The Contentious Ten 02.08.10: Top 10 Edge Matches

Posted by Aaron Hubbard on 02.08.2010

From his Hardcore match with Mick Foley at WrestleMania 22 and his match with Shawn Michaels on Raw in 2005 to his Smackdown Street Fight with Eddie Guerrero in 2002 and even his Extreme Rules match in 2009 against Jeff Hardy, 411’s Aaron Hubbard breaks down his top 10 Edge matches in the latest edition of the Contentious Ten!

Edge is a nine time World Champion, a twelve time World Tag Team Champion, a five-time Intercontinental Champion, the last official WCW United States Champion, the first Money in the Bank winner, and the 2000 King of the Ring. One week ago, Edge added another accolade to his list: he is the 2010 Royal Rumble Winner and is headed to the main event of Wrestlemania XXVI. He has acheived almost everything there is to acheive in WWE, and has risen to become one of the company's premier superstars. Today, I look back at Edge's past, a past filled with numerous great matches.

Hubbard, what would you have done if someone like Vladimir Kozlov won the Royal Rumble? Best 10 matches of Royal Rumble

Posted By: Guest#6472

I would have snuck into my account and edited out the sentence and pretended I never wrote and moved on to the next subject.

No Hogan-Bossman cage match? Fail.

Posted By: Bob

This one got mentioned quite a lot, and it kind of just slipped through my mind. I vaguely remember watching the superplex on one of the old Hulkamania tapes, but I haven't seen the match since I was like four. I'll look it up.

"Hulk Hogan vs. The Great Muta
Submission Match, Royal Rumble 1990"

And that kiddies, is why you keep an empty template, rather than rewriting the content of your last list.

Posted By: Quimby

Bingo.

Terrible list. Too many Japanese matches that barely anyone have seen, and therefore have no meaning.

Posted By: kaktus316

I know right? I mean, jeez, even when the guy goes to the effort of finding the matches for you and all you have to do is lazily click to watch it for yourself, who cares about those matches. Bunch of Japanese nobodies.

Let me give you a little piece of advice that will make you a LOT happier. Stop caring how many people have seen something, and start caring about what you've seen. If thousands of xenophobic American scumbags haven't seen a great match, it's their loss. When you have the opportunity to watch it yourself and you don't, then it's your loss. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut and let the mature adults talk.

Also, to the guy calling this guy a redneck...I'm from a small town in Kansas and have more flannel than Mick Foley. I'm a redneck and I love Japanese Wrestling (most of it, anyway). The correct phrase is "moron" or "idiot".

Slight editing:

You cant say Hogan vs Savage from just a "big match feel" or "historical significance" was number 1 because its clearly not. His match with Andre would be number 1 if that's your criteria.

Btw what kinda Hulkamaniac are you if you say that hogan vs warrior is not the kinda match you could watch over and over again, if there ever was any Hogan match that had a big match feel to it and was actually also a great wrestling match as well and gave you goosebumps watching it not knowing who would win with an electric crowd then i don't know what is, maybe its just Toronto Loving Hogan, like they did 12 years later but to me Hogan/Warrior is the most electrifying match ever, second to his match Andre 3 years earlier.

Posted By: ChrisA

The first part is well reasoned and I'm not going to argue with it.

And I'm the kind of Hulamaniac who recognizes a cheap imitation trying to replace the genuine article. Hogan vs. Warrior is Vince McMahon's attempt to create the "new" Hulk Hogan by beating the real Hulk Hogan. That's b.s. in my opinion. Hogan is one of a kind and you can't duplicate or replace him. Forget the fact that Warrior was a no-talent hack who didn't even deserve to lace Hogan's boots, he was Vince's first attempt to try and make a new Hulk Hogan. When Hogan fought the Rock and put him over, Rock DESERVED to beat Hogan and was nearing the end of his usefulness in the ring. THAT I was fine with. But having Hogan lose to Warrior when he was still in his prime is an insult to Hogan.

Warrior-Hogan took place a mere four and a half months after I was born, so I can't say I ever understood how over Warrior was except for the crowd reaction. When I watched that, I had the glasses of knowing that Hogan was the biggest star in wrestling, and Warrior was a poor man's Sting that was merely a footnote in wrestling history. I only included the match because of Hogan's in-ring effort.

You thought you knew him....

Once again, the two most important criteria are match quality and importance to Edge's career. Things like Edge winning and delivering more of the action help matches get ranked higher.

