3. Edge Defeating Alberto Del Rio To Retain World Title At WrestleMania 26
"If you told me that my last match would be at WrestleMania, successfully defending the World Heavyweight Championship I couldn't dream of a better way to go out, I really couldn't." These were some of Edge's heart-wrenching words during his highly shocking retirement speech, on the Raw following WrestleMania 26. "I felt I wasn't ending my career on my terms. But Christian reminded me that I lived my entire career on my terms." That match, the opening bout in 2010, was befitting of a last match, without the trappings of knowing that it's the last match. When Edge has Del Rio in a compromising position, and gestures for the Spear, the entire stadium in Atlanta stands up. A deafening roar dominates the rest of the match, until Edge's hand is raised in victory. The company chose Edge to kick off their biggest show of the year, and he was wildly successfully in rousing the crowd's emotions. The rather perfunctory manner with which he celebrates and exits leads me to believe that he did not know that the next night would be marked by his retirement speech. Instead, he and Christian destroy Del Rio's vintage Rolls Royce: two men whose brotherhood runs more deeply than most related by blood. How poetic that Christian could be there in that moment. Edge had a long, decorated, and passion-fueled career. Thank goodness he could make the choice to protect his body from further damage, before the choice was no longer his. "If you asked me if I'd do it all again? In a heartbeat."