From Wrestling Online Newsletter:
"Edge, real name Adam Copeland, said that both of his arms are experiencing numbness as a result of a neck injury and an MRI that was held the day after WrestleMania in Atlanta confirmed the seriousness of the injury. Edge was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, the narrowing of one or more areas in the spine which puts pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerves at the level of compression according to world renowned Mayo Clinic. His injury will require surgery and no medical professional will clear Edge to ever compete in a ring again as there is a risk of paralysis or even death."
Now, as wrestling fans, we are not strangers to injuries befalling our favorites. Every wrestler at some point has incurred some type of injury that required rest or surgery. So they go under the knife, do some rehab, and return. No big deal.
Similarly, we are used to guys deciding to hang up their boots. We are usually given hints about this through age (e.g., Dean Malenko, Finlay, Ricky Steamboat, Arn Anderson), long standing injuries (e.g., Stone Cold Steve Austin), or storyline (e.g., Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels). So it is a rare thing when a superstar, especially one at Edge's level, can no longer compete and seemingly has no option but to retire. We can hope for an HBK-esque recovery period and return. Shawn retired in 1998 because he thought that his back was too far gone, too busted up, to keep going. He sat on the bench for four years and moved on with his life. Of course, we know that HBK dipped his toes back in the water in the summer of 2002 and went on to have a glorious eight year run. Edge may not get that chance. For all intents and purposes, Edge is done.
Done as far as being an in ring competitor. Edge is too passionate about the business and has too much know-how to sit at home. My guess is that after he's done rehabbing, he'll find his way back to WWE, either on screen as a commentator or backstage as a trainer or producer.
So how will wrestling remember Edge? He leaves behind a legacy that surprised me when he said it last night: Edge has won 31 championships, the most number of championships in the history of WWE. Count 'em:
World Heavyweight Championship (7 times)
WWE Championship (4 times)
Intercontinental (5 times)
United States (1 time)
Tag Team Championship [14 times(!)] with six different partners: Christian, Chris Benoit, Hulk Hogan, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, and Rey Mysterio
He also won the King of the Ring in 2001, Money in the Bank twice, and the Royal Rumble in 2010. Also he has main evented the last four WrestleManias. This is a streak matched only by Hulk Hogan, Triple H, and John Cena. Those are obviously Hall of Fame stats.
But will Edge's retirement leave a Hogan/Triple H/Cena sized hole in the WWE? I don't think so. Edge has never been a larger than life, generation defining wrestler. The absence of Stone Cold, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, and eventually The Undertaker leave bigger holes than the one Edge leaves. Lara correctly nicknamed him "The Overrated Superstar". Not that Edge wasn't consistent, passionate, and loyal to professional wrestling. But his World Championship reigns were patchwork and unmemorable. Only one five star match pops in my mind when I look back (against Mick Foley at WrestleMania 22). But at least he was there. As long as he was physically able, he was there every week for 13 years. Of course, this is Edge as a singles star. As a tag team specialist, my memories are much fonder.
Along with Christian, he captured the Tag Team titles eight times (becoming the octopusses of the WWE). With the Hardys and Dudleys, they pioneered Tables, Ladders, and Chairs. They stole the show at WrestleManias 16 and 17. Me and my flash photography benefitted from them. They also ran around as pranksters with the then-comical Kurt Angle, forming Team AEC (Angle/Edge/Christian) and played the kazoo. In my mind, Edge was never better than when he had Christian as his partner.
Lara noted last night that when Edge was giving his retirement speech that it was the most she'd ever liked him. Understandable as last night, he was speaking as Adam Copeland. Edge the character never hit home for me. He wouldn't break my top 25 of favorite wrestlers. But Adam Copeland has worked for 17 years to entertain us and in the process destroyed his body. He's the guy who, when he saw me in a crowd in San Diego 7 years ago wearing an old school Edge & Christian shirt, shot me a wry smile and struck a quick five second pose. Professional wrestling benefits from hard working superstars such as Edge. And for that, we as fans, have been very lucky to have him.
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