Honorable Mentions:

TLC I & II, Summer Slam 2000 & Wrestlemania X-SEVEN: Just thought I'd get these two out of the way first, and I figured I might as well group them together, as comparing them is kind of pointless. Some people prefer the first, some people prefer the second. Both matches are highlights in the career of Edge, as he and Christian won both of them and came out Tag Team Champions. Edge also had several in-match highlights in these matches, the most notable being his spear on Jeff Hardy from twenty feet in the air. Great matches but I didn't want them crowding the list.

Edge vs. Kurt Angle, Backlash 2002: One of Edge's first truly great singles matches. Edge was one of the two hottest babyface prospects in WWE (the other being Rob Van Dam) and seemed to be on his way to breaking the glass ceiling. Angle was purely and simply awesome around this time, perhaps the best in the world. These three had a series of great matches in the spring of 2002, but this was their best. I definitely wanted to include this match, but it doesn't make the main list because it's more of an exhibition for Kurt Angle than an even match. Edge just happens to be the one in there with him.

Edge vs. Randy Orton, RAW 4.30.2007: This is one of those rare occasions where a Heel vs. Heel match worked. Edge and Orton had formed a championship tag team combination known as Rated RKO, but their huge egos eventually brought the team down, to no one's surprised. The two settled their differences on the RAW after Backlash, where they, along with Shawn Michaels, had failed to defeat John Cena for his WWE Championship. The affair was fast-paced and neither man pulled any punches, almost playing a game of who could out cheat the other. Edge would defeat Orton and head to Smackdown!, and the two have been WWE's dominant heels ever since.

Edge vs. The Undertaker, Summer Slam 2008: Edge came into this match a man possessed. While he had gone into their Wrestlemania match calm, cool and collected, he went into this match with a manic confidence bordering on insanity. Mick Foley had told him that he needed the sadistic, dangerous Edge that faced him at 'Mania, and not the coward who hid behind Vickie Guerrero. While, Edge found THAT Edge and brought it to this match. It wasn't enough to win, as he lost and was "sent to Hell". But it was one of the highlights of the year.

Edge, Lita & Mick Foley vs. Tommy Dreamer, Beulah & Terry Funk, One Night Stand 2006: This is one of my favorite matches ever. Brutality, hatred, an incredible crowd, innovative spots, and most importantly, great character psychology and drama. I'm not one of the old ECW's biggest proponents, but this is an example that shows that when it is done right, the results are fantastic. Edge looked like he belonged in there with three of the icons of hardcore, and played his sleazy character to perfection, with Beulah being the perfect victim of the Rated R Superstar.

Edge vs. Ric Flair, RAW 1.16.2006: On this day, I saw clearly that WWE had advertised Ric Flair vs. Edge for the WWE Championship for RAW, in a Tables, Ladders, & Chairs Match. I guffawed at the mere prospect of it, but I still tuned into watch it. Well, I learned that you can never underestimate Ric Flair and that Edge absolutely deserved to be WWE Champion. Edge carried the action of the match, but Flair carried the drama and you really believed he just might beat Edge. Fantastic match and it was the beginning of Edge being my favorite WWE wrestler.

Edge & Christian vs. Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy, No Mercy 1999: This match was a game changer. These four men came in that arena and redefined the ladder match. Razor and Shawn had laid the foundations, but these guys took those foundations and built a house that reeked of awesomeness. The reaction of the crowd in this match tells the story far better than I ever could. A crazy, wild match that still holds up today.


X
Edge vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Benoit vs. Christian vs. Kane vs. Chris Jericho
Money in the Bank Ladder Match, Wrestlemania 21

This is where the story of Edge, Main Eventer really started. I've made it no secret that this is one of my favorite matches of all time, and far and away the best Money in the Bank match. Here's a few reasons why it's the best. There are only six people, so it never gets two cluttered. Second, the match happened because RAW's midcard was stacked with people on the brink of being main eventers, and who all had grudges with each other heading into the match. Third, all the spots are executed cleanly and without looking contrived 90% of the time. And lastly, everyone involved has a clear role. Kane is the sadistic monster, Christian is the cowardly ragdoll, Benoit is the valiant tough guy, Shelton is the young guy who steals the show, Jericho's the charismatic fan favorite, and Edge is the sneaky villain picking his spots. It all works and the stories intermingle without seeming forced.

This is actually better than quite a few matches higher on the list, dare I say most of them. So, why do I have it at number ten? The answer is pretty simple. While the actual match is quality, non-stop action, Edge doesn't have very much involvement in it besides winning it. As I said, he was playing the sneaky, conniving heel that picked his spot instead of going all in, balls out (da nuh nuh nuh). He interacts with Christian, gets T-Boned off the top of the ladder (a sick bump, admittedly), and then he wins it. I'm not complaining, as I think the winner in this match should let the others shine, but the reality is the win is more important to Edge than his actual performance.


