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Edge much more than just R Rated Superstar>
Wrestling’s Rated R Superstar really isn’t such a bad guy.

Forget the live sex show a while back on Monday Night RAW. Forget that he drips with arrogance each time he gets his hand on a microphone.

He’s really just Adam Copeland, alias Edge.

A good Canadian. A good guy. With a good in-ring character to sink his teeth into.

“Billy Graham and Dusty Rhodes say it best ... You can talk people into the seats and I’m trying to talk my way into being the most hated wrestler,” says the Rated R Superstar, who will face Mick Foley at Wrestlemania on April 2 in Chicago. “I can be this brash, sleazy, overconfident scumbag and get away with it.

“It’s not really me. Some people get confused and think I’m Edge. But I don’t go spear people in the streets, I don’t go walking around in my Calvin Kleins.”

Edge got a taste of being at the top, winning the world title from John Cena only to lose it back to him earlier this year ... and he wants to get back there again.

“I want that title again,” he says. “It wasn’t a fluke that ratings went up when I was the champion and it wasn’t a fluke that they went down when I lost the title.”

He’s looking forward to his match with Foley.

“When he was doing the singles thing, I was always the tag-team guy,” says Edge. “And then it was a matter of me being hated enough.

“We’ve always had a good relationship backstage. Right now, I’m really focused on Mick. My goal is to have people talking about that match more than anything else. I’m going to try and steal the show.

“I’ve been lucky enough to step in with some of the best — Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Stone Cold, Undertaker and Ric Flair. But up until now, (Mick and I) have never been in the ring at the same time. That’s crazy.”

It’s funny how times have changed for Edge. He and best buddy Jay Reso (Christian) grew up dreaming of being wrestlers. They held several tag titles before Christian left WWE for TNA. Edge won and lost the WWE title just before Christian won the TNA heavyweight strap.

“I really expected to end my career with Jay and one more E and C reunion. I guess that’s not going to happen,” says Edge, who says he would like to get in the ring with Rob Van Dam.

Edge is quick to credit Cena, who some fans continue to dump on.

“I can’t stress how much fun it is wrestling John Cena,” he says. “People ask me who is underrated. A guy like Chris Benoit is underutilized. Cena is utilized correctly, but he’s underrated. Some guys were cheering him when he was doing the hard-edge raps ... now they’re booing him because he’s got little kids cheering him. It’s a bum rap that he’s not a good wrestler.”

Edge says his three favourites opponents are Benoit, Cena and Randy Orton.

Last night was big for WWE, with Saturday Night’s Main Event on NBC.

TNA held its Destination X pay-per-view last Sunday, an event that featured the debut of Scott Steiner as one of the “bad guys.” Steve Borden (Sting) also returned. Now it’s fine and dandy to bring back all these old-school wrestlers, but if I was TNA I’d be worried about the effect its having on my new stars. Guys like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels and Petey Williams shouldn’t have to take a backseat to anyone — especially guys whose best days are behind them.

Expect to see Shannon Moore back in a WWE ring sometime soon.

Verne Gagne will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the day before Wrestlemania.

TNA’s next pay-per-view is Lockdown, April 23.



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Rated R. Restricted
March 3, 2006 - Rated R. Restricted. Language. Violence. Sex.

That pretty much sums up Edge's title reign in the WWE. A stint that saw The Rated R Superstar cut up while cutting down opponents in promos, deliver an early candidate for Match of the Year against Ric Flair, and of course, Live Sex on Raw that elevated his valet and "partner" Lita to the top of every Internet search list.

Edge's run with the belt, short as it was, entertained, excited, and (sorry for the gimmick infringement Rock), electrified WWE fans with a new breed of champ. Someone who wanted you to hate him.

Hate him with passion.

Boo. Heckle. Cuss his every spear.

That's his role as a heel, something Edge takes enormous pride in, because when you cheer for the bad guy, the bad guy isn't doing his job.

This heel is Rated R for all the right reasons, and he's never restricted when speaking his mind.

Say hello to the bad guy. The best bad guy in the business.

IGN Sports: About a year ago, you told me that you never wanted to do another TLC match because of your neck injury. Then I turn on Raw and watch you take one of the most ridiculous bumps I've ever seen.

Edge: Yeah, I actually tore a chunk out of my elbow on that one. My doctor told me the other day…I didn't even realize it. I knew my elbow hurt, but I took a big chunk out. What are you going to do" [laughs] I did the Money in the Bank ladder match last year at Wrestlemania, and I made sure everybody knew I didn't want to do that match either. I was more or less talked into it because there were five other guys to spread the responsibilities around. Then I did the ladder match with Matt Hardy, and I knew if any two people could pull off a ladder match, it was Edge and Matt Hardy. The big test, though, was with Ric Flair. It wasn't just a ladder match, but a TLC match, and then we're talking tables, then we're talking chairs. We're also talking about Ric Flair who has never been in a ladder match or a TLC match. Part of the reason it was such a huge challenge was part of the reason I wanted to do it. As much as I say I don't want any part of these matches, I really don't because of my body's sake, but then my mind and my competitiveness takes over and I want to show that I can do a TLC match with anybody. And to Ric's credit, he got in there and he completely backed up his claims to being one of the best ever, if not the best ever. He got that glimmer in his eye and he was able to hang with me. I'm not trying to sound cocky, but if you can hang with me in a TLC match, then you're doing something good.

IGN Sports: People are already talking about it as a potential Match of the Year candidate.

Edge: I'm proud of it, and I feel confident enough to say that. When the match was over, I thought it was pretty good, but then when I walked to the back, people were telling me it was the best ladder match I ever had. I think it was the drama. Was it the most crazy bumps you've ever taken" No, because there were only two guys as opposed to six in the other TLC. This was the first ever one-on-one TLC match, so there were a lot less crazy bumps taken, but I think we were able to tell a story and create some drama in there. I think the fact that Ric had people believing that he might win this thing was huge. He had his daughter at ringside, it was in Raleigh, North Carolina…it was just a complete story for a wrestling match. I'm just proud it worked out the way it did. Like I said, no, I don't want to do TLC matches, but when it's setup like that, it's tough to say no. I've heard people say that this will go down as one of Ric's best matches, so that's definitely saying something.

IGN Sports: I know you were a huge wrestling fan as a kid, so it has to be unbelievable for you to know that you once tagged with Hulk Hogan and now wrestled in one of Flair's best matches.

Edge: You nailed it right on the head. There were a lot of things that I never thought I'd get the opportunity to do in this industry. These are the extra bonuses that I've gotten to do that I never thought I'd get to do. Teaming with Hogan and winning the belts and being the only guy he's ever won the belts with, man, I never thought that would happen. I will be able to go back and watch that 15 years from now and still get goosebumps because I am such a huge wrestling fan. Wrestling Shawn Michaels was another big one for me because he was such a huge influence. And with Flair, I knew we had something special when they were hooking that belt up and raising it. I was looking across at Ric Flair and I was thinking to myself: 'I'm wrestling Ric Flair for the WWE title, TLC match, my first title defense…that's another goosebump. I can honestly say that there is only one other guy who I would've loved to have wrestled but I don't think I'll get to, and that's Bret Hart. I wrestled my guys growing up. I've wrestled with Hulk Hogan. I've wrestled against Shawn Michaels. I've wrestled against Ric Flair. I just won't be able to get my hands on Bret, but I've been so happy about everything I've been able to do from a fan's standpoint.
IGN Sports: It should be great for you, as a fan, to be there when Bret Hart is inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.

Edge: Oh man, I am so happy he's finally getting his moment. He deserves it, his fans deserve it, and I'm not going to lie, it's going to be one of those moments where I guarantee you almost every one of the boys, and the same with when Eddie is inducted, it's going to be tough to keep the tears back.

IGN Sports: What's your favorite Bret Hart moment"

Edge: He had so many, and he had some hidden gems. Watching his DVD, there are some great matches people forget about. I always loved his matches against Curt Hennig, and the one at SummerSlam where he won the IC title is a classic, but there is also this one on the DVD from King of the Ring that might be better. His match against Davey Boy at Wembley Stadium, any match he had against the Dynamite Kid, whether it was Stampede wrestling or the WWE was a classic. I remember he had one against Randy Savage on Saturday Night's Main event that isn't talked about too much, but I remember as a kid, it was awesome. I was a big fan of Bret, he was a huge influence, as were Shawn, Hulk, and Ric.

IGN Sports: You have another earmark match coming up against Mick Foley…

Edge: Funny you said earmark considering Mick only has one ear.[laughs]

IGN Sports: What should people expect from this match, especially since you're stepping right into his comfort zone with the hardcore rules"

Edge: Mick and I go back a long way, and we've always had really good chemistry. Back when it was Edge and Christian with Foley as commissioner, we always had great chemistry when it came to cutting promos, but we never had that chance to get in the ring together even though I always wanted to. Mick, along with Undertaker, those are the last two guys I really want to do an angle with in wrestling, so I'm finally getting to do that with Mick. Mick has that reputation for being the hardcore guy, but I've also built my own reputation now. So if you see Edge, whether it's a Street Fight, a Stretcher match, a TLC match, a No DQ match, I've had some pretty crazy matches in all of those formats. So when you hear that Edge is in one of these matches, you know you're going to get something special, and by putting me in there with Mick, who is also known for these crazy matches, all I can tell you is this: We're going to steal the show. I am going to make sure that no other match at Wrestlemania can touch it. That's my mentality. The way to do that is with a whole lot of brutality and to do some things that you've never seen before in WWE. It's going to be violent, and it's going to be one of those matches that you don't want the kids to watch. It might feel like a horror show at times. It might feel like a car wreck at times. But I'm going to make sure that when people are leaving that building, they are saying: 'Damn, Edge and Foley tore the house down.' My feeling is that I should be in the main event this year. You don't want to put me in it, so I'm just going to go ahead and steal the show.

IGN Sports: They did such a great job of building the feud between you and Cena that I just assumed you guys were going to be in the main event at Mania.

Edge: I did too, and I think a lot of people feel that is the way it should be, but it is not. What I do, if you're going to give me some lemons, I make lemonade. And no better guy to do it with than Mick Foley. It's going to be an honor to wrestle him, and it's going to be so much fun to do the buildup to it. I like to think that I've built my promo skills up to the point to where I'm one of the better ones in the business…Mick might be the best in the business. So not only are you going to have this car wreck at Mania, you're going to have some fun with the buildup promo-wise and storyline-wise.

IGN Sports: Have you gone back and watched some of his older matches to see what you're in store for"

Edge: I've been studying. I found out this was going to be happening and I went back and watched Mick and Hunter from Royal Rumble and the Hell in a Cell with Taker and Mick and Randy Orton from Vengeance. I do that with a lot of the guys I wrestle. I go back and watch tapes and start to think of ways of how I can insert myself into their style and vice versa. I've always been a fan of the industry and I've always studied, and that hasn't stopped because I want to go out and have the best match on the card. The best way to do that is to study tapes.

IGN Sports: You're hoping to steal the show this year, but as a fan, what were some of the moments that stole Wrestlemania for you"

Edge: Back in the day, the first one that comes to mind is Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant. That's a visual that you will never, ever forget. More recently, I don't think I'll ever forget Brock Lesnar landing on his head trying to do a Shooting Star Press. I will never forget Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero hugging with all of that confetti coming down at Wrestlemania 20. Those are the ones that stick out in my mind for me. Being at Wrestlemania 6, I remember being completely in shock and dumbfounded when Hulk Hogan missed the leg drop and Warrior hit the splash and got the 1-2-3. I was devastated.
IGN Sports: Now you go from watching Wrestlemania to starring in it as The Rated R Superstar. Did you know ESPN has been calling Kobe Bryant that on Sportscenter"

Edge: I heard something about that, and considering it's copyrighted, I think we might have an issue with that, especially considering that I'm a lot more R rated than Kobe. Unless he starts having live sex on TV, I've got him beat.

IGN Sports: Did you come up with that nickname"

Edge: I sat down with the company and we were going over t-shirt ideas and designs. I didn't really like any of them, but there was this one shirt that said Rated R Superstar and that was one they didn't want to use, but I was like "Wait a minute, wait a minute, I want to use that.' I took it from there and I started signing all of my autographs Rated R Superstar, I put it on my pads, I put it on my hats, and I basically gave everyone no choice but to call me the Rated R Superstar. Then when it started to take off, it was suddenly on my screen as I entered the ring and I put it on my tights…I'm overkilling it. It's to the point now when I come to the ring, people don't even call me Edge, they call me Rated R.

