The Piledriver Report 02.18.09: Edge- The Ultimate Opportunist

Throughout wrestling history, there have been great workers. Lou Thesz, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, and Shawn Michaels quickly come to mind. There have also been performers who have unbelievable charisma. Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and even John Cena fall into this category. Some of the best “sports entertainers” could draw fans into the building just by their words alone. Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, and the most recent version of Chris Jericho are prime examples. Professional wrestling has given us memorable characters such as the Road Warriors, the “Crow” version of Sting, and of course the Undertaker. All of these wrestlers brought something to the table that made them amongst the best performers in the business. However, there is currently one superstar, who has to be among the most interesting characters in the history of the industry.

The performer that I am talking about is Edge. The Rated R Superstar version of Edge that Adam Copeland has been portraying over the last few years has become professional wrestling’s version of “Must See TV.” Ever since Edge had his real-life affair with Amy Dumas, Adam Copeland’s star has sky rocketed.

After word of Copeland’s affair broke, the WWE released Matt Hardy. Most fans felt that this was a grave injustice. Between Edge, Lita, and Matt, the older Hardy brother was the innocent bystander. What did Matt do wrong? He trusted his girlfriend and one of his friends. This got him a one-way ticket out of the WWE. As one of the WWE’s most popular performers, Matt Hardy drew a tremendous amount of sympathy from the fans. Even though Matt was no longer in the WWE, his presence was still felt. The fans would continually chant for Matt Hardy. At the same time, the fans turned Edge into a big heel. Most fans were truly mad at Edge for stabbing his friend in the back. Instead of cowering in a corner, or ignoring the fans chants, Adam Copeland used their hatred to his advantage. He egged the fans on, and started to transform himself into one of the top heels in the company.

After his feud with Matt Hardy ended, Edge suffered a ton pectoral muscle. This injury prevented him from wrestling for several weeks. The injury was probably more of a blessing then a curse. While being on the sidelines, Edge hosted his own talk show on RAW called “The Cutting Edge.” It was during this time that Edge started to call himself the “Rated R Superstar.” The target of Edge’s talk show was Ric Flair. Edge used the show to mock Ric Flair after the “Nature Boy’s” arrest due to a road rage incident.

Edge and Ric Flair fought against each other in a match for Flair’s Intercontinental title at New Year’s Revolution 2006. Despite losing the match by disqualification, Edge had his sights set on a bigger prize. Following that night’s main event, which was contested in an Elimination Chamber for the WWE World title, Vince McMahon announced that a fatigued John Cena was not done yet. Edge was cashing in his Money in the Bank title shot. Edge easily pinned Cena to capture his first WWE World title. Edge finally arrived as a true main event player.

Edge’s title victory was supposed to be nothing more then a transitional championship reign that would be used to drum interest in the Royal Rumble. The WWE did not expect what was about to happen.

On the following night’s RAW, Edge promised the crowd that, at the end of the night, he and Lita would have “hot, nasty sex” in the middle of the ring. To the shock of most people, Edge and Lita’s “Live Sex Celebration” segment on RAW drew a 5.2 rating, the highest RAW rating in over a year. During his short title reign, Edge was a refreshing change from the John Cena-Triple H show that RAW had become. Many people felt that the WWE should keep the title on their controversial new champion. However, that was not meant to be, as Edge dropped the belt back to John Cena at the Rumble.

Despite the loss, most fans believed that Edge should be included in the RAW main event at WrestleMania. Unfortunately, the WWE did not feel the same way. However, they did listen to the fans voices, and realized that Edge’s time had finally come. After WrestleMania, Edge was inserted back into the title hunt, first in a three-way feud against Cena and Triple H, and next against Cena and Rob Van Dam.

Edge captured his second WWE World title in a three way match on RAW against John Cena and Rob Van Dam. When John Cena was about to pin Van Dam, Edge nailed Cena with the belt, and covered him for the pin and the title. Edge won both his WWE titles by seeing a golden opportunity, and taking it. His second title victory cemented his reputation as being the “Ultimate Opportunist.”

This label has helped make Edge one of the most exciting, and unpredictable, characters in the WWE over the last two years. When the Undertaker suffered an injury after winning the World Heavyweight championship from Batista at WrestleMania 23, the WWE planned on having Ken Kennedy cash in his newly won Money in the Bank title shot in order to take the belt off of the injured Taker. Unfortunately for Kennedy, he suffered what many inside the WWE feared was a long-term injury. The WWE decided to have Edge beat Kennedy for his Money in the Bank title shot on the May 7th, 2007 edition of RAW. Later that week, the Undertaker fought Batista in a steel cage match that ended in a draw. Following the match, Mark Henry attacked the “dead man.” Edge took this “ultimate opportunity” to cash in his second Money in the Bank briefcase, and traded it in for World championship gold.

With no Triple H or John Cena to hold him back, Edge took the ball of being the top star on SmackDown! and ran with it. Edge proved that he, not only had what it took to hold a brand’s top prize, but he also proved that he had what it takes to carry a brand single handedly. Even when his run as the World Heavyweight champion was cut short due to injury, Edge was firmly cemented as the brand’s top star.

Once Edge was healthy, he made his return in a way that fitted his character. He interfered in the Batista/Undertaker Hell in a Cell match at Survivor Series 2007. His interference injected himself immediately back into the title picture. The Edge character would use this “ultimate opportunity” to regain the World Heavyweight championship at Armageddon from Batista.

