WWE: 7 Reasons Edge's HOF Induction Is the Right Move

The WWE Hall of Fame has found its Edge.

The Rated R Superstar, Edge, will headline the Hall's Class of 2012 and officially become the youngest person ever inducted into the WWE's elite class of legends.

While the consensus is that Edge deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame, there are many fans who, for a variety of reasons, aren't so sure that this is the right year to induct him.

I'm not one of them, though.

Here are seven reasons why Edge's Hall of Fame induction is the right move at the right time.

7. It's Not the Right Time for the Rock

Initially, I was one of those fans who thought 2012 would be the perfect year to induct The Rock into the WWE Hall of Fame.

You induct him into the Hall in his hometown of Miami the night before WrestleMania 28, and then win, lose or draw, he competes in his last match ever against John Cena the next night.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much more you can get out of The Rock by inducting him later down the road.

At the moment, The Rock may very well be the most well-known (former) professional wrestler on the planet—yes, even ahead of "Stone Cold" and Hulk Hogan—thanks in large part to a successful career in Hollywood.

Therefore, The Rock will be able to draw incredible interest in his Hall of Fame induction pretty much no matter when it takes place, because he'll likely be a big name in Hollywood for the next 10-plus years.

You can't say that about a lot of wrestlers, but you can definitely say it about The Rock.

Though it would be a nice story to see him inducted into the Hall in his hometown and have it done the night before his last WWE match (a la Ric Flair), it makes more business sense for the WWE to capitalize on The Rock's induction in another year and capitalize on his (likely) last match this year.

6. Edge Is Done Wrestling for Good

When some stars get inducted into the WWE of Fame, we generally aren't sure if their in-ring careers are over—or we know for a fact that they aren't.

For example, Jerry Lawler is still wrestling these days well after his induction, Ric Flair is still competing in TNA and even Bret Hart wrestled long after he was inducted.

With Edge, though, we all know that he will never wrestle again.

Edge would literally be risking his life were he to take so much as another bump, so his days as an in-ring competitor are done. For good.

He will not come back for one more match or wind up in TNA because one wrong move could put him in a wheelchair or end his life.

Therefore, WWE officials can rest assured in knowing that they are inducting someone who cannot return to the ring or join a rival promotion.

In a day and age when almost no one really retires as an active competitor, Edge actually did.

5. The "Macho Man" Conundrum

Like many others, I think it's an absolute joke that "Macho Man" Randy Savage isn't in the WWE Hall of Fame yet, because he should have been in it as soon as he hung up his boots for good.

I would have liked to see Savage headline his own class while he was still alive.

The problem is that after Savage's sudden death in 2011, he lost the ability to headline a WWE Hall of Fame class.

Whether we disagree with that or not, I simply do not see the WWE inducting "Macho Man" as a headliner posthumously because it just wouldn't be the same as it would be if he was still alive.

It's unfortunate, but it's probably the truth. Not to mention that, at least according to rumors and reports out there, Savage and Vince McMahon simply did not get along.

Though Savage should have headlined his own Hall of Fame class at some point, his untimely death has made that damn near impossible now and thus, has left him out of the running for doing so in 2012.

And if not Savage and not The Rock, then you'd be hard-pressed to find someone better to headline the Class of 2012 than the Ultimate Opportunist.

4. The Upcoming Retirements of Several Headlining-Worthy Stars

If you hold off on the induction of a major superstar, it may eventually get to the point where the time is never right to induct him into the Hall.

Had Edge not been selected as the headliner of the Class of 2012, that may have happened to him.

Why? Because of the likely upcoming retirements of several huge stars who are worthy of headlining their own class.

Some of the greatest and most popular superstars in WWE history are likely set to call it quits within the next two or three years, such as Triple H, The Undertaker, Kane, Rey Mysterio and possibly even guys like The Big Show or Chris Jericho.

You could make a case that every single one of them should headline their own class almost immediately after they retire, so that has the WWE covered until around 2020.

If Edge wasn't inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, then he'd find himself in the mix with all those guys I've mentioned and therefore, may have had his induction delayed for God knows how long.

No one wants the WWE to get to the point where deserving stars are waiting years upon years for their induction, and now that Edge is going in, that clears more room for other major names to headline in the near future.

3. Edge Was One of the Biggest Risk Takers in WWE History

Few superstars in WWE history have risked their bodies and their lives like Edge did.

The Rated R Superstar was one of the most daring, high-risk taking superstars the WWE has ever seen, which is the main reason he had to retire at such a young age in the first place.

Edge participated in so many insane spots and took so many huge bumps that it's amazing that he's still able to walk around on his own.

He crashed through tables, he jumped off ladders and he speared guys through flaming tables.

While other guys pulled off similar stunts, Edge did it on a consistent basis and did it more so than arguably any other superstar in company history.

He laid it all on the line night after night, and he has multiple serious neck injuries and a torn Achilles tendon to show for it.

I cannot even begin to describe the amount of respect I have for what Edge was willing to do just to entertain us fans.

To be honest, it was simply amazing. 

2. Edge Is More Relevant Now Than He Will Be Down the Road

Sometimes I'll be watching the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, and I'll find myself saying, "Who the hell is that?"

But that's not going to happen with Edge.

Wrestling fans from my generation will remember Edge for what he did in the tag team division with Christian and his participation in those epic TLC matches, while the younger wrestling fans of today will remember Edge as a bona fide main eventer and a consistent force in the World title scene.

Most fans who will see Edge inducted into the Hall of Fame this year watched Edge through a number of different phases of his career and know what he means and has meant to the wrestling business.

If he were to be inducted into the Hall ten years from now, though, that might not be the case.

Fans of that generation may not truly know what Edge did for pro wrestling, how he revolutionized the ladder match and how he was one of the most complete wrestlers of his day.

Thankfully, though, Edge's induction in 2012 will mean that the fans who watch the ceremony can truly appreciate all his contributions to the WWE and pro wrestling in general.

1. Edge's Resume

While all of Edge's accomplishments certainly cannot be measured in terms of title wins and awards, we definitely cannot overlook them.

Check out Edge's career resume, courtesy of Wikipedia, and you'll see a list of accomplishments that is as impressive as nearly any wrestler's in history.

He won 31 titles in the WWE alone, multiple feud and match of the year awards, the King of the Ring tournament and the Royal Rumble, among others.

I would put Edge's resume up against any wrestler in WWE history and bet that you'd be hard-pressed to find a better one.

He truly accomplished anything and everything that a pro wrestler can aspire to do, which is something that very few wrestlers can lay claim to.

Edge is not only worthy of a Hall of Fame spot. He should be considered one of the greatest wrestlers the business has ever seen as well.

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