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*OFFICAL EXCLUSIVE*: Top WWE Star Considering Retirement; Details
- Thread starter Madico_Fs
- Start date
CARLOSWRESTLING
Dark Match Jobber
First off MATT HARDY IS NOT A TOP STAR, SO HE DOESN'T APPLY HERE.
UNDERTAKER COULD BE THE STAR, AS WELL AS REY MYSTERIO, I THINK THEY'RE THE TOP CANDIDATES, EDGE IS NOT, BECAUSE HE HAS A COUPLE OF YEARS LEFT HE SAID, AND CHRISTIAN IS STILL QUITE YOUNG AND WILL BE BACK FROM SURGERY BY THE BEGINNING OF 2011.
TAKER RETIRES AT MANIA 27 AND REY MYSTERIO COULD BE HANGING THE BOOTS UP VERY SOON AT ANY TIME!
BUT THINKING IT BETTER MAYBE IS NOT TAKER AS THE REPORT SAYS THE STAR WHO IS CONSIDERING RETIREMENT IS SEEKING OTHER THINGS OUTSIDE PRO WRESTLING WHICH TAKER DOESN'T HAS I THINK NEITHER MYSTERIO, MAYBE CENA IS THE ONE WHOS PLANNING ON GOING OUT
UNDERTAKER COULD BE THE STAR, AS WELL AS REY MYSTERIO, I THINK THEY'RE THE TOP CANDIDATES, EDGE IS NOT, BECAUSE HE HAS A COUPLE OF YEARS LEFT HE SAID, AND CHRISTIAN IS STILL QUITE YOUNG AND WILL BE BACK FROM SURGERY BY THE BEGINNING OF 2011.
TAKER RETIRES AT MANIA 27 AND REY MYSTERIO COULD BE HANGING THE BOOTS UP VERY SOON AT ANY TIME!
BUT THINKING IT BETTER MAYBE IS NOT TAKER AS THE REPORT SAYS THE STAR WHO IS CONSIDERING RETIREMENT IS SEEKING OTHER THINGS OUTSIDE PRO WRESTLING WHICH TAKER DOESN'T HAS I THINK NEITHER MYSTERIO, MAYBE CENA IS THE ONE WHOS PLANNING ON GOING OUT
THTRobtaylor
Once & Future Wrestlezone Columnist
Anyone who has left the biz before will be out of this I think...it won't be news... Show "retired" already once... but one thing is buzzing in my mind... We have a few movies out there right now that fit WWE guys... The new Spiderman, the Avengers would all suit some of the WWE guys wth acting chops... JoMo as a Venom/Spidey type for Motion capture... great opportunity with his parkour skills... someone like Edge could be a good villain for these type movies...but it would likely come with a 2-3 movie commitment.
The interesting one is The Hobbit... Now if Big Show or any other WWE guy had been offered a role in THAT (which is conceivable for a guy his size as the story does feature giants and physicality that would suit them) then it might require a long (Year-18 month) commitment I could see him hanging it up... as the money and being in what will be the biggest film ever would be way too much for anyone to turn down...
For someone to have a career mapped out, means they have a firm offer on the table to even consider it... that could mean a TV show, a movie deal or another sports contract like the Swagger/MMA rumor... it has to be a very good deal as those with contracts coming up at the moment know opportunity is there for the taking... WWE has some nice spots opening up over the next 3-4 years and time has proven that loyalty counts for a lot with Vince and thus will with Trips if he takes more power... haggling over money is a bad deal right now, the better thing is to get a 4-5 year deal to ensure you are there when Taker, Kane, Edge, Rey et al all DO retire...
I agree WZ have "jumped the shark" a bit with this one, it could scupper some negotiations but someone was going to break the story so might as well be them so at least we can talk about it...
The interesting one is The Hobbit... Now if Big Show or any other WWE guy had been offered a role in THAT (which is conceivable for a guy his size as the story does feature giants and physicality that would suit them) then it might require a long (Year-18 month) commitment I could see him hanging it up... as the money and being in what will be the biggest film ever would be way too much for anyone to turn down...