IX
Edge vs. Shawn Michaels
Street Fight, RAW 2.28.05

Sorry about the French language track, it's all I could find. The year was 2005 and Edge had turned heel a few months prior, jealously costing Shawn Michaels his title shot against Triple H at the inaugural Taboo Tuesday. After tasting the World Heavyweight Championship for a few brief moments in a controversial finish involving Chris Benoit, Edge was now utterly consumed with winning the World Title. This made things even more personal after Michaels basically screwed Edge inside the Elimination Chamber at New Year's Revolution, but the match at Royal Rumble failed to live up to expectations or to settle their rivalry. So they settled it on RAW with a street fight.

The brawl was wild, bloody, and filled with intense hatred from both men. The result was a stellar match that would have been the Free TV Match of the Year for 2005 had it not been for an outstanding effort and an awesome finish in another HBK match a few months later. Yes, that Shelton Benjamin one. Shawn won the match, which served to end his feud with Edge so he could fully focus on Kurt Angle. But there was victory in defeat for Edge, as he proved he could deliver in the main event slot with the absolute best in the business. The fact that he became Mr. Money in the Bank shortly after this is testament to his great performance here.


VIII
Edge vs. Matt Hardy
Cage Match, Unforgiven 2005

I fully and unashamedly admit to bias here, because I saw this match live. In all honesty, there's quite a few matches in the honorable mentions that you could justify belong on this list more than this one (or the previous one, for that matter). But this was the peak of the rivalry that defined Edge for most of the last five years. We can talk about him being the polar opposite of John Cena in their long rivalry, or his memorable feud with Undertaker in 2008, but for many people, Edge will always be remembered as the man who slept with Matt Hardy's girlfriend and got him fired from the WWE. I don't think it's fair to judge an entire career based on a single immoral act, but that's a common problem among people. Regardless, the match is important to Edge's story.

I don't think I need to go into much more detail about the circumstances surrounding this match. These two hated each other and had already had a violent street fight on RAW, which ended with a Side Effect into electrical equipment. Eric Bischoff knew that the rivalry wasn't over, but he couldn't have them running all over the place, so he put them in a cage. Matt was a man possessed, desperate to cause as much pain as possible on the man that ruined his life. Edge was more calm about it and ended up delivering most of the punishment, cutting him open and spearing him into the cage, as well as a vicious super powerbomb. But Matt would fight back, and get a double dose of revenge, hitting Lita with the Twist of Fate and climbing to the top of the cage to deliver a guillotine legdrop on his bloody enemy. Edge would win the war shortly after, beating Edge in a Ladder Match to send him to Smackdown, but this is the match that best showcases the feud.


VII
Edge vs. John Cena
WWE Championship Match, Summer Slam 2006

It's been said that a hero is only as good as his villain. If that is true, that John Cena owes a tremendous debt to Edge. Edge and Cena is a classic example of a great babyface-heel dynamic, and I consider Edge to be the Randy Savage to Cena's Hulk Hogan. I knew that a John Cena match would make the list, but I wasn't sure which one. The Backlash 2009 one was a fantastic main event, but it was marred by Big Show's interference. The TLC match at Unforgiven 2006 was also very solid. But for me, this is the match I think of when I think Cena-Edge. It's also perhaps the highest profile victory for Edge, winning in the main event of WWE's second biggest show of the year against the top guy in the company.

The match was in Boston, Massachusetts, which is close enough to Cena's hometown, and had the special stipulation that Edge would lose the title on disqualification. Edge reacted to the stipulation perfectly, throwing Cena out repeatedly to try and get a count out victory, scolding Lita when she tried to give the championship belt as a weapon, and bringing his A-Game when forced to wrestle. In the end, Lita was able to sneak brass knuckles onto his fingers when he grabbed the ropes to escape the STF-U, and Edge clocked Cena in the back of the head to steal the victory. The story was fantastic and the wrestling was very good as well. This is a perfect example of why Edge was the best in-ring heel of the last five years.


VI
Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs.
The Hardy Boyz
WWF Tag Team Championship Triangle Ladder Match, Wrestlemania 2000

When I chose to do this list, I knew I would include one of the series of ladder/TLC matches with the Hardyz and Dudleyz, and only one, because I wanted to focus on Edge's singles career. Of course, forgetting these matches would be skipping over a lot of the reason that Edge is the top star that he is today. Choosing this match over the TLCs was difficult, but I have my reasons. First of all, it's my favorite in the trilogy because it's longer and the spots are built up better. Second, this match is Edge's first Wrestlemania match and he wins his first tag team championship here as well, so it's very important in his career.

