ThinkSoJoE on Edge

I’m going to go on record and say that at the time of this writing, I have not watched the April 11, 2011 episode of WWE RAW.  Every Monday night I try to avoid the temptation of reading about what happened on the WWE’s flagship show when I was commuting to work prior to being able to watch the show.  Tonight I made the mistake of going on Twitter and seeing a ton of tweets regarding Adam “Edge” Copeland.  When I called home, as I usually do when I get to work, my fiancee made it a point to tell me that Edge is retiring.  No matter how hard I try, news about Edge does not slip past my RADAR, and with good reason – Edge is one of my favorite wrestlers of all time.

Edge had everything you could want in a professional wrestler.  He had great mic skills, he was amazing to watch in the ring, and he managed to evolve along with the business he lived his life for over the past fourteen years.  For all fourteen of those, I’ve been an Edgehead.  How could you not be?  He always had the coolest entrance in the business, whether it was coming in through the crowd at the beginning of his WWE career, rising up through a ring of fire with The Brood, or emerging through a cloud of smoke to the heavy metal laden sounds of Rob Zombie’s “Never Gonna Stop” or Alter Bridge’s “Metallingus.”  And that’s just to get you pumped up for the spectacle you’d be about to witness.

Shawn Michaels – my absolute favorite wrestler of all time, for what it’s worth – defined the Ladder Match with Scott Hall.  Edge, along with Christian, The Hardys, and The Dudleys, redefined it.  Throw in some tables and chairs, and it becomes his match, the TLC Match.  Edge innovated in Hardcore matches with Mick Foley at WrestleMania 22 and ECW One Night Stand 2, showing that he’d have been a huge star in the original ECW if he’d opted to ply his trade there.  Edge defined the Money In The Bank Ladder Match, and earned the nickname “The Ultimate Opportunist,” and that’s just his resume in stipulation matches.  He’s also, for what it’s worth, undefeated in Last Man Standing matches.

Even without weapons, Edge was a deadly foe in the ring.  He could beat you any way he wanted to.  Edgecution.  Edgeucator.  Edge-o-matic.  And of course, his weapon of choice toward the end of his career, the Spear.  A Ten-Time World Champion.  That’s not something that just any bum off the streets can pull off – that’s an indication that you are one of the best in the world at this profession.  To retire as Champion is unheard of – there goes Adam Copeland innovating this business again.

My hat goes off to Edge for knowing that his body cannot continue to take the abuse that he puts it through night in and night out on the road for the WWE.  Thank you, Adam “Edge” Copeland, for entertaining me week in and week out for the last fourteen years.  We’ll miss you!