WWE Classic of the Week: Edge vs. Jeff Jarrett from Fully Loaded 1999

To fans of today's WWE product, Edge is one of the most decorated and celebrated stars of his generation, an industry giant who served as one of the greatest heels of the 2000s.

For fans of the Attitude Era product in July 1999, he was merely a young star with a bright future.

He entered the Fully Loaded pay-per-view having won his first singles championship, the intercontinental title, just one night earlier in his hometown of Toronto, defeating Jeff Jarrett in a match he was never even supposed to be in.

As the new titleholder, he was thrust into a high-profile match on the Fully Loaded card, defending his title against Jarrett in a rematch of their stunner from the night before.

Would the young star be able to retain the title, proving that his victory was anything but a fluke?

Or would Jarrett—a wrestler at the top of his game—again prove too cerebral and opportunistic, wresting the title away from his surging young opponent by any means necessary?

Fans inside the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York, found out on that hot summer night.

But first, their story.

The Background

For both Edge and Jarrett, the first half of 1999 centered around tag team competition.

The future Rated R Superstar was one-third of The Brood, a Gothic vampire trio that was incredibly over with the fans thanks in large part to its presence and an awesome entrance.

The group had been part of Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness, but its reluctance to continue serving a twisted leader such as The Phenom led to its excommunication from the faction.

While it would work the likes of Mideon, Viscera and The Acolytes throughout the spring, it was its budding rivalry with The Hardy Boyz that struck the audience. Edge and Christian as well as Matt and Jeff were four young stars determined to make a name for themselves, and they did just that in a series of matches that consistently improved upon the last.

It was during that feud that Gangrel betrayed his associates, siding with the Hardys in the war of attrition.

Elsewhere, Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart had formed a team that was constantly in tag title contention or holding the championships.

Sadly, Hart's passing following a tragic accident in May 1999 was a tragic moment not just for pro wrestling as a whole but more specifically for the man he traveled the roads with. Jarrett, motivated by the death of his friend, defeated Godfather to capture the intercontinental title.

A feud with Ken Shamrock appeared to be just what Jarrett needed to reestablish himself as a significant midcard act, but the former UFC star missed a show in Toronto and Edge was tasked to replace him.

On that night, Jarrett saw his title reign end unceremoniously and was suddenly forced to head into Fully Loaded as the challenger—a much different role than he expected to be in just 24 hours earlier.

The Match

The Analysis

This was a good, old-fashioned wrestling match.

The sequences were solid, with Jarrett working basic wear-down maneuvers in an attempt to slow the younger, more energetic Edge.

Of course, both Jarrett's manager-valet Debra and Gangrel interfered—the latter's involvement making sense within the context of the larger story—but it was annoying nonetheless.

Jarrett regained the title, which was fine. The argument can be made that he never should have lost it in the first place. As the heel around whom the entire midcard revolved in the summer of 1999, Jarrett retaining the title all the way to October would have done wonders to help establish credibility.

Instead, WWE Creative hot-shotted the title numerous times over the summer, and Edge just happened to be one of the lucky recipients.

This was a very good, underrated match from a show full of them.

The Aftermath

Edge would continue down the tag team path, partnering with Christian as their feud with the Hardys intensified.

The series of matches known as the Terri Invitational Tournament enhanced the stars of all four men and helped them become breakout stars as the new millennium arrived. Their ladder match at No Mercy 1999 elevated them and earned them universal praise and respect from the WWE fans and management.

Jarrett would hold the IC title on and off throughout the summer of 1999.

The fall would bring with it a feud with Chyna in which he devalued women, going as far as to physically assault them while reaffirming his position that they belonged in the kitchen rather than the ring.

At the same No Mercy pay-per-view in which Edge broke out, Jarrett worked his last match for WWE, losing a Good House Keeping match (and his IC title) to The Ninth Wonder of the World.