Edge's heel promo on Jim Ross was delivered with such conviction, the viewer at home felt the angst of the live crowd worrying that once again, Good Ol' JR was going to get slapped around in Oklahoma.
Edge's range was amazing, too. From the frothing-at-the-mouth-anticipation of JR screaming "Edge wins! Edge wins! Edge wins!" to the envisioned-orgasm as he described "the love of my life" - dramatic pause, then emphasis - "Vickie Guerrero," Edge's promo was, as they say, one for the ages.
He had such heel heat by the time he punked out everyone from Ross to Undertaker to the Raw program itself, people were salivating at the mere thought that someone, somehow, someday would just smash this bastard.
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Batista came out and delivered a ferocious beating to Edge, and the live audience came unglued.
No amount of punishment would truly serve justice. Edge deserved a heinous beating, and that's exactly what Big Dave delivered.
Only one Terry Funk-like swing and a miss from Edge, and the rest of the physicality was Batista annihilating the world champion.
So when Batista drove Edge's battered body into the canvas with the Batista Bomb, the audience was satisfied, right? The desire to see Edge get his due, suffer his fate, was fulfilled, of course. Wasn't it?
Not a chance. Edge's heat was still intact. That says something about the way he set that heat, the intensity with which he got the audience to believe in his character, to live that moment with him.
Edge, barely conscious, a pulverized quivering lump lying on the canvas, was still worthy of the audience's desire to see something bad happen to that character.
And for that character, things went from bad to worse when " Mr Money in the Bank" CM Punk came out, and hoisted Edge up on his shoulders for that fateful moment before hitting the GTS.
You could see live crowd going nuts not only because they knew history was about to be made, but because they simply wanted to see Edge get smashed in the face again. For Adam Copeland, this is everything he worked for.
This is when the heel gives of himself and MAKES a babyface.
Punk wins! Punk wins! Punk wins!
And just as importantly, Edge loses. See, that's the part that Adam Copeland understands better than anyone else in the industry today.
He's the best heel in the world, because even though he didn't touch one person, he had scorching heat on Monday night.
He didn't slap JR. He didn't shove down Lilian Garcia. He didn't set fire to a Sooners flag. He didn't do anything but deliver a heel promo like a true villain should.
And he had such heat for his words and the manner in which he presented them, that a beating from Batista, and the subsequent loss of his world title didn't even begin to take that heat off of him.
The beaten, battered, humiliated, and no-longer-champion Edge is still the main event heel on Smackdown, and he should be.
People are still clamoring for him to get beat ... or beat up.
Heyman's entire blog is available right now EXCLUSIVELY on the SUN here: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/heyman/article1377976.ece
Also, don't miss Paul's 2-part interview on THE HEYMAN HUSTLE featuring an exclusive with the infamous YouTube divorcee Tricia Walsh Smith. Check out the Hustle referral site at www.heymanhustle.com.
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about 1 month ago
Excellent read. Heyman is right on point WWE should have saved Triple H vs Edge for Summerslam and given the match way more build up.
about 1 month ago
You all got it right....from Hulk Hogan's turned heel to Ric Flair's up and downs, to even Steve Austin to the Rock, you have to have a great sense of who you are AND a sense of who you aint, and put it toghether to make things work out. Edge's earlier run with the Brood and all set up his grand achievement to be one of the best heels in the business. Just as Randy Orton's work from Evolution to today. Triple H has done it well and so has Shawn Michaels. But Edge is learning that sometimes to be very, very GOOD,,,you have to be very, very, BAD....and he does deliver. I really LOVE to HATE this guy with a passion, as do so many fans. He's done his job and takes it to another level not seen in Pro Wrestling since the " WWE/WCW Wrestling Wars" days. The chairman knows what he has and keeps his "Ace" in his front pocket. Well done, Edge.....
about 1 month ago
Edge could be fired for good for all I care. Maybe the European title will come back. Maybe he could get that title if Vickie helps him. Maybe get the good ole tag team champ glory back..
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