The exchange of respect between AEW’s Adam Copeland, aka. Edge in WWE and John Cena in the last couple of weeks took fans back to the days of the bitter storyline rivalry in the WWE. With both stars in the twilight days of their careers, a large chunk of the fanbase is currently wondering whether they will get a last Cena vs. Edge showdown before one of these two hangs up their boots.
Edge’s transition from AEW to the WWE is a pre-requisite for another Cena vs. Edge encounter. Understandably, this move can’t happen before the end of The Rated R Superstar’s current AEW contract. So, let’s take a look at when it ends.
In one of his May 2024 interviews, Edge revealed that he had “about a year and a half left” in his AEW contract. (via Chris Van Vliet on YouTube)
“I have about a year and a half left right now. A lot of business trying to get done in that time, there’s a lot of people I want to work with in that time.”
Hence, a simple calculation says that Edge will probably become a free agent in November this year. With Cena set to have his last match in December, the matchup technically looks possible. But some other factors also need to be considered.
Does Edge Want To Face John Cena After His AEW Tenure?
Edge and Cena have provided fans with a collection of memorable in-ring encounters and intense backstage segments. The Rated R Superstar took a trip down memory lane during one of his interviews with ‘theScore‘ on September 17, and detailed that his chemistry with Cena had been top-notch from the very beginning. He also mentioned how their efforts catapulted both of them to WWE stardom. Edge said:
“With John and I from day one, it just clicked. And I think it was our characters were polar opposites. I knew what the assignment was, and so did he. And I think you had two guys that were very willing to do what we had to do to get us both over.”
Check out Edge’s comments below:
Edge’s respectful comments for Cena portray that he may be open to one last match against the 17-time world champion. However, in his May 2024 interview with Chris Van Vliet, the 51-year-old revealed one of his plans, which reduces the possibility of another Cena vs. Edge encounter.
With a waning career, Edge (Copeland in AEW) discussed who he would like to have his last match against before retiring in the interview. He mentioned several names for the cause, but all of them were AEW stars.
Edge’s choices hinted that he might declare his retirement after the end of his current AEW contract, which doesn’t leave the scope for one last match with Cena. Additionally, he also mentioned that he won’t return after retiring this time like he did after retiring in 2011. (via Chris Van Vliet on YouTube)
“When I retire this time, that’s it. There’s no coming back. [Because] I won’t be of an age that I could come back. When I retire this time, I’m truly gonna come home and be a dad and occasionally act and walk my dogs.”
Subsequently, Edge asked the million-dollar question, “Do wrestlers ever retire?” indicating that anything is possible. However, his hints at declaring retirement after the end of his current AEW tenure make another match with Cena seem pretty far-fetched.
Has Edge defeated John Cena in a WWE title match?
Looking at the numerous in-ring clashes between Cena and Edge and the popularity of these two icons, it’s quite apparent that both of them have defeated each other in their WWE careers. However, winning title matches inside the ring comes with a different type of prize and respect. So, let’s look at whether Edge boasts a victory over Cena in a WWE title match.
Cena and Edge clashed inside the ring in a WWE title fight for the first time at Royal Rumble 2006. Despite putting up an enthralling showdown, Cena enjoyed the last laugh as he submitted Edge with his signature STF lock.
The Cena vs. Edge rivalry stretched till SummerSlam of the same year, where the two locked horns for the WWE Championship once more. Edge tried a few tricks to win the match, including hitting Cena with brass knuckles. His brass knuckle trick worked, as the 51-year-old walked out victorious this time.
Contrary to the previous match, Edge walked in as the WWE Champion in the pair’s third title clash at Unforgiven 2006. After several minutes of intense contest in the TLC match, Cena put Edge through a table by delivering an AA from the top of a ladder and pocketed the match by freeing the WWE title hanging above.
The fourth title clash between the pair occurred three years later for the World Heavyweight Championship, at Backlash 2009. The Last Man Standing match stayed evenly poised until The Big Show interfered in it and chokeslammed Cena into a spotlight. It left the Cenation star unable to stand, resulting in a victory for Edge.
Here’s a summary of all the Cena vs. Edge singles title matches.
With the Cena vs. Edge title match rivalry evenly poised at 2-2, both of them may be happy with the figures staying the same. However, Edge’s hints at wrestlers never retiring keep the hopes of another clash with Cena alive.
So, do you think we will get another match between these two icons of wrestling while they are active? Let us know in the comments below.
