WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.760 --> 00:00:07.759 Welcome to the WWE Podcast, the most passionate and authentic wrestling analysis on the 2 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:12.599 web. We've got you covered with every Raw, SmackDown, and n x 3 00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:17.239 T show, giving you a no bulleted opinion. We know you love wrestling. 4 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:22.559 We do too, so let's get this show underway. And that's the 5 00:00:22.600 --> 00:00:40.960 bottom line. What costocoup? Hey guys, what is going on? And 6 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:48.439 welcome back to WWE Rivalries with your host, yours truly, Anthony DeMarco. 7 00:00:49.079 --> 00:00:53.200 You can find me at a DeMarco twenty five on Twitter if you guys want 8 00:00:53.240 --> 00:00:57.640 get in touch. And I hope you guys are doing well. We are 9 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:03.039 September tenth when I'm recording this Thursdays ten or tenth, but you will be 10 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:10.959 listening to it most likely on September eleventh. So back by popular demand, 11 00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:17.200 or should I say brought to you by popular demand? We have this week's 12 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:23.959 feature rivalry of Edge versus John Cena, and I'm going to focus on there. 13 00:01:23.719 --> 00:01:29.879 They're one that really ran through the better part of two thousand and six. 14 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:34.480 I don't want to make this huge storyline rivalry when it's spilled into the 15 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:40.760 World Heavyweight Championship picture leading up to wrestling in twenty five when they had the 16 00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:46.439 triple Threat match with the Big Show that was mainly a part of SmackDown. 17 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:52.680 I'm going to focus mainly on the two thousand and six version of Edge versus 18 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:56.359 John Cena, because, as I've said before, I wasn't too in touch 19 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:00.079 with the product in the year two thousand and nine or two ten, whenever 20 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:06.560 that was. But to be quite honest, I think their rivalry in two 21 00:02:06.599 --> 00:02:09.639 thousand and six was the best part of it, as it was a catapult 22 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:16.000 for Edge and it was one of the first big rivalries for John Cena as 23 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:21.360 a main event star. But before we get to that, I'm just gonna 24 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:25.919 give you a few of my thoughts on the current WWE product at hand. 25 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:31.240 So we'll start firstly with the talk of the Town, and that is a 26 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:37.960 heel Roman Rains, who was set to go one on one with his cousin 27 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:44.039 Ju Som. Look, there's no way Jos's gonna win. This is clearly 28 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:50.479 a means to an end type of storyline and program, and that end being 29 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:57.840 solidifying Roman Reins as a true top heel. Look, I think that it's 30 00:02:57.879 --> 00:03:00.520 going to be a slow burn with Rains going to a full heel mode, 31 00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:05.759 and I think there's no better way to start that off by make him go 32 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:10.479 up against his family member and a crowd favorite in one of the Uso brothers. 33 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:16.240 I'm interested to see how they play this out over the coming weeks, 34 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:22.560 how the interactions between Jay Usso and Roman Reigns are, because look, for 35 00:03:22.599 --> 00:03:27.080 all intensive purposes, Juso has no business being in this match, has no 36 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:31.240 business, had no business being in the Number one Contenders match, just no 37 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:37.479 business being around the Universal Championship picture. Like, I don't even think he's 38 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:42.479 had a one on one opportunity for a singles title at all, including the 39 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:46.560 Interconnetal or United States Championships. So look, we're gonna throw logic to the 40 00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:53.080 wayside and just look at it for the betterment of this program and this storyline, 41 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:58.199 which it is. To be quite honest, I can't think EVE of 42 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:04.280 a better first one on one guy to go up against the Roman Reigns then 43 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:10.319 a family member to really push home the narrative that he is a true top 44 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:13.719 heel. So I'm really looking forward to that, and, to be quite 45 00:04:13.719 --> 00:04:16.480 honest, SmackDown as a whole I think has been doing very very well of 46 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:21.759 late. I love what they're doing with the Intercontinental Championship picture bringing back Sammy 47 00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:27.279 Insane and you know he comes from the same place in Montreal that I do, 48 00:04:27.399 --> 00:04:31.040 so I got a kick out of him speaking French. Just overly obnoxious 49 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:35.879 type of character. I really missed him on television and that to him involved 50 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:42.000 with Jeff Hardy and aj Styles. I just think it's a great mid card 51 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:46.399 type of feud for SmackDown right now, and I just think as a whole 52 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:51.040 they are doing very well. The Bailey turn on Sasha Banks, I didn't 53 00:04:51.079 --> 00:04:54.600 know they were going to do it that fast. I thought they're gonna let 54 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:58.920 it drag on for a bit longer, but hey, they did it excellently. 