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WILL WWE SEE THE LIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO EDGE, OR WILL THE HISTORY OF SUPERSTAR GRAHAM REPEAT ITSELF AT THE ROYAL RUMBLE?

A funny thing happened on the way to Wrestlemania. WWE fans revolted against their champion John Cena and threw plans for an eventual showdown with the McMahon family's chosen son Triple H into disarray. In a last ditch effort to try and get their male demographic to rally behind a legitimately hard working babyface that was ultimately rejected by the majority of the audience, WWE creative pulled the trigger on Edge's Money in the Bank title shot.

At New Year's Revolution, with no warning, Edge came out and hit two spears on a bloody and beaten Cena, who was just seconds removed from a grueling victory in the Elimination Chamber match. Edge then captured his first WWE championship and in the process, turned an apathetic live crowd in Albany, New York into an energized audience that was shocked, surprised, and excited by the swerve. I was in attendance at the title change and the Pepsi Arena showered Edge with the type of reaction a homecoming hero would receive, except we were a long way from Adam Copeland's hometown of Toronto.

The plan was simple. Use Edge's heat to rub off on John Cena, put the belt back on Cena and continue down the yellow brick road to Wrestlemania, where the chosen son can regain his property. There was only one problem with that blueprint. The Albany fans were not alone in being energized. They weren't alone in being swerved. They weren't alone in being excited.

For the first time in a long time, WWE lucked into something that got over, and that was Edge's championship reign. It got over thanks to the fact that unlike every other WWE storyline, Edge's Money in the Bank storyline didn't hit climax in three weeks to be forgotten. He continued to grow as a heel and as a performer as time went on, adding Lita to his act, decimating his friendship with Matt Hardy, and reaping the rewards when WWE management decided to make an example out of Copeland's former friend. Add in some great in-ring work and inspired promos and you have yourself the first legitimate heel WWE champion since, well, the chosen son.

It wasn't just the reactions of the crowd. Raw's ratings have steadily increased since Edge captured the WWE championship, climaxing at a record setting 4.5, the highest the company has achieved since returning home to the USA Network.

No matter what scenario he has been put into since capturing the belt, Edge has delivered. Live sex celebration with the woman who helped cause the end of his marriage? Check. Feuding with not one but two babyfaces at the same time? Ditto. Getting John Cena actually – Gasp! – over with male fans? Accomplished. Making fans believe that 2006's Terry Funk - Ric Flair – has a shot at one last World title win? Done. Going against his own claims in his autobiography where he claimed he'd never do a TLC match again, by doing one, with no build, after previous performances led to a neck fusion surgery? Taken care of. Best promos of his career? You guessed it.

The jury is in. Edge has delivered as WWE champion and deserves a long run. Perhaps Wrestlemania, or possibly even beyond that Valhalla of paydays. Of course, that would ruin the plans that were set into motion long ago by the McMahon Gods themselves, that the chosen son must main event and challenge John Cena for the WWE title by the time WWE rolls into Chicago at Wrestlemania.

Which means that all signs point to Edge losing the WWE championship tomorrow night at the Royal Rumble. If that happens, WWE will have effectively taken the best main event asset they have developed in the last two years, and flushed it down the toilet. Edge would effectively become the 2006 version of Superstar Billy Graham.

When Graham was tapped to win the WWWF championship from Bruno Sammartino in 1977, he already knew the exact date and location of when he would drop it to Bob Backlund. During a secret meeting with Vince McMahon Sr. and Eddie Graham in Florida, Graham was told his job was to be a strong heel while Backlund was built up for his run. Despite that role, Graham got over with the WWWF audience, selling out and having a run with the title that no heel had ever been given the opportunity to have before.

The WWWF audience responded in kind, excited by something new. They wanted to see him, his promos were beyond awesome for the time (go get the new Graham DVD and judge for yourself), and he set the standard for men like Jesse Ventura and Hulk Hogan to Xerox and follow. In the end though, despite all the signs, the belt was taken from him, and put on Backlund, who, with all respect, was bland. The crowd often turned on him. He never got over like Bruno Sammartino or Pedro Morales. He also never got over like Superstar Graham.

Superstar Graham’s career never returned to that pinnacle.

In 2006, ironically during the very point that Graham’s story is being promoted and sold in DVD and autobiographical form, WWE is close to repeating history. Is Edge the lame duck champion Graham was, or will WWE realize that they are onto something and need to run with it?

Can the reactions of legitimately interested and excited WWE fans and the hard work of a good soldier having his career run outweigh the influence and plans of the chosen son?

Can Vince McMahon look to the past and realize the mistakes of his father, and take care not to repeat them?

Will the chosen son, who himself inducted Superstar Graham into the WWE Hall of Fame, see the dollar signs and long term growth if the title is left on Edge?

Will WWE fans get a chance to see a legitimately hot race for the title as John Cena and Ric Flair both jockey to get the belt first?

Will it just be time to Play the Game…..again….or will someone in WWE creative hit the reset button and try something new?

It’s going to be an interesting Royal Rumble tomorrow night, isn’t it?

Mike Johnson can be reached at Mike@PWInsider.com.

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