IGN Sports: You built up the Rated R aspect on the mic by putting so many people down. Does anyone ever get offended by what you say even though it's all supposed to be "Sports Entertainment""

Edge: I think so, and that's kind of what I go for. I said when I first turned heel that I didn't want any segment of our audience to like me. I didn't want to be one of those cool bad guys, and honestly, I don't think there are too many guys like that. I think deep down inside, most of the bad guys want to get cheered…I don't. I want absolutely everybody in there to hate me, and that's the mentality you need to have to be a successful heel. That's why I can honestly say there are only two to three legitimate heels in this business, and I'm one of them.

IGN Sports: It's interesting how the real life circumstances between yourself, Lita, and Matt Hardy led to you getting booed even more.

Edge: I was already getting booed, but that definitely accelerated it. [laughs] I think now we're removed from that, so people hate me because I'm a jackass on TV. Whether you think I'm a jackass in real life too, more power to you, but that just means you're going to boo me more and that's what I want. I'm never going to dissuade anyone from thinking I'm a jackass away from the ring too. The people who are close to me know I'm not, so as long as they know that, we're cool. It was surreal for a little while, and I stayed quiet on it for a long time until it was time to say my side of the story, and when I did, I think it was like clubbing a baby seal when it came to the promos. I don't think there's any comparison to Matt Hardy wanting me to die in a car accident to me telling him to strap in time because I want him to be safe so I could curb stomp him at SummerSlam, then I went out and did it. People hate guys who go out and do that, but I think people realize that there was a lot of truth to what I was saying.

IGN Sports: Isn't that what being Rated R is all about"

Edge: Exactly.

IGN Sports: And that all led to the Live Sex skit on Raw. I never thought it was going to go as far as it did.

Edge: That was probably the most awkward thing I've ever done. I don't get nervous before a wrestling match, but I was nervous as hell for that thing. When I go out there, I'm pretty much half-naked anyway…I'm wearing tights, I just don't think about it. It's no big deal. But when you're standing there in your underwear, there's a big difference. Thankfully, I just looked at Lita, I looked at Amy, and we just tried to make a joke out of it. This was so over the top that we decided to be over the top with it and have fun with it. We basically just went out there and acted like jackasses and had fun with it. It's funny, after it was over, all anyone wanted to know is if there was movement down there. No. If anything, it was trying to hide because I was scared to death. [laughs] Hell no, it wasn't going anywhere. You could've sent me a bottle of Viagra and there wouldn't have been any movement.

IGN Sports: How many more years do you see yourself in the ring. Do you want to be out there when you need Viagra" Do you want to be like Flair and pull off a TLC match in your 50's"

Edge: I think Ric Flair is a complete freak, and I mean that in a good way. It's unbelievable that he can still do this at a world championship level at this point. When I'm 56 or 57, I won't be able to. I know that and I'm not kidding anybody. I'm 32 now and there are mornings where I'm like 'Whew' just trying to get out of bed. If you look at the pictures of the evolution of man, by the tenth stop where we become men, where we go from caveman to man, that's how I get up in the morning. I start crouching and the more I walk, the more I get straight and by the tenth step I'm upright. So if I'm like that at 32, at 57 there's no way I'm still doing this. I always said that I wanted to accomplish everything that I listed for myself, and now I've done that. I can be content in the fact that I accomplished everything. I have a little while left on my contract at which point, I think I'm going to take a break and see how my body feels. See where I'm at mentally. Take a break from the traveling. Find a place where I want to live, then buy my dream home. After that, then I'll come back. I just feel like I'll need to rest, refuel, recharge my batteries, let my body rest to the point where I feel like a real human being again, and then comeback. I can't put it down to an actual age or an actual amount of years, but as long as I physically feel like I can still do it at the level I'm at now, I'll continue to do it. The minute I go in there and I can hear the crowd go "oh man" or I feel pity when they watch me or I hear about some guy who looks at the sheet and finds out he's wrestling me and thinks it's going to be a rough night because I'm no longer bringing my A game. I want to leave people with fond memories of my matches, not the memory of me holding on too long. I'm not going to be one of those guys.

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Champ on Edge of stardom
By TIM BAINES - Ottawa Sun

As a teenager, Adam Copeland was a make-believe wrestling champion, strutting around the house with toy title belts around his waist.

WRESTLING

In his Orangeville District Secondary School yearbook, Copeland, at the age of 17,was named Most Likely to Win a WWF Championship.

Prophesy fulfilled. Copeland, as Edge, now has the real thing. And he couldn't be happier -- about winning the strap over John Cena at New Year's Revolution and about getting his real life back on track after some rocky revelations.

"When I was a kid,I had the tag-team and heavyweight belts, the cheaper ones made out of styrofoam," said Copeland. "I'd also take weightlifting belts and draw on them and wear them around."

And now he can sit back and look at himself in the shine of the real thing.

"I don't think I've paid for a meal since I won it," he said with a laugh. "(The night I won it), I got back to my room and looked at the belt and said: 'Hey, I did it!' I'm on Cloud 9.

"Mick Foley said it best. It's kind of like being awarded the Oscar for a job well done. A lot of things went through my mind.

"Euphoria.Vindication -- for anybody who's made it to where they want to go after being told they couldn't do it."

Copeland's character has gradually morphed into the Rated R Superstar -- aligned with Lita (Amy Dumas), the diva with whom he was romantically linked in real life.

"My mindset is that if I say anything back, it looks like I'm defending myself," said Copeland, who's currently single. "No one other than the people involved know the real truth. Maybe I took advice from the wrong shoulder for a while.

"I thought at age 24 I knew everything ... now at 32, maybe I don't.There were a lot of mistakes."

The two created a stir two weeks ago on RAW when Edge decided his title party should be a Sex Celebration -- in a bed in the middle of the ring.

"It wasn't awkward. We can look at each other and try and laugh inside," said Copeland. "We've become the consummate evil duo."

"A show like Nip and Tuck can get away with it. Look at Desperate Housewives and Eva Longoria and whoever she's with in that episode.

"All of a sudden, what we're doing is real and offensive" I'm playing a character. It's not like I walk around in my Calvin Kleins and thrust myself at people in the street.

"I'm having fun. I like to push buttons.

"My whole character is based around offending people -- making them ask: 'Is he allowed to do this"' It's D-Generation X and Rick Rude with the volume turned up."

Copeland gives credit to Ric Flair, his opponent for his first title defence on RAW -- a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match.

"You're used to seeing TLC with six guys ... two go down and the next two step up," said Copeland. "Doing it with two is a different animal, especially when one of the participants is 56.

"Ric pulled up his end of the bargain. He's a genetic freak. I'll tell you, at 56 there's no way I'll be in a wrestling ring."

Copeland is in good spirits these days, emerging from a somewhat darker period.

"I'm in a real good place right now," said Copeland. "Two thousand and five was a topsy-turvy rollercoaster ride, a lot of it my own fault. And here's 2006 -- eight days into it I'd won the WWE title."

credit: Slam Wrestling


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EVENT: Edge proud of his new title: WWE Champ By DAVID WALSH
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- When Edge is called to the ring now, a couple of extra words are needed for the introduction: WWE Champion.

Edge collected the final piece to his personal WWE puzzle last Sunday night when he beat John Cena at New Year's Revolution to win the WWE championship.

"After 14 years, it sounds good," Edge said in a telephone interview Wednesday from Denver. "I did everything I set out to do. The WWE (title) was the only thing left. I've got it now."

Edge and the RAW superstars pay a visit to a Huntington on Saturday night, where he's scheduled to face Cena in a WWE championship match in the main event. Bell time at Big Sandy Superstore Arena is 7:30 p.m. It will be just his second match as WWE champion (the first was Friday in Dayton).

Edge took an unusual route to the title at Sunday's pay-per-view in Albany, N.Y. The night started with him challenging Ric Flair for the Intercontinental crown. He lost by disqualification when Lita, his associate, interfered. As Flair, the target of verbal assaults from Edge over personal problems, was about to put Lita into the Figure Four leglock, Edge returned to the ring and bashed Flair three times in the head with his trademark briefcase, leaving Flair a bloody mess in the ring.

In the main event, a six-main Elimination Chamber, Cena rolled up Carlito to get the win and keep the title. Or so he thought. Edge cashed in his "Money In The Bank Shot," meaning Cena's night wasn't done by order of WWE boss Vince McMahon. Edge nailed the champ twice with the Spear, his patented move, with the second blast leading to a three-count and the belt going around Edge's waist.

Edge, now known as the Rated R Superstar, and Lita exhibited plenty of passion in the post-match celebration and again on Monday Night RAW.

"This was my first match since my torn pect (pectoral muscle)," Edge said. "All I did was rehab. It held up in the first match (against Flair). I've got up to Wrestlemania (22) to use it. You just have to be the smartest. He had been beat down. I feel vindicated. Whatever I do now, I have the big prize. It's like winning an Oscar. I know a lot of people would say I'd never do it. Ever since I was a kid, this was my goal. You try to never doubt yourself. Yes I had injuries, but I showed I could come back."

In February 2003, Edge, whose real name is Adam Copeland, suffered a neck injury that required surgery. He then suffered a wrist injury that delayed his scheduled return in 2004.

"It's hard," said Edge, who is 32. "You get pretty sore. The body is about to give out. When I retired, I didn't want to be on the couch and say I could've done it but didn't."

At Wrestlemania 21 last April in Los Angeles, Edge won a "Money-In-The-Bank" Ladder Match to gain a match for a contract in a briefcase that granted the bearer a shot at the World Heavyweight championship. This title match was guaranteed for up to a year and inclusive to Wrestlemania 22. Last Sunday, he knew it was time to act and it paid off as Edge joins Bret Hart and Chris Jericho as the only Canadians to win the WWF/E championship. He no longer has the briefcase with him at ringside.

When Edge burst onto the WWE scene, it was in tag team action with his brother Christian. They became known as "E & C." They took part in some wild matches, including memorable Tables, Ladders and Chairs (TLC) against the likes of the Dudley Boyz and Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff). He and Christian won the WWE tag team title seven times. Edge was a tag team champion 10 times overall and held the Intercontinental title five times.

"We had a lot of fun," Edge said of his days with Christian. "We grew up together. We played off each other. He was my best friend. We lived a dream. We revolutionized tag team wrestling. It was a blank canvas. We could paint what we wanted on it."

In 2001, Edge began to make his mark in singles and he would win King of the Ring. There was a split with Christian. He had feuds with him along with William Regal, Booker T., Kurt Angle and Matt Hardy. Edge's big moment came in a singles match against Angle where his win meant Angle got his head shaved.

"In tag team, you always had someone to reach to," Edge said. "It (singles) felt different. I'm a baby face good guy, and people think 'What's going on"' I was able to keep my head above water. I arrived with the hair match. He's still bald, and I'm the reason.

"It was a springboard. I became a main-event guy. You feel and hear you can do it, but you still have to prove yourself. Getting to the WWE was easy. To succeed at the level I wanted to get to was the hardest part. There's a lot of talent out there."

Outside the ring, Edge had personal issues with Kane, then Hardy over their relationships with Lita.

"It definitely was a long year," Edge said. "I learned from the mistakes I made. 2005 is out. I feel comfortable with myself."

The countdown begins to the Edge/Cena rematch at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 29 in Miami. He refuses to look ahead to Wrestlemania 22 in April in Chicago.

"We do it my way," Edge said of the ways he shows his affection for Lita. "I'm like the (New England) Patriots. I worry about the next game only. The Patroits won't look past Denver to the Super Bowl. They have a business-like mentality. So do I."

However, for a man running out of goals, Edge said he has one more big one.

"My goal is set. The main event at Wrestlemania," he said.

For now, Edge is content to enter the ring and display his WWE title belt. He's fully aware of its significance.

"About 30 or 31 guys can say they've won it," he said. "I'm in a select group. It feels great."


