Where do they rank? Edge edition.

This is a little idea I've had and hopefully can bring about some good discussion. Ideally I can get one of these out once a week, we'll see how this goes. Basically I want to see where various superstars from the past and present rank up on a "Best Ever" list, who they're better than, worse than etc. And to get the ball rolling I've chosen Edge.

Edge recieved his developmental contract in 97 after Bret "The Hitman" Hart put in a good word for him. He didnt debut as Edge until June 98, where his career didnt exactly get off to the best of starts, injuring Jose Estrada, Jr. After winning his PPV debut at Summerslam, he went on to feud and team with Gangrel and Christian as part of the Brood, a cult favourite stable with one of the coolest entrances ever.

He won his first singles title by defeating Jeff Jarret in a house show for the Intercontinental Championship, however, he lost it again the next night at the Fully Loaded PPV. He and Christian then broke away from Gangrel, and had amazing success as a goofy heel tag team, winning the WWE tag team titles 7 times, feuding with The Hardyz and the Dudley Boys. These 3 teams participated in the first 2 TLC matches, matches which are ranked right up there among the best.

Edge would then move on to win the King of the Ring 2001, and begin a fued with his on screen brother Christian. He later unified the WWE Intercontinental title and the WCW US Championship by defeating Test at Survivor Series. He was drafted to Smackdown in the first draft, and then feuded with Kurt Angle, which culminated in Angle getting his now signature bald look. He then went on to win the WWE tag titles with Hulk Hogan, and then Rey Mysterio. He suffered his first major injury in early 2003, breaking his neck.

He returned to action after Wrestlemania 20, teaming with Benoit to win the Tag Titles (His tenth reign with 4 different partners) before they went there seperate ways. He then feuded with Evolution, winning the Intercontinental Championship from Randy Orton. After he was stripped of the title by Eric Bischoff he turned heel for the first time as a singles competitor. Throughout the rest of 2004 and early 2005 he fueded with Benoit, HBK, and Triple H. This was his "breaking the ceiling moments", a collection of matches against former world champions.

He went on to win the first ever Money in the Bank ladder match and Wrestlemania 21, and held on to the breifcase for nearly a full year, during which time he feuded with Matt Hardy (over his real life affair with Amy "Lita" Dumas) and Kane. Edge finally cashed in his MitB contract on a weak and bloody John Cena at New Years Revolution 2006 to win his first World Championship. He lost it again to Cena at the Royal Rumble. He blamed Mick Foley for losing the rematch, and the 2 had a match at Wrestlemania 22, which goes down as one of the best Hardcore matches, and one Foley calls "A career highlight."

Edge then went on to win the WWE championship from Rob Van Dam, before feuding with and losing it to John Cena in a TLC match in Toronto. Edge then lost his "Last chance" match, courtesy of DX interferance. He would then team with Randy Orton as Rated-RKO to take out DX, and they won tag title gold along the way. After the team disbanded, Edge moved to Smackdown after defeating Mr Kennedy to win Kennedys Money In The Bank contract. He then cashed it in on the Undertaker to claim his first World Heavyweight Championship. He then went on to feud with the Undertaker and Batista before suffering an injury and had to relinquish his title. The feud continued when he interfered in a Hell In A Cell match between Batista and Undertaker, costing Undertaker the match. He then announced his romantic relations with Vickie Guerrero, which led to the forming of La Familia.

La Familia went on to fued with Undertaker and Triple H over the year, all the while controlling Smackdown. In early 2009, he became not only the first man to appear in 2 elimination chamber matches in one night, but the first man to ever lose the WWE title, then win the World title in the same night, leading to a fued with John Cena. After losing his World Title to Jeff Hardy at extreme rules, he claimed it to be Vickies Fault and filed for divorce.

He then formed a short term team with Chris Jericho, capturing the Unified Tag Team titles, before tearing his achilles tendon, putting him out of action for nearly a year. He returned to win the 2010 Royal Rumble, but lost his title match at Mania to Jericho. He was drafted back to RAW shortly after, where he fueded with Randy Orton, before being a part of the 6 pack challenge for Sheamus' WWE title, and being a part of the 7 man WWE team to face the Nexus. He then went on to fued with then World Champion Kane, winning his record 7th World Championship reign (his eleventh world title overall).

His career culminated in a Wrestlemania match with Royal Rumble winner Alberto Del Rio. The following night on RAW Edge came out to announce that he was being forced to retire due to injuries sustained over his career, mainly his neck injury. Thus ending the Rated R era.

Edge managed to do everything in the WWE, King of the Ring, Royal Rumble, Money In The Bank, Triple Crown winner, 7 time PWI award winner, 2 time Slammy award winner, before finally, and fittingly being Inducted in to the WWE Hall of Fame, class of 2012.

Edge for me ranks up with the best of the past decade. His feuds and matches have been memorable, especially with John Cena and the Undertaker. He was one of the most despised heels we have seen, and carried himself well inside, and outside the ring. He was the catalyst behind so many great moments, and even got his own (albeit short lived) WWE Title belt design. While he may not be the best ever, or even top 10, theres no doubt in my mind Edge was one of the best things about the WWE post-WWF.

Over to you V2. What do you think of Edge and where to you think he ranks?