55 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:02.120 I'm here for it. SmackDown as a whole is really doing well, 56 00:05:02.360 --> 00:05:05.879 and I think I touched on it last week, but I'm enjoying it a 57 00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:12.519 lot more than Monday Night Raw as of right now, and even the Tag 58 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:16.839 team division, like I know that we haven't really seen Czaro and Nakamoa engage 59 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:20.360 in any type of feud strictly on SmackDown. Obviously, they showed up on 60 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:27.120 Raw this week to come face to face with the Street Profits, but the 61 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:32.439 way that they've given Nakamura and Czarro screen time to kind of push home the 62 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:36.759 fact of, you know, the Champions Lounge and the Champions Champagne. I 63 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:42.000 think it's been really cool. I like Cesaro and Nakamura. I think they've 64 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:46.199 just fit like a glove with one another for a tag team. So as 65 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:50.199 a whole, I am really intrigued on what's going on on SmackDown. As 66 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:56.000 for Monday Night Raw hasn't been bad, but I'm starting to get a bit 67 00:05:56.040 --> 00:06:00.360 tired. Like I'll just say it, Mysterial family cannot stand them, cannot 68 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:06.800 take any more of it. Dominick coming out there looking like Power Ranger beating 69 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:12.879 up Murphy, which I don't understand what the point of that was. I 70 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:17.000 think Murphy becoming a jobber to the Missiro family is a joke, quite honestly. 71 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:24.360 As for the main event feud, look, I'm still invested in Orton 72 00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:30.519 versus McIntyre, but at the same time, I feel like the injection of 73 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:38.360 Keith Lee into that into that program has really hurt Randy Orton in particular. 74 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:43.160 It's always like he has two foes right now. I know that they had 75 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:46.199 Keith Lee say like that Drew Barnot interfere in his match again and whatnot. 76 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:51.120 But I just don't think that's where Keith Lee needed to be. And I 77 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:56.279 love Keith Lee, he has a bright future on the main roster, but 78 00:06:56.839 --> 00:07:00.120 just any other type of program would have been better did for Keighley. I 79 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:06.720 thought they were doing an excellent job with pushing Randy Orton as the true top 80 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:12.519 heel in the company and in professional wrestling as a whole, maybe rivaled by 81 00:07:12.680 --> 00:07:16.199 MJF in ae W, but they I don't know, they cool them off 82 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:20.160 the back to back losses in the same week by the roll up and then 83 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:25.800 the power bomb by Keith Lee or I forget what his version of the power 84 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:30.399 bomb is called. But I don't really like what they've done with Orton in 85 00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:32.879 the past few weeks, even drew getting the three claim wars on him this 86 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:39.000 week. I just I feel like they've really halted the momentum of Randy Orton 87 00:07:39.240 --> 00:07:45.360 and kind of disappointed there, to be quite honest. Then the biggest positive 88 00:07:45.399 --> 00:07:50.600 though of Monday Night Raw is the herb business. I love it absolutely great. 89 00:07:50.680 --> 00:08:01.000 They've taken three I would say obscure and random and insignificant guys in MVP 90 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:05.600 and Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander. And we can't lump Bobby Lashly into that 91 00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:11.959 mix because he did have a solid run going on even before the her business 92 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:16.800 showed up. But they have really taken Raw by the horns and in my 93 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:22.360 opinion, are the most entertaining part of the show right now. I really 94 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:28.519 love what they're doing. I really hope to God that on two of the 95 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:31.639 two of the members tag team together and take the Tag Team Championships away from 96 00:08:31.679 --> 00:08:37.120 the street profits. I think that's what this faction needs. Hopefully it would 97 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:43.120 be Shelton and Cedric Alexander or MVP and Cedric Alexander. Just Cedric Alexander would 98 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:46.600 have to be involved. I love him joining the group, but I'm hoping 99 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:52.559 that they get more gold around their waist, as Bobby Lashley is already the 100 00:08:52.679 --> 00:08:58.559 United States champion. So look, all positives across the board for SmackDown, 101 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:03.080 not so much for Monday Night Raw, but it isn't awful by any means. 102 00:09:03.080 --> 00:09:07.240 I just think that for whatever reason, it's kind of become a bit 103 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:11.399 redundant on Monday Night Raw, especially the mysterio thing. And I don't mean 104 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:18.279 to keep coming back and rehashing and whatnot. But my god, I am 105 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:24.360 just so done with that whole mysterio set, the Rawlins thing and Dominic. 106 00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:26.720 I don't know, there's something unlikable about them. Maybe it's the Power Ranger 107 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:33.639 costume. Not too sure there, but certainly has not been my cup of 108 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:39.559 tea. But look, let's get to the reason why you guys are here, 109 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:43.919 and that is WWE rivalries and brought to you by popular demand. I 110 00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:48.639 know a lot of you guys email the Matt at Real WWE Podcast at gmail 111 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:58.159 dot com to express your interest in me taking a episode to focus on Edge 112 00:09:58.279 --> 00:10:03.320 versus John Sina, And look, I had that one sitting in the back 113 00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:05.919 pocket, and I was gonna do it anyway. No, I'm just kidding. 