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Crimes Of Passion
Edge, Lita & Matt Hardy Take You Behind the Scenes of the Scandal that Rocked WWE
By Jeremy Brown - RAW Magazine, September 2005 It has all the makings of great drama. Love, hate, aggression, pain, anguish and pure, naked rage. It has a jilted lover, a broken marriage and friendships in upheaval. Indeed, all the makings of great drama. If only it wasn't 100% reality. Since February, the world of WWE fandom has been abuzz at the twisted and tangled web that has been woven by Edge, Lita and Matt Hardy, all stemming from the revelation that Edge had begun a relationship with Lita while Hardy was recovering from a knee injury. The discovery brought a sudden and shattering end to Hardy's relationship with Lita, which had spanned more than six years. "It was the most serious relationship I've ever been in," Hardy says. "And I never thought that someone I actually cared about and believed in on the level of myself, if not higher, would do this to me. It makes you question the human soul, you know"" While Edge and Lita both have expressed understanding towards Matt's heartbreak, Edge insists that the way Matt handled his grief was way out of line. "Not to sound cold and callous, but the same thing's happened to me, and I'm sure it's happened to you," he says. "It happens in real life. And when you deal with it like a child, like it's sixth grade, OK, fine. You're 31 years old, maybe you should look in the mirror. I'm not saying what was done was right, but there's a way you handle yourself." In recent months, Edge, Lita and Hardy have seen their personal and professional lives blend together to create an unstable Molotov cocktail - a burning powder keg that was ignited in February and finally exploded during the dog days of summer in a series of dust-ups on RAW that led to a one-on-on match between Edge and Hardy at SummerSlam. From Edge's perspective, whatever mistakes that he and Lita may have made, the blame for the situation's volatile state lies squarely with Hardy. "This is being played out on national TV because someone couldn't separate between his personal and professional life - someone who's only been in one serious relationship at almost 31 years old, and I think it's showing why now." The seeds of Edge and Lita's relationship were planted when Edge first approached her seeking advice about his troubled marriage. "I was newly into a relationship that was already having problems," Edge says. "I didn't feel like I could go to any of my guy friends because they'd say 'I told you so,' so I went to my closest female friend. I thought, 'Amy (Lita) is the person I'm going to. I've got to get some advice here.'" As the two began talking and spending more time together, Lita says their conversations brought to light things that she felt were missing from her own six-year relationship with Hardy. "I realized what I was missing from my current relationship that I not only never had, but also never knew I was missing and never knew I wanted," Lita said in a candid interview only hours before she fell prey to a devastating tombstone at the hands of Kane. "That hit me pretty hard." Hardy first uncovered the truth about Edge and Lita when she returned home for knee surgery following an injury sustained at New Year's Revolution. Driving to see Lita, Hardy received a call on his cell phone, a call he believed to be from Edge. "I pick up and say, 'Hey, man, what's going on"'" Hardy recalled. "There was a moment of silence and a voice said, 'Matt, it's Lisa.' It was Adam's (Edge's) wife, and she said, "I just wanted to tell you that I got a strange text message off Adam's phone. It was from Lita and it said, 'I'm going to miss being on the road with you. I love you. I love being with you.'" From there, Hardy began to put the pieces together, confronting both Edge and Lita, who acknowledged that, yes, they had fallen in love. The disclosure led to heated verbal altercations with both Edge and Lita. "Looking back," says Hardy, "I wished I could have stayed calmer, but in that kind of a setting, it's hard to. This was the house that I built for us to live in, you know" I was looking at wedding rings, making long-term plans. And it was like, 'Why is this happening"'" The fires of his anger now stoked, Hardy was quick to respond. He fired off a series of missives on his website excoriating Edge and Lita. "I basically said, 'I'm going to start making people eat words one way or the other.' Whatever it was, I was going to get my story out there. And that meant putting up videos on my website, doing autograph signings, posting on my message board, just getting a whole grassroots movement." The videos in question, including one in which Matt runs over a poster of Lita in his car, fast became a topic of controversy. Looking back on the situation, Edge is perplexed why Hardy would choose to vent his anger in such a fashion. "Instead of talking to Lita and trying to show her he loves her," says Edge, "he's running over pictures of her with his Corvette and calling her a whore. To me that doesn't show a lot of love. "We made a mistake," he admits. "Since then, Matt has made plenty." Hardy's website soon began registering more and more hits, and the incident quickly became the talk du jour of wrestling fans everywhere. The buzz increased when, in April, Hardy was suddenly released from WWE. Instantly, speculation arose that his firing was a response to the posts on his website. Some even put forth the theory that Hardy's release may have been orchestrated by Edge himself. Edge flatly denies such a charge, maintaining that not only did he feel that Hardy shouldn't have been fired, but that he went so far as to approach WWE management in Hardy's defense. "I didn't get him fired," he says. "Everyone's been saying 'You screwed Matt,' and yeah, throughout the whole thing, things have been done that have screwed Matt. I didn't get him fired, though." For Hardy, being let go from WWE was a devastating blow. "Literally, since I was a kid, my dream job was to work for WWE," he says. "And then I lost it because of these circumstances. It was really unfair, but I just had to pick up the pieces and move on. You just can't lie down and die. I've been like that my entire life. Whatever hand I'm dealt, I'll try and make the most of it." By this time, the so-called "Movement" Hardy had created was growing. In fact, with his sudden release, it all but exploded. Fans began chanting, "You screwed Matt" and "We want Matt" at events and holding up signs calling Lita "Slut" and Edge (among other things) "Homewrecker." In addition, Hardy supporters took to the internet themselves, filling up websites and blogs with posts and diatribes against the couple. "It makes them feel better about their own lives and the problems that they have in their own lives," says Edge of the internet feedback. "There are a lot of people throwing stones at us that I could kick a boulder back at. Thankfully, I don't read the internet. It doesn't serve a purpose for me. I don't need to see what Jim McGillicutty from Boise, Idaho has to say about my personal life when he's only getting one side of the story." While Edge is able to dismiss the criticism thrown his way, Lita has become more affected by it, feeling that it's a situation that should never have gone public. "I'm a private person," she said, "and I don't want to talk about my side and about conversations we've had. It would explain a lot if I did, but I'm not going to because it's private. All I think when I see those signs is, 'If you even knew the half of it, you wouldn't have that sign.'" From Hardy's perspective, the fan support was incredibly gratifying. When a capacity crowd began chanting "We want Matt" at Madison Square Garden in April, he truly felt the groundswell of the Movement. "I was just extremely flattered, because when you think about the top tier of wrestling fans, you have to think of Madison Square Garden," he says, recalling the incident. "Those guys are the most dedicated, die-hard and intelligent fans. And when Lita, who's one of the most popular girls, was up there and they booed her out of the building chanting 'You screwed Matt' and 'We want Matt,' it made me feel great. It was then that I realized that WWE and those two had created a monster. And I was happy to feed it." The monster, now unleashed, began to wreak havoc. The chants increased, so much that anytime Edge and Lita appeared in the ring, their voices were nearly drowned out by the fans' rabid screams. "When I'm getting comments thrown at me that are personal quotes from Matt's ranting on the internet and things related directly to my personal life," Lita said, "it just makes it hard to concentrate out there." When Lita and Edge's relationship was made fully public and the two appeared on RAW as a couple, the shock was too much for Hardy to bear. "The first week was really hard," he says, looking back. "I had to stop watching it. Especially because of the whole way everything came about and all the years and time I'd spent with Lita." In time, Hardy's rage overtook him and he invaded RAW, attacking Edge and Lita before a stunned crowd in New Jersey before being hauled out by arena police. The run-ins continued, and after Lita was tombstoned by Kane, the path was clear for the two men to face off at SummerSlam and settle the score in the ring. Hardy sees the return to WWE as nothing less than a total vindication of everything he struggled for. "For me, the most rewarding thing is the people and the way they literally brought me back," he says. "Knowing that WWE recognized that I had to get in the ring with Edge because the movement was something they couldn't control" That's a battle I felt like I won." Edge sees the situation much differently. "Matt Hardy's career only got to a certain level, but never the main event," he says bluntly. "Without Jeff Hardy, he didn't get far. He was the Cruiserweight Champion. People didn't chant 'We want Matt' before this. He should be thanking us, because it's the most popular he's ever been." Matt says the past several months have made him stronger and ignited in him a fighting spirit. From now on, no one will keep him down, and God help anyone who tries. "When bad stuff goes down, when people attack me," he says, "I don't curl up and hope it goes away. I come out swinging. I retaliate." From Edge's perspective, he's not looking for pity, sympathy or understanding from anyone. In fact, he's not looking for anything at all. "I don't care if you side with me," he says. "I don't want you to side with me. But it's all been thrown out there except our side of the story. So here it is. Do with it what you want."

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Living on the Edge: Lita & Edge's Love Affair Has Kane Seeing Red, and the Fans Scratching Their Heads RAW Magazine, July 2005
By Anthony Cali

There've been many unexpected romances in 2005, but perhaps none more shocking than the events that transpired on Monday, May 16, when Lita betrayed her husband of nearly eight months, and aligned herself with Edge.

Nobody saw it coming. Not Kane. Not the jam-packed crowd of the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Not the millions of viewers sitting at home on their living room couches. Nobody, except for the two very devious souls.

It was clear to most observers that Edge had an agenda. His lust for the World Heavyweight Championship has taken him on a path of destruction and anger, but not in their wildest imagination did anyone think he would tear apart a marriage--be it suspect or not--in order to aid in his quest. Whether an act of desperation or passion, or part of a master plan, Edge took his obsession to the extreme when he came clean to having a relationship with Lita behind Kane's back.

Despite the questionable start to their relationship, it appeared as if Lita and Kane had made their once-rocky marriage work. With public displays of affection and emotional support for one another, it seemed the monstrous Kane had won Lita's heart.

On the fateful night, Kane asked Lita to stand at ringside to see the culmination of his hard work, as he attempted defeat Edge to become the No. 1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Things seemed to be going just as planned. So much so, that when Kane climbed to the top turnbuckle to deliver one of his patented flying clotheslines to a dazed Edge, fans expected that the end was near. They figured that once the Big Red Monster hit the maneuver, he was just one Chokeslam from Hell away from winning the Gold Rush Tournament, and earning his opportunity at the World Heavyweight Championship. Thanks to Lita & Edge, however, that didn't happen.

Instead, as Kane climbed the ropes, Lita slid the briefcase containing Edge's "Money In The Bank" contract, worth one World championship opportunity, to Edge. She then attempted to distract her 7-foot spouse. When Kane finally made his leap, he flew face-first into the steel briefcase, which allowed Edge to score the controversial victory.

A dazed Kane sat upright and stared at the top of the ramp, where Edge and Lita embraced and shared a passionate kiss. In an instant, their private love affair had become very public. The already love-scorned Kane had been tricked again.

For those who have followed Lita's career closely, it would seem puzzling that the generally warm-hearted Diva would align herself with a power-hungry Superstar like Edge--someone she appeared to have little in common with. Yet, upon further examination, many pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together quite nicely. In fact, the entire situation makes perfect sense.

Like Edge, Lita also has her own agenda. Although she may have come off as a sweet, innocent victim of circumstance, in reality she is anything but. When it comes to getting her way or extracting revenge on her rivals, Lita will use anything, or anyone, to her advantage. Unfortunately for Kane, he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"What I did to Kane, women do all the time," Lita says. "Women use their husbands every day. So the fans can go ahead and try to pass judgment on me, but can they really blame me for doing it""

"We don't owe Kane or anyone else and explanation," Edge says, "and we certainly don't owe them an apology. And people can call Lita a slut, but you know what" She's my slut!"

"Kane could never satisfy me," Lita says. "And while he was running my errands and doing whatever I wanted like a dog, I was busy falling in love with a real man--'Mr. Money in the Bank,' Edge."

To say that Edge and Lita are smug remorseless and vastly confident would be an understatement. Since going public with their affair, the couple has managed to irritate fans everywhere they go. Choruses of boos and chants of "Slut" have become the norm, as the pair who were at one point two of the more popular athletes in WWE have become two of the most reviled.

"The only reason that people say anything," Edge says, "is because they're all jealous. They're jealous because we look the way we do, because we do the things we do, and because I've got this fiery, red-headed sexpot by my side. I'm on top of the world. I'm Money in the Bank!"

As evidenced by their behavior thus far, Edge & Lita have just one thing on their minds--success. Aside for their feelings toward one another, their relationship is mutually beneficial. Lita can now move on from her forced marriage and refocus her energy on the Women's Division, while Edge can continue his quest to become a World champion.

Notwithstanding his loss to Batista the week after his & Lita's scheme unfolded, Edge has been on a tear as of late. At WrestleMania 21, he defeated five of Raw's top Superstars, in a six-man "Money in the Bank" Ladder Match to earn a World Championship title match at any time of his choosing over the next year. At Backlash, he upended Christ Benoit in a Last Man Standing Match, and on his way to winning the Gold Rush Tournament, Edge overcame Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, and Kane, respectively. In the process, he also gave HBK a concussion.

