In the early years of this century, when WWE split Raw and SmackDown for the first time into separate brands with (mostly) separate lists, Edge was a key player in the blue brand. The “SmackDown Six” era did not last long, and the Rated R Superstar was crafted (and moved through several other plot devices) back and forth between the two shows countless times over the next ten years. But for many of us, Edge is there with guys like Undertaker and Rey Mysterio when we think of Team Blue.
His retirement speech took place in Crude, but he was a SmackDown Superstar when he had to leave the World Heavyweight Championship and retire after WrestleMania 27. He also spent the first sequence of his comeback on the red show, but is now challenging champion Universal Roman Reigns in WrestleMania 37 – and that means he’s working on FOX on Friday nights.
Now, that means he’s going to have his first televised match Smash since he beat up a boy named Drew McIntyre on March 22, 2011.
This will be against Jey Uso. The winner will serve as a special enforcer for the fight for the Universal title of Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns in Fastlane two days later. No matter who wins, it will fuel not just the ‘Mania de Edge fight, but the ongoing rivalry with Bryan that must be leading to something somewhere down the road.
I don’t know why WWE is insisting on the “first time in 11 years” promotion – Edge had several SmackDown matches in early 2011 – but whatever. We all want to forget the Dolph Ziggler / Vickie Guerrero rivalry that he became involved in … and that his last rivalry before retirement was against Alberto Del Rio.
Edge vs. Jey joins a fight for the women’s title Sasha Banks / Nia Jax SmackDown on Fastlane go home.
Does it seem like a good reason to watch FOX on March 19?