114 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:09.840 I know, I definitely thought about doing it for a couple weeks now, 115 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.799 but figured I might as well do it right now, seeing as though 116 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:18.399 so many of you wanted to hear about it. So, like I said, 117 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:22.720 I'm going to concentrate on their feud in two thousand and six that culminated 118 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:31.039 at the Unforgiven pay per view following SummerSlam. So to bring you back to 119 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:35.120 two thousand and five a bit to really set the stage for where these two 120 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:39.519 guys were coming from and how they led to be how they ended up being 121 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:45.440 against one another. Rather in two thousand and five WrestleMania twenty one. This 122 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:50.919 was a big pay per view for setting the stage as to where John Cena 123 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:56.080 and Edge were heading for the succeeding year, year and a half even two 124 00:10:56.240 --> 00:11:01.240 years so at this time, John Cena was the number one contender for JBL's 125 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:07.919 WWE Championship over on SmackDown, And at this time SmackDown was really going through 126 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:11.480 a changing of the guard for who their top face was going to be and 127 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:16.519 their top heel for that matter. As you may have recalled, brock Lesner 128 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:20.840 had left the company the year before. They had just gone through the Eddie 129 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:28.559 Guerrero WWE Championship run that ended at the previous Great American Bash in June of 130 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:33.600 two thousand and four, and JBL was on a nine month run as WWE 131 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:39.200 champion, and he faced off against guys like Eddie Guerrero, Booker, t 132 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:45.720 Undertaker, Big Show, and he fought them all off and blow and behold 133 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:50.159 John Cena, who was fresh off of a year of being the US Champion 134 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:56.720 on and off, having a lengthy feud with Booker t the debut in Carlito 135 00:11:56.360 --> 00:12:03.120 ended up losing it to the Chief of Staff to JBL Orlando Jordan and had 136 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:07.320 never been a champion other than the US Champion to this point in his career, 137 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:13.519 so following the No Way Out pay per view of two thousand and five, 138 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:20.279 John Cena faced off against or embarked on a program with John Bradshaw Layfield, 139 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:26.200 his first ever main event feud, which he ended up winning the ww 140 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:33.240 Championship from him at WrestleMania twenty one in two thousand and five. Meanwhile, 141 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:39.799 over on RAW, RAW was enjoying some of its best time during the Ruthless 142 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:46.000 Aggression era in my honest opinion, because at this time Batista and Triple H 143 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:50.039 were entering their inaugural feud in the main events scene, as Batista had just 144 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:56.559 turned on him and hence just ending evolution as we knew it for the time 145 00:12:56.600 --> 00:13:01.320 being. But while they had a strong upper car a main event scene, 146 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:09.679 the other great part about RAW during this time was the fact that they just 147 00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:15.759 had a such a strong mid card, and you saw guys in the mid 148 00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:20.639 card like Shelton, Benjamin, Chris, Jericho, Christian, Chris ben Wah 149 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:26.000 and Edge and just other people who I'm missing, but Raw at this time, 150 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:31.159 Kane. They just had a very very very strong mid card. You 151 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:35.120 could even make the case that Randy Orton had slid back into the upper mid 152 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:39.639 card at this point as he faced off against the Undertaker at this WrestleMania. 153 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:45.399 So essentially what happened at WrestleMania twenty one was the inaugural Money in the Bank 154 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:48.960 ladder match. And at this time, if you guys remember, the Money 155 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:52.960 in the Bank Ladder match was held annually at WrestleMania did not yet have its 156 00:13:52.960 --> 00:14:00.240 own pay per view, and at this WrestleMania it was a raw exclusive match. 157 00:14:00.919 --> 00:14:05.759 So what we saw here was basically all the upper mid card guys get 158 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:09.679 thrown together in a ladder match for the money in the Bank contract. And 159 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:13.320 it was such a foreign concept. We didn't even know how this would work, 160 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:18.879 how you would cash it in. The match featured Edge, Christian, 161 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:24.360 Chris, Jericho, Chris Benwa, Kane, and Shelton Benjamin, who was 162 00:14:24.360 --> 00:14:28.360 the Intercontinental Champion at that time. Throughout the match, very good match. 163 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:31.080 I suggest you guys go back and watch it. And it ended up with 164 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:37.759 Chris Benwa on the ladder seemingly ready to win the first ever money in the 165 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:41.279 Bank ladder match. But during the match he had really got his arm messed 166 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:46.720 up, so he's climbing the ladder very gingerly on one arm. Edge comes 167 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:48.639 in the ring, smashes him in the bad arm with a steel chair, 168 00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:56.080 climbs the ladder and unhooks the first ever money in the bank briefcase. And 169 00:14:56.240 --> 00:15:05.039 this set Edge on a very strong year as he really came into his own 170 00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:09.000 in two thousand and five as a top heel, because in two thousand and 171 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:13.480 four he was a baby face for much of it. Had a program with 172 00:15:13.559 --> 00:15:18.399 Randy Orton over the Intercontinal Championship in two thousand and four, So it was 173 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:22.279 clear that following wrestling at twenty one, giving him the money in the Bank 174 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:28.039 contract was a way to really push forward with Edge as a top heel. 175 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:33.879 Because you gotta remember, at this time on Monday Night Raw, Triple h 176 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:39.000 had reigned supreme atop the heel part of the mountain. At least of Monday 177 00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:43.720 Night Raw for almost three years running. He had been the world heavyweight Champion. 