One day soon, Edge will likely wear a World championship belt around his waist, but unfortunately, the self-proclaimed "Mr. Money in the Bank" isn't a very patient man. Edge wants to be a World Champion now, and there isn't a thing he won't do to make it happen. Whether it means injuring the competition, one Superstar at a time, stealing another possible contender's wife, or taking shortcuts, Edge has just one thing on his mind.

Despite being on the cusp of greatness, Edge has continued to fall just short every time he competes for the World Championship. However, now that he is equipped with a valuable fire-haired vixen in his corner, Edge's chances of success have doubled. Lita just may be the missing piece to the puzzle that Edge has needed all along, but only time will tell if their unholy union will be enough to propel Edge to the pinnacle of sports-entertainment.



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Edge goes one for two January 30, 2005
By Anthony Cali
FRESNO, CA – A few weeks ago Edge told WWE.com that he was going to go two for two at the Royal Rumble, winning both his singles match against Shawn Michaels, and the 30-man Rumble contest itself. Sunday night, half of Edge’s prediction came true.

“I did exactly what I said I was going to do,” Edge stated backstage at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. “I beat the Heartbreak Kid. I beat a man I grew up watching – a man I grew up idolizing, a man I patterned myself after. Say what you want about how I did it, but I beat him.”

In the first contest of the night, Edge cleverly used the ropes to pick up a 1-2-3 over the Heartbreak Kid. Despite the controversial climax, both Superstars endured an unbelievable amount of punishment, making it clear that neither was heading into the Royal Rumble main event at 100%.

Later in the evening, Edge and Michaels’ focus turned to becoming the number-one contender. Once Michaels entered the fray, he and Edge reignited their rivalry, but it was Kurt Angle who returned to the ring after being eliminated by HBK, who was the one to toss out the Showstopper. After eliminating HBK, Angle hit him in the head with the steel steps, before securing him in an Ankle Lock.

“Personally I enjoyed seeing that,” commented Edge of Michaels’ assault. “Not that I like Angle. He and I have had our run-ins – I’m the reason he’s bald. But I enjoyed what he did, because HBK had it coming. So I guess you can say that it wasn’t exactly the best night for Shawn, and all of that started with a loss to me.”

Unfortunately for Edge, his second outing wasn’t what he’d hoped for. Still despite not winning the Rumble, he still was able to deliver an MVP-quality performance. After drawing the seventh pick, Edge lasted nearly an hour, threw out five men, and was the second to last Superstar eliminated. As one would expect, the title hungry Canadian was anything but cordial about his elimination.

“It took two men – Batista and John Cena – to eliminate me from the Royal Rumble,” said Edge. “I lasted longer than any man in that Royal Rumble. After having already wrestled in a 25-minute match with Shawn Michaels, one of the toughest competitors in this industry, I lasted almost 50-minutes in the Rumble against 30 of WWE’s top athletes.”

Even with his enormous victory over Michaels now highlighting his resume, Edge still hasn’t forgiven the Heartbreak Kid, and it’s safe to say that their rivalry is far from over. However right now, Edge is more concerned with another one of the missions on his “To Do List” – winning the World Heavyweight Title


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Edge gets the opportunity of a lifetime next week January 31, 2005
By Anthony Cali

SAN JOSE, CA – For months , Edge has been complaining about not receiving his due. He claims to have been “screwed” over and over again, by Shawn Michaels, the WWE fans, Eric Bischoff, and anybody else he can blame. Next week, it will be time for him to either put up or shut up.

Following his huge victory over HBK at the Royal Rumble, and a stunning Rumble performance that lasted 40 minutes, and saw him throw five other Superstars over the top rope, Bischoff gave Edge the title opportunity he so strongly feels he deserves. Next week in Japan, Edge will face Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship.

"I think Bischoff realized that not only was I the leader of the Raw brand in the Royal Rumble,” Edge told WWE.com after hearing of the news, “but I think he realized that by me being one of the first seven entrants in the Royal Rumble, lasting as long as I did, and throwing out guys like Eddie Guerrero, Ric Flair, Rey Mysterio and Shelton Benjamin, that I am World Heavyweight Championship material, and that I deserve a title match. I’ve had opportunities involving other people, and every time I’ve been screwed out of the opportunity. But now I have Triple H one-on-one, and it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Of course the matches Edge refers to are his triple threat match against Triple H and Chris Benoit, where both he and the Crippler were declared the winner, and his second World Title opportunity at New Year’s Revolution, where he was eliminated from the contest after receiving a superkick by the guest referee, Shawn Michaels. Next week, there will be no extra opponents, no special referees, and no excuses. At least that’s what Edge is counting on.

"I’m going to need eyes in the back of my head,” Edge admitted. “I’m going to have to watch out for Ric Flair. I’m going to have to watch out for Dave Batista. But it’s like I’ve always said, I’m a lone wolf. I always find ways to get it done, and next week I’ll do just that. I will finally fulfill my destiny of becoming the World Heavyweight Champion.”

If Edge is able to make the most of his opportunity next week in Japan by defeating Triple H for the World Title, he promises to be a fighting champion. In fact, Edge says he will take on all-comers. Well, almost.

"Of course, I’ll take on all challengers,” Edge continued. “I don’t have any friends, I only have enemies. So I expect it to come from all sides. Every Superstar on the Raw roster wants me right now, and that’s without the World Heavyweight Championship. Once I win it, I’ll have a giant target around my waist, but that’s fine, because I’ll take one everyone – everyone, of course , except for Shawn Michaels. Like I said, I already beat HBK, so if he wants to get a rematch against me, he’s going to have to beat a few other guys first to prove he’s worthy. Right now, my main concern is just leaving Japan with the World Heavyweight Title in my suitcase.”


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Edge stoked to meet HBK at Royal Rumble
January 17, 2005
By Anthony Cali

TORONTO, ONTARIO – The bad blood between Shawn Michaels and Edge continues to escalate. For months now, the two Superstars have been at each other’s throats, costing one another chances at the World Heavyweight Title, and getting in cheap shots whenever possible. On January 30, their hatred will come to a head, when Edge and HBK meet one-on-one at the Royal Rumble Pay-Per-View in Fresno, California.

Last week, Shawn and Edge battled through the crowd, and into the outer regions of the Office Depot Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This week, Eric Bischoff decided to take their mutual aggression, and use it by signing a match between them at Royal Rumble. Making things more interesting is the fact that both Edge and Michaels were already entered into the Rumble match itself, meaning they’ll have two chances to tear one another apart.

Monday night, WWE.com caught up with Edge to hear his comments on his upcoming battle with HBK, and the chances of him winning the 30-man over-the-top-rope contest, after having already been in a grueling match that same evening with Shawn. Here’s what Edge had to say:

WWE.com: How do you feel about Eric Bischoff’s announcement that you and Shawn Michaels will compete at Royal Rumble"

Edge: Well, of course, I’m not a fan of the fact that I have to compete twice, but what else is new" The deck is continually stacked against me becoming the World Heavyweight Champion. I mean I’ve gone through the laundry list before, and I’ll go through it again. At Taboo Tuesday, he should have stepped aside. I mean I beat both him and Chris Benoit the night before in a Triple Threat Match, and still the fans voted him in by 6%. Then he got injured, and they still voted for a man who in no way, shape, or form was going to beat Triple H for the World Title, whereas I would have. So that forces me into a Battle Royal, which I rightfully won, and then a Triple Threat against Benoit and Triple H, which I also rightfully won, and after the title gets vacated, low and behold, Shawn Michaels comes back just in time to referee the Elimination Chamber Match, and Super Kick me out of another shot at the World Heavyweight Championship. You know what, the more I think about it, the more I actually like the idea, because I finally can get my hands on the man who’s continually screwed me out of the World Heavyweight Championship. So I guess you can say that I’ve got a lot of ammunition for this match, and I’m looking forward to it.

WWE.com: Do you think that having this match, and then competing in the Royal Rumble match itself will hurt your chances of winning the 30-man contest"

Edge: It will fuel me. I won’t let anything get in my way of that World Heavyweight Championship. So if that’s my only way to get to WrestleMania, and to fight for that World Heavyweight Championship, then fine, that’s one piece of advice that Shawn Michaels gave me that I’m going to listen to. He told me to win the Royal Rumble, because he’s done it twice. Well I’m going to prove that anything he can do, or has done, I can do too, and do it better.

WWE.com: Shawn made a statement that one of the reasons he was entering the Royal Rumble, was so he could throw you out and cost you another shot at the title. How do you feel about this comment"

Edge: I think he’s got another thing coming. And to quote Judas Priest and Rob Halford, “it ain’t gonna happen.” He can come after me, that’s fine, in fact he can come after me after I’ve already beaten his sorry @$$ 1-2-3 in the middle of the ring earlier in the night, and you know what I’ll do, I’ll throw him right out of the Royal Rumble.

WWE.com: Well what would you say your chances are of going 2-0 on January 30 – defeating HBK, and then winning the Rumble"

Edge: What are my chances of going 2-0 that night" I’d say if you throw another zero on that, then you would be correct in forecasting that there’s a 200% chance it’s going to happen. And that’s a whole lot better than 100%.


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Forgoten Feud Why Edge Must Defeat Orton...Again!
Think back to early-2004, back when Edge was just returning from a year-long leave of absence following neck surgery. WWE had high hopes for the Canadian to shed his reputation as a tag team specalist and blossom into a regular member of Raw's main event rotation. The company was depending on him to become one of the brand's future stars, and it needed him to instantly capture momentum.

However, Edge's ascent to the top tier wasn't instantaneous. Instead, it was slow and steady, and a short run with Chris Benoit, as Raw tag team champion put his progress on hold.

Edge didn't need another run as tag team champion. He had had enough of those, and he was looking for something bigger.

Enter Randy Orton, Orton, at the time a willing member of Evolution, was in the midst of an impressive streak as Intercontinental champion- and he knew it. The boastful third-generation superstar began calling himself one of the greatest Intercontinental champions in the history of the sport, and more than a few people believed him. Edge knew that if he wanted to stand out, knocking off Orton and taking his title would be an ideal place to start. So, at Vengence 2004, Edge did just that. He took advantage of an exposed turnbuckle by whipping Orton into it and then spearing him for the one-two-three, ending Orton's seven-month run as I-C champion.

Less than two months later, Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff stripped Edge of the championship because Edge had suffered an abductor muscle tear, an injury that would have kept him from defending the title for more than 30 days. But the title wasn't the only thing Bischoff stripped of Edge. When Bischoff declared the title vacant, he also strippped Edge of all his momentum. By the time Edge returned to action, everyone had forgotten how he had halted Orton's I-C title reign- which is why if Edge hopes to get into the main event mix, he needs to pick another fight with Orton and show the world that he's the better wrestler.

He needs to show the world that he- not Orton- is Raw's future.

Why Orton" Well, in the time since Edge defeated the self-proclaimed "Legend KIller" for the I-C title, Orton has gone on to become the youngest Raw champion ever. He's established himself as one of the top two or three players on the Raw roster. He's also become the unofficial leader of the next generation of great wrestlers and appears to be in line for a shot at "The Game" at Wrestlemania 21. Edge, however, has already beaten him- and beaten him soundly with gold on the line.

If Edge wants to re-establish his top tier credentials, he needs to do it now with a victory- or, better yet, a series of victories- over Orton. Only then will he be ready for a run at Raw gold, no matter who is holding it.

-Will Welsh

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EDGE OF INSANITY! Has he squashed his own championship dreams"
His frustration was understandable. Edge had been denied the Raw match he felt he earned, this time by WWE fans. Spearing Shawn Michaels and ruining his chances of winning the gold made him feel good for the moment. But did he realize what the inplications would be"

By Will Welsh
Edge sat alone at Milwakee's General Mitchell International Airport the morning after Taboo Tuesday. Chris Benoit, his reluctant tag-team partner and co-Raw tag team champion, sat more than a few gates over. The two men hadn't spoken since Edge walked out on Benoit during their match against La Resistance, forcing Benoit to wrestle the match one-on-two. It was hard to tell if either man knew that the other was sitting so close, but it seemed doubtful. Benoit was fast asleep having uncomfortably sprawled out across a row of chairs. Edge was awake, but the big gray hood pulled over his eyes obscured his vision.

If either man had known that the other was so close, it's hard to believe that they would have remained so peaceful and calm.

