Edge has revealed when he plans to retire from in-ring competition, explaining that he knows the sun is beginning to set on his career.
After being out of action for almost ten years, Edge returned to the ring at the 2020 Royal Rumble. The WWE Hall of Famer had been forced to retire in the days after WrestleMania 27 due to injury.
Despite doing his best to make up for lost time upon returning, the now 48 year-old is keenly aware that his days in the ring are coming to an end.
In conversation with Steven’s Wrestling Journey, (Originally recorded in the late Summer of 2021) Edge said he may well hang up his boots within a couple of years.
“Won’t be ten (years), definitely won’t be ten. I doubt it’ll be five, it’s gonna be before that. I don’t even think it’s going to be three. I don’t know, but I don’t think it’s going to be that long. I know the window is small,”
Reflecting on being forced to retire in 2011, Edge explained that having the decision taken out of his hands was actually a good thing. Although, he was disappointed not to get to work with a number of up and coming Superstars.
“It was such a mixed bag of emotions when they told me I had to retire. In a weird way, it made it easier. In a weird way because I wasn’t having to make the decision on my own and go, ‘How much more do I have left?’ That was taken out of the equation. It was still a shock. At that point, I thought, ‘We’re looking at three years, at the most,’ and I’d retire by 40 years old.
I was forced to retire at 37 and I didn’t get the last three years to try and help some new talent along and I knew that’s where I was at in my role. I was champ, but I knew that by younger guys challenging the champ and hanging with the champ, then it would help them going forward and maybe they could learn things like I learned. I look back now and think, ‘it all worked out pretty good.’ I was disappointed because I was just starting to work with Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre and guys like that and really enjoying it and their enthusiasm and excitement.
I didn’t get to see that through and that was disappointing to me. I was also in a lot of pain. I didn’t fully grasp how much pain I was in until I got that second neck surgery and I realized I was in a lot rougher shape. There was a bit of relief.”
The former World Champion added that while he’s excited to be back, he wants to make sure he doesn’t over-stay his welcome.
“As I started feeling good and attacking life again, eight years later, nine years later, I started realizing that it was a possibility to come back and finally get that last three years and try and help young talent on the cusp, teach them a couple little things. To do it against a whole new era, to get in there with Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and these guys that don’t need my help but it’s exciting to get in there with them and try to hang with them in this stage of my life and career.
I know it’s not going to last for long and I only have so much in the tank to be able to do that. I want to get out before you start going, ‘his tank is getting low.’ I want to get out while people still have fond memories,”
Edge was most recently in action at WrestleMania 38 where he defeated AJ Styles via an assist from his new protégé Damian Priest.
H/t to Fightful for the transcription.