178 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:46.960 I would say at least eighty percent of the time, save for a 179 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:52.200 few short brief runs by Ben Wall and Sean Michaels and Randy Orton, and 180 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:56.600 Batista had just won the World Heavyweight Championship at that same pay per view, 181 00:15:56.120 --> 00:16:00.559 so they worked they had to start looking towards the future, and two thousand 182 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:06.159 and five was their first step in doing so in the main event, specifically 183 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:11.000 with Edge. Now, to be quite honest, it took Edge quite a 184 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:15.240 long time to get to the main event picture, even following that money in 185 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:21.600 the Bank, I keep saying championship. Sorry, guys, It's just it's 186 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:26.759 habit for me at following his money in the Bank contract victory. So following 187 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:32.320 this pay per view, he obviously had a short brief feud with Kane where 188 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:37.279 he aligned himself with Alita. Then he had the What I Love, one 189 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:41.159 of the most underrated feuds that I guess it kind of fell flat. But 190 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:45.200 his feud and program with Matt Hardy in the summer of two thousand and five 191 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:49.440 playing off real life events was pretty damn cool, even though it was kind 192 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:55.039 of lackluster in the end. So while Edge was on the ascent in two 193 00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:57.759 thousand and five, John Cena was doing much of the same He closed out 194 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:03.319 his program with John Aghall Layfield on SmackDown, and then he was drafted over 195 00:17:03.359 --> 00:17:10.559 to Raw as him and Batista swap swapped places, both world championships, swapped 196 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:15.880 the brands, and it was a pretty big shift in the landscape of w 197 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:21.000 WE. Personally, I think it's because Vince McMann and company saw John Cena 198 00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:25.839 as the top guy ahead of Batista. That's why they've made him switch to 199 00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:29.640 the flagship show, Monday Night Raw, and right out of the gate he 200 00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:33.680 engaged in a feud with Chris Jericho. I believe. He defended the WWE 201 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:38.079 Championship at Vengeance two thousand and five in a triple threat batch with Christian and 202 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:44.640 Chris Jericho, his first title defense as part of Monday Night Raw. Then 203 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:48.160 he embarked on a program with Jericho just up until Summer Slammed. Jericho ended 204 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:53.960 up getting fired AKA pursuing his fossy career and he was away from WWWE for 205 00:17:55.000 --> 00:18:00.960 about two years after that, and then afterwards he had a had a program 206 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:04.720 with Curt Angle which lasted much of the fall of two thousand and five, 207 00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:14.519 culminated at Survivors Series, and he ended up defending his WWE Championship in an 208 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:22.960 elimination chamber match at New Year's Resolution two thousand and six, and this match 209 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:29.000 included the likes of Chris Masters, Carlito, Kane, Sean Michaels, and 210 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:33.039 Curt Angle along with John Cena. And if you guys don't remember, Carlato 211 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:40.240 and Chris Masters were really kind of getting pushed as as top young guys on 212 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:42.799 one in a Raw. They were part of Team Raw in the inaugural Raw 213 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:48.079 Versus SmackDown Survivor Series match. Then I think I'm gonna do a Rivalries edition 214 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:52.960 on that as well, Raw Versus SmackDown in two thousand and five, because 215 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:57.200 it's not kind of like the forced version as we see in today's WWE. 216 00:18:57.480 --> 00:19:03.240 It's more so it was more of an organic program. But nonetheless, so 217 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:07.200 we saw Kane in that match, who was one half of the World Tag 218 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:12.720 Team Champions with Big Show, Sean Michaels and Kurt Angle. So what we 219 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:18.880 saw in this one is Kurt Angle went out first, Shawn Michaels and Kane 220 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:23.000 followed, and it came down to Carlito Masters and John Cena. And John 221 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:29.240 Cena started this match with Sean Michaels. So he was a bloody mess and 222 00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:33.720 he was just getting double team by Carlito and Chris Masters. Carlito turned on 223 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:38.839 Chris Masters, got the pin, and then John Cena pinned Carlito for the 224 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:47.000 roll ups, seemingly closing out the night as WWE champion, overcoming the odds. 225 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:52.359 And by this point, John Cena was well, he was ww champion 226 00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.799 for going on ten months at this point, you know, he had won 227 00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:59.200 it back in I believe it was in March that year, WrestleMania or April, 228 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:02.640 so it was almost a year. It was coming up on a year 229 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:08.160 of John Cena being the WWE champion. But while we thought that John Ceno 230 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:14.880 is gonna walk away from that pay per view as w w E champion, 231 00:20:15.319 --> 00:20:18.200 and just when we thought the show was over and John Cena would live to 232 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:27.440 fight another day as w w E Champion, Vince McMahon appeared. This individual 233 00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:36.759 is cashing in. There's money in the bank, privilege already earned in WrestleMania 234 