Edge has done almost everything in his WWE career but has now revealed the one match that he was victorious in that he originally wanted no part of.
Edge claimed victory at WrestleMania 21 in 2005 in the first-ever Money In The Bank match. The Rated-R Superstar made history the following January when he became the first man to cash in that contract, defeating John Cena in an impromptu match after Cena had barely survived the Elimination Chamber.
Now speaking on WWE’s The Bump, the WWE Hall Of Famer revealed how he had initially wanted no part of the match:
“I wish I could say that I had this vision of how it would become its own PPV, and no, not at all. As a matter of fact, when they first told me that I’d be in this thing called the Money in the Bank match, I said, ‘Another ladder match? I don’t want to be the ladder match guy. I want to do more than that. I want a straight wrestling match where I can just get in there and go.’ I actually said, ‘Don’t put me in it. I’ll find my way on WrestleMania another way and if I’m not on this year I’ll make sure I’m on next year, but I’m tired of ladder matches. I don’t want to get pigeonholed for that.’ That was not very bright thinking.”
Edge had made his name in the company alongside Christian, The Hardyz, and The Dudleyz in ladder and TLC matches that are still talked about to this day. The image of Edge leaping off a ladder to spear Jeff Hardy in mid-air is one of the most oft-repeated clips in WWE history.
Thankfully Edge was convinced to take part and says he realises just what he had on his hands when he finally cashed in on Cena:
“So finally, and this sounds so stupid, but I had to be talked into participating in the match. It wasn’t until about eight months in, holding this briefcase, carrying it with me on every plane because I had to take that thing everywhere – That’s when I started to realize. When I came out at New Year’s Revolution and I heard the crowd, that’s when I went, ‘Oh man, this is something, this is something very cool.’ Then to be involved in the next five year’s worth of cash-ins or – Either it was I cashed-in or it was cashed-in on me. Or I was in the match where it was cashed-in. It’s so amazing to sit back and think I was a huge part of Money in the Bank, which is now a PPV, and TLC, which is now a PPV. That’s really cool.”
“That’s the kind of thing when you first get into this, but when you’re thinking of getting out of it you go, ‘Okay, hopefully, I gave back to this industry and I made it better while I was here. Hopefully.’ That should be the goal. I try and help talent along the way, try and push people, whatever it is. Even if those are the only two things that I am part of leaving behind, because there was plenty of talent involved in it, then it’s mission accomplished.”
Edge was unsuccessful in capturing the won title that has alluded him in WWE, the Universal Title as he lost to Roman Reigns at Money In The Bank. The 11-time world champion looks set to be on a collision course with the man that cost him that match, Seth Rollins.