WWE superstar Edge Q&A Part 1 & 2

[Black Widow]

WWE superstar Edge has carved out quite the career for himself. He first became a top star teaming with Christian where the tag-team had many memorable matches against The Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz. Once he broke apart from the team and became a singles wrestler, he didn’t miss a beat. Now, he is a three time WWE World Heavyweight Champion and has become one of – if not the – top performer in all of sports entertainment. And he has done it by being truly despised by the audience.

Beginning this Friday, October 3rd, WWE Smackdown is moving to MyNetworkTV which airs here locally on My65 WRBW. Recently, Edge sat down for an interview on my Between The Ropes radio show to talk about his memorable year, being hated by the fans and much more. Here is part one of that interview. Check back tomorrow for the second part.

We haven’t seen you in a little while. You’ve been off since Summerslam. Are you enjoying the time off?

Yes – immensely. I need to just, kind of get a break and step back from the pace and the 120 mile and hour lifestyle for a little bit.

No major injuries, nothing like that?

No for once! For once, time off without a surgery, without a sling, a neck collar or anything like that. So, it’s been really, really nice.

Do you like it when someone says you have to take some time off when you’re not injured or are you one of the guys where they have to force you because you enjoy it so much?

I actually asked for it. Nobody has to force me to take time off. I’m at the point now where here and there I think it’s a good idea. Not only for the show’s sake or a character’s sake so I don’t burn it out but also just to step back from it and still maintain the kind of passion for it that I want to have. I don’t want to get burned out on it. I don’t want to just call it in. I never want to get to that point. Not that I was but I was getting tired.

That’s natural for everyone like that because you go so fast for so long. Is it better for you to have the physical break or the mental break from the grind?

This time I think the mental grind. Every other time it’s been physical and I think that was the nice part about this is before I got too burned out on either end. If you get too burned out mentally then something physically with give and I think I beat it to the punch this time. I just decided to step back and hopefully somebody else on the show can step up a kind of fill the void if there is a void.

Now, guys are always trying to make it to the top of the wrestling business and make it to the championship level. But once you get there, staying there is very difficult mentally. Do you find that to be the case that once you finally got to that spot, did you find it very heavy on you in a mental way?

It’s definitely more difficult. I always thought getting to the WWE would be the hardest part but actually succeeding to the point where you want to succeed – that’s the really, really hard part. And then staying there – yeah because you’re more involved with it. There’s more pressure on you. Now you can place more pressure than there actually is and really get in to all of that. I really don’t but I did need to just step back a little bit from it. I guess for the first time in my career I put myself first and ahead of the actual business which I’ve never done before.

What a novel idea.

Crazy huh?

Like I said, the last time we saw you was at Summerslam in a Hell in a Cell match against The Undertaker which was phenomenal. How worried are you going into a match like that? You’re talking about a match on a major pay-per-view, main event, Hell in a Cell. There has to be certain expectations that fans have and expectations you have as a performer.

Without a doubt. I think most importantly are the expectations I have for myself and for the match and things like that. I know with my expectations that high that they’ll come through for the people. There were things I wanted to do on that that just physically I wouldn’t have survived – ideas that I had and then you see the new cell and it makes a lot of things impossible that were possible before. It’s huge.

I know that people have seen past Hell in a Cell matches and what (Mick) Foley has done and now I’m like ‘please don’t go to the top’. I really don’t want to see it anymore because it’s so scary.

Well, you actually can’t now. It’s 26 feet so I don’t think you could actually survive a fall from there and trust me, I thought about it. But I just don’t think it’s physically possible now and I tried to come up with every scenario to make it possible. I really don’t think it is anymore and it’s kind of taken away that aspect but it’s forced guys to work around it and maybe get reactions from just good, brutal matches as opposed to stunts.

You had to get more selective the higher up you got on the card and were in a more important position. We saw you in a lot of TLC (tables, ladders and chairs) matches were you guys did some really crazy, crazy things. It seems like that you have to choose those spots now.

You always had to choose them but the good thing was in some of those TLC matches you have six or eight guys to kind of divvy up the huge risks. Anything I’m in now it’s me taking all the risks and my opponent. But you do – you have to be a little more selective. You have to realize that for longevity sake you can only do that so long. You did it to get noticed but now that you’re noticed you realize that’s not necessarily what people want to see all the time. If you do that once in a while, not only physically are you going to last longer but – the guys like Shawn Michaels took the risks earlier in their career and now they tell stories in there and they tell damn good stories. I think that’s the point I’ve gotten to. I’ve paid my dues and shown what I can do but I’m smarter now in how I work.

What has it been like character development-wise because we’ve seen you do so many things that I think people appreciate not only in the ring but also outside the ring with your character? You did the stuff with Vickie (Guerrero) this year and a lot of other stuff. How have you been able to morph into that even better?

