Does anyone think Vince knew of Edge's career-ending injury BEFORE WM 27?

[ITALIAN NYC]

Of course they knew something was wrong. Why do you think they opened Mania with the Title Match? They didnt want the match to suck so they didnt put it at the main event level.

Thats why Edge won also, because they knew he was going to retire anyway. They let him go out on top with it.

All my opinion of course

 

[willross]

Del Rio is a professional in the ring and was trusted to take care of Edge's back. If you re-watch the match, the intensity and impact of some of the moves are less than what they should have been.

If Edge was absolutely too injured to wrestle, they would have had some kind of swerve - like Edge being found beat up in the backstage area and Christian defending the title on his behalf or something. That's how they got Dynamite Kid to drop the tag titles (he got hit with Jimmy Hart's megaphone during the walk-out and was carried out to the back).

You guys are idiots if you think Vince, Edge and Del Rio didn't know how badly hurt Edge's back was prior to the match.

First of all, Edge's neck is the spot in which he has contracted the injury.

He literally could be paralyzed by taking one iffy bump, why would he risk his life for just a match?

Vince McMahon would never risk that. Imagine Edge gets paralyzed during the match and then he is found out to have known that it was likely to happen? It would be as big if not a bigger backlash than the Benoit scenario just because Vince couldn't prevent Benoit, but he could prevent Edge.

If Vince did know and he forced Edge, he wouldn't of done it. Edge is not a complete dumbass tool

 

[The Brain]

Vince continued the show after Hart fell to his death. Don't make him out to be some sort of angel, he would happily allow Edge to go out like that.

These two incidents are unrelated. Don't make Vince out to be some sort of devil. He would not force someone to compete if it was not safe. What if Edge said he wasn't going out there? What was Vince going to do, fire him? He was about to retire anyway. Even if Vince is the devil you think he is why would he take such a risk at his biggest show? A paralyzed wrestler being wheeled out of the arena is not good for business. You guys really need to separate Vince from his Mr. McMahon character. He is not Satan.

To those who think Del Rio was supposed to win the title only to have the plan changed so Edge could retire as champ, I think you are all dead wrong. That doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Nobody gets to retire as champion. In wrestling you put over someone else on your way out. Edge didn't deserve to retire as champion. The injury forced it to happen.

 

[Pedigree1]

i think vince knew but not as bad as it turned out to be!! Vince would never ever ever put any of his superstars in the ring with a condition like edges!! Its possible Edge knew the severity of this injury wanting to go out on the biggest stage WM!! I think edge knew something wasnt right in his neck but wanting to go out at WM!! Del Rio is a pro and maybe Him and edge talked things over before the match and edge told him what was up!! I tend to think Edge knew a little more about his injury than vince did. Vince would never endanger his employees for the sake of making a dollar!!

 

[Defekt]

I think many of you are reading too much into Edge vs Del Rio being the opening match.

WWE often schedules Pay Per-Views with the top three matches taking the first, third to last, and last slots.

And the Del Rio vs Edge match wasn't just going through the motions. You could tell both guys were excited to be there, and going above and beyond their usual match. Also, the match went 11 minutes, which is short, but about the same as every other big match on the card (besides UT vs HHH).

Edge knew he was hurt, but I don't think there is anyway he would wrestle knowing he had a great chance of never walking again. It's not worth it.

McMahon would be crazy to force someone not medically cleared to have a physical 11 minute match. If Edge became paralyzed the resulting legal settlement would far outweigh the benefits of delivering the match as advertised. When the Rockers broke Charles Austin's neck he was awarded $26,000,000, and that was an accident.

 

[H33LTurn]

Vince continued the show after Hart fell to his death. Don't make him out to be some sort of angel, he would happily allow Edge to go out like that. However, it's VERY unlikely they knew before Edge. It's like you said if the doctor knew, Edge knew.

Over the Edge continuing didnt affect the likelyhood that Owen Hart would or would not survive. Edge working one more match however, could definitely be the difference between Edge being on his feet or in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. I dont know why we're speculating this. There are two reasons why it wouldnt matter. First, we know the character of the oldschool WWE superstars, if they make a comitment they own up to it. I'm pretty sure Edge would've still wrestled the match had he known his condition. Remember, he was incredibly involved in the situation. He himself reported the tingling of his arms. Its his body and I think a doctor has a legal obligation to his patient. Do you really think a doctor would risk a lawsuit over pleasing Vince. I think not.

Second, Vince is a businessman, sure, but hes also a stand up guy. He is concerned about providing what he advertised, and if hes advertising a great ppv do you really think he would've let Edge wrestle knowing a man could have been paralyzed or even died in the middle of his most important event unless Edge was determined to go on with the show?

 

[TM Punk]

IMO they figured he reinjured his neck and may have to be out for some time. So I'm guessing they let edge win at mania, and the ladder match would have had some sort of injury angle worked into it so that edge could heal up. Now a week later, edge goes to the doctor to see what his options are, and that's when he finds out that his neck is far worse than anyone thought. Vince McMahon would NOT have let edge wrestle if they knew the severity of his injury. There would have been no option.

Some of you can try to paint vince however you want. He's a strict leader, and a great business man, but he cares tremendously for the well being of his workers. Look at his face after mick foley gets thrown off the cell. That's not the face of a guy who's thinking "damnit he better finish this match". In the last chapter of chris jericho's second book he states that he feels for and respects vince mcmahon almost as much or the same as his father. That is a testiment to vince's character right there.

