Superstar Spotlight: Rated… Early?
By Bill Pritchard for Wrestlezone.com
This week's Spotlight is on a retired wrestler, but he is someone that has been getting alot of mention since he was named as the first entry into the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame. Edge unfortunately had to announce his early retirement after last year's Wrestlemania, and while it did come as a shock to many, no one can argue his accomplishments. The 'Rated R Superstar' has done it all in the WWE, but I do have to admit I was a little shocked when he was the first Hall of Fame entry announced on RAW a few weeks ago. I don't think I am alone in that sharing that opinion, but let's face it, WWE has been making alot of head scratching decisions as of late that later make sense. Daniel Bryan cashed in his briefcase and is now in the middle of his heel turn and is becoming a better character, (good for Bryan, but I still wish Mark Henry would have run through everyone for a little longer) and as I wrote in last week's Spotlight, Brodus Clay was a surprise but I think he is really entertaining and it gives him a spot on the card without jamming it up at the top.
Let's face it, the WWE Hall of Fame is becoming much like other professional sports' halls, and that is not a bad thing at all. You need to earn 75 percent of the vote and play at least ten years to be considered for Cooperstown, and it is not even a guarantee then. A lot of people share the opinion that Vince McMahon's personal grudge is the reason guys like Ole Anderson (snubbed this year) are held out eventhough they deserve it. Macho Man aside, I like the direction that WWE took this year by including Edge (and the Four Horsemen) because it gives a reason for the younger 'PG' era fans to watch the ceremony. Edge is a guy fresh in our minds and eventhough he already had a great sendoff, he absolutely deserves this honor. Nobody had a problem with Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair going right in, and I can probably guarantee no one will have a problem with the Undertaker be enshrined immediately, so why not Edge. He has made me laugh, cheer, boo, get pissed off and get emotional, and has created some of the best and most memorable moments in his career, not to mention all of the accolades.
In his career, the 'Ultimate Opportunist' has been an 11-time WWE/World Heavyweight Champion, five time Intercontinental Champion and 12-time Tag Team Champion, among other titles like King of the Ring and Money In The Bank winner. Aside from the obvious moments like returning and winning the Royal Rumble and having a live sex celebration on RAW, Edge provided memorable moments and had people talking, from when he was loner running around the streets until the night he said his final goodbyes. He has helped guys like Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins in their careers and has returned post-retirement to create some memorable moments, but here are some (don't get mad I know some things will get left out) things I will always remember as my favorite Edge moments:
– Spearing Mick Foley through a flaming table at Wrestlemania 22
– Ric Flair's Road Rage incident on the Cutting Edge
– The Five Second Pose
– Edge (and Christian) performing Superstar themes on kazoos
– E&C calling Joe C. an Ewok, then putting him in a trash can and smashing it off a wall
– Genital Warts Rule!
Post your thoughts in the comments section below, whether they suck or positively reek of awesomeness!