During this time, the WWE added a component that had been missing with the Edge character since Lita left the company. Edge and Vicki Guerrero “made public” their “relationship” that they have been having. The two play off of each other perfectly. In the beginning of this angle, it appeared that Edge was using Vicki to either help keep his World title, or to help him win the title. Once again, Edge was being portrayed as the “ultimate opportunist” in trying to make sure his position on SmackDown! was secure. Thankfully, aside from a mini-break up last summer, the WWE has maintained the Edge/Vicki relationship. Both have great chemistry with one another, and the odd pairing draws a ton of heat with the fans.

What makes the Edge character so great is that, no matter how bad things get, he always thinks of a way to get right back on his feet as soon as the opportunity presents itself. That’s why CM Punk’s title victory over Edge last summer was one of the best segments of the year on RAW. Edge had been the “ultimate opportunist” for over two years. He would strike a weakened performer, and smartly cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase. On June 30th, 2008, CM Punk turned the tables on Edge. After Edge cut a promo telling the fans that they will never see Edge and his World title again, Batista attacked the “Rated R Superstar.” Seeing a beaten Edge lying on the mat, CM Punk took a page out of the “ultimate opportunist’s” playbook, and immediately cashed in his briefcase to beat Edge for his World title. It was the perfect act of poetic justice. The man who was known for taking advantage of the weak lost his title the same way he won his first WWE and first World Heavyweight championships. It was a great mark out moment to see this heel finally lose at his own game.

Adam Copeland took a few months off following SummerSlam 2008 to sell the storyline of the Undertaker sending him to “Hell.” In pure Edge fashion, he returned to the WWE at the Survivor Series to take advantage of yet another golden opportunity. The night before the Survivor Series, Jeff Hardy was “attacked in the early morning hours” by an unidentified party. The WWE World title Triple Threat match started out as a one-on-one contest between Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov. Towards the end of the match, with both men exhausted, Vickie Guerrero walked onto the entrance ramp to announce that the match is still a three-man contest. Edge would now be the third contestant. Edge, as is his typical style, ran to the ring fresh, and quickly pinned Triple H for his third WWE World title.

Edge would go on to drop the title to Jeff Hardy at Armageddon. However, he used the opportunity of Matt Hardy revealing himself to be Jeff’s mystery attacker to regain the belt at the Royal Rumble. Everything appeared to be headed for a Triple H vs. Edge WrestleMania XXV showdown. However, the world was shocked when Edge was quickly eliminated during the SmackDown! Elimination Chamber match at this past week’s No Way Out pay per view.

Knowing the history of the “Rated R Superstar” character, you figured that something had to be going on. There was no way Edge was eliminated in under 3 minutes without something else going on. True to his “ultimate opportunist” label. Edge came out during the entrances of the RAW Elimination Chamber match, and attacked Kofi Kingston. Edge then ran into the ring, and locked himself in Kofi’s pod, thus entering himself into the match. The only question now was, would Edge win, or would Cena beat Edge leaving the little children with smiles on their faces to end the show. Like every opportunity that Edge takes full advantage of, the “Rated R Superstar” left the ring with a World title belt strapped around his waist.

That is what makes the Edge character so awesome. While both Edge and Triple H always seem to either have a World championship, or are fighting for a World title, most people do not seem to mind seeing Edge in this position. The Edge character is such an entertaining character. When Edge was the focal point of SmackDown!, the Friday night show was a must watch show. During the two and a half month hiatus that Edge was on, SmackDown! became a very boring telecast. With Triple H running the show, it’s the same old, same old. Triple H runs through the competition. The Triple H character was developed as being the best of the best. That’s boring.

The Edge character uses his wits to outsmart the competition. The announcers scream about Edge being the “ultimate opportunist,” and taking advantage of beaten superstars. To me, that is showing that he is smart, and makes him a great heel.

At times, Triple H tends to use childish sense of humor to try and get over. Whereas, Edge is just really funny in his promos. Look at his promo after the Rumble when it was revealed that Matt Hardy, not Edge, was Jeff’s attacker. He went around the ring, pointing at the crowd, screaming “wrong, wrong, wrong” at the masses. The other night on RAW he delivered an equally entertaining promo when he told Cena that “the Champ is here,” followed by his waving his hand in Cena’s face mocking the former champ’s “You can’t see me” routine.

Another aspect to the Edge character that makes him the best in the business right now is his mannerisms and his facial expressions. When John Cena was quickly pinned during the Chamber match, the complete shock on his face sold the moment as something that was totally unexpected. It was one of those “you had to see it to believe it” moments. Whenever Edge cashes in his Money in the Bank briefcase, or enters a World title match unexpectedly towards the end of the match, Adam Copeland’s body mannerisms are quick and impatient. He knows that he needs to end the match quickly. Otherwise, his opportunity may pass him by.

The creative team must have a blast writing material for Edge. His character is extremely interesting, and is always put into situations that no other WWE Superstar gets into. Now that he is a SmackDown! superstar that currently holds the RAW World title, things should get even more interesting for the “Rated R Superstar.” Add the newly returning Christian to the fold, and the Edge character should provide some entertaining television for the viewer. That will make the fans of professional wrestling, and more specifically, fans of Edge, the ultimate winners.