retire. Most of the big name wrestlers I have seen retire started before I was born. To me, Edge was the first big name wrestler of my generation that watched as a kid come in and retire.
Being from Toronto, it is crazy knowing a hometown boy whom I remember working at Steve’s Music on Queen St get so big and now retire.
I “hated” him (can’t really hate someone that i don’t really know) for a long time and then i saw a real talented wrestler that he is!!! Now i’m gonna miss him a lot!!
#Thank you Edge for what you did and what you’ll do!!
Great read and thank you for the insight we normally wouldn’t get from anywhere else.
I miss Edge already. It came out of nowhere and now I’m thinking about who could possibly fill his shoes. It’s a perfect opportunity for the WWE to make some new stars and push Christian to the upper echelon where he belongs.
Hopefully, Edge will take time off and do some non-wrestling projects to recharge his batteries. I’d love to see him come back to WWE as an on-air persona or even as a manager to help put over talented wrestlers who aren’t comfortable on the mic.
It’s bitter sweet. I’m glad he’ll be able to live a healthy life but the WWE has some big shoes to fill.
Edge ur goodbye made me cry. Thanks for all ur laughs and for everything else. You a big part of the reason im trying to get into the wwe.. Ur the best god bless and hope u well in future.. Always loved by WWE
Thank You Edge!
Edge has been consistently one of the best performers WWE has had for at least 10 years now, and everything he has been involved with has immediately gotten the interest of myself and the rest of the viewers. A true star, a true wrestler and a true entertainer. I would love to see Edge stay as a commentator, but whatever he does in the future good luck to him. I think it also safe to say Edge will be the headline inductee to next years Hall of Fame, and presumably the youngest inductee of all time but very deserved.
Thank you Adam Copeland for everything you have done, for all the entertainment you have given to us, for all the hardship you have put your body through just to entertain all of us. Thank you Edge.
This is a bittersweet end. Sad, because it’s come out of the blue and robbed an extremely talented individual of the career he’s worked two decades for, and for us to miss out on dozens of potentially great matches. However, it’s also a good story in as much as it shows WWE is doing its job in looking after its wrestlers, and it also shows that Edge knows when enough is enough and isn’t going to end up like the Dynamite Kid. I hope that he will eventually become a commentator or GM or something, but he may well take up acting full-time instead. Either way, good luck to him and thanks for the memories.
I’ve been a fan of edge since day one.. I’m an attitude era fan.. I grew up watching the wwe now at age 28 I’m still a huge wwe fan… And edge has always been in my top four favorite superstars of all time.. I’m glad the doctors were able to find this before he really hurt himself.. Best of luck edge.. From a true fan we wish u the best.. And can’t wait for your induction into the wwe hall of fame…
I started watching WWE in 2005 and I’ve been a fan of edge since the beginning. He is a great performer both as heel and face. He has had one of the most rewarding careers and with good reason. I will really miss you a lot edge and i wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors.
I have been a fan of wrestling sense I was 13 now I am 45. I have seen a lot of wrestlers come and go. Everytime one leaves its like they take a part of the business with them and everyone has to work that much harder to keep the fans coming back. Its really hard to see them go after U have watched them for so long and become big fans of them. So yes a part of us all go with the wrestler with them as well. So I wish Edge all the best in this world and that he may have a long and very happy life. Sad to see U leave. Be well and remember U will always have a place in my heart just like the ones before U do. God speed with Love
edge your are awesome good luck
Now this makes me feel old; A wrestler who’s career I saw the start of after getting excited over the ‘lost’ promos, who quickly became one of my favourites (over time THE favourite) has retired. I’m not even into my 30’s yet and I’ve been privileged enough to watch one of the most extraordinary career’s in wrestling history unfold and not miss a single moment of it.
From his early days with The Brood, the seminal tag battles with The Hardyz and Dudleyz, incredible program with Angle – for me the moment which it became clear he was destined for greater things – through to Rated RKO, multiple World Title wins and legitimately headlining Wrestlemania, it has been a pleasure to be along for the ride.
What will stand above all else for me however is his feud with John Cena. The first and to date only opponent who Cena has faced that has been able to generate the ‘correct’ responses from crowds over the world when in contest with Cena it is littered with classic matches, superlative promos and for me is the preeminent feud of it’s age.
The star that shines twice as bright, burns half as long.
Enjoy your well earned rest, stay healthy and thanks for all the moments you’ve given us over the years.