For someone to have a career mapped out, means they have a firm offer on the table to even consider it... that could mean a TV show, a movie deal or another sports contract like the Swagger/MMA rumor... it has to be a very good deal as those with contracts coming up at the moment know opportunity is there for the taking... WWE has some nice spots opening up over the next 3-4 years and time has proven that loyalty counts for a lot with Vince and thus will with Trips if he takes more power... haggling over money is a bad deal right now, the better thing is to get a 4-5 year deal to ensure you are there when Taker, Kane, Edge, Rey et al all DO retire...
I agree WZ have "jumped the shark" a bit with this one, it could scupper some negotiations but someone was going to break the story so might as well be them so at least we can talk about it...
There are a lot of wrestlers mentioned here that I personally think are FAR from retirement. Miz, Morrison, Punk, Swagger and DiBiase are the new stars-in-the-making right now, being placed in high profile matches against the established superstars. If there's truth to this story, expect the superstar to be one of the more established names rather than a guy who hasn't even really made a mark yet.
Here's who seems most likely to retire right now:
Undertaker - It should come as no surprise to any wrestling fan that 'Taker is closing up shop as we speak, the gears have been in motion for a while. Personally I don't see any reason why he won't make it to a 20-0 streak, but then again I don't know what kind of physical pain 'Taker has to endure each night he wrestles. It's fairly obvious that Undertaker is going to stop wrestling for good in the near future, but how near is the question.
Rey Mysterio - Rey's best performances are behind him and retirement is also in his near future. It's hard to say how long he will continue in WWE since he seems to be as popular as ever. If he left now, he'd be going out on top. Not every wrestler gets that opportunity.
Edge - Edge seems to be the most likely to retire for a number of reasons. His recent injury led to him returning to WWE with a Jericho feud and very little else. His heel push has been minimized in order to push a younger star in Sheamus. He's not performing at the level he used to, and his gimmick is the least suited of all for WWE PG. While I think Edge still can contribute a lot, it might be a good time for him to go out on his terms.
John Cena - If there is anyone in WWE who is as big of a star as The Rock, it's Cena. If there's anyone in WWE who could leave and become an instant Hollywood success story, it's John Cena. It's a stretch, but I believe if Cena is unhappy with the company's direction or the way it's being run he will take his work ethic elsewhere and make millions of dollars for someone other than a McMahon.
Kane - Possibly realizing that the chances of another big push like the one he's currently enjoying are slim if 'Taker retires, Kane may decide to go out on top. A few more years of wrestling around the world will definitely help pay for future political campaigns, but Kane has wrestled for a long time and most likely has a lot of money saved. I think Kane's star power will rise in WWE if he stays a few more years, but now would be a good time to cap it off as well.
Big Show - I almost feel like Big Show could really hit it huge if they play his current babyface run the right way, but Show is so good outside of WWE as a comedic actor that I wouldn't be surprised if USA or SyFy wanted to give him his own series. He's had one of the best careers I've ever seen for a man that huge and no one would fault him for capping it off now.
Here's who seems most likely to retire right now:
Undertaker - It should come as no surprise to any wrestling fan that 'Taker is closing up shop as we speak, the gears have been in motion for a while. Personally I don't see any reason why he won't make it to a 20-0 streak, but then again I don't know what kind of physical pain 'Taker has to endure each night he wrestles. It's fairly obvious that Undertaker is going to stop wrestling for good in the near future, but how near is the question.
Rey Mysterio - Rey's best performances are behind him and retirement is also in his near future. It's hard to say how long he will continue in WWE since he seems to be as popular as ever. If he left now, he'd be going out on top. Not every wrestler gets that opportunity.
Edge - Edge seems to be the most likely to retire for a number of reasons. His recent injury led to him returning to WWE with a Jericho feud and very little else. His heel push has been minimized in order to push a younger star in Sheamus. He's not performing at the level he used to, and his gimmick is the least suited of all for WWE PG. While I think Edge still can contribute a lot, it might be a good time for him to go out on his terms.
John Cena - If there is anyone in WWE who is as big of a star as The Rock, it's Cena. If there's anyone in WWE who could leave and become an instant Hollywood success story, it's John Cena. It's a stretch, but I believe if Cena is unhappy with the company's direction or the way it's being run he will take his work ethic elsewhere and make millions of dollars for someone other than a McMahon.
Kane - Possibly realizing that the chances of another big push like the one he's currently enjoying are slim if 'Taker retires, Kane may decide to go out on top. A few more years of wrestling around the world will definitely help pay for future political campaigns, but Kane has wrestled for a long time and most likely has a lot of money saved. I think Kane's star power will rise in WWE if he stays a few more years, but now would be a good time to cap it off as well.