Obviously the highlight of the match is Jeff Hardy jumping off a ladder in the aisle onto Bubba Ray Dudley, putting him through a table in the process. Edge wasn't in the biggest spots of the match, but was a major part of the long build-up, where the moves get more and more insane as the match goes on. His spear off the turnbuckle to knock someone off a ladder showed up, but he also delivered a Russian Legsweep off the side of a ladder and teamed with Christian for a double superplex off of ladders. The most important thing he did was come from behind Matt Hardy off of a table propped on two ladders and through a table that just exploded. That was the match-winning maneuver, and Edge got his first taste of Wrestlemania glory.


V
Edge vs. The Undertaker
World Heavyweight Championship Match, Wrestlemania XXIV

On his DVD, Edge calls Undertaker "The Batman to my Joker". While the comparison has been cliché since before The Dark Knight even came out, it is certainly one of the more fitting comparisons. This match had sort of become an internet dream match after Wrestlemania 22 when people noticed that Edge was also undefeated at The Big Dance. It was also very gratifying to see both men in the main event spot, which they deserved. Undertaker and Batista deserved to main event the year before and Edge had deserved to get a Wrestlemania world title match for the last two years. Putting these guys in the main event slot made it very official that Edge had arrived as one of the top players in the WWE, and that Undertaker is still one of the very best in the business.

I love the story of this match; Edge was faced with the most destructive force in WWE, but he came well prepared, both mentally and physically. He countered all of Undertaker's best moves, from Old School to the Tombstone to the Last Ride to the Chokeslam, and did it it quickly, efficiently, and in ways you couldn't predict. Edge would also taste each of those finishers, and showed the toughness to kick out of it (albeit under extreme circumstances in the case of the Tombstone. RUN CHARLIE RUN!). Edge also pulled out the tricks of a camera and his buddies Curt Hawkins and Zach Ryder. There was only one flaw in his game plan; he couldn't counter the Undertaker's new submission hold, the Gogoplata which now has the lame Hell's Gate name. 'Taker knew the perfect time to use it, countering to it after a spear. The resilient Edge lasted longer than anyone up to that point, but as blood poured from his mouth, he tapped out. He may have lost, but main evented Wrestlemania is a great victory by itself. Edge, Main Eventer, arrived here.


IV
Edge vs. Jeff Hardy
World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match, Extreme Rules 2009

Ten years before this match, Edge and Jeff Hardy were fierce rivals. At that time, it was in tag wars, with Edge teaming with Christian and Jeff teaming with his brother Matt. Even then, people were predicting that Edge and Jeff would be the breakout stars of the team, and it certainly seemed that way in 2001. Jeff had defeated Triple H in a huge upset for the Intercontinental Championship and Edge had won King of the Ring. People were saying that they would be the future of the WWF and long-term main eventers. Unfortunately, there were a few speed bumps. Edge battled injuries in 2003 and fan apathy in 2004. Jeff suffered with personal issues and was quietly fired from the company in 2003, not coming back until 2006. It took a scandal to push Edge over the top, and a huge leap of faith for WWE to give Jeff the ball. In 1999, Edge and Jeff had helped redefine the ladder match. In 2009, they would face each other in a ladder match once more. This time, they were not the young kids out to steal the show. They were the reason people were there, and they WERE the show.

These days it's very difficult to put on a compelling singles ladder match. It requires a lot of personal history and an intense rivalry that the fans will buy into. These guys fit the bell. It also requires a ton of creativity so that you can think up new spots, but somehow keep them from being contrived. Put a check next to that box as well. Edge showed just how incredibly tough he is in this match, falling from a twenty foot ladder THROUGH a ladder, and having his midsection come crashing down on the then metal supports of an upside-down ladder, courtesy of a Jeff gourdbuster. He also found new ways to punish Jeff, locking him in the sharpshooter while sandwiching him in a ladder. But in the end, Edge was trapped between the rungs of the ladder, his arms splayed, almost crucified on the ladder, and was forced to watch as Jeff took his title down from the hook and away from him. Lost in the post-match events is that Edge gave one of his best performances in this match.