 

[LSN80]

I'm sure Vince may have known about the injury, but obviously not the extent of it. Keep in mind, Edge himself has spoken after the fact on more then one occasion on how he didn't know of the extent of the injury. So, using that logic, how could have Vince McMahon? It just doesn't make sense to me on several levels that Vince could have known.

Edge did speak of how he was beginning to feel symptoms before Wrestlemania, so it's perfectly reasonable to believe that Vince knew something. The man is as hands-on as it gets, so it would surprise me that if Edge was dealing with physical issues, Vince didn't know. Say what you will about Vince, but he wouldn't have let Edge go out there and compete if he knew the injury was as serious as it was. That's risking a lawsuit, and also alienating another of the greatest wrestlers of all time. That means losing Edge forever. This means no ambassador work, no special appearances, no future endorsement deals, and no Edge in non-wrestling role in the future, which he's stated his desire to fo. In short, it could have cost Vince alot of money had he let Edge go out there, knowing how badly he was injured.

Further, Edge was proven time and again to be one of the smartest wrestlers in WWE, perhaps in history. Do you think he, as still a young man, would risk the ability to enjoy the rest of his life over one match? Don't think so. What would Vince do, fire him if he refused to wrestle? I say this in jest, because Edge was retiring anyways. I believe that what Edge knew, Vince knew, and it obviously wasn't believed to be serious enough to keep him from continuing to wrestle.

Instead of speculating of what Vince knew and didn't know, we should be thankful we got one more match from Edge, and that he walked out of it under his own power. Sure beats a stretcher, doesn't it?

 

[thebarber]

Im positive Vince was aware of Edges injury. If you watch the match, the first weird thing is that it was on first. Very odd for a World Title match at Mania, especially when the Royal Rumblw inner who got to pick his opponent is buried in the opening match.
Secondly, the match itself was very slow paced and quick. I think the match was structured so Edge could leave with his head held high.
Normally this match would have gone on in the second half of the card and I velievge also Del Rios was originally booked to win the title from Edge at Mania.

 

[SinCityBlitz]

Vince continued the show after Hart fell to his death. Don't make him out to be some sort of angel, he would happily allow Edge to go out like that. However, it's VERY unlikely they knew before Edge. It's like you said if the doctor knew, Edge knew.

In sports they would continue the game after a player dies. It seems cold but it's the way it works. I would have HATED to be in Vince's shoes that night. It's easy to sit here and criticize him but it's not an easy decision to make.

Edge cleared this up during a radio interview, right near his hometown. He was helping to advertise edge appreciation day which they held on smackdown a few months back. He said he was well aware of what his injury COULD mean. Before Mania, all parties involved knew he was going in really hurt, but they hadn't yet said he couldn't wrestle. According to edge, Vince gave him the option not to wrestle, and he said that he told Vince he wanted to wrestle until the day he was told he couldn't. He never said if the outcome was changed due to the severity of the potential injury, however he said "it sure was awesome to retire as champion" or something to that affect.

I think this pretty much sums it up. Straight from the horses mouth.

I never thought that Vince would have made Edge wrestle knowing the exact condition of his neck.

 

[xxxdaniel_ariesxxx]

First off, it wasn't the next again night that Edge retired after Wrestlemania 27, it was the week after that. WM27 was on the 3rd of April. Edge retired 11th April, not the 4th. If Edge was feeling the pain for a while then he would not have had as many matches as he used to have. If you look at how many times Edge actually wrestled in the few months leading up to his retirement, it was a lot less than the rest of the roster. So yes Vince knew of Edge being hurt, but whether he knew it was career-ending, I think Edge told him the week after WM27.

Exactly, not only didn't he retire the night after WrestleMania XXVII, they also announced on the April 8th edition of SmackDown that Edge would be defending the title against Alberto Del Rio at Extreme Rules. If they knew that Edge would be retiring I find it hard to believe that they would announce a match. Also, if they knew that Edge could wind up in a wheelchair, or worse, with the slightest jar of his head and neck why would they allow, or he preform, a move where he runs and smashes into someone with his head and shoulder? That's just bad business, and I think that Vince is a better business man than that. Edge speared Del Rio at Mania and he speared Brodus Clay on the following SmackDown, after which he instantly grabbed his neck in pain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZQSoQz5Qk4

from what I understand he was injured heading into Mainia, but it wasn't until spear on Clay that he thought that something was seriously wrong and went and got the final word that he needed to retire.

 

[chrisddusombre]

in fact i think they both did Edge and Vince. But I think Edge wanted to compete in one last match at wrestlemania. And go out with a bang, they wouldn't have given del rio the title anyway. So they let Edge go out with a bang!

 

[scottyshowman82]

I think that they kind of knew something was up with Edge, Vince knew his history. I would think they did get the news after the pay per view. I honestly believed the original plan was for Del Rio to win the belt. But if this was going to be one of Edge's last matches maybe Vince wanted him to leave on top as a gift and Del Rio would have his chances.

It's also worth noting at a Toronto House show weeks before that fight Edge hinted that this would be his last go around and he may not be back in Toronto again as a wrestler and he hoped that Wrestlemania 28 would be in Toronto.

I think the plan was for him to wrestle Christian at Wrestlemania 28 regardless of where it was.