Big Show - I almost feel like Big Show could really hit it huge if they play his current babyface run the right way, but Show is so good outside of WWE as a comedic actor that I wouldn't be surprised if USA or SyFy wanted to give him his own series. He's had one of the best careers I've ever seen for a man that huge and no one would fault him for capping it off now.
The Man of 1,000 Names
Dark Match Jobber
I can understand your point of view here, and I did consider most of your side before I decided to run with the story. In the end I figured it's something that will probably be released somewhere else in due time anyway, so I jumped on it first.
However, to your point about the Sting, Nash and Angle stories, you have to remember that in the case of Angle and Sting, those were not exclusives, those were reports initially broken on other sites that I was merely relaying on WZ, so I can't be blamed for putting something out there that's already out there.
As for Nash, I was following up on his Twitter rant, which was already made public, and wasn't focusing on his contract negotiations. So I wasn't in a place to hurt him as he had already made public comments on Twitter.
Way to prove you have no idea what the hell your talking about and are just trying to get more views and an active thread WZ. "Out of Respect" Yeah ok....your as the wrestlers call you "a dirt sheet", nothing really respectable about it. You really know if someone might retire? Then post the name.
Fact is it could be a handful of people if even true. Which it probably is. Any wrestler could retire at any time because they have different aspirations for their life. Take Davey Richards from ROH for example who was going to retire at the end of this year to be a paramedic. Sure he changed his mind but its the same thing. Rock, left early to do movies. Jericho has a band so it could easily be him. Triple H, with his family and new desk job, he stays away and Sheamus can brag for the rest of his career that he ended HHH's career.
Fact is it could be a handful of people if even true. Which it probably is. Any wrestler could retire at any time because they have different aspirations for their life. Take Davey Richards from ROH for example who was going to retire at the end of this year to be a paramedic. Sure he changed his mind but its the same thing. Rock, left early to do movies. Jericho has a band so it could easily be him. Triple H, with his family and new desk job, he stays away and Sheamus can brag for the rest of his career that he ended HHH's career.
gbaby_steve25
Occasional Pre-Show
Nick- Respect the answer man... thanks and you know something you could do is eliminate some of the names weve been throwing around not all just some...maybe give us a clearer understanding of who it could be, with out giving away who it is....
I'm glad this thread got posted, because I need to rant about this crap. I haven't had the time to go through more than the first couple pages, but did anybody else want to punch their monitor when they read this "article"? Look, I know you're just a website trying to get clicks and views, but this is ridiculous. It is NOT an exclusive to say "somebody" is thinking about retiring. Anybody can report that. You know what is an exclusive? GIVING US A NAME. And to claim you're going to "continue" to give us more information and updates when you haven't even started? Give me a break. If you're not going to tell us anything, don't put up that ridiculous subject. Out of respect for the wrestler? Since when does Wrestlezone try to show respect to wrestlers? You are ALWAYS reporting on guys who are thinking about leaving or going somewhere else or any number of things. Why stop now? You want to start looking like a legitimate news site? Hey, guess what legitimate news sites DON'T do? They don't put up misleading subjects for the sole purpose of getting people to click on it to make them money. That's something slimely dirtsheets do - but those sites, at least, give you names and information. This is just the worst of both worlds. You have no credibility or information. Wrestlezone used to be my favorite wrestling news site...I'm going to start looking at the other sites more often, I think.
And just in case this is off topic, I'll add that I think the top star (IF there is a real one behind this article) is Randy Orton. Why not? He quit on the military, he's proven himself to be an unreliable loose cannon several times over the years. Maybe that's why they gave him the title, to try and keep him around like they did with Jeff Hardy.
And just in case this is off topic, I'll add that I think the top star (IF there is a real one behind this article) is Randy Orton. Why not? He quit on the military, he's proven himself to be an unreliable loose cannon several times over the years. Maybe that's why they gave him the title, to try and keep him around like they did with Jeff Hardy.
Miss Flawless
Why am I arguing with a computer?
Maybe it's Edge. Lot's of people say it doesn't make sense. How so? Edge said that he has 2-3 years left in him, Edge said specifically in his book that after WWE he has other plans, writing books. Think about it, it makes sense.
