Edge was a classic case of a superstar working his way up the ladder (pun-intended) as a mid-card act to ultimately achieve great singles success. By the time he began the (nearly) yearlong build to his match with Undertaker at Mania 24, he was ready to step up to the main-event of the years biggest show and steal the show in the process. In an excellent interview backstage just hours before his World Championship defense, Edge told the story of how he was a teenager at Mania 6 in Toronto watching his hero lose the title and how he, subsequently, lost his innocence. He said that he would try to recreate his youth by causing the current hero, Taker, to lose his Streak. As fans, you know that being in the main-event at Mania means everything. Edge was one of those guys and his pre-match promo well set the stage for the most important night of his professional life. The outdoor setting made the introductions to this match three times as visually stunning. It was pitch dark when Edges pyro lit up the sky and Taker came out with his dazzling entrance. It was just a very unique experience. The match itself was very well paced and told a thorough story that detailed the history of their feud dating back to Survivor Series 07, when Edge used a TV camera to screw Taker out of the World title. Edge was booked like a dominant force that could hang with Taker to the bitter end. In fact, there were a couple of times that you legitimately had to wonder, for a second, if Edge might be the guy to end the Streak. Hells Gate was still coming along as a primary finisher for Taker, so there was some doubt as to the finish even when Edge got stuck in the hold. The lasting impression left by the match was the sheer number of counters that they pulled off. They did too many reversals of each others top moves to count. Taker was in match 2 of his awesome streak of 4-star or better matches that just ended a few weeks back. Having been on last at one Mania put the stamp on Edges legacy as an all-time great.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