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:45.200 championship match. We'll take place right here, right now. My defense again, 235 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:52.400 well, I thought, and I said it earlier tonight. Are you 236 00:20:52.480 --> 00:21:00.160 kidding me that he would use it a WrestleMania. Chia get in big time 237 00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:07.000 with just Sena. Get that his weakent. Oh, turn around to any 238 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:11.440 boy, turn around. It's over. Edges just waiting on the wu Wu 239 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:19.559 eat Chimp. It's waiting on him. Chick out hit the spindle. Two. 240 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:26.160 Did he get it? No, he didn't towel in the world to 241 00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:30.519 just Sena kick out him. That wasn't a three or two. It was 242 00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:36.400 a two. It was a two and Edges and total disbelief. I don't 243 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:41.400 think Edge is the only one in disbelief after all that Seena's gone through. 244 00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:48.559 Look at Edge now, he can't believe it. But disbelief now turned into 245 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:52.519 frustration and anger. You can see the face of Edge changing. Oh no, 246 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:56.720 not another spirit that But I guess that's figures. That's what it's gonna 247 00:21:56.759 --> 00:22:12.279 take. Edge was spirit j We're gonna oh my god, what has happened 248 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:23.599 here tonight? Are you? I can't believe it. I can't believe it. 249 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:30.440 This was a data his cardinal nights. He had stuck the world. 250 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:37.759 So there you have it. Edge, with the inaugural money in the bank, 251 00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:44.519 Cashion takes the championship away from John Cena the first time the WBE Championship 252 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:47.640 had changed hands and close to ten months, as I just said, And 253 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:51.240 fun fact, and I believe you guys already knew this. Uh. Matt 254 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:55.079 was in the crowd for that, for that uh, for that match and 255 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:59.480 that pay per view. So a pretty cool bit of info there. I'm 256 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:04.359 pretty sure Matt did a whole wrestling nostalgia based on this. So this was 257 00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:11.079 the kickoff to the Edge Verse John Cena feud. But while it was the 258 00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:15.759 kickoff, it didn't really last long. The following night on Raw, Edge 259 00:23:15.799 --> 00:23:21.079 had the infamous live sex celebration, which, man, you want to talk 260 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:25.519 about rated our superstar that is just about as rated R as it gets. 261 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:33.319 John Cena interrupted, and they embarked on a program that led to Royal Rumble 262 00:23:33.400 --> 00:23:37.240 two thousand and six and Love and Behold. John Cena won back the WWB 263 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:41.839 Championship less than a month later. And I guess if I look back at 264 00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:49.039 this objectively, I understand why they put the belt back on Cina right away, 265 00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:53.359 because if you think about it, I know we think of John Cena 266 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:57.559 now as being forced down our throats for the better part of ten years and 267 00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:07.039 never losing paper matches and just basically a WWE version of Superman. There was 268 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:11.559 still a lot of juice to be squeezed from the initial John Cena push at 269 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:15.920 this time. And I know that may be crazy to say, because he 270 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:19.200 had just been on a near year long run as WWE champion. Why put 271 00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:25.079 the belt back on him right away? But there was still a lot of 272 00:24:25.319 --> 00:24:29.640 runway to go with John Cita because even though he had only been in the 273 00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:33.440 main event picture, or that he had already been in the main event picture 274 00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:41.000 for a year, they really hadn't gotten him involved in very high level feuds 275 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:44.480 to this point. Like I said, on SmackDown, it was a four 276 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:48.880 month long program with John Bradshaw Layfield, he came over to Rob, he 277 00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:52.640 had a two month long program with Chris Jericho, who was no longer on 278 00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:56.279 the Monday Night Rob Brand. Then he went tote toe with Curt Angel for 279 00:24:56.359 --> 00:25:00.559 three months, who by this time in January two thousand and six, had 280 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:06.839 jumped back over to SmackDown and once again had reclaimed the World Heavyweight Championship. 281 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:11.319 So John Cena had yet to really engage in a few that stuck. It 282 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:15.640 was all kind of one and duns, and you saw what they did following 283 00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:21.680 him regaining the w Championship at the Royal Rumble, as he went into a 284 00:25:21.720 --> 00:25:26.960 pretty good and underrated program with Triple H leading into WrestleMania twenty two, and 285 00:25:27.079 --> 00:25:30.160 maybe they thought it was premature to put the strap on edge. If I 286 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:36.279 had to give an objective take on it, I think it's because they saw 287 00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:42.160 the potential by booking John Cena versus Triple H at WrestleMania twenty two. And 288 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:47.960 at this time, not to say that that Triple H had little runway left 289 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:52.279 because he competed as a full time competitor for about four years after this, 290 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:57.880 but he wasn't a spring chicken, so you only had so many years left 291 00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:03.880 of Triple H in his absolute prime to go one on one with John Cena 292 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:10.319 and main event a WrestleMania. And even more so, it's clear that they 293 