III
Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle
WWE Tag Team Championship Tournament Final, No Mercy 2002

This is tag team wrestling perfection, and the best pure tag-team match of the last ten years. Yes, The Machine Guns vs. The Briscoes came close, but not close enough. What's more amazing is that these were two thrown together tag teams. You expected Eddie & Chavo Guerrero to work well together due to their family ties, but these two teams were different. Edge and Rey Mysterio had no previous history together. Benoit and Angle had a lot of history together, and none of it was good (for them anyway). Indeed, the Benoit-Angle partnership was Stephanie McMahon's way of keeping the piece in a rivalry that was at boiling point. If they couldn't fight each other, then they would take it out on their opponents, and the results were formidable. When you have two of the best tag team wrestlers trying to outdo each other by torturing their opponents, and when you have two white-hot babyfaces as their victims, you have the recipe for a classic.

Angle had plenty of issues with both men, as Rey had been giving him fits for the last couple of months and Edge was responsible for his shiny new chrome dome. Angle and Benoit brought their technical soundess, their intensity, and their competitive spirit. Edge and Rey brought their speed, their innovative double teams, and their heart. What we got was a near flawless match that was all about competition. In the end, it was Edge and Angle renewing acquaintances and trading ankle locks before Angle forced him to tap out. This is probably the best match Edge has ever been involved in, but he was only 25% of the reason for the match's quality, he didn't win and it was far from a career defining moment. But this is the spirited, valiant and white-hot babyface Edge at his best.


II
Edge vs. Mick Foley
Hardcore Match, Wrestlemania 22

It always amuses me that Edge seemed to need this match to get over as "tough" for the WWE fans. This guy jumped off ladders, was put through tables, and had persevered through many injuries. However, this was certainly the most grisly match that Edge had been in, and certainly up to that point. Edge had won the WWE Championship from John Cena and lost it in three weeks. Mick Foley refereed the rematch, which Edge lost, and Edge took it out on Foley. Mick agreed to a hardcore match, and it was one of the matches that fans were looking most forward to heading into the show. We expected a good match, but didn't expect them to get too violent. A few chairs, a smattering of barbwire, and maybe a tack bump. We got much, much more than that.

The first indication that this was going to be something truly special happened when Edge speared Foley, only to clutch his arm in pain. Foley removed his sweater and revealed that he had wrapped his midsection in barbwire, and began relentlessly flailing it at Edge. He wrapped it around Mr. Socko and stuck it into his gullet. He hit a back suplex that dropped Edge into a pile of thumbtacks that left his back pierced and running with blood. But it was Edge who persevered, spearing Foley through the ropes, diving headfirst into a table that was set on fire. As they crashed into flames, the crowd erupted in shock and Joey Styles let out his signature call. Trembling in agony, Edge covered Foley and left victorious, getting a career defining win and proving to everybody that he can put his money where his mouth is.


I
Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero
Street Fight, Smackdown 9.26.02

The fact that we got a match this good on network television floors me. Eddie and Edge had been involved in a fierce rivalry, and coming off two great singles matches at Summer Slam and Unforgiven. This was the blow-off to the feud, and this time, there would be no rules. With no restrictions and plenty of time, these two showed us their very best. It started with a mix of the traditional wrestling holds and vicious punches. They would counter each other's signature spots, including a nasty bump where Eddie tried to leap off the top rope for a hurracanrana only to be powerbombed into the canvas. Then chairs came into play. And then ladders.

Eddie was the one who used the ladders to his advantage the most, smashing him between two ladders, sacrificing his own back on a slingshot somersault senton. Not to mention an amazing sunset flip powerbomb off of the ladder. In the end, his reliance on ladders cost him, as he went up top for a Frog Splash, only to be stopped by Edge, who grabbed his head and maneuvered him onto the ropes. Edge then dove off the ladder, bringing Eddie down with and planting him with the Edgecution. The bloodied and knocked out Eddie was easy pickings for Edge, who won the match and put an end to the rivalry. Eddie was left in the ring, and amazingly, the crowd gave the despised heel a standing ovation for his tremendous effort. Both men made their cases for being world championship material on this night, and in a few years, they made good on that potential. My only complaint about this match is that it was on TV, and only the fans who were in attendance got to see it in it's entirety. What the viewers got was nothing short of stellar. The full match may very well be an all-time classic.

*****

So, what list is next week's going to be? Well, I'm going to do my first one that doesn't involve individual matches. Instead, in recognition of Elimination Chamber PPV, I'm going to list the top ten "Cage Match Variations" i.e. Hell in a Cell, War Games, and of course, everyone's favorite, THE KENNEL FROM HELL! Should be fun. Take care.