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Edge is undoubtedly one of the most decorated superstars in WWE. An eleven-time world champion, fourteen-time tag team champion, and a two-time Royal Rumble winner, among other accolades, The Rated-R Superstar has done it all.
Beyond traditional title wins, he's also a former King of the Ring and Mr. Money in the Bank, the 14th Triple Crown Champion, and the third Grand Slam winner. With such an impressive list of accomplishments, the WWE Hall of Famer is truly a modern-day great.
Additionally, Edge also scripted the most remarkable in-ring comeback in WWE history. After taking early retirement due to a severe neck injury, he made an unforgettable return in the 2020 Royal Rumble Match. He later won the legendary battle royal tournament in 2021 and hasn't looked back ever since.
With that being said, in light of his 48th birthday today, here's a look at five matches that cemented the WWE Hall of Famer's legacy.
#5 Edge vs. Mick Foley - WrestleMania 22 (2006)
In one of the most brutal bouts in WrestleMania history, Edge and Mick Foley put their bodies on the line in a hardcore match. The contest was the culmination of a kayfabe storyline in which a heel Edge blamed Foley for him not becoming a two-time WWE champion.
Both superstars annihilated each other with thumbtacks, barbered wires, and whatnot. Finally, a bruised Rated-R Superstar (with thumbtacks on his back) speared Mick Foley through a flaming table to secure the pinfall.
The scenes after the match were gruesome as a bloodied Foley lay on the floor, and a dazed Edge was shocked by the result. With that being said, this match showed the world the extent to which Edge went for victory.
#4 Edge vs. John Cena - SummerSlam (2006)
The rivalry between Edge and John Cena in 2006 made both of these wrestlers' careers. The duo had a series of matches that year to determine who the top superstar in WWE was at the time.
At SummerSlam, The Ultimate Opportunist defended his WWE Title against the Cenation Leader. After going back and forth with attacks and counterattacks, Edge knocked Cena off with a pair of brass knuckles as the referee was distracted. This helped the champion retain his title.
Edge then changed the WWE championship belt from a 'spinner' to a Rated-R version. The change signaled the end of the Cena era to the start of Edge's 'Rated-R Superstar.'
#3 Edge vs. The Undertaker - Hell in a Cell Match at SummerSlam (2008)
Edge and The Undertaker had a historical rivalry for the World Heavyweight Championship in 2008. The duo fought across four pay-per-views that year, including WrestleMania 24, where The Phenom won by submission.
At SummerSlam 2008, Edge took on Taker in a devastating Hell in a Cell Match. Both superstars gave it their all, with Edge putting the Undertaker through the table with a chair-assisted diving elbow drop. He even speared The Deadman through the broadcast table as the two men battled outside the cell.
Eventually, The Undertaker won the match with a Tombstone Piledriver, but the fight and the resilience of Edge showed earned him the Phenom's respect.
#2 Edge vs. Randy Orton - Last Man Standing Match at WrestleMania 36 (2020)
Edge and Randy Orton have been both friends and enemies in the past. At WrestleMania 36, the feud got personal when Randy Orton brought Edge's family into the equation.
Their Last Man Standing Match was brilliant, with both superstars fighting in the WWE Performance Center. After brawling throughout the arena, they eventually fought atop a production truck in the backstage area. The Rated-R Superstar performed a spear on Orton, and the Viper retaliated with an RKO on Edge.
In the end, Edge applied a sleeper hold on Orton, who passed out on and could not respond to the ten counts. The bout epic bout saw the WWE Hall of Famer further cement his legacy.
#1 Edge vs. Seth Rollins - Hell in a Cell Match at Crown Jewel (2021)
One of the biggest rivalries of 2021 in WWE has been between Edge and Seth Rollins.
The Rated-R Superstar beat The Visionary at SummerSlam. Seth then got his revenge a few days later on SmackDown as he won the second contest. The finale of the feud happened inside the Cell at the recently concluded Crown Jewel.
After going back and forth in the contest, Seth went for the Curb Stomp on Edge, a move that had got the better of the Rated-R Superstar on SmackDown. This time Edge rolled out of the way at the last minute.
The WWE Hall of Famer then went for the Crossface, and just when it looked like Seth was going to tap, Edge let go of the hold in search of a more satisfying ending. He flipped the script with a stomp to Rollins on the chair for the victory.
The match was possibly one of the best the WWE Universe has witnessed this year. It was only befitting that the WWE Hall of Famer stood tall after the bout as his legacy scaled to unparalleled heights in the business.
