Following his victory in the men’s Royal Rumble match, Edge was a guest on The After The Bell podcast. Here are the most notable points from the show.

On his last year, how he feels after winning the Royal Rumble and his match on RAW

“Honest answer, I feel like I had no protection in a hurricane. I was out with nothing around me, and here comes a tornado that just tosses me around for about 78 minutes. But sometimes I still pinch myself that it’s this year long pinch and I am waiting to wake up. It’s been insane from the rumble last year to getting cleared to do this again. I moved into acting but my first love is wrestling. When I started making enquiries to dot his again, I realised it was a possibility so I had to go back. So I come back in the rumble, hoping I still have what I have left. After Wrestlemania and Backlash I felt like I can still operate at a level where I am not embarrassing myself. Hopefully my body will help me enough that I can help younger talent and tell stories. Then Backlash happens, I tore my tricep. I got the surgery but then I never stopped working. At least with that injury I can still do cardio and train the left side of my body. Once I got clearance to work, slowly but surely it kicked in and I could get back. I just wanted to get to a place where I don’t get ready but I am ready. When I got word that they wanted me in the rumble I was ready. If you told me all of this was happening I would say that you are crazy.”

On Christian returning

“That’s the stuff you can’t script, that’s when wrestling is at its best level is when reality is involved. If there is truth, the audience can see it. I just had to take a moment, I wanted to be out of the way but see and experience it, soak it in. I was so happy for him and dumbfounded that it happened in 2021. That look on my face is proud, ecstatic, happy and real.”

On his entrance music and the presentation of his character

“I’m very hands on with that stuff. The gear, the presentation with T-Shirts. I love drawing and music has been my muse on the road. It’s got me through so many flights and drives. I’ve got to feel the music, it gets me jumping. Michael Hayes told me “The more you give to the audience on your entrance, the more you get back in return.” I took that to heart. I was able to do that when I got Alter Bridge (Metalingus is Edge’s entrance music). Once I got that I knew that’s it. I try to throw all that energy out and it all comes back. I’m 47 years old and this is a different incarnation of the Edge character. I think of movies like Rocky Balboa. Last year before the rumble I watched it and I am in tears. I had to pull from this, it helped present this version of Edge. I am what I am, I am not 22 anymore.”

On future opponents

“For me I just wanted to be that if the talent see them vs Edge they are excited. I want to come back and tell some great stories and give some wisdom. I want to leave this better than when I came into it. Whether it’s Damien Priest, Finn Balor or anyone I can tell different stories with everyone. it’s really exciting with Balor, Reigns or McIntyre.”

On his potential Wrestlemania opponent

“I look at all three of those talents (Balor, Reigns, McIntyre), and I love what they are doing. I love the level that they are on and the cylinders that they are firing on. Drew McIntyre is about respect, about taking a similar road. When I was world champion Drew was trying to find his way and I would help him through those times. Leaving and coming back, and respecting the man he has become. Then there is Balor, who I have never laid hands on. I see the way he wrestles and the things that he is doing, making everything earned, and fighting to get it. That’s the kind of wrestling that I want to do. Then I look at Reigns, I look at this generational thing. This guy is finally allowed to be what he is. You need to let him do what he can do. The second generation talents have instinct. The layers with Paul Heyman, it’s such a great character.”

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