John Cena And Other Current And Former WWE Stars Pay Tribute To Edge On SmackDown
WWE stars both past and present said "Thank you" to Edge while reminiscing on his 25-year career in the company in a series of video packages that aired on "WWE SmackDown" throughout the night. From legends like John Cena and Batista to current stars like Cody Rhodes and Becky Lynch, talents praised the "Rated R Superstar" and his contributions to the business. Footage showed highlights of his career, from him asking Bret Hart for wrestling advice before breaking into the business, to his days in The Brood, to the iconic Tables, Ladders, and Chairs matches, to the night he announced his retirement due to neck injuries.
"Edge created a masterpiece that people are gonna look back on forever."
Celebrate 25 years of @EdgeRatedR right now on #SmackDown#Edge25 🤘 pic.twitter.com/Kt63WDgfk5
— WWE (@WWE) August 19, 2023
"I was in awe watching him," Cena said in the video. Another legend, The Undertaker, said Edge is someone who would risk it all to entertain the fans, while Batista called him "the rockstar of WWE." Edge's tag team partner for years, Christian, now known as Christian Cage in AEW, made appearances in old footage but did not speak to the camera.
Edge went on to defeat Sheamus in the main event of "SmackDown" as his wife, WWE legend Beth Phoenix, and their daughters looked on from the front row. Prior to the match, Edge revealed it would be the final match on his current WWE deal, leaving many speculating if he will be retiring, or possibly even heading to AEW for a final run in the ring. There is currently no official word on Edge's status with WWE going forward, though pyro hit on stage as Edge's arms were raised in victory, and he cut a post-show promo telling the Toronto crowd this was likely his last match in front of them.