Much farther away from Edge was Shawn Michaels. HBK chose to stay at his hotel in order to catch a later flight. His body needed the rest, especially considering that he had wrestled Triple-H the night before with a torn meniscus. His ribs were still sore from the spear with which Edge had blasted him to help Triple-H secure his victory. As he lay in bed wincing at the slightest of movements, he had to be swearing to himself that he'd make Edge pay for the transgression.

Nearer to Edge, only one gate over, was Raw champion Triple-H, fresh off his successful title defense against Michaels. Next to him sat Batista, who like Edge, also played a role in Helmsley's victory.

Oddly enough, Helmsley's mentor, Ric Flair, was nowhere to be found.

Batista looked over at Edge, seemingly brooding for no apparent reason, and the big man chuckled. Then he pointed out Edge to Triple-H, who couldn't help break into a wry grin. The Raw champion got up out of his seat and strolled over to where Edge was sitting. He put out his hand. Edge looked at it, thought for a second or two, and let Helmsley's hand fall.

"It should have been me and you know it," Edge mumbled.

"Yeah, kid, whatever," Helmsley coughed as he walked back to his seat. He said something under his breath to Batista, and then the two men got up and walked into a nearby resturant, letting Edge wallow in his self-created misery.

* * *

Edge is never in an okay mood, because his personality won't allow it. He's either riding high as a wise-cracking prankster, or he's in the gutter as a brooding mess. There is precious little in-between- which is unfortunate, because if there is a wrestler who has ever needed to find some middle ground in his personal psyche, it's Edge. When he's up he's too happy-go-lucky to be concerned with title shots or main-eventing. When he's down, he's too miserable to care about darn near anything except his own percieved persecution. Both personalities lead him to make hasty decisions that leave his wrestling career wanting.

In the weeks leading up to Taboo Tuesday, Edge was in one of his famous funks. He was blaming the world for his own failures, such as his inability to become a full-time top-of-the-card star, or even earn a Raw title shot or two. He blamed the presence of Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit for holding him back and blamed the fans for turning their backs on him.

The only person Edge didn't blame for his problems was, well, Edge.

However, if Edge doesn't get a title shot against Triple-H anytime soon, he only has himself to blame. His actions prior to Taboo Tuesday- when he transformed from a popular fan favorite into a sniveling heel- and his actions at Taboo Tuesday might have made it near impossible for him to achieve the kind of success that he believes he so deserves.

Right now, Triple-H likes Edge. He won't say it, but he appreciates the way Edge helped him during his title defense against Michaels. In fact, Triple-H likes Edge so much that is wouldn't come as a shock if he offered the Canadian a spot in Evolution. After all, Edge is tall, good-looking, talented, and always within an arm's reach of finding the strength within himself to become the Raw champion.

Triple-H sees this, and he doesn't want Edge to find his inner champion. which is why Edge would be a perfect fit for Evolution. Trips could control Edge- just like he controls Batista and once controlled Randy Orton- and keep him out of the championship picture, and also use his talents to help out his own career.

See, by helping out Helmsley during his match against Michaels, Edge probably unwittingly wrote himself a ticket into heel oblivion. As long as he stays on his current course, he might never get a title shot against Helmsley- whether he joins Evolution or not. Of course, this means that Edge's only hope of earning a series of title shots is by becoming a fan favorite again- a challenge that appears to be borderline impossible at this point. He's already ticked off Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit, or whom he'd want to be able to rely for backup during a feud with Triple-H. (Remember a feud with Triple-H means a feud with Evolution.) If he can't depend on those two men to have his back (and right now, he most certainly can't) theres no way he can compete against Helmsley in the long term.

By alienating himself from two of Raw's most effective fan favorites, he's alienated himself from the people who could most help him achieve his goal of becoming Raw champion. He's made it harder for them to like him, let alone help him. Where they might have once cheered him on if he were wrestling Triple-H, he now has to wonder if they won't be trying to find someway to ruin his chances of grabbing championship gold.

If Edge has any hope of defeating Triple-H for the Raw championship, he's going to have to refuse the friendship of those who would be his friends and ignore the fact that he's ruined the friendships of those people he most needs to be his friend.

In other words, he's going to have to get past the fact he- and only he- might have obliterated his own championship dreams.



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CC: The Edge of Reason
TSN.ca Staff
12/23/2004

In 2001, at its Vengence pay-per-view, the WWE put four men in a tournament-style event to crown its first-ever undisputed champion. Predicting a winner was next to impossible. Stone Cold Steve Austin was the leader of the attitude-era. Without him, there is no telling whether the WWE would have been able to win the Monday night war. Surely, nobody deserved to be the first-ever undisputed champion more than him. However, the Rock's popularity was insane. He was a five-tool superstar and appeared to be the future of the company. The belt had to go to him. Of course, one could never rule out Kurt Angle. He'd enjoyed a tremendous ascent to the top of the WWE and no heel lit the ire of the fans quite like the Olympic hero. He'd certainly make a viable undisputed champion.

Oh yeah, Chris Jericho was involved, too. But nobody seriously thought they'd give him the nod.

Anyone who has ever listened to Y2J for more than ten minutes knows that he won the title on that night, beating both the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin on the same night to become the first ever undisputed champion.

A little over three years later, the WWE could be prepared to shock us in a similiar fashion, this time with another young, promising Canadian getting the nod over a group of heavily-favoured superstars.

Heading into New Year's Revolution, nobody seems to seriously think that Edge can walk away the champion. As of December 23rd, a poll on WWE.com picked Edge as the guy who will be eliminated first.

As I scour through the Your Call section, most people seem to think one of two things will happen. Some think Randy Orton, dubbed by many as the future of the company, will walk away with the strap, while others are positive Triple H will become champion again.

There seem to be a few people who think Batista might make a huge leap to main event status by winning the gold, and a couple of people think Benoit is due for another shot.

But nowhere do I see the name Edge. And I'm not sure why. I don't just think it's possible; I think it's probable.

Edge has done an impressive job climbing the ladder this year. He's done it in a quieter fashion than Randy Orton or Batista, but he's also done it without the benefit of working with Triple H and Flair on a regular basis. He's put together great matches, and his character continues to evolve. His bout with Randy Orton on RAW a couple of weeks ago was terrific, and could be a footnote in a long and arduous rivalry.

The WWE is currently in a position where it is trying to build young stars for the future. Stone Cold and Mick Foley are done. The Rock is as good as gone. HBK and Triple H are still performing well, but neither can be considered part of the future.

Randy Orton is obviously a key component to the future. The company dedicated 2004 to building him up. But alone, Orton does the WWE no good. He needs rivals. He needs them now, and he certainly will need them in the future. This is where guys like Edge and Batista come into play. They make up the future of the company; and I think the future begins now.

Randy Orton doesn't need to win the strap at New Year's Revolution. He's already over. We all know he has many, many, many title reigns in his future. Triple H doesn't need it, either. He'll wear the strap again someday as well.

Batista is definitely on the rise, but a world title reign might still be a bit premature.

But Edge...

Edge is the perfect candidate at this point in time. He's paid his dues, he's made a name for himself, he's got a good look, he can hold his own on the mic, and now he must go to the next level. It's what is best for his character and it's good for the future of the company.

If Edge walks into the Elimination Chamber and is the first guy eliminated, what good does that do him or the company". All it does is make him appear as though he doesn't belong. Benoit or Jericho, on the other hand, have both been at the top. An early elimination doesn't really harm them.

By having Edge win inside the Elimination Chamber the WWE will send a message to its fans that he is a main event player. Then the company's golden boy, Randy Orton, can achieve his rite of passage by winning the Royal Rumble, thus setting up a main event at Wrestlemania between Orton and Edge. The two have already proved they can put together a great match so that isn't an issue.

The only possible concern would be: can we sell these two as a main event"

My answer is: eventually you're going to have to. Maybe it won't be these two guys in particular, but eventually Shawn Michaels and Triple H won't be around to be in the main event. At some point, the young guys have to step up and headline the big shows. I think this is the year, and I think Randy Orton and Edge are the guys to do it.

For TSN.ca/wrestling, I'm the Corporate Columnist, Jason Palter.


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Tuesday, December 14th, 2004 WWE's Adam Copeland talks about the highs and lows of pro wrestling
MIKE RAWN, Banner Sports Editor

It was a hero's homecoming for Adam Copeland, as approximately 250 people went to BookLore on Thursday night to meet the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar known as Edge. Copeland, 31, was born and raised in Orangeville, and is a graduate of ODSS. He has reached the pinnacle of professional wrestling success, and wrote about his trials and tribulations in his new book, Adam Copeland on Edge.

The line-up to meet Copeland reached around the store, but fans were eventually rewarded for their patience.

"Adam took the time to speak with everyone," said BookLore owner Nancy Frater. "Nobody was hurried along. He signed anything that people wanted signed, and posed for photos. I think everyone went home happy."

While speaking with Copeland the one thing you quickly realize is that, after nearly a decade in professional wrestling, he's as hungry for success as ever.

"I reached one part of my dream at 23," said Copeland. "When I got to WWE, I realized that there was a whole new set of obstacles to overcome which were actually harder than getting there. Once I got there I realized I had to succeed, which was going to be much harder because the competition is that much higher. So I still have to accomplish the last thing I have to accomplish, which is the world championship. Which I almost did (Dec. 6)."

Although Copeland and his wrestling colleagues put in hard work, their fate is predetermined by a group of WWE executives and writers before they step foot in the ring. But that doesn't discourage the Orangeville native.

"At some point, the old analogy, the cream really does rise to the top," said Copeland. "At some point the crowd will let (WWE CEO) Vince (McMahon) and the powers that be know that it should happen, that it needs to happen. My whole mindset is I'm not going to give them a choice. At some point, whether it's between my in-ring promos or work in matches, I'm not going to give them a choice. At some point they're going to have to do it."

While the results are predetermined, the bumps and bruises that the wrestlers take are very real. Copeland has only recently returned to WWE action after taking a year off to recover from a broken neck.

"When it comes to my neck, it seems like a quick recovery. But a year for me is a long time. It definitely shortened my career, that much I know. The only concern is that I want to be able to roll around with my eventual kids someday, play hockey with them. I don't want to be that old guy walking sideways -- which may happen someday -- but not when I'm 40."

So where will Adam Copeland be at 40"

"Short hair. I refuse to be one of those 40 year olds with a pony tail. I don't want to be one of those eccentric old men. At 35 I said I'd sit down and see where I am physically. See where I am mentally, from the drain of travelling all the time. The travel, that's the only con of this business that I don't like. I love everything else about it, but I get sick of travelling. I get sick of airports, rental cars, all of that. I'm a homebody, so at 35 I'll see where I am and probably at that point be close to retiring."

Copeland dedicated the autobiography to his mom, who was in attendance for the book signing.

"Wrestling is what he wanted to do right from eight years old," recalled Judy Copeland. "I kind of knew that's what he would do. His whole teenage years he based on that goal. And he did it."

A 10-time WWE Tag Team Champion and five-time Intercontinental Champion, Copeland offers this advice for young wrestlers trying to follow in his footsteps.

"Be careful. That's always my first advice to people. Because, and I'm partially responsible for it, but guys take so many risks in there now. We raised the bar with TLC (table, ladder, chair) matches. In a way I regret that, because I see young guys doing things they shouldn't do. They probably think they're indestructible, and I did too."

Copeland, who resides in Florida, comes back to Orangeville as often as he can, to visit with family and friends. And he hopes to have an extra item with him on one of his next visits.

"I can taste the (world) title. I guarantee it's going to happen. I'll make sure that when I get it, I'll bring it back to Orangeville and show it off for my fans here."

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TSN bookreview
Credit to TSN.ca/wrestling

Book Review: Adam Copeland on Edge

TSN.ca Staff

11/12/2004

When the news crossed this summer that Adam Copeland - known in the WWE ring as Edge - was releasing an autobiography, visions of Eric Lindros' 1991 book Fire on Ice immediately came to mind.

Just who is this guy to put out a book about himself at this point in his life"

That being said, the Orangeville, Ont., native was quick to address that issue right off the top of his book: Adam Copeland on Edge, out in bookstores now.

