3 reasons why Edge should have advanced to the finals of the World Heavyweight Title Tournament

The stage is set for Night of Champions 2023. Seth Rollins will collide with AJ Styles in the final of the World Heavyweight Title tournament to determine the inaugural champion.

On the May 8 edition of RAW, Seth Rollins pulled off double duty - first outlasting Shinsuke Nakamura and Damian Priest in a Triple Threat and then defeating Finn Balor in the semi-final. Four days later, AJ Styles put on a "phenomenal" performance when he defeated two Hall of Famers, Edge and Rey Mysterio, en route to beating Bobby Lashley to book his ticket to Night of Champions.

However, as tremendous as Styles is, he may not have been SmackDown's ideal choice to compete for the inaugural World Heavyweight Title. The Rated-R Superstar, Edge, who exited the tournament too soon, was the perfect candidate to fill the role.

#3 AJ Styles may not be in a position to lose such a big-time encounter

Can AJ Styles afford a massive loss so soon after his return?

As of now, a smart man would put his money on Seth "Freakin" Rollins. With all due respect to The Phenomenal One, The Visionary is the favorite to win the World Heavyweight Title at Night of Champions.

He has been billed as the "Number Two" of the men's division for years, and considering how red-hot he is, Rollins may be Triple H's pick to win the new World Title in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, Styles will have to lose his first significant championship match upon his return.

The Phenomenal One just returned from a five-month layoff, meaning he missed the most crucial wrestling season. Therefore, he needs to regain momentum and build steam. He needs the championship more than Rollins but is less likely to accomplish the feat.

Enter Edge. A Hall of Famer and a certified all-time great, he has nothing left to prove. Furthermore, The Canadian legend just came off a massive victory over Finn Balor at WrestleMania 39. Thus, the eleven-time world champion is in a stronger position than Styles. Hence, a loss to Rollins wouldn't have hurt him that much.

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#2 Edge needs one final World Heavyweight Title to complete his story

Before SmackDown, WWE posted a series of clips of an emotionally charged Edge making his stake for the World Heavyweight Title and expressing the necessity of wearing it around his waist.

Twelve years ago, The Rated-R Superstar was forced to relinquish the world title due to a career-threatening spine injury. He never lost the gold, which seemingly agitates him to this day. Edge received another chance at glory when he returned from retirement but hasn't won back the belt.

Advancing to the finals and winning the tournament would have allowed his story to come full circle. Retiring as the World Heavyweight Champion would have been fitting for a superstar of his caliber.

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#1 Edge could have become WWE's version of Chris Jericho with the AEW World Championship

Chris Jericho has also held the World Heavyweight Title in the past

The inaugural AEW World Champion was Chris Jericho, an established veteran at the tail-end of his career with nothing left to prove. Jericho in 2019 wasn't much different from Edge today.

At the time, putting the AEW World Championship on Jericho was controversial, especially considering the wealth of young talent on the roster. However, it was a wise booking decision. Y2J's run paved the way for creating new top stars and familiarizing casual fans with the AEW brand.

WWE could have run something similar with Edge. While the Stamford-based promotion is far from new, it has recently undergone significant changes, including introducing the new World Heavyweight Title. In a fancy bid to attract casual viewers to the product, putting the title on a familiar face like the Hall of Famer would have been best for business.

The Rated-R Superstar could have dropped the championship to an upcoming superstar and passed the torch, creating a new top star following his brief reign.

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