Although, it also makes sense that this is in fact, just an internet report. It pretty much said that this wrestler is just thinking, or making plans. People do this. They say they're going to Italy next year but they decide not to for whatever reason. People have thoughts and dreams, so relax yourselves. It may not be true.
Although, it also makes sense that this is in fact, just an internet report. It pretty much said that this wrestler is just thinking, or making plans. People do this. They say they're going to Italy next year but they decide not to for whatever reason. People have thoughts and dreams, so relax yourselves. It may not be true.
The Man of 1,000 Names
Dark Match Jobber
It's posts like this that keep me away from the forums, but eh, I'm used to it by now I guess. The bottom line is that if you read WZ judiciously, then you know I'm not in the habit of simply making things up to get page views. But of course it's your choice to believe me and continue reading the site or not.
There are certain circumstances when you have to respect a source's wishes so that you can continue to get news from that particular source, just how it goes. If I've disappointed, I apologize, but then again I've posted enough first-run news on this site to dispel any theories that I'm doing it for the attention.
Clearly you didnt see the article on the front page did ya buddy? The article clear states for one, That it is NOT Jericho. You know this if you actually read the darn thing instead of mindlessly bashing the OP.
It could be many people.
Undertaker: Speculation is that he is indeed retiring at WM this year but has yet to be officially announced.
Kane: I read awhile back that stated than when taker decides to leave, kane wouldnt be to far behind. His an intelligent man, I can see him doing a lot outside of the ring.
Mysterio: With all those knee injuries piling up It might be time for him to step aside. Plus with all the reports of him being unhappy for sometime now it really wouldnt surprise me to know if it was him
Edge: Just look at him lol hes know where near as in shape as he once was, hes quickly becoming the next fathardy(only with some talent left) . Hes had so many injuries I think there starting to catch up to him.
Those are my guesses but who knows, could be Cena for all I know.
Fact is it very well could be Jericho. Clearly their not stating who it is because guess what, WZ doesnt know! And like I said anyone can retire at any time. This is just another ploy for WZ to try and get more site views. Think about it. You would look at it more if it said someone, besides Jericho who we all know has a band and was punted in the head by Orton last week, you would be more interested because the obvious person isnt in question. So maybe think about common sense over a dirt sheet post.
wicked_lotus
New Member
after seeing what transpired on raw just a few minutes ago im going to have to go ahead and say its John Cena. we all know his popularity extends far beyond wrestling and he has to potential to be the next Dwayne "THE ROCK" Johnson so based on what I have read and the segment about him being "Fired" it could very well be cena
Genius_Deadman
Pre-Show Stalwart
i don't think that's it. if anything they'll move him to SD for the SyFy ratings. if Cena retires or becomes a movie star, that'll be the single most hypocritical move he could do because this was the guy who called out Rock for leaving WWE for Hollywood.
i think it's Undertaker. i believe he had one last run/year in him but now he's just ready to call it quits. i don't think he sees his character going anywhere (especially with this current "creative" staff). Jericho is too obvious. the other would be Mysterio, he probably thought he had another run in him but is ready to call it like Taker would.
Kane is a safe choice to not be the candidate. he said he was having fun and he had more years in him. the reason i think it may be Taker is because it's so close to Survivor Series, where his character may be written off in the stage he debuted.
MonstAbetA
The Utopian
Yeah I would have to say that it is either Kane or Undertaker. I feel like Taker could join creative(not sure if that counts as quitting wrestling completely), or Kane for all the reasons everyone else has mentioned.
Well anyway I'm guessing it is Kane. His numerous aspirations outside the ring, especially when it comes to politics, makes him seem to me to be the most likely person. Not guaranteeing it is him but its better than guessing someone that is directly named as it not being in the article.
Gotta love the IWC. They have the power to nitpick movesets, storylines, and characters, but lack the ability to read an entire article before posting about it.
Gotta love the IWC. They have the power to nitpick movesets, storylines, and characters, but lack the ability to read an entire article before posting about it.
Legacy Reborn
Dark Match Winner
My thought is that it's Triple H. Think about it. He's been spending the last 6 months sidelined with injuries, and is now pushing more on the creative side of the business, now having a position as Mr. McMahon's wingman for the most part. In my opinion, he may be considering retirement because he and Stephanie will most likely be taking over the business, not to mention that Triple H is lined up for I believe 2 more movies besides the one he filmed over the summer.