Related Info
Adam Copeland on Edge - Amazon.ca

As we all remember, Copeland suffered a

Toronto reacts predictably for Trish & Edge~~New!! Rated R for Ratings: One-on-One with Edge Can Edge Bring Home the Gold" Rated "E" for extreme Rated R for Ratings: Why Edge wants to piss you off "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" Edge much more than just R Rated Superstar Rated R. Restricted Champ on Edge of stardom EVENT: Edge proud of his new title: WWE Champ Crimes Of Passion Living on the Edge: Lita & Edge's Love Affair Has Kane Seeing Red, and the Fans Scratching Their Heads~~New!! Edge goes one for two Edge gets the opportunity of a lifetime next week Edge stoked to meet HBK at Royal Rumble Forgoten Feud EDGE OF INSANITY! CC: The Edge of Reason by TSN.ca Staff WWE's Adam Copeland talks about the highs and lows of pro wrestling TSN Bookreview EDGE DISCUSSES SURVIVOR SERIES, HIS NEW BOOK, INJURIES, BEING A FACE VS. A HEEL AND MORE Book keeps readers on Edge Edge Interview with IGN Sports (11-11-04)~~New! Pro Wrestling Radio Interview with Edge (110204)~~New! TSN.ca staff 10/11/2004 Edgeing close to Return by Anthony Cali On the Edge of greatness by Anthony Cali WWE News: Edge injured - Eyewitness details and post-show observations Press Conference: Edge COLUMN: Column O' Nonsense: Edgehead Memories Interview on Talksport!! EDGE GOES OUT OF HIS WAY TO WOW THE FANS// By Glendyne An Interview with Edge// By Silvervision EXCLUSIVE WWE WEBCHAT/ Postings from the Edge By THE LILSBOYS Back From the Edge-The Resurrection of Adam Copeland///By Brian Solomon (Raw Mag June 2004) With Lance Storm, WWE's loss is OVW's gain by Phil Speer June 16, 2004 Wrestling's a pain in the neck, hand and foot by Dave Stubbs A Tale of Two Champions By THE LILSBOYS credit to TheSun.co/uk Can Copeland keep his 'Edge"' By Rennie Detore, TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, May 2, 2004 The challenges of a comeback: No time to eat or sleep by Phil Speer on May 5, 2004 I.C. Title means something again by TSN.co Staff on 04-23-04 Chris Jericho's band "Fozzy" performs in Calgary club after Raw Monday Apr 21, 2004, 11:43 am Edge returns By TIM BAINES - Ottawa Sun Edge back in the ring at Backlash by Anthony Cali NEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS April 19, 2004 Three Wise Men March, 2001 Byte This on April 6, 2001 Wrestlemania Boiling Point April, 2001 Table, Ladders and Chairs-- Again by Jon Lane Three Friends Reunite in an Historic Night for Each by Jon Lane The Adventures of Edge and Christian by Jon Lane Working Without Ladders TLC X-Seven" By Phil Speer Tag Team Turmoil! by Jon Lane Edge & Christian Mock Break Up Rumours by Greg Oliver-Slam! Interview with Edge by Joltin Joe on June 16, 2001 All Hail The King The Rating Game by Brian Solomon Edge In Deutschland by Christian Heintz Radio Interview at Hard Rock Cafe and Signing at Saturn in Germany Dynasty-licious!! by: Aaron Williams wwe Magazine August 2001 Byte This!! 7-6-01 Credit: Rajah.com Toronto 'Mania Would Be Dream Come True for Canadian Superstars By Phil Speer credit: WWE.com An Awesome Intercontinental Champion by Seth Mates Edge, Christian Hope For Success As Singles by Phil Speer wwe.com Edge Vs. Christian - One Step Away From Wreaking of Awesomness by James Greene Press Conference-Edge Under The Ring: E & C Fighting Not Oney Themselves, but History by Al Galdi The Nerd Group by Mike Pachuta E & C Uncovering Their Awesomeness by Dov Teta Wrestling Profile - Edge Will Edge and Christian Shine As Singles" by Eric Benner Beginning Of A Long Feud for Edge and Christian by Phil Speer WWF's Edge Leaves Mark in Highlander Movie by Alex Marvez Greetings To All My Fans by Kevin Kelly Mind Games by Aaron Williams Edge and Christian Sore, But Proud of Ladder Match by Phil Speer The Undisputed Unified Champion by Seth Mates Something Different From Regal and Edge by Phil Speer Interview with Edge by Seth Mates The Shakedown Article by Cody Monk Couple Gets Engaged at Fan Axxess by Phil Speer Edge Pulls Off "White-arooni" by Phil Speer Edge & Linda McMahon on Canada AM credit: www.ProWrestlignInline.com Edge's Toronto Tips My Favorite Match Angle: Backlash Match "made" Edge by Seth Mates Hair Today, Gone at Judgment Day by Matt Duda WWF Byte This! Recap (5-10-02) Remembering The Forgotten TLC by Phil Speer Edge, Angle Shine Again by Matt Duda No Surgery For Edge; June Return Possible by Seth Mates Pro Wrestler Adam Copeland Lends Muscle to Fight Against Heart Disease WWE Byte This Recap 6-14-02 Interview with Edge by Seth Mates Kevin Kelly's Commentary So Good It's Sickening by Matt Duda The Last Word by Gene Padden Chat with Edge on MSN Live Nov. 7, 2002 Edge on Byte This 11-22-02 A-Train: We Could Do Better by Phil Speer Edge To Buy His Mom a House by Phil Speer Superstars Take Time Off to Enjoy Holidays by Phil Speer Edge To Have Surgery, Miss One Year by Phil Speer Ringer: Edge's Injury A Damn Shame Edge Actively Pursuing Comeback- VERY Actively by Phil Speer Update On Injured Edge by Cyrus Edge Goes 1 on 1 with TSN.ca Off The Record by Jon Waldman Edge Talks About Kurt Angles Surgery, Funny Ribs and More by Amish Patel Edge Recovering From Major Surgery by Ty Pilson Byte This! Recap 11-07-03 Watch wrestling with your family: Edge Thursday, January 29, 2004 01:53:27 AM Who's Got The EDGE" - The Wrestler Mag. May 2004 -by Jason Langin Capsule Profile #318: Edge- Inside Wrestling April 2004 More on the Edge tug-of-war by Dave Scherer @ 2:20:11 PM on 2/26/2004 Byte This on Feb. 26, 2004 True and False with Edge and The Hurricane (Credit: WWE.com) After 18 months, the Edgeucation resumes ... on RAW by Phil Speer March 23, 2004 (Mistress NOTE: he was out only 12 Months) True & False with Edge and Torrie Wrestling vs T&A Toronto reacts predictably for Trish & Edge By GREG OLIVER - Producer, SLAM! Wrestling TORONTO -- From an emotional fiance of Trish Stratus (sitting well off camera in the stands) to John Cena's hug of his father after his victory, Unforgiven was proof that family still means a lot in the WWE. Scores of kids and their parents were in attendance Sunday night at the pay-per-view at Toronto's Air Canada Centre too. (No doubt, many of them went home with very age-appropriate t-shirts, like Carlito's "Spit happens" and DX's "Vince likes cocks.") But from a hometown crowd's perspective, there were only two matches that mattered. Toronto diva Trish Stratus got a very good pop from the crowd when she came out for her women's title match against Lita -- announced as her retirement match, win or lose. The crowd was up and down during the competitive match itself, and roared when Stratus went to put on the Sharpshooter. (There had been a half-hearted "You screwed Bret" chant directed at Vince McMahon earlier.) After Lita's submission, Trish got plenty more cheers from the crowd as she showed off her seventh title belt. Like the model she was before wrestling, and the bride she is about to become, she knew enough to play to the hard cameras at ringside as well as the TV cameras. As they say, a little publicity can go a long way. But it was Adam Copeland, aka Edge, from nearby Orangeville, Ontario, who really soaked in the crowd's adulation. No attempt was made live to portray Edge as anything but the good guy in the bout. Even his long, royal blue wrestling pants harkened back to his days hearing the cheers of the crowd. Like Trish, he basked in the love. For John Cena, however, it was a different story. He was booed almost equally with the cheers he received. The mixed reaction could not compare to the solid mass behind his opponent in the Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the WWE title. The crowd at the ACC was up and down, like the Duke of York's 10,000 men, during the thrilling TLC match. Following his victory, Cena stood defiantly under the Unforgiven entranceway, no doubt resisting the urge to tell off his many detractors, some of whom had thrown debris at him. He held the belt aloft not once, but twice, as a type of "FU" to the crowd. Having laid on the mat during Cena's lengthy, Marine-like salute to the crowd, Edge finally got to his feet after his crash through two tables. There were medics on hand to help. He eventually shook off their help, and the crowd reacted with a hearty huzzah. As if he had won, Edge took to each side of the ring to salute the fans who cheered him. At the entranceway, Edge also stopped to acknowledge the shower of adulation. It wasn't the sly, cocky grin of the "Rated R Superstar" that beamed across his face, but rather a genuine, heart-felt smile, full of gratitude and humbleness. Edge, Trish, Toronto salutes you. Back to Top Rated R for Ratings: One-on-One with Edge Heather Turk, SoCal.com Movie/TV Editor Whether you love him or hate him (and odds are you probably hate him), Adam Copeland is one of the most underrated Superstars in WWE today. Better known to millions as Edge, the 32-year-old Canadian is easily one of the most decorated athletes in the business, holding the World Tag Team Championship 10 times, the Intercontinental Championship seven times, the WCW U.S. Championship, the WWE Tag Team Championship and even the WWE Championship during his career. However, all of these accomplishments seem constantly overshadowed by creative turns within the company, whether they be from the writers themselves or by force of the fans. From the recently reunited DX to that whole Matt Hardy/Lita thing, it seems like Edge never receives the spotlight he’s so deserving of without something else trying to steal it away. Next to John Cena, one could argue that Edge is one of the hardest working wrestlers in the sports-entertainment industry. Shortly after teaming up with Mick Foley and attacking ECW’s “Innovator of Violence” Tommy Dreamer on the May 8 edition of "RAW," Foley and Edge declared themselves co-Hardcore Champions, starting a rivalry with Dreamer and fellow ECW star Terry Funk. This resulted in Edge doing double duty during most WWE shows, playing a prominent role in both the ECW versus WWE storyline for June 11's “ECW One Night Stand” and the No. 1 Contendership for the WWE Championship at June 25’s “Vengeance.” Even minor injuries from the “WWE vs. ECW Head to Head” televised special couldn’t stop the Rated-R Superstar from stealing the show at “One Night Stand,” and once again Edge played a crucial role not once but twice during the pay-per-view event, first by spearing Beulah to pick up the victory during the six-person Hardcore Match (the only victory WWE had against ECW that night) and then by spearing John Cena through a table, helping Rob Van Dam win the WWE Championship. While both moves caused quite a bit of commotion amongst WWE and ECW fans, if there’s one thing Edge has become known for in recent months it’s controversy. But despite being one of the biggest heels inside of the ring, in real life Edge is surprisingly down to earth and even--dare I say it"--humble. When asked about his match with Dreamer and the soon-to-be 62-year-old Funk, Edge doesn’t reply in that cocky, Rated-R Superstar tone fans have become accustomed to, but instead answers honestly, treating the hardcore legends with the respect they deserve but haven‘t been getting lately inside of the ring. “It seems to be everyone else’s mentality [carrying a match if one wrestler is younger and in better shape], but I don’t see it that way,” Edge replies. “If it was an Iron Man Match, yeah, I’d probably be carrying it because Terry’s 62. But in a Hardcore Match, I’ve seen these guys land in explosives, so I don’t underestimate their capabilities. They know some pretty creative ways to entertain their ECW audience--more so than I do--so when it comes to being extreme, do I think I’m carrying the match" No. If we’re talking athletic ability, though, yeah.” Despite being a great technical wrestler, lately Edge has become known more for his death-defying stunts, like spearing Mick Foley through a blazing table at “WrestleMania 22.” While Edge admits he doesn’t necessarily enjoy the extreme nature of his recent matches, he’s been in the business long enough to understand the importance of showing his versatility inside the ring. “There’s a saying, ‘Pain is only temporary--pride is forever,’” Edge states. “It’s my pride that drives me. Sure I can get in the ring with some great technical wrestlers like (Chris) Benoit or (Kurt) Angle and go for an hour, but I can also get in the ring with the Hardcore Legend Mick Foley and steal the show. I like showing that I’m multifaceted, but I can’t say I enjoy the Hardcore Matches. Maybe before my neck surgery when I thought I was superhuman and nothing could hurt me, but all those TLC and Ladder Matches catch up to a person. I just try not to think about it before I get in the ring because if I talked about it beforehand--the barbed-wire, going through a table set on fire--I just might take myself out of the match. But once you get out there and you hear how loud and vocal and blood-thirsty the crowd is, I’m not sure if it’s adrenaline or stupidity, but something gets you through.” While there’s no denying Edge’s capability inside of the ring, it’s still hard to believe that the original Mr. Money in the Bank was only WWE Champion for a mere three weeks. At “Vengeance,” though, Edge is scheduled to face RVD to take back what he thinks is rightfully his--the WWE Championship. While onscreen Edge remains bitter about his transitional championship reign, in real life the WWE Superstar seems to have no hard feelings whatsoever. “It’s business,” he states. “I had an idea [the title reign would be short], but really I used it as a stepping stone--an opportunity for everyone to take notice. I knew I deserved it and could handle being WWE Champion, but there were people who doubted me. Ratings went up, though, when I was champ, and people definitely remember the live sex celebration. I think I proved that I could be the go-to guy.” “Plus,” Edge continues, “having been WWE Champion, I could technically retire tomorrow and have done it all. Am I upset with how short the title reign was" No, but I definitely think I could do more.” Edge’s brief post-“New Year’s