WWE Hall of Famer Edge brightened the wrestling world in 2020 when he returned from a career-ending neck injury to participate in the Royal Rumble match. His subsequent feud with Randy Orton entrenched the fact that the Rated R Superstar still very much had it in the ring as an athlete and on the mic as a character.
The last year has been less successful for Edge, but he has still shown that he can be an asset to WWE – or another wrestling promotion.
Speculation regarding Edge’s future began with the tribute show in his beloved Toronto on SmackDown, as observers pointed out that his contract would soon be running out. His match against Sheamus, which was built-up as a “Thank You” from the leader of the Brawling Brutes faction, was the final one under his contract, which would expire the following month in September.
Is Edge retiring from wrestling?
At the time, Dave Meltzer speculated on Wrestling Observer Radio that the match could quietly be a retirement bout for the Rated R Superstar.
There was also a report from Wade Keller of PWTorch that WWE outright rejected a contract extension request from Edge, but Edge posted on social media that there was no issue between himself and the company. In fact, he stated in a video posted on his social media that he had an extension offer from WWE but had yet to accept it. After the emotions of that night in Toronto, Edge stated that he wanted to take some time to decide his future on his terms.
Will Edge sign a new contract with WWE?
PW Insider’s Mike Johnson reported in September that Edge was briefly removed from the active WWE roster but then re-added as an inactive member of the roster alongside injured performers like Big E and Braun Strowman as well as other legends like the Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Although there have not been any concrete links of a move to AEW, there is a recent report that indicates it could be possible Edge is not done with wrestling and would be open to leaving WWE if they do not meet his contractual demands on a new deal. Meltzer reported on WOR that Edge, like LA Knight and Drew McIntyre, isn’t on the same page with WWE as far as the money they are offering him goes. They are “not close”. It appears that WWE is driving a hard bargain with their talent, and it could risk them losing the likes of Edge and McIntyre.
