John Cena © vs Edge – WWE
WWE Championship Title Match
01/08/2006
Having won the King of the Ring tournament in 2001, it was a long and winding path to major singles success for Edge. Though he would win the Intercontinental Title five times across a period of seven years, he seemed to always come up short when it came to winning one of the World titles. Turning heel near the end of 2004, before being joined by his real-life girlfriend (at the time), Lita, the following year, Edge had a renewed desire and aggression to achieve a singular goal: winning the WWE Championship. Dubbing himself ‘The Rated-R Superstar’ at this time, Edge showed the attitude that later saw the moniker ‘The Ultimate Opportunist’ when he cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase as New Year’s Revolution 2006.
In his own first WWE Championship title reign, John Cena was already getting the divisive crowd reactions that became somewhat of a trademark. Even in an Elimination Chamber featuring Kurt Angle (heel), Carlito (heel) and Chris Masters (heel), the fans desire to cheer Angle, or get behind Shawn Michaels or Kane in the Chamber match, meant that Cena was roundly booed as he headed out to defend his title belt. The reaction softened somewhat as the match progressed, but it was clear that things felt stale at the top. Between John Bradshaw Layfield and John Cena, there had been no other champions for over a year and a half, and both men had had fairly contentious reigns as well.
As a means to thrust Edge into the main event and to shake up the action at the top of the card, having Edge cash in his shot at the title on a tired and bloody John Cena was an excellent slice of booking. Cena had begun the match first with Shawn Michaels, and had even finished the contest fighting off a two on one attack by Chris Masters and Carlito. If ever there was a time when he was vulnerable to losing his title, a title that seemed to be stuck around his waist, it was now.
Rather than just running in at the end of the contest, and perhaps to add a slice of gravitas, Vince McMahon headed out to announce Edge’s desire to challenge Cena for his title right now. By the time Edge, clearly pumped by the opportunity ahead of him, had made it to ringside, Cena had used the ropes to hold himself listlessly off of the mat. There was only going to be one outcome to this ‘contest’.
Just to give the crowd that one last moment of doubt, Cena kicked out of the first spear Edge used. Boos rippled around the arena, as a sense that ‘Super Cena’ might arise once more and win against the ultimate odds became tangible. The fans needn’t have worried. One further spear was all it took for Cena to see the lights for three seconds and for Edge to become the new WWE Champion.
Though Edge only held the title until the Royal Rumble, losing the belt back to John Cena in a booking move that became all too familiar in the years to come, this victory pushed him into the main event limelight and solidified him in the eyes of the fans as a legitimate star. Up until his retirement in 2011, Edge was never far from the title picture.
As an addendum, the following evening saw the now infamous ‘Live Sex Celebration’ in the middle of the ring with Lita. Depending on whether you see it as people’s perception of Edge as champion, or their desire to see boobs on television, the segment posted Raw’s highest rating in over a year. Make of that what you will.
