He is arguably one of the most popular superstars of the Ruthless Aggression Era. Edge has been a four-time WWE Champion, seven-time World Heavyweight Champion, five-time Intercontinental Champion, United States Champion, 14-time tag team champion, King of the Ring, Money in the Bank, and last but not least, 2010 Royal Rumble winner.
In 2011, all that stopped when he was forced into retirement due to a condition called cervical spinal stenosis. All the TLCs, Hell in a Cells, and Elimination Chamber matches took a toll on the Rated R Superstar.
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However, in 2020 Edge proved everyone wrong by entering the Royal Rumble. This Sunday, almost one year later, he has again thrown his hat in the ring and will be entering the 30-man of the top main event. After being injured in May at the hands of his former Rated RKO teammate Randy Orton, Edge intends to win this year’s rumble and get even with the Viper. The Royal Rumble unquestionably has become a landmark event in Edge’s career. Let’s take a look at three of the Rated R Superstar’s best Rumble appearances.
Edge –
The Rated R World Heavyweight Champion
In 2009 the man on WWE Smackdown was unquestionably Edge. After coming to Smackdown from Raw, the former WWE Champion wasted no time becoming the opportunist we all know. He cashed in his Money In The Bank win and defeated the Undertaker to become the World Heavyweight Champion.
He began a love affair with Smackdown General Manager Vicki Guerrero. He recruited the Major Brothers and renamed them the Edgeheads. At the 2009 Royal Rumble, Edge renewed his rivalry with Jeff Hardy. The deck was stacked against Hardy.
Vicki Guerrero announced the match would be a no-DQ match. It was also announced that Chavo Guerrero would be at ringside. Jeff Hardy fought valiantly, even eliminating the Chavo factor by jumping off a ladder onto Chavo on a table. He even Swanton bombed Edge, but Vicki Guerrero stopped the three count.
Matt Hardy, Jeff’s brother and tag team partner, ran to the ring setting up Edge for a Conchairto. The unthinkable happened when Matt stunned the world by hitting his brother with the steel chair, thus enabling Edge to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.
Royal Rumble 2010: Edge wins the Royal Rumble
The Rated R superstar was usually in a Title Match at the Annual January event. In 2010 Edge entered the Royal Rumble itself and did not disappoint. Coming off a six-month injury, Edge entered the Rumble at number twenty-nine. He was supposed to have been out of action for a year but proved his critics wrong.
Edge immediately speared John Cena, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Jericho. He then turned his rage on Y2J and eliminated him. HBK attempted to hit Edge with the superkick, but Edge moved. John Cena tried to put him in the attitude adjustment, but Edge turned it into a downward spiral.
The Ultimate Opportunist was back, and it was his opportunity to win the Rumble. Batista was the last entrant in the Rumble. Edge knew that four men stood between him and regaining his World Heavyweight Title. As the match progressed, Batista eliminated Shawn Michaels, and John Cena eliminated Batista.
Now it was just Edge and Cena. The winner would go to Wrestlemania. As Cena looked visibly spent, The Rated R superstar looked like a man possessed. When Cena miscalculated a move, Edge capitalized and dumped him over the top rope. On this day, fans saw clearly that Edge had won the 2010 Royal Rumble.
Royal Rumble 2020: The Rated R Return
After being told he would never step foot in a ring again, Edge did the impossible and returned at the 2020 Royal Rumble. This was arguably the greatest return in the last 10 years in the entire wrestling business. Almost 10 years from his forced retirement, no one ever thought Edge would return to the WWE.
What was thought impossible became possible. He received a standing ovation, and rightfully so. He immediately went after Drew Mcintyre and Aj Styles. He even speared AJ so hard that he did a 360 before he hit the mat. Just then, Randy Orton entered the rumble and stood face-to-face with Edge.
Together RKO formed a brief partnership along with Reigns to eliminate Seth Rollins. Now RKO turned their attention to Drew Mcintyre and Roman Reigns. Eventually, Orton tried to sneak up on Edge but was eliminated by Edge instead.
Just as Edge saw a second rumble victory in his future, he was eliminated by Reigns. Drew McIntyre ended up winning the rumble, but Edge was the real winner. After being out of the ring for almost ten years, The Rated R superstar proved he is back.
2021: The Resilient Superstar
This Sunday, after an injury at Randy Orton’s hands, Edge once again will return at the Royal Rumble. He officially declared his intentions of winning the match as well as getting even with the Viper on last Monday’s episode of RAW. Edge stated that if 2020 has taught him anything, it’s the fact that there isn’t always tomorrow.
He had to win the 2021 Royal Rumble and main event WrestleMania to take back what he never lost. Edge seems to be a desperate man. Desperate men do desperate things. Does he reawaken the Ultimate opportunist?
Did he bring back the Rated R Superstar? Will he win the Royal Rumble and Main Event Wrestlemania 38? If he does, The R in Rated R should now stand for Resilient. The WWE universe is watching.
