Almost 30 Years On, The Ridiculous Gimmick WWE Almost Gave Edge Looks Even Worse

When you mention the name Edge to any wrestling fan, they almost immediately think of one of the most charismatic superstars ever. Whether acting as a cocky, devilish heel or a fun-loving, mischievous babyface, he was always bursting through our TV screens with an abundance of both presence and personality.

From his rise in WWE to his time now in All Elite Wrestling, the man born as Adam Copeland has left an indelible mark on the professional wrestling industry - whether in the ring, on the microphone, or acting in a gut-busting vignette. To think, at one point, he was almost saddled with the name "Sensual Sean". And that's not even the most egregious near-miss from the annals of WWE booking history for him.

Somehow, early on, some of the WWE powers that be weren't sure if he had the chops to become a full-fledged main-eventer. Originally, Edge was a quiet, unassuming kid from Toronto, which may have led the creative department to believe that he would never truly blossom. However, his versatility as a performer proved them wrong - especially the man who was considered "the brains" behind WWE's iconic Attitude Era.

Why Edge Was Almost Booked As A Deaf, Mute Superstar

A Notorious WWE Writer Felt It Was The Best Fit To Hide His Shortcomings

When Edge originally appeared with WWE, he was featured in a series of vignettes as a dark, brooding character. He never spoke, but he seemed to be a combination of a shadowy vigilante and a macabre rock star - a mix between Batman and Lou Reed. While he remained silent, he was accompanied by music and narration, which might well have been part of one of Vince Russo's most controversial booking pitches.

While Russo can be given credit for some of the greatest angles in the promotion's pantheon, he's also remembered for some of its most ridiculous ideas, as well. And one of those proposed concoctions was to turn Edge into a deaf-mute character. Edge spoke about the booking, and why Russo was determined to silence him, on Chris Jericho's podcast:

Russo wanted to write me as a deaf-mute, because he didn't think I could talk. It was his idea, so obviously he didn't think I liked his idea and thought I'd screw with this kid. (The idea would have made me) dead in the water.

While this may sound ridiculous to fans in 2025, it may have actually worked in the wild atmosphere of the era. But as Copeland himself expressed, the choice could well have killed his character off immediately with the WWE Universe. And looking back on the idea almost 30 years later, Edge's career has proven how disastrous it would have been.

Edge Has Gone On To Prove Vince Russo Wrong Time And Time Again

The Rated R Superstar Became One Of The Most Entertaining Characters Of All Time

In hindsight, it all seems ridiculous - especially when you consider how gifted the Canadian grappler eventually became when addressing the audience. He shined as a tag team performer alongside his storyline 'brother' (and real-life best friend) Christian, as the pair evolved from high-risk daredevils to the best comedy act since Abbott and Costello. Their 'five-second pose' even became a trademark of World Wrestling Entertainment in the early 2000s.

Edge would later gain superstardom (and a world title status) as The Rated R Superstar, performing pretty poignant and perverse segments. His real-life affair with Lita spilled onto the screen, and the pair performed a stunt on live television that was dubbed "wrestling's first live sex show". It was over-the-top and outlandish, but it only added to the evolution of Copeland's Edge persona.

Even today, as he performs for AEW, he's still a master on the microphone and holds the crowd's attention at the drop of a hand. His ability to convey his emotions effectively has made Edge - the character - still one of the most entertaining figures in the game today. But, if he was never given the ability to talk to the audience? We never would have seen that. So, looking back? It's a blessing that it was Russo's original idea that actually ended up being silenced.