Edge and Randy Orton are set to clash again at the Backlash pay-per-view, but this time WWE is heralding their bout as the "Greatest Wrestling Match Ever."
After duking it out in an entertaining Falls Count Anywhere match at WrestleMania 36, the tables were turned in the form of Orton challenging Edge to a traditional bout. The Rated-R Superstar accepted, which led to WWE's unique branding of the clash on June 14.
While Edge is a WWE Hall of Famer and Orton is a future Hall of Famer, advertising their match as the greatest of all time is a risky move on the company's part. The former hasn't had a normal singles match in nine years, and the latter isn't necessarily known for putting on five-star classics.
Orton and Edge have the ability and chemistry to have a really good match if given 20 minutes or so, but unless they truly have the greatest match ever, they'll fall short of the hype and leave fans disappointed to some degree.
With that in mind, here are a few potential ways for WWE to book around the tagline and deliver something the WWE Universe will enjoy.
Orton Attacks, Match Never Happens
Orton has been the aggressor throughout much of his rivalry with Edge, so building upon that and having him jump his rival before the fight can even get started would be a good way to avoid the match and continue building heat within the feud.
The Viper's comments leading up to Backlash have suggested he genuinely cares about proving he is a better wrestler than Edge. That somewhat flies in the face of the character Orton has always portrayed, so there may be more to it than what he says on the surface.
Challenging Edge to a wrestling match may have been Orton's way of throwing The Rated-R Superstar off his scent and giving himself the advantage, as there would be an element of surprise involved with him attacking the veteran.
The feud started after the Royal Rumble in January when Orton baited Edge in and then attempted to end his career with a conchairto. Edge got his revenge at WrestleMania by hitting Orton with a conchairto to win the match.
Logically, Orton would still have revenge on his mind, and making another attempt to injure Edge and end his career would make sense from a character perspective.
Going this route means WWE would not be delivering on something it advertised, but the shock factor would undoubtedly be present, and it would be a smart way to avoid having to deliver on the promise that Orton vs. Edge will be the greatest wrestling match of all time.
Interference Cuts Match Short
If the goal is for the match at Backlash to signal the end of the feud between Edge and Orton, then using it as a vehicle to set up the former's next rivalry and put the latter over is a strong possibility.
It is highly unlikely the pair will be able to live up to the "greatest match of all time" billing over the course of a 20-minute-plus bout, but perhaps they could deliver on that promise for between five and 10 minutes before something cuts it short.
There are tons of potential dream matches available to Edge now that he is back wrestling after nine years away, and fans are anxious to see which one will come first after his program with Orton reaches its conclusion.
Of the Superstars on Raw currently, nobody stands out as a more obvious and desirable opponent for Edge than Seth Rollins.
For starters, the two men have a lot of similarities as performers who suggest they will have strong chemistry both in the ring and on the mic. Also, they have history despite the fact that their time as active in-ring competitors in WWE has never crossed over until now.
When Rollins was feuding with John Cena in late 2014, he essentially took Edge hostage and threatened to stomp him. At the time, The Rated-R Superstar was medically disqualified from wrestling because of a neck injury.
Edge vs. Rollins seems a virtual guarantee to happen at some point, and since The Monday Night Messiah is the top heel on Raw currently, having him cost Edge the match against Orton would be a good way to reignite their rivalry.
Edge Mystery Attacker Angle
Rather than having Orton attack Edge before the match or Rollins interfere during it, an old-fashioned whodunit would be is another option to protect both competitors.
Instead of having the match, cameras can show The Rated-R Superstar laid out in the backstage area with medical personnel tending to him. That would lead to the cancellation of the match against Orton and also create a brand-new storyline.
The Viper would be the lead suspect to start, but the angle could bring other possibilities into the fold, including Rollins or perhaps even Superstars from SmackDown or NXT.
If the goal is to take Edge off of television for months at a time before building to his next match, this type of storyline would allow him to take time away while still keeping him in the minds of fans by investigating who was responsible for the attack.
It's rarely a bad idea to have a storyline that plays out over multiple weeks and months, and keeps fans invested, so having one focused on Edge could pay dividends moving forward.
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