The other person in my opinion that comes to mind is maybe John Cena, as his acting career seems to be taking off a little more as well. But at this point since he's the face of the company, I'm sure he plans on staying for a while and continuing to lead WWE into the next 5 years.
Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
The other person in my opinion that comes to mind is maybe John Cena, as his acting career seems to be taking off a little more as well. But at this point since he's the face of the company, I'm sure he plans on staying for a while and continuing to lead WWE into the next 5 years.
Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
It's John Cena... He's going to do a story line with the Nexus and attack all of them till they get disbanded, then he will get fired by the GM, and that would be it.
Election is almost over, Edge already said that he's bring attitude back, or something like that. Attitude era is not coming back, but PG will come to an end. Unless they change Cena's character, he will not fit in cause everybody above 14 hates him because he's a good guy.
He will then go on and do his acting career and be like that other guy who teased about coming back this summer but didn't. I just have a feeling it's Cena. Hopefully i'm wrong!
Election is almost over, Edge already said that he's bring attitude back, or something like that. Attitude era is not coming back, but PG will come to an end. Unless they change Cena's character, he will not fit in cause everybody above 14 hates him because he's a good guy.
He will then go on and do his acting career and be like that other guy who teased about coming back this summer but didn't. I just have a feeling it's Cena. Hopefully i'm wrong!
It's really not a lot to go on. This could be somebody people most of which have already been named
Kane,Undertaker,Edge,Triple H, Rey Mysterio, Christian, Matt Hardy, or Big Show
so its hard to give a good guess until more details come out.
but if i had to choose based on all this i would have to go with Rey Mysterio he is getting up there in age, he hasn't been happy(from reports a few months back), and he has the abilty to venture outside of the wrestling business.
Kane,Undertaker,Edge,Triple H, Rey Mysterio, Christian, Matt Hardy, or Big Show
so its hard to give a good guess until more details come out.
but if i had to choose based on all this i would have to go with Rey Mysterio he is getting up there in age, he hasn't been happy(from reports a few months back), and he has the abilty to venture outside of the wrestling business.
The Chosen One Alex
Dark Match Jobber
Hum let's look at the possibilities:
Edge - He hasn't been the same since he had that Achilles Heel injury. Recently he won the Royal Rumble and had his feud with Jericho but since May he hasn´t done anything. He could be a good comedian.
The Undertaker - He is on his last run since he allways said he wanted Paul Bearer on his last run though I hope to still see him at Wrestlemania.
Kane - As some posters have said. Glenn Jacobs is a very inteligent man and is way into politics.
Matt Hardy - Please he is about to go to TNA so he won't be retiring.
Edge - He hasn't been the same since he had that Achilles Heel injury. Recently he won the Royal Rumble and had his feud with Jericho but since May he hasn´t done anything. He could be a good comedian.
The Undertaker - He is on his last run since he allways said he wanted Paul Bearer on his last run though I hope to still see him at Wrestlemania.
Kane - As some posters have said. Glenn Jacobs is a very inteligent man and is way into politics.
Matt Hardy - Please he is about to go to TNA so he won't be retiring.
Morpheus101
Registered Boozer
I personally think that it's Kane and WWE know it. They're giving him one last run and a lengthy title reign before he calls it quits. Kane has probably accomplished everything that he can accomplish in WWE and he'll probably go out in some sort of "buried alive" match against the Undertaker and never be seen again.
If it is Kane, I'm glad that he's finally got the mega push that he's deserved and this is honestly the best feud he's had with the Undertaker so far.
If it is Kane, I'm glad that he's finally got the mega push that he's deserved and this is honestly the best feud he's had with the Undertaker so far.
Morpheus101
Registered Boozer
I think Triple H has many years ahead of him. He does the smart thing and takes lengthy breaks when he gets injured (it helps being married to the boss's daughter, of course). Triple H will not retire for a long time and even when he does retire, he'll still be heavily involved in WWE television, possibly in a GM type role.
I don't think it's Cena either...the man lives and breathes for the wrestling business and puts all of his heart and soul into his performances. Unlike The Rock, Cena's acting is just a side thing. Wrestling is his mainstay and will be for as long as he can continue performing the way that he does. On the other hand, The Rock just used the wrestling business as a platform towards Hollywood.
