The True Story Of How WWE Nearly F*cked Up Edge
He won...by count-out, in one minute and seven seconds. If that scans as a typically Vince Russo development, then - swerve! - that wasn't the intention. Edge, after sending Estrada to the outside with a drop kick, followed up the attack with a somersault senton. The move was delivered with jittery over-enthusiasm. Edge hurt his own leg, knocked Estrada out cold and hurt his neck. The neck wasn't broken. This is a misconception, but still, Edge flirted with the stigma of being a danger to his opponents.
He wasn't punished after the fact. He wasn't removed from television. While the original plan of working Savio Vega didn't materialise, he was partnered with Sable at SummerSlam just months into his run. This was a big deal because Sable was a huge star that drew major interest from the teenage males at the time. The Sable dust was meant to rub off on him. He wasn't buried because they liked him...well enough.
One creative team member liked him too much, which, in the bizarre world of the WWF, almost f*cked him. Respected, successful authority offers advice on which wrestler might make Vince McMahon a lot of money compels Vince McMahon to not listen. "Who the f*ck are you, pal? I'm Vince McMahon!" Jim Cornette was a major - and loud - proponent of Edge early on. Vince in his weird way first wanted to sandbag Edge out of spite by associating him with the "F*ck '80s wrasslin'" sabotage that was the '98 NWA revival. Until Bob Holly and Bart Gunn became the 'New Midnight Express', Edge (as 'Adorable Adam') was meant to fill that role alongside Val Venis (as "Sensual Sean"). Edge narrowly avoided that hatchet job before he was all set to be introduced with a Vince Russo idea - hysterically Vince Russo idea even by Vince Russo standards.
Described in his autobiography as "a member of the Bee Gees on crack," the character was all set to have green hair, wear a blue silk shirt with chains around his neck, and read poetry.
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