For The Benefit Of Those With Flash Photography

Whilst this post will be a break from the usual commentary style of things, and break a more personal note, It’s something that had to be done.

So, the biggest news of the wrestling year, and it involves none of John Cena, The Rock, or Stone Cold. After 19 glorious years Edge has retired from professional wrestling. I’m not going to get too deep into this, as our own Mr Hardcore is preparing that particular piece, but I do have to pass comment on it.



Along with Shawn Michaels, Sting and Chris Jericho, Edge stands out as one of my all time favourite wrestlers. So whilst I’m glad that he’s made the decision to take the doctors advice and not risk his health unlike a certain yellow and red balding legend down in Florida, I’m absolutely gutted that I’ll never get to see him wrestle a match again. I’ll never witness in the flesh the Rated R Superstar spear someone, or raise the World Heavyweight Championship. Just when I was convinced that he’d be the one to take Ric Flair’s record as well.

I am though quite pleased that when it’s come to others within the industry, the only one to comment negatively has been the previously mentioned Hulk Hogan. Effectively calling into question the toughness of his former tag team partner, he listed a string of names saying that if they had listened to doctors they would have retired 15 years ago, and that wrestlers work hurt. One of the names was himself, another recently showed up to a PPV in no condition to perform and was subsequently removed from TV. Three actually are retired with one of them having done so 16 years ago, another 14 and the last three years ago, though he’s made sporadic appearances since, with the final two being dead.

Fortunately, the industry has largely moved on from this point of view, and if a workers body is in a position where it may result in death or incredibly serious injury, you’re encouraged to do the right thing and call it a day. A similar situation led to WWE’s release of Kurt Angle, and the retirement of Steve Austin, who Hogan strangely mentioned along with John Cena in the response to the fuss he’d caused, as being an example of someone who “had neck surgery and u couldn’t stop em”. Hogan appears to be alone in the belief that the prospect of dying in the ring is a reasonable thing to consider risking.

The saddest thing for Edge is that he’s been forced to call it quits at a time where he’d finally got over as a genuine main event face, and we’ve been denied the pleasure of seeing him elevate Christian to the same level. No doubt Captain Charisma will make it there on his own, but capturing the title from Edge would have been the perfect way to ensure that. I’m sure there’s nothing that he would have wanted to do more than hand the World Heavyweight title to his long time friend, and there would certainly not have been a more fitting way for Christians' World Championship chase to end.

Though it may have ended prematurely, Edge has a career that he can be proud to look back on, and has made many amazing memories for fans like myself. Unlike many of those he grew up idolising, he’s managed to get out before it took too much of a toll on his body and that’s something no one should begrudge him. Edge the wrestler may be no more, but history – and more importantly the fans – will remember his contribution.