I think that was really the last key to having the kind of character where you didn’t have to dive off 15-foot high ladders and that’s when people can get invested either by despising you or enjoying what you do is when you can do the things backstage or when you can go out and carry a 15 minute promo or whatever it is. A lot of that comes with the confidence of being able to do it. I think that was kind of the last ingredient that I didn’t have. Even if I had the opportunity before I didn’t have the way I have it now. And that’s really just feeling comfortable and knowing I can do it instead of doubting myself.

One of the things we saw in building up to Hell in a Cell was the episode of Smackdown where you were going crazy and challenging everything. People were looking at that and going ‘man, what a performance’. I know some people were saying that with Batman coming out, that was like The Joker. People were wondering if you got any inspiration from that. Where did all of that come from?

Honestly, a lot of it came from the Mick Foley promo. I decided to go an take that route because initially it wasn’t going to be that route and that night, I just felt it and I kind of went the psychotic route as opposed to the back pedaling guy who’s afraid to get into this thing. I wanted people actually maybe doubting that I could actually pull this thing out and I thought the only way to do that was to go full bore the other way – totally psychotic and have people going ‘man, he looks a little bent, he might pull this thing out’ and then try to tell that story in the match too. I think we did. And I had a lot of fun doing that. I get headaches after those promos though because I get really wound up. I guess to look at it though and I look at myself and The Undertaker as the Batman and Joker of the WWE in a way. I guess if anybody was the Batman it would be him.

Who is Vickie then? Do we know?

(laughs) Good call. I don’t know – maybe Poison Ivy?

Now, the whole Vickie thing – at first, everyone looked at it like what is going on. When you were initially presented with this situation did you go ‘whoa’ or was this something you thought you could sink your teeth in from the beginning?

At first, honestly, it was thrown at me about ten minutes before we did the first kiss and…

You had no say in the matter.

It was like – well, alright. Vickie, what do you think? Let’s do it. I tried to just really take it and run and that’s what I found. No matter what you’re given, as long as you really invest yourself into it and take it and run, it’s probably going to work. I think what made me feel better too is that Vickie said Eddie would get a kick out of this. He would actually be proud of her for getting the reaction she was getting. That made me feel a lot better about it too. But there were definitely some moments where I was like ‘Eddie, I’m sorry dude’. But she made me feel better about it. I don’t know, maybe she was just trying to make me feel better about it. I don’t know but it worked.

Maybe she just wanted to make out with you.

(laughs) Yeah!

I know originally some fans and even us were like whoa whoa whoa. You’re really going to use Vickie and you’re going to use her in this role? What are you doing? But as it went along, she grew into it. She felt more comfortable and I’m sure she felt more comfortable because she was working with you too.

We had talked about that and she said she was kind of able to play off me out there and feel more comfortable. That’s cool if someone can be out there with me and I make them feel more comfortable in a speaking role. But it was actually fun. It was fun to take it all over the place. Also because I think people thought there’s no way – there’s no way. Huh – it’s working. So, it’s cool to take on that kind of challenge and not necessarily throw it in people’s face but say I knew we could do this.

You got to work with The Undertaker a lot this past year – Hell in a Cell and also at WrestleMania. What was that experience like for you?

It was awesome. The guy is without a doubt – he’s a legend and a future Hall of Famer. It’s cliché but it’s completely true. He might be the best big man - most versatile guy his size – ever in the industry. I always wanted to be able to work a program with him and it just never happened whether he was on Raw and I was on Smackdown or I wasn’t on that level. Whatever it was, it took ten years of me being in the company to really have it where people would want to see. The way that everything worked out – we had this year, year-and-a-half thing that just worked. The first time we ever stepped foot in a ring was in Chile and we went in and had a 45 minute match. Alright, this is going to work. It’s hard work.

You have a 45 minute match in this day and age?

Yeah. It was in Chile and – once again it sounds like an old timer cliché – but we had two, back-to-back nights in Chile and they were sold out and we just we out there and wanted to test the waters. That was the only time we ever had a singles match before WrestleMania. So going into WrestleMania that was only the second time we ever had a singles match but I felt good going into it. I was like I think we’ve got something here that we can take to five, six pay-per-views and have every one of them be different. That was really one of the amazing parts. Probably the best compliment I’ve ever got was after the first match he said I’ve never had chemistry with anyone like that for the first time except with Shawn (Michaels) and Bret (Hart). I put you in that company. I was like ‘whoa!’. You can’t beat that compliment.