TheWWEGuru
New Member
In my opinion, all signs point to Triple H.
Just take a look at the past couple of months for Triple H, shall we?
First off, one of his best friends in and out of professional wrestling, Shawn Michaels, retires. Michaels is reportedly doing great, why wouldn't Triple H want to follow suit?
Secondly, I believe Stephanie McMahon is on her 1,000th baby now. Isn't it about time Paul (I'm going to refer to him by real name now) spends time with his kids?
Third, and most important, didn't Paul recently get a high ranking position in World Wrestling Entertainment? When Vince croaks or retires, Paul and Stephanie will take the reigns from daddy dearest. This could be the main and vital point to other avenues this top WWE star is considering.
Of course, it just says "considering" retirement. Who knows? I'm considering retirement, that doesn't mean I'm going to unless I win a boat load of cash in the near future. It's not Christian, Edge, Rey Mysterio or Kane. Undertaker, yeah, is a big maybe. I still think the Deadman has a couple Wrestlemania's ahead of him, though.
If I had to put my money on it, I'd bet on Triple H.
Just take a look at the past couple of months for Triple H, shall we?
First off, one of his best friends in and out of professional wrestling, Shawn Michaels, retires. Michaels is reportedly doing great, why wouldn't Triple H want to follow suit?
Secondly, I believe Stephanie McMahon is on her 1,000th baby now. Isn't it about time Paul (I'm going to refer to him by real name now) spends time with his kids?
Third, and most important, didn't Paul recently get a high ranking position in World Wrestling Entertainment? When Vince croaks or retires, Paul and Stephanie will take the reigns from daddy dearest. This could be the main and vital point to other avenues this top WWE star is considering.
Of course, it just says "considering" retirement. Who knows? I'm considering retirement, that doesn't mean I'm going to unless I win a boat load of cash in the near future. It's not Christian, Edge, Rey Mysterio or Kane. Undertaker, yeah, is a big maybe. I still think the Deadman has a couple Wrestlemania's ahead of him, though.
If I had to put my money on it, I'd bet on Triple H.
Just joined here because of this thread.
To all you who think Cena is the one Retiring, you are completely off your rocker.
Vince would give Cena a Billion dollars if it meant keeping him around.
Chances are its Edge or Kane. Taker might want to retire but they are going to give him some grand retirement thing, probably at Wrestlemania.
To all you who think Cena is the one Retiring, you are completely off your rocker.
Vince would give Cena a Billion dollars if it meant keeping him around.
Chances are its Edge or Kane. Taker might want to retire but they are going to give him some grand retirement thing, probably at Wrestlemania.
I am honestly no expert in what is going to happen in this matter. In fact, I probably know a lot less than you guys when it comes to most of the stars, since my interest in Smackdown has dwindled over the last couple of weeks.
One thing I will say, however, is that I hope it is not CM Punk. Not a lot of people are saying it could be him but he is definitely interesting enough that he could go on to do other things if he is not with the WWE. We have all said it before, he has all the tools to take him to the top of the company or beyond. I think he is the best thing on Smackdown along with Alberto Del Rio and losing him would be nothing short of a catastrophe for the WWE.
In my mind though, I would have to go with Edge. He is not at the start of his career by any stretch of the imagination and he may have seen what Jericho has done over the last year and take some notice. Edge is an entertaining guy and could go on to do a lot of other things. He has accomplished great things in his career and perhaps moving him to Smackdown is a way of lessening the blow when he does eventually retire. Then again, I could be wrong.
Right now though, Edge is my prime candidate.
One thing I will say, however, is that I hope it is not CM Punk. Not a lot of people are saying it could be him but he is definitely interesting enough that he could go on to do other things if he is not with the WWE. We have all said it before, he has all the tools to take him to the top of the company or beyond. I think he is the best thing on Smackdown along with Alberto Del Rio and losing him would be nothing short of a catastrophe for the WWE.
In my mind though, I would have to go with Edge. He is not at the start of his career by any stretch of the imagination and he may have seen what Jericho has done over the last year and take some notice. Edge is an entertaining guy and could go on to do a lot of other things. He has accomplished great things in his career and perhaps moving him to Smackdown is a way of lessening the blow when he does eventually retire. Then again, I could be wrong.
Right now though, Edge is my prime candidate.