Thank You, Edge

Out of nowhere, Edge retired from professional wrestling last Monday.  This is one is pretty hard for me to swallow.  Over the last ten years, Edge has become one of my favorite all time wrestlers.  While we’re at it, let me give you a quick run down of my top 5: Chris Jericho, Edge, Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Sting.

So as you can see, my #2 is apparently done.  Edge has given the WWE fans some of the best matches they have ever seen since he came into the company in 1998.  Back in the day, when he was a dark gothic vampire guy, I liked him just because he had a cool character.  Along with Christian and Gangrel, they formed a very cool stable that was a perfect fit for the era the WWE was entering into.  Plus, the whole dark & evil thing appealed to me, being a young 13-year-old lad.

After his days in the Brood, Edge and Christian grew out of their goth gimmick, and became more the classic, over the top cocky heels.  Since I started watching wrestling in the mid 90s, I can say Edge and Christian are the greatest tag team that I’ve ever seen.  Better than the Hardys, the Dudleys, the Eliminators, Harlem Heat, the Steiners, all of them.  Along with being great characters, they showed that they were great wrestlers.  So great that they helped revolutionize the ladder match, revitalize tag team wrestling, and provide some of the greatest matches we have ever seen.  As great as they were, those matches would help lead to Edge’s retirement.

After his split from the tag team scene, Edge began his career as a singles wrestler in the mid card level.  Here, again, is where Edge’s character changed.  He started out as a cool, badass face.  But after years of winning IC and tag titles, it was time for him to enter the final stage of his character.  And it was around this time when he became one of my all time favorites.  Edge would become obsessed with winning the world title, and would become a crazy and desperate heel.  This would turn into the Rated R Superstar gimmick.  When Jericho took his hiatus from wrestling in 2005, Edge easily slid into the coveted spot of being my favorite wrestler.  He would stay there until Jericho returned.  I can easily say the two weeks that they were tag champs were the best two weeks of my life.

After becoming a mainstay in the  main event scene in 2005, Edge became one my favorite wrestler at the time.  It didn’t matter who he fought, I cheered for Edge with all my being.  I would yell and scream at the TV every time he lost, and would be ecstatic every time he won the World Title.  I was really dying for an Edge vs. Christian ladder match at Extreme Rules, one of my dream matches.  But as it turns out, that match will never happen.

At least Edge got to go out on top, as World Champion.  It sucks that he couldn’t go out on his own terms.  I’m happy that he’s leaving before he gets too hurt….well even more hurt.  Thank you Edge for all the great memories and matches.  In the ring and on the mic, he’s one of the greatest wrestlers I’ve ever seen, and I’m lucky to have been able to enjoy his whole career.  Thank you Edge.