You’re a guy that grew up like us. We’re in the same age bracket, you grew up a huge wrestling fan and you made yourself into this world. So it gotta be like…

When you hear that and especially – Shawn and Bret are two guys from a work rate standpoint are obviously greatly respected. For him to ever put me in that category – I’m not saying I’m in that category – but for him to say that it’s like ‘wow – cool’.


OrlandoSentinel.com

[Black Widow]

Here is part two of an interview with WWE superstar Edge. Don't forget - beginning tonight WWE Smackdown is moving to MyNetworkTV which airs here locally on My65 WRBW.

What’s it like for you now that you’ve been in the WWE for so long and came in at such a young age and came up through the ranks to where you’re now one of the veterans of the locker room?

Yeah, it’s pretty strange. For a while there, I was still one of the kids. I was 30 years old and still being called ‘kid’ and I was like ‘alright’. I guess that makes sense. Now, it’s been such a transition through the locker room and there’s maybe four of us since I’ve been there - Kane, Triple H, Undertaker. I can’t think of any off the top of my head besides that. It’s interesting and when you have (Zack) Ryder and (Curt) Hawkins - I call them my kids - and to see how excited they are and they come up and ask me for advice and everything. It’s really fun to kind of give back in that respect because I did have guys throughout my career, at the beginning of my career before I got to WWE, who really gave me priceless advice. Whoever it was – Bret Hart or Dory Funk or Tom Pritchard or all these guys who have great experience and helped me along so it’s nice to do that for younger guys now.

It reminds me of that first Foley DVD where he’s sitting there and I think it’s you and Christian and he would be giving you advice between cuts.

Yeah. Mick was another guy too. I really got lucky in that respect to be able to respect Mick when I did. He knew at that point I really wanted to prove a point and he helped me prove it. But it’s been cool – the people I’ve gotten to rub elbows with. Teaming with (Hulk) Hogan, TLC matches with (Ric) Flair, hardcore matches with Foley. That’s on the job training that you if you don’t learn there, you’re not going to.

I was going to mention that TLC match with Flair. When we heard that Flair was going to do that match, we were like are you serious? Let’s see what they pull out. Then you go out there and it was awesome.

Yeah. He came with his game. Ric’s always amazed me. He gets that shine in his eye and there’s no stopping him. But I initially went oh wow – TLC match with Ric Flair. This is the first singles TLC match. Not only is it the first singles TLC match but it’s not against Jeff Hardy or something. So, I knew it was going to be a challenge but it was fun. That crowd that night was awesome.

I think at that point Ric felt he had something to prove too.

Yeah. Without a doubt he did. I think we both did. A lot of times, that’s when you’ll get the best results when you have two guys who have something to prove. Mick at WrestleMania 22 did. He wanted – he seriously wanted – that WrestleMania moment for himself. So we went through a flaming table.

I’m sure when you came into the WWE that you were sitting there going I really want to wrestle this guy and that guy. Now, there’s probably people going I want to wrestle Edge.

I kind of lose track of that I guess. I never really think of things in those terms. I’m still kind of blown away when little kids are extremely excited to meet me and I try to think back to when I first met Mr. Perfect or guys like that and how stoked I was for months after. But I guess there are some young guys coming up now that would want to wrestle me. I don’t know. I’m kind of far removed from that end of the spectrum now.

Really?

It’s just that I have no idea what it’s like to be breaking in now – what the climate is like or who guys look to as inspirations. I looked to – when I got in the business – Shawn and Bret. Those were the guys I wanted to try and pattern – and Mr. Perfect, Barry Windham and guys like that. I don’t know who they would be patterning themselves after now, whether it be Jeff Hardy or Rey Mysterio or Evan Bourne. I don’t know.

It’s also different now in the way they come up through developmental. For someone like you, you worked on the independents for a long time, working up in Canada on the frozen tours. It’s a different climate now.

Without a doubt. I guess that’s why I say I feel kind of out of touch with what it’s like now because it’s so far removed from when I came in. And it’s so far removed from when I came in from guys who came in before me so they couldn’t relate to how I came in. It’s that kind of cycle. Now it’s changed to the point where basically you have your farm systems and the odd independent shows here and there. I would think it would be tougher now.

I would think so too. I think one of the things that is amazing about where your career is now is that you have found a way where people truly hate you. In this day and age, it seems almost impossible. We’ve talked about this before and how it’s almost impossible to have a true heel in wrestling these days but you’ve proven that there can be a true heel now.