I do think Edge is underrated by many, he was involved in some of the most entertaining and exciting storylines of the WWE from his main event push in 2005.

I think his Ultimate Opportunist character is one of the best characters of the past decade and put Edge over as a heel while simultaneously keeping the face looking strong.

It was Edge's feud with John Cena in 2006 which really legitimised Cena as the 'man' of WWE, which speaks volumes for Edge who hadn't been considered a main eventer just two years before.

I don't think he's the best ever, he's an 8/10 guy rather than a 10/10 guy. In the same bracket as Chris Jericho or Eddie Guerrero rather than a Shawn Michaels. However I do think that Edge was one of, if not the best, WWE Superstar between 2006-8 and it's a real shame his legacy was never really cemented.

(Also, how about sending me your top ten world champions from the WWE, to have your say who are the best 25 world champions in the WWE ever, I expect to see Edge on your list!)

I'll add more later but as Edge is my favourite wrestler of all time obviously I will be biased. Best ever? Debateable but Cena vs Edge, Jeff vs Edge, Taker vs Edge, Batista vs Edge, Jericho vs Edge were all brilliant.

Furthermore Edge was instrumental in the birth of TLC and Money in the Bank two of the most anticipated gimmick matches of the year.

So where does Edge rank for me?

Top 5 of all time, up there with Michaels and Taker.

It's a real shame he isn't still around. He strikes me as one of the main eventers who would happily put over some of the younger talent.

psycho-gooner wrote:It's a real shame he isn't still around. He strikes me as one of the main eventers who would happily put over some of the younger talent.

I think that Edge had already shown that (Jeff Hardy, ADR, Ziggler to name a few), like Jericho a loss never hurt Edge's position as a main eventer

I'd agree that Edge is indeed very underrated. Looking at his carear & how it was cut short, his goals & achievements stand up against the very best to step foot in a WWE ring. For me Edge went through the correct way to go from a jobber and a tag team partner working all the way to the top and he deserved every success he has had in his time in WWF/WWE.

He's one of very few who made the step up when all these attidtude era superstars were leaving for bigger things or with the injuries had to retire. His gimmick suited him + his character which really helped him to become one of the best heel's of the last decade. I think with Edge being on Smackdown he was helping put over younger + new talent just before he retired, he and Ziggler had some fantastic matches which ended real sour (Not his fault but that of WWE creative) He was also in a feud with Alberto Del Rio as he retired which I'm sure would have done wonders getting Del Rio over if it hadn't been cut short.

Reading his history at on the first post, I can't help but admire what he has achieved and thinking back to all these fantastic matches which involved him right from the start of his carear. It's also quite strange and funny how many times his path crosses Cena's for a championship belt.

Underrated but nowhere near top ten. He wouldn't be as successful if they didn't have 2 world titles and his wrestling ability wasn't all that great Tbh. And his spear gimmick was awful.

Probably a top twenty guy that's about it.

For me Edge would be a 2nd tier top guy in the same ball park as your HHH's, Cena's etc. He was just lacking a proper finisher, the spear always looked awkward for me, it didn't look right when you compare it to Goldbergs spear which looked devastating, I just never felt he was built enough to use it. Couple that with his in ring work which was good but not great and you start seeing the reasoning behind why you rarely see him mentioned alongside the greats like HBK, Taker, Angle and Hart.

Don't get me wrong I loved Edge, he was good in the ring, a great talker, a brilliant heel and he could draw but he just isn't anywhere near the moniker of GOAT for me.

Thanks for the input guys. I'll hopefully write another up next week.

Good concept Samo,and a well thought out piece.
I think Edge pioneered a lot of great matches like TLC and Money in the Bank as has always been mentioned. Excellent worker but was just missing something that would cement him as a top guy, and I think others have hit the nail on the head - the spear. He just couldn't use it as a believable finisher after Goldberg had utilised it so well. Arm him with a different finisher and suddenly he ranks higher in my books.
I think I appreciate Edge and his influence much more now he's gone, and has stayed completely away.

I agree that he never realy had the right physique to pull off the spear. It's a move for a powerhouse, like Goldberg or Batista.

Having said that I still rate Edge as one of the best heels since I've been watching wrestling, which is about 15 years now. He was excellent on the mic, and his in ring work was alot better than some are giving him credit for. I felt his match at Wrestlemainia with The Undertaker, was one of the best Mania matches I'd seen.

They should never have had him return as a face, don't get me wrong he played a face well aswell, but he was different class as the ultimate opportunist. It didnt matter were Smackdown was he always got some serious heat.

So I'd rate him as a top tier superstar, from what I've witnessed, in 15 years watching wrestling.

I think Edge is up there. I would put him in the top 50. I think with him especially his charisma carried him so far. The heel turn in 2004 revitalised his career. I think there was a position in the main event scene for a wrestler like him. HBK for me opened those doors that showed the company that 6'5 280+ lbs monsters were what the top card needed. At the time Orton became champion and I think it is a crime somewhat he had to wait that bit longer, but I think it helped him in the long run because his character did not require any re-inventing. I think even in the Austin/Rock/HHH era he could've cut it in that picture. He was amazing on the mic and his in-ring skills were superb. It is such a shame injury has curtailed his career.