Pro Wrestling Torch Cover Story Flashback
COVER STORY: Edge Retires As Champ
SUBHEADLINE: Shocking announcement made live on Raw
PRINTED: PWTorch Newsletter #1199 (April 2011)

In a shocking announcement on Raw on Monday night, Edge (Adam Copeland) announced his retirement.

He is being forced to quit and never wrestle again due to a serious condition uncovered by an MRI test conducted the day after WrestleMania. He was diagnosed with neuropraxia, a common condition for pro athletes who suffer a severe injury that affects their central nervous system.

Edge had been feeling numbness and experienced uncontrollable trembling in his arms and hands recently.

Edge underwent spinal fusion surgery in 2003. Two of his vertebrae were fused together. Had three been fused together, his career would have ended back then.

But over the last seven years, the wear and tear on his neck led to a narrowing of his spinal column above his fused discs. As a result, there was "less and less" vital fluid in Edge's system protecting the spinal cord.

Edge mentioned on Raw he could have ended up in a wheelchair if he continued to wrestle. WWE noted: "Medical professionals cannot clear Edge to compete ever again in WWE since doing so could result in paralysis or even death."

Edge was just days away from a scheduled ladder match against Alberto Del Rio at the WWE Extreme Rules PPV. Last month in the lead-up to WrestleMania, Edge spoke in a media interview about the beatings his body took in ladder matches. He said he didn't have many left in him, and WWE had to be selective in asking him at his age with his mileage to compete in more. Just days later WWE booked him in another - one that could have led to a tragic ending to Edge's career or even life had he ignored his symptoms and continued on.

Instead, he got an MRI, administered at Atlanta Midtown Diagnostic Imaging last Monday, April 4, the day after his now-final match against Alberto Del Rio at WrestleMania 27 in Atlanta. WWE's chief medical director, Dr. Joseph Maroon, reviewed the MRI and determined that Edge "would never be cleared to compete again," forcing Edge to retire from the ring.

Edge gave an emotional, tearful speech live on Raw, saying that he felt he was letting down his colleagues. He reminisced about his career, noting that WWE fans watched him grow up and make mistakes and mature and eventually become World Champion. He said to have his final match be a successful World Title defense on WrestleMania and to retire as the wrestler with more title reigns than anyone in WWE history is quite an accomplishment. The crowd applauded several times and chanted "Thank you, Edge."

The next night at the Smackdown tapings, Edge gave an even longer speech, with his mother present. He also received a standing ovation from his colleagues as he walked out of the ring. He relinquished the title earlier in the show.

Other wrestlers have had spinal fusion surgery including Lita (Amy Dumas), the late Chris Benoit, Steve Austin, and Sean "X-Pac" Waltman. Kurt Angle nearly had fusion surgery, but had an alternate surgery.

Edge is a wrestler who gives the impression of being as ready to adjust to life after wrestling as anyone. He has a new house in Asheville, N.C., a city bordered by mountains known for its Bohemian lifestyle, music scene, nice restaurants, great weather, and casual sense of community. It's a town that matches Edge's reputation within pro wrestling.

Edge was almost never in trouble or the subject of rumors, with the big exception being the "love triangle" where Amy Dumas drifted away from boyfriend Matt Hardy and into the start of a relationship with Edge, while all three were active in WWE. Edge's reputation took a hit, although over time people saw more than one side to what happened. Matt Hardy and Edge eventually worked together again in WWE.

It was that controversy that helped draw better promos out of Edge, who was a tag team standout and mid-card singles wrestler until a heel turn and inspired promos turn him into a top tier player for years.

Behind the scenes, he became a quiet advocate for mandatory, systematic time off. He had asked for and received time off after his match against Undertaker at Summerslam '08. He went to a cabin in the Canadian Rockies to just get away. While that was good for him, not everyone has the tenure to ask for such time off or the financial comfort level to risk losing income as a result of such a request.

He fiercely believed in WWE being a means to an ends, and preached that within his circle of confidants in WWE. He encouraged colleagues to plan for life after WWE. He has said in media interviews his desire to walk away from WWE healthy enough to enjoy life after pro wrestling, although he also expressed interest in staying connected to the industry after his in-ring career ended.

He didn't get to end his career on his terms, but he prepared to live life after WWE on his terms. He also got to go out on top and hopefully, with proper medical care, healthy enough to enjoy the second half of his life as a retired pro wrestler.

[Torch photo credit Mike Lano (c) PWTorch.com]

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