00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:15.960 had plans to bring back Degeneration X in the summer of two thousand and six, 294 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:22.240 which we saw succeeding the WrestleMania in two thousand and six. So look, 295 00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:25.400 they clearly wanted to strike while the iron was hot, and they put 296 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:30.119 the strap back on John Cena to go into a feud with Triple H heading 297 00:26:30.119 --> 00:26:33.559 into Mania twenty two, and while this was also the case, I'm sure 298 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:40.200 that there was still a bit of hesitation to push forward with Edge as the 299 00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:45.200 top heel and arguably the top guy on Monday Night Raw. And you know, 300 00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:48.079 I think by this time Edge had done more than enough to prove that 301 00:26:48.119 --> 00:26:53.200 he was by and large a main event player on Monday Night Raw and in 302 00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:59.559 the WWE. But I could see the hesitation possibly so they made him engage 303 00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:03.720 in a feud with Mick Foley heading into WrestleMania twenty two. And I feel 304 00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:10.160 that the feud with Mick Foley and the match in particular at wrestle At twenty 305 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:15.119 two with Mick Foley was the final test for Edge to see if he could 306 00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:21.839 actually be a legitimate main event player for Monday and a Raw and the WE, 307 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:25.880 because like I said before, there was there was a spot at the 308 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:30.160 top of the mountain for Edge to take. You know, Randy Orn had 309 00:27:30.200 --> 00:27:33.400 made the jump to SmackDown by this point, Curt Angele was on SmackDown as 310 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:37.839 well, Ray Mysterio, the Undertaker all on SmackDown. When you looked at 311 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:44.359 the raw side of things, it was John Cena Triple H. I guess 312 00:27:44.359 --> 00:27:47.599 you could make the case Shawn Michaels, but he was never really involved in 313 00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:51.119 the title picture at this time, had just started a feud with Vince McMahon. 314 00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:53.000 After that, there was a whole lot of nothing. You know, 315 00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:59.680 Ben Wall had gone back to SmackDown as well, so Jericho had just retired. 316 00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:03.759 So when you looked at Raw, it was just a whole lot of 317 00:28:03.160 --> 00:28:07.400 nothing in the mid card. And as we had seen in as I just 318 00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:12.680 talked about in two thousand and five, that Raw had a very strong mid 319 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:18.559 card that really evaporated for numerous reasons by the time two thousand and six rolled 320 00:28:18.599 --> 00:28:22.680 around. So it was there for the taking for Edge because after Sena and 321 00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:27.279 Triple H there was not a lot of big time players there. So he 322 00:28:27.559 --> 00:28:32.720 had the match with Mick Foley, which match also reviewed on Wrestling Nostalgia, 323 00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:38.920 and that was just what a gory and just crazy hardcore match that was go 324 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:44.400 back and watch it one that Edge ultimately won, and at this point he 325 00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:49.599 still had a perfect record at WrestleMania. So John c and An Edge really 326 00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:56.039 stayed apart from one another for quite a few months after they started the ECW 327 00:28:56.079 --> 00:29:02.799 relaunching as a permanent brand, fore in the late spring of two thousand and 328 00:29:02.839 --> 00:29:08.240 six, which ended up with Rob Vandam challenging John Cena in June. I 329 00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:12.119 believe it was June eleventh, two thousand and six. At the One Night 330 00:29:12.200 --> 00:29:17.119 Stand pay per view, Rob Vandam had won the second ever money in the 331 00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:21.440 bank briefcase. I want to say championship. I'm sorry, guys. He 332 00:29:21.480 --> 00:29:23.839 had won the second ever money in the bank briefcase at wrestling at twenty two, 333 00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:29.279 and unlike Edge and unlike the majority of money in the bank winners, 334 00:29:29.640 --> 00:29:36.559 he booked a date foreign advance to challenge Sena for the wf WWE Championship. 335 00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:41.119 We saw Van Dam win at the One Night Stand pay per view against John 336 00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:47.599 Cena at the Bingo Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and I remember there were 337 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:51.680 signs saying that if Sina wins, we ride. And by this time we 338 00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:56.319 really started to see the everyday crowd go against John Cena. I know this 339 00:29:56.400 --> 00:30:03.559 was a special special case scenario with the ECW Championship or the ECW pay per 340 00:30:03.640 --> 00:30:08.200 view, so it was a very ANTIWWE crowd, but just on the regular 341 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:14.079 it became kind of common place to boo John Cena out of the building for 342 00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:18.720 even when he was against full fledged heels. So Rob van Dam walked out 343 00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:23.480 of the One Night Stamp pay per view as WWE champion and taking that title 344 00:30:23.559 --> 00:30:30.279 belt to the ECW brand. At that same pay per view, Edge was 345 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:34.319 tagging with Mick Foley to go in a hardcore match versus Terry Funk and Tommy 346 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:40.960 Dreamer, one of which him and Mick Foley won. And this is again 347 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:45.160 a reason why he was the rated R superstar. He actually speared Buella, 348 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:52.359 mckilla Cutty and Pinnder in the most offensive way possible to win that match because 349 00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:56.319 right before the match started they actually made it a six man hardcore match, 350 00:30:56.400 --> 00:31:02.160 adding Bulah and Leda into the match. So go back and watch that. 351 00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:06.480 That was a gruesome match as well. Mcfoley got laid on fire, Terry 352 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:11.519 Funk had his eye almost got gouged out by the barbed