Revolution” title reign aside, should he win the WWE Championship from RVD at “Vengeance,” Edge would be the first heel champion to hold the prestigious title since JBL lost the belt to John Cena back at “WrestleMania 21.” Given the fact that Edge would be bringing the most historic championship in sports-entertainment back home to WWE, can fans expect a surprise face-turn for the Rated-R Superstar in the near future" “No,” Edge replies with a laugh. “I’m having too much fun, in case you couldn’t tell by my performances. Plus, fans don’t want me to be face. Whenever I look at the landscape, I pride myself on being one of the only heels in the locker room. I remember the days when people were chasing me and Christian trying to beat us for the World Tag Team Championship. Having a heel champ would be fun.” Of course, one of the things that put Edge over as a heel was when his personal life became publicized by fellow WWE Superstar Matt Hardy. In early 2005 news broke that Edge and Lita, a.k.a. Amy Dumas, had slept together in real life, resulting in the demise of Copeland’s second marriage as well as Dumas and Hardy’s long-term relationship. Fans immediately turned against Edge and Lita, and vocalized their opinions of the two so frequently that the creative team at WWE had to write the real-life affair into “RAW’s” storylines. “That didn’t surprise me at all,” Edge states. “That type of thing happens all the time in the business we’re in, but usually the people involved are mature enough not to make it public. In this case certain parties weren’t, and once it was made public word caught on that it was the cool, cult thing to do to chant ‘You screwed Matt!’ at a ‘RAW’ taping--sort of like chanting ‘ECW’ back in the day. For Matt, sadly, it was the most attention he’d gotten.” The real-life locker room drama not only resulted in Edge cementing his place in sports-entertainment history as a genuine heel, but also caused WWE’s creative team to pair up Edge and Lita as an onscreen couple since fans wouldn’t let the two escape their past. While the partnership was a bit awkward at first, Edge says he’s used to it now and couldn’t be happier to have Lita by his side. “It’s fun having her out there with me,” Edge states. “Whether I was part of a tag team or just out there by myself, I never had someone ringside to really interfere with my matches. Being together, sort of this packaged deal, it really adds to the dynamic. The other week Amy had just moved so she had two days off, and it was weird not having her out there with me. I think even from a fan’s perspective something was missing. Plus, since she’s a wrestler, it’s awesome to have someone out there who can do moonsaults and really get involved in the matches. There are few girls in the WWE locker room who can do what I want.” While having the former Women’s Champion ringside might help Edge physically during a tough match, sometimes Lita’s presence helps Edge out emotionally, too--like during that infamous live sex celebration. “That was awkward,” Edge recalls with a laugh. “I remember at the time thinking to myself, ‘What am I doing"’ I just tried to go to a different place once I got inside of that ring. I mean, I can stand around in my wrestling tights and that’s fine, but standing there in my underwear…I just felt so naked. But somehow we got through it.” With so many Superstars taking their acting skills to the big screen, it’s only natural to wonder when Edge will make his feature film debut. After all, not only does he have the talent but he also has the good looks, making him an obvious candidate for WWE Films’ next big project. But unlike The Rock, Triple H and Kane, Edge says he’s perfectly content simply showing off his acting chops each week on “RAW.” “If something were to fall into my lap, sure, I’d do it, but I don’t have an agent or anything like that,” he states. “I’m 32. I don’t see myself starting over again in another industry, especially when I don’t have to. Maybe I would do something out of sheer boredom, but I’m lazy.” While Hollywood might not be Edge’s second calling, one thing the Superstar is a fan of outside of the ring is music. Although Edge admits he’s “not musically gifted enough” to start his own band like former WWE Superstar Chris Jericho (“I can’t sing to save my life,” Edge says.), the longtime music fan does enjoy playing guitar in his free time. Of course, being a WWE Superstar, free time is a bit of an oxymoron, so Edge tried to bring his love of music on the road with him. “That didn’t work,” Edge recalls. “I bought a Martin Acoustic for travel, but the first rule of being a wrestler--the first thing you learn in Wrestling 101--is to always make your wrestling gear your carryon so if your luggage gets lost you can still wrestle. It was just too much.” Now, Edge simply resorts to bringing his iPod on the road with him, although he recently left his travel companion back home in Canada and had to make an emergency trip to Best Buy for some new CDs. Included in his $120 purchase were the latest from Wolfmother (“The first time I heard them they kicked my ass,” Edge says.), Eagles of Death Metal and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as CDs from Metallica, Foo Fighters and the Allman Brothers. “Anything with a guitar in it I'm a fan of," Edge replies when asked about his musical preference. “I’m not really into country or hip-hop, although I do like Ludacris. But I just can’t listen to a whole hip-hop CD.” While for the time being music remains purely a hobby for the Rated-R Superstar, the one thing that will always be something more in Edge’s book is his love for professional wrestling. Heading into “Vengeance,” Edge says he’s excited to get in the ring with RVD, the man who some say Edge “chose” to fight for the WWE Championship when he interfered with the title match at “One Night Stand” and ended Cena’s chances of walking out of the Hammerstein Ballroom with the gold. And although Edge is looking forward to the things he and RVD could do as they battle each other for the coveted WWE Championship, looking ahead--win or lose--Edge has other Superstars he’d like to face before hanging up his tights for good. “I’d love to get back in the ring with Benoit or Angle, and I still haven’t had my run with Triple H,” Edge states. “I’d also love to face Rey Mysterio. The only match we ever had together was this rare, six-man interbrand match. That was really special for both us and the fans, and I would love to face him again one-on-one. I would also love to face the Undertaker at ‘WrestleMania.’” Of course, Edge versus Undertaker at “WrestleMania” would mean one of the two Superstars would have to give up his undefeated “WrestleMania” streak, but that’s something Edge says he’s willing to put on the line. “Yeah, one of us would have to lose, but it would be so much fun it would be worth it,” he concludes. “I would love to go out with that match.” credit: www.socal.com Back to Top Can Edge Bring Home the Gold" credit: wwe.com Two weeks ago at ECW One Night Stand, Edge basically helped Rob Van Dam become WWE Champion by spearing John Cena through a table. RVD then took the gold to the premiere of ECW on Sci Fi, where he rechristened it the ECW World Championship. This Sunday, however, Edge has the opportunity to bring that gold back to RAW when he faces RVD at Vengeance. In an exclusive WWE.com interview prior to One Night Stand, Edge said that he didn’t really have a preference for his opponent at Vengeance. However, his actions in the Hammerstein Ballroom spoke louder than his words, and now he has the chance to bring the WWE Championship back to RAW. So what would that mean to the Rated-R Superstar" “I think the key word is that I would be winning the WWE Championship,” he told WWE.com. “I’m pro Edge so as long as it involves me winning the Championship, that’s all that matters to me. I am contracted to RAW and I wrestle for WWE; therefore, it would come back, but that’s because I care about winning it. Let’s face it, I care about myself; I don’t care about the other guys in the WWE locker room or the guys in the ECW locker room.” Edge had to care about Randy Orton on Tuesday night, as the two teamed up to face Van Dam and Kurt Angle on ECW on Sci Fi. Unfortunately, it was an extreme setback for the WWE team, as RVD and Angle took the victory with the WWE Champion pinning Edge after a Five-Star Frog Splash. While that may give Van Dam the momentum heading into this Sunday night, he’s eagerly awaiting Sunday for different reasons. “I look forward to (Vengeance) because it’s going to be my first title defense,” he said. “It’s a good thing being the World Champion and I believe that a lot of people don’t expect for me to hold on to (the championship) for very long. With that in mind, I look forward to having the chance to defend it.” Despite Edge’s stance on not caring about the locker room, he has always maintained that he respects Van Dam. The WWE Champion has returned that respect, but after all that Edge has done in recent weeks, the match has now become a little more personal to RVD. “Obviously it is (more personal); that spear wasn’t meant to injure me, it was just meant to insult me,” he said. “So I have to accept the fact that he publicly threw an insult at me. I’m not one to get worked up over being insulted; it takes quite a lot to get to me and I don’t think that’s going to change. But now on top of just beating Edge, I’m thinking of insulting him back. That’s how it goes; we call it a receipt.” While obviously confident, RVD full well knows that the match taking place in a WWE ring may be a bit of a detriment to his style. “I wish it was ECW, “ he said, “but it’s Vengeance; I suppose that’s going to effect what I can use to my advantage in the match, but I look forward to it.” Edge is certainly ready to exploit that; in fact, the Rated-R Superstar is so confident that he’s already willing to tell the fans what his second WWE Championship reign will be like. “I think that the people can expect more excitement; (they can) expect the unexpected, which was what happened with my first Championship reign,” the Rated-R Superstar crowed. “Not only will you see things that aren’t supposed to happen on national TV, but you will also see me go out there and steal the show. I like to pride myself on being one of the best in-ring performers in the world, so not only am I going to push buttons and make you hate me and do sleazy things, but I’ll also go in there and fall off of a ladder through a table on the floor (if I have to). And of course, I’ll get back up and retain the Championship.” Will that scenario begin this coming Monday on RAW, or will the WWE Championship still be held in enemy territory when Vengeance is said and done" Back to Top Rated "E" for extreme By Louie Dee June 20, 2006 This week could be one of the biggest of Edge’s WWE career. The big stop is Sunday night at Vengeance, where he will challenge Rob Van Dam for the WWE Championship; but before he gets to pay-per-view, he will first make a stop on the Sci Fi Channel. Tonight, Edge & Randy Orton will team up to face Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle and WWE Champion Rob Van Dam on ECW turf. Last week on the premiere of ECW on Sci Fi, Edge sent a message to Van Dam by spearing him in the middle of the ring. “I respect RVD, always have and always will,” the Rated-R Superstar told WWE.com in an exclusive interview. “But just because I respect him doesn’t mean that I’m not going to take a cheap shot if I can get it. In fact, it means I might take more cheap shots because if I respect you it means I know you’re tough.” Last night on RAW, Paul Heyman got Jonathan Coachman to make the tag team match for tonight’s ECW on Sci Fi. Later in the night, RVD got perhaps a little advantage, attacking Edge after his match with Ric Flair and nailing the Rated-R Superstar with a Five-Star Frog Splash. Tonight they will start on equal ground, and even though it will be a hostile environment for the RAW Superstars, Edge isn’t fazed one bit. “The ECW environment doesn’t intimidate me at all,” the Rated-R Superstar said. “If I’ve proven anything it’s that I excel in their environment. That’s why the ECW fans don’t like me, because I do what they love better than the guys that they worship.” Above all Edge is looking forward to facing both of his opponents tonight, but he has a different reason for each one. “I thrive on competition, and it’s been a long time since Angle and I have been in the same ring,” he said. “It’s going to be fun. As for RVD, I can’t wait to sink my teeth into what he does in that ring; it will be a nice gauge on what I can expect on Sunday. I’m looking forward to it.” The ECW environment is quite possibly the biggest variable Edge will go up against this week; can he survive and gain back the momentum heading into Vengeance" Back to Top Rated R for Ratings: Why Edge wants to piss you off Interview by Brian Solomon He's one of the most controversial and outspoken Superstars in WWE history. And although he's had a lot of critics over the years, he managed to shut them all up in January when he captured the WWE Championship in stunning fashion New Year's Revolution. Yet, Edge remains hungry, eager to prove the doubters wrong, and intent on shocking as many people as he can in the process. The "Rated-R Superstar" recently sat down with Raw Magazine, and he wasn't afraid to speak his mind on why he should still be champion, why Mick Foley needed a beating, and why Lita had better watch her step. Raw Magazine: What did it mean to you to finally win the WWE Championship after being here more than eight years" Edge: Actually, it goes back further than that for me. It goes back to childhood and seeing [wrestling] for the first time and wanting to do this as my life. So, it really was a lifelong dream. I think everybody who gets into this industry can say that, and if they don't then they should get out of it. Winning the title was a vindication. I'll be honest, a lot of it was like, 'See, I told you so' to everyone who said I couldn't do it, and I know there were a lot, even within the company. And I did it. Now, if I