It can actually be very easy. All the person has to want to do is actually be hated. You can be hated if you want to be hated. If you have no part of you that wants to do a cool move, that wants to get any kind of a positive reaction, that wants to out wrestle the babyface. You have to throw all of that out the window. You always have to look worse. You always have to be outwrestled. You always have to do something in order to get the advantage. As long as you don’t mind doing those things whether it’s to be made to look like the fool, whether it’s to be made to cheat to win – whatever it is, it’s still possible and can be very easy. And I realized how easy it can be because that was my mentality. I wanted no redeeming qualities whatsoever. And it’s easy to do that, easy for people to buy into that. You just have to really commit to it. And whether that means – when I was doing those psychotic promos, I wanted to look like I hadn’t slept for weeks. So I didn’t wash my hair. I wanted to look like I was – I didn’t shave. Kind of like how I look now I guess. (laughing)

I’m sure people loved traveling with you.

I still showered! I just didn’t wash my hair. I really just wanted to look like this guy that was on an emotional roller coaster and about to have a breakdown. I didn’t care if I was good looking or if I was tanned or any of those things. I just wanted to look the part. I don’t know right now if there’s a lot of guys that would want to do that. I don’t blame them. But that’s what I’ve decided. If I want to be that hated guy – nobody else is doing it. I might as well. I had to commit to it.

That’s the thing. For every person that goes out there and gets cheered, there has to be the villain.

In order for it to be successful. In order from those heroes to look like heroes. Part of my job is to get thrown all over the place by a guy like Batista and make him look even more superhuman than he is and try and find a chink in the armor to get any kind of offense on him that I can. That’s part of – it goes back to where that can be very easy. It’s worked for decades. You just have to really want to do it.

Now with the move to My65, does it increase even more the rivalry between Raw and Smackdown? You’ve got Hunter over there now, of course yourself, Undertaker, Jeff Hardy. There are some really big names over there for what some looked at as the secondary show. It almost seems like the big show now.

Yeah I guess so. I always kind of wanted to take the mentality of if its thought of as the secondary show, I want to make it the show that people don’t think of that way. I want to make this the show they think I gotta see what’s going to happen here. And I think little by little we started to do that and it’s pretty cool to be a part of something like that. You know, both shows offer something for different talents. So you’re always going to have a competition. To me, it’s like salt and pepper. It’s two different things. Now Rey Mysterio is on Raw. You’re not going to find another Rey Mysterio. He offers something that no one else does so you can’t really make a comparison when it comes to things like that.

What were your initial thoughts when you were told you were being moved to Smackdown because I know some people might be leery of that and they like being on Raw which is the “A” show and it’s a live show?

I asked to move to Smackdown because I saw so many opportunities there. I never wrestled Undertaker. I never wrestled Rey Mysterio. I never had a prolonged program with Batista. Man, I saw that and I wanted to sink my teeth into that. There’s two years worth of stuff – let’s go. I didn’t look at it like that at all. I looked at Raw and I thought (John) Cena – done it. Michaels – done it. Triple H – done it. (Randy) Orton – done it. Hmmm….I could go over there. So I looked at it and said if people think it’s the “B” show, let’s make it the “A” show. If I’m part of that and part of the reason is they want to see my (butt) handed to me, that’s cool. It’s working.

Now with the initial deal with Cena because that came out of nowhere really when you first won the belt. It was almost like lightning in a bottle because everybody watching was like “wow!”. It shot out of nowhere. Did you see that – any realm of that – becoming what it ending up becoming when you initially did it and when it was coming together?

I thought it could be but I didn’t know if we would be given the opportunity to let it go as far as it did. I think initially it wasn’t supposed to be the lightning in the bottle like it was but people tapped into it. Whether it’s because we’re polar opposites – our characters – whether it’s because he’s the hip-hop guy and I’m the rock and roll guy. I don’t know what it was but it became kind of the Red Sox – Yankees. I’ve heard someone use that analogy before and that’s really what it felt like and people got with it. A lot of times, things you don’t necessarily expect to happen, they do. That’s one thing where our audience can really tell us what they want because if they’re reacting, they’re going to get more of it. If you want to see more Cena – Edge, you’re paying to see it. You’re going to get it. I don’t think we ever expected it to go where it was going. It did and it was a lot of fun.

Just a few last things before you have to go. When was the last time you played a kazoo?

Oh, it’s been ages!

I saw that clip the other day.

(laughing) Well, you see, Christian was more adept at that kazoo. I was more of the lyrical content but I’ll pick up a kazoo in a heartbeat if I can find one.

When is Christian coming back?

I don’t know. I’d like him to.

There’s rumors out there you know.

There’s always going to be rumors. I’d like for him to because I think it would be cool for him to end his career there and also because we’d get to ride together again which would be fun. We’re always going to be friends no matter what the other is doing but it would be nice to do it together. I think that would be pretty cool. Whether it happen or not, I don’t know. That’s stuff I’ve never really delved into and I don’t ask anybody their deal. I just worry about my own in that respect and it’s worked good for me that way.


OrlandoSentinel.com

[JohnCenaFan28]

Thanks for this.

[Kage]

Thanks