wire. It was 353 00:31:11.599 --> 00:31:15.240 just a a that was a great match. That was a great pay per 354 00:31:15.319 --> 00:31:18.079 view all in all. I remember Sabu and Raymondsteo had a really intense extreme 355 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:23.440 rules match for the World Heavyweight Championship as well. So while it seemed that 356 00:31:23.519 --> 00:31:30.319 Rob Vandam was going to get the push to be potentially the face of the 357 00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:36.319 company. Although he was on the ECW that recently relaunched ECW brand, some 358 00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:40.720 personal things happened. I believe he got stopped for a duy and w W 359 00:31:41.160 --> 00:31:47.200 quickly pulled the shoot, pulled the plug on that. So ultimately what happened 360 00:31:47.359 --> 00:31:51.839 is that they had a triple threat match between Edge, John Cena, and 361 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:56.519 Rob Vandam on a Monday night raw for the w W Championship. And I'm 362 00:31:56.559 --> 00:32:02.039 reading this off of the WWE dot COM's title history page, so if you 363 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:07.039 think you've heard this before, I am reading this verbatim, so full disclosure 364 00:32:07.079 --> 00:32:10.720 there. John Cena was able to hit RVD with an attitude adjustment, but 365 00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:15.680 before he could make the cover, Edge came from out of nowhere and leveled 366 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:20.960 Sina with the championship. With both men already knocked out, Edge covered RVD 367 00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:25.680 and stole the w W Championship from John Cena. So once the belt got 368 00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:30.640 put back on Edge at the beginning of July, this is when we got 369 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:37.319 the first real program with Sina and Edge for a lengthy period of time. 370 00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:44.559 And I know that they had a month long program at the beginning of the 371 00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:47.359 of the year after Edge cashed in and then they had the match at the 372 00:32:47.400 --> 00:32:52.960 Roal Rumble. But like I said, that seemed almost premature. It seemed 373 00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:57.359 like w W back pedaled on their original plans because how often do you see 374 00:32:57.359 --> 00:33:01.240 a guy win the championship, his first ever Watch championship win and lose it 375 00:33:01.319 --> 00:33:05.960 at the succeeding pay per view. We never see it. We never see 376 00:33:05.960 --> 00:33:09.039 that, so I felt like they weren't quite sure if Edge was ready, 377 00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:14.759 but by the time this ruled around, they were ready to run with Edge. 378 00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:19.920 They brought the championship back to Monday Night Raw from ECW Raw vand m 379 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:24.720 also lost the ECW Championship shortly thereafter to the Big Show, so his push, 380 00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:30.640 or seemingly seemingly main event push, was completely halted due to personal reasons. 381 00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:38.000 So then we saw Edge and John Cena basically main event Raw for the 382 00:33:38.039 --> 00:33:45.440 whole summer. They had a match at SummerSlam which Edge won and hitting John 383 00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:47.880 Cena in the back of the head with brass knocks, retaining the championship. 384 00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:53.680 And on a side note, this was a very very good summer for wrestling. 385 00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:59.400 It was obviously the return of Degeneration X and they had that lengthy program 386 00:33:59.400 --> 00:34:05.079 with the mcmah ends which ended up culminating at Unforgiven two thousand and five, 387 00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:13.840 which coincidentally was the culmination of John Cena Versus Edges program. So to give 388 00:34:13.880 --> 00:34:16.159 you a bit of a backstory here, or a bit of a setup rather, 389 00:34:16.840 --> 00:34:22.519 is that Unforgiven was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which, 390 00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:28.960 as most of you probably know, is the hometown of one Edge, So 391 00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:35.239 you could be sure, like between the hometown of Edge and just almost the 392 00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:39.519 universal hate for John Cena at this point that the ground would be strongly behind 393 00:34:39.559 --> 00:34:45.760 the heel and vastly against the top baby face in John Cena. And to 394 00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:52.039 make matters worse for John Cena, the match for the WWE Championship was held 395 00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:57.840 in a t LC format, which is the bread and butter of Edge and 396 00:34:57.920 --> 00:35:00.760 always has been. And just some of the things leading up to this match, 397 00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:07.199 like there was John Cena throwing Edge into the Long Island sound. Edge 398 00:35:07.320 --> 00:35:12.679 actually rebranded the w Championship because it was the strim the Spinner at that time 399 00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:15.039 instead of the w w elogo in the middle. He had the rated Our 400 00:35:15.119 --> 00:35:20.440 Superstar logo that spun in the middle. So Edge was really playing the heel 401 00:35:20.519 --> 00:35:24.679 character well and was really coming into his own at this point. So they 402 00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:30.199 go into unforgiven. The big blowoff to this feud, the w W E 403 00:35:30.320 --> 00:35:36.599 Championship match in a TLC match in Edge's hometown, all of all of the 404 00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:40.320 momentum swinging in Edge's favor, and let's take a listen to how that match 405 00:35:40.480 --> 00:36:01.639 ended. He did grab a thing right now the water and when the doing 406 00:36:04.039 --> 00:36:12.440 I took the camere for John the Kingdom winder. Do we love to see 407 00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:15.760 a pleasing that ladder Rother. This is the smartest thing that seeing the new 408 00:36:16.039 --> 00:36:23.960 It's this history. When this thing staying wrong, they find gonna come. 409 00:36:24.360 --> 00:36:29.840 Wait a minute and wait a minute, there's a w W champion Edge Edge 410 00:36:30.360 --> 00:36:37.239 back in the prey. Here came back in the equation the champion ladder. 411 00:36:37.440 --> 00:36:42.320 I don't gather about to go cola co the coble the ladder. The danger 412 00:36:42.480 --> 00:36:46.880 stare is the real danger for murder. This is step the fine career ending 413 00:36:47.119 --> 00:36:50.840 both men bridging with the w W. I don't who got it, but 414 00:36:50.920 --> 00:37:45.320 there's something Oh my god, don't do this job the cold clean yeah tonight. 