had to, I could retire and say I accomplished everything. Mind you, that doesn't meant hat there aren't still things I want to do. Raw: Why do you think it took so long to happen" Edge: There's a different path for everybody. I look at my path as the same kind that [Shawn] Michaels took, that Bret Hart took. We all cut our teeth in tag teams, went to (the) Intercontinental (Championship) and finally the (WWE Championship). And people doubted whether they could it, too. So I love proving people wrong, which I seem to have been able to do throughout my whole career. Raw: Yet you lost the title back to John Cena in just a few weeks. Why do you think you weren't able to hold it for very long" Edge: I think there were powers beyond my control that didn't necessarily think I would succeed with the title, and I did. Once again, I proved those people wrong. I think ratings proved those people wrong. I think attendance proved those people wrong. The fact that (WWE stock) went up proved those people wrong. But sometimes that doesn't change things. From a cumulative standpoint, my title reign was the highest-rated in terms of television since Stone Cold's. That's pretty big, and that made me fell like I delivered, and could've delivered a lot more. But I'll continue to do so at whatever level I'm at. Raw: Do you think of yourself as a transitional champion" Edge: When you look at the facts, no. The actual definition of a transitional champion would indicate that the title would have to go from John Cena to me to someone else. Therefore, I don't think it really fits, and all I have to do is win the title again for that term to never be applied to me. Raw: Were you looking ahead to WrestleMania 22 and assuming you'd still be champion, instead of focusing on the Royal Rumble first" Edge: No, I always look at what's right ahead of me. So I would never look ahead to WrestleMania until I got past the Royal Rumble. That's always been my mentality. That being said, I think I deserved to be in the title match at WrestleMania. But I don't look past one pay-per-view to the next. Especially when you're the champion, you can't do that. Raw: You've never cared what people think, but now more than ever, you seem to have no respect for anything. What prompted this" Edge: I've always gone my own way. One thing that I've realized, more so than before, is that by not caring what anyone thinks, I get a lot further. When I actually cared a little what people thought, it would hold me back. So when I decided that I wasn't going to let anything hold me back, I knew I had to go completely over the top and just not give a s*** what anybody thinks. If I continued to care what people thought, I wouldn't be where I am. Raw: What made you come to that conclusion" Edge: The last few years. You can even trace it back to when I injured my neck and I was out for a year. I think that kind of changed my perception of things. From that point on, it seemed to kind of be a gradual process to get to where I am now. I think I needed for that to happen, I needed things outside the industry to happen that got pulled into the industry, like the Lita scenario. I needed that stuff to happen in order to get to this attitude. Didn't know it, wouldn't plan on going through all that again, but I think I made lemonade out of lemons. Raw: While you were out, you missed two WrestleManias, XIX and XX. Was that a particularly sore spot" Edge: One of the things you want to do in this industry is appear at WrestleMania; it's our Super Bowl. When you get in this industry, you want to wrestle for WWE, you want to compete at WrestleMania, and you want to win the WWE Championship. Those should be you main goals. Now, another goal for me is to main event WreslteMania. But missing two WrestleManias and being so close to being ready by WrestleMania XX was really hard, because I felt healthy, I felt good to go, but I hadn't got my clearance yet. Raw: Why target someone like Mick Foley, the one guy everyone likes" Edge: See, that's exactly why. I want to target the person that everyone loves, because I want to be the person that everyone hates. I pride myself on being the person that everyone hates. That's my job. I get off on that. I want to inflict damage on the person that everyone loves, because that'll make everyone hate me that much more. What the "Rated-R Superstar" is all about is pushing buttons. I want to push you buttons. I want to piss you off. Raw: How much of the success you're currently enjoying is thanks to the whole situation with Lita and Matt Hardy" Edge: I don't think you can go there now. I don't think you can say it's because of the Lita controversy anymore. Maybe that started it, but I've taken it to a whole other level now. I've taken it somewhere else. Whether it's a live sex show, or whether it's wrestling in a TLC Match against Ric Flair and pulling off one of my and Ric's best matches at this point in his career, when he's never been in a Ladder Match before - whatever it is, I'm doing things to push buttons. It's not just the fact that someone fell in love with me and out of love with someone else. Raw: Is there anything or anyone you do respect" Edge: No, not anymore. I don't respect anything. I respect myself. Last year, if you want to go back to the Matt Hardy incident, that showed me not to respect anything. I don't respect the fans anymore. I used to care what they thought, and then I had Jim Bob McGillicutty in Billings, Montana commenting on my personal life. Sorry, that threw respect right out the window for me. So, the only things I respect now are myself, Lita and the industry itself. Raw: How important is Lita from a business standpoint" Edge: She's integral. I wouldn't have gotten to where I am without her. We've done this together. When you think of the evil power couple, I don't know if there's ever been one as successful as us. Some might argue Triple H and Stephanie, but I think our situation is just different. We've kind of carver our own little piece of history, and I'm proud of that. Raw: Back when the controversy with Lita was just a part of your private life, did you ever imagine that it would become all this" Edge: No, I had no idea what it would become. My whole mentality was, I was going to take negatives and turn them into positives. That's pretty much what I've done my entire career, and it wasn't going to be any different now. Raw: Did you have nay misgivings about making it public" Edge: In the beginning, yeah, which is why I didn't comment on it at first, until it got to the point where there was no choice but to comment on it. And once I did, I think everyone realized that I had a lot of valid points. Honestly, arguing against Matt was kind of like clubbing a baby seal. Promo-wise, let's not compare. You're going to get buried. There's very few that can keep up with me, Mick Foley being one of them, Ric Flair being another, and Triple H. Raw: If you ever felt Lita would be a threat or obstacle, would you get rid of her" Edge: In a second. Raw: Does she know that" Edge: Whether she does or not isn't really my concern. Right now she doesn't need to be worried. And as long as she continues down the road she's going, we're cool. But I think if you seen me, it's pretty much a given that you know exactly what I care about most in the world: Myself and the WWE Championship. Raw: Do you think you'll get another shot at the title" Edge: I think I've given everyone no choice but to give me another shot, which was my goal. Back to Top "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" In the red corner: emo kings Hawthorne Heights, clutching $848 of Blender’s money. In the blue corner: a day of grappling mayhem with the stars of the WWE. Remember now, no eye-gouging! By Clark Collis Blender,April 2006 “The last time I was here I saw the Insane Clown Posse,” says Hawthorne Heights bassist Matt Ridenour, inspecting the interior of Dayton, Ohio’s Hara Arena. “They came down in cages and had a fake SWAT team. But what I really remember is seeing two people, completely naked, having sex on the floor.” A bizarre sight, to be sure. But, this afternoon, it is possible that the venue is about to play host to an even stranger one. For Hawthorne Heights have chosen to spend their Blender-provided $848 on a day of sweaty fun with the visiting World Wrestling Entertainment. Tonight the Dayton-based quintet will enjoy a full evening’s worth of grapple-heavy entertainment, but first it has been arranged for the band to receive a tutorial from recently crowned WWE champion Edge. On the surface, a day of suplexes and piledrivers sounds like an excessively testosteroneous diversion for such a, well, emotional emo group. But, as the group’s 28-year-old frontman, J.T. Woodruff, explains — climbing with the rest of the band into the WWE wrestling ring — boredom can go a long way in bringing out one’s killer instinct (or at least one’s desire to watch hairy, well-oiled men body-slam each other). “We wanted to do something we hadn’t done before,” says Woodruff. “And there’s not really that much to do in Dayton.” “Let’s get ready to rumble!” Ridenour, 24, shouts. “Yeah, get this guy out here!” adds guitarist Micah Carli, 26. “Let’s kick his ass!” That this is unlikely to happen becomes clear when Edge himself arrives — all six feet five inches, 240 fat-free pounds of him. The wrestler is what is known in the business as a “heel,” which means he does everything in his power to make himself hated by fans, be that gouging an opponent’s eyes or, possibly, beating up a puny indie band. Mercifully, out of character, Edge proves to be amiability incarnate and, upon request, reels off a seemingly endless list of his wrestling-incurred injuries. “I’ve torn my ACL,” he recalls. “Torn my labrum, dislocated my shoulder, tore my pec, broke my neck, fractured skull, metal rods in all my teeth, lot of stitches. Other than that,” he grins, “I’m good.” It is at this moment that Casey Calvert, 24, the band’s resident joker, rushes Edge, as if to slam him with his right arm. Although the guitarist’s limb stops mere inches away from his nose, the wrestler doesn’t even blink, although he does inform Calvert that the move would look more impressive if his arm were at a different angle. Further lessons follow as Edge shows the band how, for example, to execute a piledriver, using Calvert as his rag doll of an opponent, which provokes raucous laughter from the remaining, not-being-hoisted-upside-down Hawthorne Heights members. In between the band pepper him with questions about the heaviest guy he’s ever body-slammed (“Big Show — he’s 500 pounds”) and whether people talk shit to him outside the ring (“Not to my face”). Only when Woodruff asks Edge to confirm that wrestling is fixed does he prove a reluctant interviewee. “It’s … all entertainment!” the champ demurs, and then continues his demonstration of how to most effectively menace your opponent with a metal chair. Finally, the training session over, Edge nicely demonstrates the insane dichotomy of his life by announcing that he intends to donate his $300 payment from the band to an animal shelter, and then implores the band to boo him at tonight’s event. With a few hours to kill, the band relocate to nearby seafood eatery the Shuckin’ Shack to ruminate on their recent success. Since its release in 2004, the quintet’s first album, The Silence in Black and White, has sold well over half a million copies. “We never thought we’d be pushing a million copies of our debut,” says drummer Eron Bucciarelli, 26, the band’s acknowledged business brain. “Have you seen the area that we’re in right now"” asks Woodruff, waving a fork out of the window at the, it has to be said, less than picture-postcard-like Dayton suburban-scape. “This is a typical Midwestern city. The music scene is very small. We just don’t take anything for granted.” The future does look encouraging, however. Their new album, If Only You Were Lonely, is a hook-heavy, metal- tinged tour through the mind of a chronically apologetic boyfriend, and boasts a clutch of eye-catching song titles, like “Where Can I Stab Myself in the Ears"” “That was a post on the website,” reveals Woodruff, who writes the band’s lyrics. “Someone said our new album was ready, and they were, like, ‘Oh great, where can I stab myself in the ears"’” “And the next reply was, ‘… in the ears"’” laughs Calvert. As it happens, ear-stabbing is about the only act of mayhem we do not witness after returning to the Hara Arena. Both chairs and steps are utilized in the various bouts, as is the receipt for a Louis Vuitton bag belonging to the mother of one wrestler who seeks retribution on another for damaging it at some previous encounter. All of which leaves the band both entertained and often utterly confused. “I think we’re the only people here that have no idea what’s going on,” says Bucciarelli, as female wrestlers Trish Stratus and Victoria set about grappling each other. “I just don’t know which is funnier: this wrestling match or the 5-year-olds sitting behind us yelling ‘bitch fight!’” With the WWE having comped the band’s tickets, they still have plenty of money to spend and, during the intermission, visit a nearby merch stand, where they splurge on an outsized $350 commemorative championship belt. A line of kids swiftly forms to have their picture taken with the band. They have no idea who Hawthorne Heights are — they just want a photo of themselves with the belt. Then it’s time for the main event, a grudge match between crowd favorite John Cena and our tutor, Edge. As the latter enters the ring, our party enthusiastically joins in the massed booing — an outpouring of hatred that Edge provokes to further heights of loathing by insulting an audience member (“Dumbass!”) and ultimately getting disqualified for punching Cena in the nuts. “Thanks a lot,” Woodruff says to Blender as we file out. “That is the coolest thing we’ve ever done with a magazine.” “It’s been a learning experience,” adds Ridenour, fresh from posing avec belt with another bunch of youngsters. “I thought we needed to write great songs to get kids to love us. But now I realize all we needed was a big fucking belt.”