Flashback Friday: Edge

The Dudley Boyz return to the WWE this week surprised The New Day and the millions of fans watching across the world. As a result, this week’s edition of Flashback Friday will feature someone who is very familiar with Bubba Ray and D-Von: Edge.

Born on October 30, 1973 in Orangeville, Ontario (an hour north-west of Toronto), Adam Copeland was destined to become a professional wrestler. Standing tall at 6’5″ and weighing 240 lbs., Copeland used his athletic ability more than his strength to win matches and would become one of the most decorated wrestlers in WWE history.

The transition from Adam Copeland to Edge didn’t come easy. Working many independent circuits from 1992-1997, his big break would happen in large part to another famous Canadian wrestler. While recovering from knee surgery, Bret Hart was informally training a few wrestlers in Calgary, Alberta, so Copeland decided to spend his life savings and fly out there to train with one of the best in the business. With no money for food or shelter, Copeland relied on a friend to feed him and put a roof over his head during Hart’s camp, and that sacrifice worked. Hart was impressed and put in a good work with WWF, which resulted in a developmental contract in 1997.

After signing a developmental contract, Adam Copeland would be no more. Making his WWF television debut on June 22, 1998, the character Edge was born. Wrestling in a few singles and tag-team matches, his alliance with Christian and Gangrel to form The Brood is where his career take off.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALFMYWFRjQs[/youtube]

The trio was never really successful but they scared children everywhere with their entrance. The WWE was about 10 years early with the vampires trend, but it was a good start for Edge and his tag-team partner and long-time friend, Christian. After continuing to be unsuccessful in the WWF Tag-Team division, good news came for Edge when he was able to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship at a house show. However, that reign only lasted roughly 24 hours when he lost it at Fully Loaded the next night.

Winning championships was coming tough for Edge, but that would quickly change with the new millennium. After becoming the number-one contenders for the WWF Tag-Team Championships, Edge’s biggest moment of his career thus far happened with his partner Christian at WrestleMania 16. In a Triangle Ladder Match, Edge & Christian faced off against The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz, ultimately winning their first of seven WWF Tag-Team Championships.

The tag-team division has never been as loaded as it was during the early 2000s and Edge & Christian are a large reason for this. Participating in the first ever Tables Ladders & Chairs (TLC) match at SummerSlam 2000, the second TLC stipulation between The Hardy Boyz and Dudley Boyz at WrestleMania X-Seven is arguably the most famous tag-team match in wrestling history.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrjjlXdO39s[/youtube]

Edge & Christian would regain the WWF Tag-Team Championship, but the moment when Edge spears Jeff Hardy from 20 feet up (shown above) is insane. The tag-team of Edge & Christian would actually fall apart not long after when Christian betrayed Edge in 2001, allowing both superstars to break out as singles competitors.

Edge’s feuds over the next two years would include: Booker T, Christian, Test, William Regal and most notably Kurt Angle. Competing in a Hair vs. Hair match at Judgement Day 2002, a memorable moment occurred when Edge pulled Angle into a barber’s chair and shaved his head, embarrassing him to pieces. Feuding with Angle would continue, but this time it was in a tag-team match. Teaming up with Rey Mysterio, the tandem would face Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in the 2002 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Match of the Year.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhTu-WjwTbQ[/youtube]

Following his tandem with Mysterio, Edge went back to singles, but a neck injury kept him out of action for a year. That neck injury was incredibly serious, but it could have been the best thing that happened to him. His return skyrocketed him into championship glory and main events that he’d never seen before.

When Edge returned to action he teamed up with Chris Benoit, but eventually turned heel on him, becoming a villain. Edge’s eye was now on the World Heavyweight Championship. After he could never get over the hump to win the championship, his victory for the Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 21 was his ticket to championship glory.

Edge would feud with Matt Hardy and Kane for most of 2005 and early 2006, but at New Year’s Revolution 2006, Edge’s hard work would finally transition into world heavyweight gold. Becoming the first ever wrestler to cash in a Money in the Bank briefcase, Edge would spear a bloody and battered John Cena to capture his first ever World Championship.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBoT5QUGqQQ[/youtube]

Though that moment is celebrated as one of the biggest accomplishments in his career, he’s more remembered by some fans for what he did the next night on RAW. In a live celebration, Edge consummated his championship with Lita in a bed in the middle of the ring. It was one of the most viewed RAW‘s of all-time and a moment that could never be pulled off in today’s ‘PG-Era.’

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJaZKiZaOwM[/youtube]

Although Edge would lose his title a few weeks later, he would continue to be one of the main attractions in WWE. His feud with Mick Foley at WrestleMania 22 showcased another crazy moment when he speared Foley through a flaming table, ultimately suffering second-degree burns. After defeating the Hardcore Legend, Edge returned to feud with Cena when he defeated him for his second championship title. Unfortunately for Edge, Cena defeated him once again to win the WWE Championship and the Rated-R Superstar moved back into the tag-team division, forming a team with Randy Orton.

Edge and Orton would form a team entitled ‘Rated-RKO’ and wreck havoc throughout the tag-team division. They quickly won the WWE Tag-Team Championships, giving Edge his 12th career and record-breaking tag-team title.

Shortly after his tag-team run, Edge did something that nobody had done before; gaining a Money in the Bank briefcase and doing it without participating in the ladder match. Edge defeated Mr. Kennedy in a ‘Money in the Bank’ briefcase match and would cash it in not long after. On an episode of SmackDown, Edge cashed in his briefcase and speared The Undertaker to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Edge continued to defend his championship, but an injury made him relinquish the title, as he was forced out of action.

When he returned, he was once again able to win the World Heavyweight Championship, and formed a group called La Familia with Chavo Guerrero, Vickie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio. Edge would eventually lose his title to The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXIV, but he’d be involved with multiple world championships throughout the end of his career.

The strangest on-screen relationship was his marriage proposals to Vickie Guerrero, but it was a good alliance because it helped him throughout his career. Eventually claiming that he married her because she had authoritative powers on RAW, the two would get ‘divorced,’ but their marriage was incredibly useful for him.

The last two years of his career saw him win his record-setting 12th world tag-team championship, the Royal Rumble and his 11th singles world championship. Successfully defending his championship at the main event of WrestleMania XXVII against Alberto Del Rio, that’s where his in-ring career would end.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83JAA5YouAI[/youtube]

His career may have ended due to injuries, but within those 13 years in the WWE, it couldn’t have gone any better. Being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 by his buddy Christian, it was a picture-perfect ending to the Rated-R Superstar’s career.

If you’ve missed an edition of Flashback Friday, click here. Share your favourite Edge moments below and tweet @Wrestlenewz on who you’d like to see featured.