415 00:37:46.679 --> 00:37:52.119 So as you heard, John Cena reclaims the w W Championship, handing 416 00:37:52.239 --> 00:37:57.760 Edge his first ever loss in a TLC ladder match. And if you guys 417 00:37:57.800 --> 00:38:02.159 couldn't make it out over just the audio, John Cena stacked a table, 418 00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:07.239 two tables, one on top of each other. They both climbed the ladder 419 00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:13.599 and John Cena was able to beat Edge at his own match in Toronto in 420 00:38:13.679 --> 00:38:21.480 his home crowd to claim his third WWWE Championship on route to getting a total 421 00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:25.840 sixty. And if you combine that and the World Heavyweight Championship, so following 422 00:38:25.840 --> 00:38:30.440 this rivalry, John Cena went on to have a short program with The Big 423 00:38:30.480 --> 00:38:36.360 Show. He also had a relatively short program with Umauga faced him at that 424 00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:40.280 following Royal Rumble and then Main Event did Wrestle me at twenty three with Shawn 425 00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:46.400 Michaels, while Edge aligned himself with Randy Jorton and formed the inaugural version of 426 00:38:46.599 --> 00:38:52.159 Rated RKO as they went on a lengthy program with Degeneration X for the remainder 427 00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:58.280 of two thousand and six. And look, it took Edge about just about 428 00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:01.760 another ten months, I would say maybe a bit shorter to get back into 429 00:39:01.800 --> 00:39:06.840 the main event title picture, because even though he at least in my mind, 430 00:39:06.920 --> 00:39:13.639 proved himself to be one main event player during the summer of two thousand 431 00:39:13.679 --> 00:39:19.360 and six with his great program with John Cena. It still took a little 432 00:39:19.480 --> 00:39:23.039 less than a year for WWE to further fully pull the trigger on him. 433 00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:28.320 And what ended up happening is that he took the Money in the Bank briefcase 434 00:39:28.360 --> 00:39:32.599 away from mister Kennedy. He cashed in on The Undertaker in June of two 435 00:39:32.639 --> 00:39:37.159 thousand and seven and became the World Heavyweight Champion for the first time in his 436 00:39:37.239 --> 00:39:43.320 career and made the jump over to SmackDown. And that's when Edge really kind 437 00:39:43.360 --> 00:39:46.400 of caught fire as a true main event player when he went over to the 438 00:39:46.440 --> 00:39:52.280 Blue Brand as the World Heavyweight Champion. Obviously, he main evented Wrestling at 439 00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:55.599 twenty four with The Undertaker. The following WrestleMania, he was in the triple 440 00:39:55.679 --> 00:40:00.519 threat match with the Big Show in John Cena, which surrounded the whole Vicky 441 00:40:00.599 --> 00:40:07.639 Guerrero La Familia angle. But this, this story and this program between Edge 442 00:40:07.639 --> 00:40:10.599 and John Cina, it was important for a lot of ways. And first 443 00:40:10.639 --> 00:40:15.719 off, I think it was very important for John Cena because it was the 444 00:40:15.880 --> 00:40:22.800 first true main event personal rivalry for Sina. I know originally it was John 445 00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:25.639 Bradshaw late Field, but that always kind of just seemed a bit forced for 446 00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:31.159 me, like John Cena was the only top baby face left on the SmackDown 447 00:40:31.280 --> 00:40:36.920 roster at that time, and SmackDown lacked a lot of true top heels. 448 00:40:36.920 --> 00:40:42.320 In late two thousand and four early two thousand and five they had already gone 449 00:40:42.320 --> 00:40:45.719 down that road with curt Angle. Then through the summer of two thousand and 450 00:40:45.800 --> 00:40:51.320 five he had various rivalries with Jericho and curd Angle and whatnot. Had that 451 00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:57.400 short program with Triple H building up to Man two thousand and six. Mind 452 00:40:57.440 --> 00:41:00.480 you wrestle me at twenty two, but the one with Edge that started at 453 00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:04.559 New Year's Resolution, the cash In, they put on the back burner on 454 00:41:04.599 --> 00:41:09.239 the bit and then revisited it in the summer of six. I truly believe 455 00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:15.639 was John Cena's first top feud because if you look back at John Cena, 456 00:41:15.719 --> 00:41:21.400 obviously you think of Randy Orton more recently ag Styles the Rock, but you 457 00:41:21.559 --> 00:41:25.519 rarely think of Triple H and JBL. The first big rivalry you think of 458 00:41:25.559 --> 00:41:30.880 when you think of John Cen as a main event player is against Edge, 459 00:41:30.920 --> 00:41:36.159 and as we know they revisited it several times in the following few years. 460 00:41:36.719 --> 00:41:40.840 And as for Edge, it was his first program as a main event guy. 461 00:41:42.360 --> 00:41:45.639 I think we could argue that his best main event run and his best 462 00:41:45.679 --> 00:41:51.440 program in a main event scene was with The Undertaker. They had many classics 463 00:41:51.480 --> 00:41:54.639 with one another. Also, him and Chris Jericho had a few good matches. 464 00:41:55.239 --> 00:42:00.719 But again, John Cena and Edge I really feel used each other to 465 00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:07.599 propel one another as into true main event players. Obviously, John Cena was 466 00:42:07.719 --> 00:42:10.880 much more of the main event player beforehand, and Edge was the much more 467 00:42:12.039 --> 00:42:17.360 beneficiary of the rivalry. But you can't diminish what Edge meant for the John 468 00:42:17.400 --> 00:42:23.800 Cena character either as legitimizing him as a top baby face in WWWE for the 469 00:42:23.880 --> 00:42:28.960 succeeding decade. I know a lot of people don't like John Cena. I'm 470 00:42:29.000 --> 00:42:30.800 not the biggest fan of John Cena. I don't hate him as much as 471 00:42:30.840 --> 00:42:35.840 most do, but you have to admit that he is one of, if 472 00:42:35.880 --> 00:42:40.119 not the biggest star the company has ever seen, especially when you consider since 473 00:42:40.199 --> 00:42:45.639 two thousand and five. So listen, guys, that's just about it for 474 00:42:45.119 --> 00:42:52.679 rivalries this week. Be sure to send in your request to Matt at REALWWE 475 00:42:52.840 --> 00:42:55.920 Podcast at gmail dot com, or you can hit him up on Instagram, 476 00:42:57.599 --> 00:43:00.079 or you can follow me on Twitter and send me at DM like a few 477 00:43:00.079 --> 00:43:05.559 of you have already had at a DeMarco twenty five. So I hope you 478 00:43:05.599 --> 00:43:08.280 guys enjoyed it. Feel free to reach out and I'll catch you next week. 479 00:43:10.320 --> 00:43:15.960 Thanks for listening to the WWE Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe on your 480 00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:21.840 favorite podcast app so you don't miss a show, or head to WWE podcast 481 00:43:21.960 --> 00:43:25.320 dot com. And for all of these shows ad free head over to Patreon 482 00:43:25.440 --> 00:43:31.960 dot com slash WWE podcast. Until then, we'll see you next time.