Today’s very special substitute teacher ...
Matt Hardy, Version One, The Sensei of Mattitude.
If Edge isn’t going to be able to inform and teach today, then who better than V1, an actual Sensei? Edge and I have a lot of similar qualities and concepts:
Edge --- Matt
Reeks of awesomeness --- Reeks of Mattitude
Has the Edgeheads --- Has the MFer’s
Does the Edgeucation --- Does the Twist of Fate
A TLC Veteran --- A TLC Legend
Cheesy concepts with "Edge" in them --- Mattributes, Mathamattics, Mattitude
Leads the Edge Army --- Leads the SUMMIT (Society of Unified Mattitude and Mattitude In Training)
Now that everyone knows I’m qualified, let’s begin. I thought today I would lecture about history -- the history of Matt Hardy and Adam Copeland.
I remember reading the name Sexton Hardcastle in wrestling magazines and on the Internet, and I eventually heard this guy signed with WWE. Jeff and I were working occasionally for WWE at that time and figured we’d run into this provocatively named character. Ironically enough, we were offered full-time contracts on the same day I stepped into the ring with the edgy Mr. Hardcastle. Sexton and I wrestled in Richmond, Va., where I’m actually at right now typing this, in the first match of the night. We had a really good match, but the main thing WWE wanted to see from Sexton was his over-exaggerated running man dance. As silly and outrageous as Sexton was, he would debut in quite a different character. (And just to set the record straight, I was hired before Adam and I wrestled, so he can’t take credit for getting me my job.)
A few weeks later, Sexton debuted as the very stoic and brooding Edge, sitting on balconies and observing things from the crowd. Months later, Edge and I were embroiled in a feud that included our partners, and we started the resurgence of tag team wrestling. Matt and Jeff met Edge and Christian in the ring countless times, and we always managed to steal the show or come close. Eventually, we met in the first-ever Tag Team Ladder Match, and, needless to say, we made history and all cemented our spots in WWE.
It was afterwards, though, that we all shared a special moment. Edge is not a big drinker, neither is Christian, and Jeff and I had never drank before.
I remember telling Adam that if we pulled off everything in the match, we’d celebrate with a beer. Adam said during our post-match conversation, “Well, Matt, if there’s ever been a time to drink a first beer and celebrate, it’s now.” He was right. The timing of it couldn’t have been better. The four of us sat in a room alone and toasted four Bud Lights to stealing the show and carving our spot in history. Both Adam and I were on the top of the world that night. It was an unbelievable match with an unbelievable crowd that made us feel, well, unbelievable.
WrestleMania 2000 was another incredible night for both Adam and I. The Hardys, Dudleys, and Edge and Christian competed in the first-ever Triple Ladder Match and once again highlighted the show. We were a semi-main-event match and wrestled for almost 30 minutes on the biggest show of the year. After the event, Adam, Jeff, Amy (Lita) and I were leaving the Pond in Anaheim to return to our hotel. Adam was driving, and the way we needed to go was blocked off to traffic, but they had been letting all the wrestlers leave that way. As Adam pulled out and passed the orange traffic cones, an officer ran in front of our vehicle and told Adam to stop. Adam swerved to avoid hitting this guy, and continued to drive. The officer radioed other officers and police cars to stop us because we had “tried to run him over.” This delusional cop made all of us get out of the car and stand on the sidewalk. We warned him we had just wrestled, and with 25,000 thousand fans filing out of the building, it could turn into a mob scene. “I don’t care,” the cop said, “he (Edge) tried to run over me.” Of course, there was a near riot scene, and the cop ordered us to get back in the car, or he would arrest all of us. Adam got into a huge argument with this guy, and was on his way to jail until the officer’s superior was notified inside the Pond and let Adam go. Although Adam didn’t get thrown in the slammer, he was hit with a headache of a traffic ticket that haunted him for a while in California. We’d already drank our first beer together, and Adam and I almost spent our first night in jail together.
Another first for Edge and Matt was snow bank window jumping. It was during the blizzard of the millennium, and it was Adam that kicked everything off. Adam looked at Jeff and said, “If I do it, will you?” The next thing I knew, Edge had jumped out of the second-story window in our hotel into the snow bank.
I looked out the window, and all I saw was Adam’s outline in the snow. A couple of seconds later, he popped up out of the snow and screamed, “Yeah!” I didn’t know if it was because he was hurt or if his goods were cold because he was virtually naked. A few moments later, I followed the same procedure. It was a good time -- and I’m sure that the White Zinfandel we had been drinking had nothing to do with it. (Remember, it was Adam who made me drink my first alcoholic drink.)
A somewhat sad Edge and Matt story was the 2002 South African tour. These were the last shows Adam would be doing before his neck surgery, which would put him on the shelf for over a year. I promised Adam we would go out after one of the shows and have a great time -- for him to leave on a high note. I vowed to get him wasted and told him everything was on me that night. Just so everyone knows, it’s very rare Adam or I drink, much less a lot intentionally, so it wasn’t going to be hard to get wasted. We club hopped on the beach in Durban, and I didn’t fail to deliver when I promised to get Adam wasted (or me, for that matter). My fondest memory of that night was Adam and I leaning on each other, helping each other back to our hotel rooms. It was one of those bonding experiences that will always be remembered as important between two friends. (Caveman Edge and Caveman Hardy were in full effect this night, including no hair ties, only big hair down. And remember, I didn’t even drink four years ago until someone forced me to.)
We talk regularly, and the last couple of times Adam and I have hung out seemed just like the old days. Edge and I were together in Calgary and got to hang and reminisce about the past, and we talked about the future. We spent some time with the legendary Bret Hart that night while hanging in downtown Calgary. Bret seemed in good spirits, and it was cool to meet and speak with him. The Hitman was a favorite of both Adam and I because of his solid work and believability within the ring. We’ve both been following a similar path as Bret -- a tag team specialist transforming himself into a legitimate singles wrestler. The following week, we were as Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Adam was in the area and was going to make a special appearance on the show as the MC for the girls’ bikini contest. As Edge stated, “everyone’s favorite cult leader” -- that would be me, V1 -- set him up.
The girls had attempted to embarrass Funaki on a previous show by fondling and undressing him. I asked the girls if they could do the same to an unknowing Edge that night. The girls grinded on Adam and started undressing him enough to at least make him feel awkward. The sad thing is this, though: Even though he’s been injured, I think he was in better shape than me when his shirt came off. It was all in good fun.
As the clock keeps ticking, Adam gets closer to making his return to a WWE ring. I hope that when he returns, I’m still healthy and get the chance to perform in the ring with him again. Adam Copeland is a great WWE Superstar and an even better human being. Get well soon, mi amigo. Everyone in the SmackDown! locker room misses you being around. Be well, and until then, you have just been Edgeucated ...
Matt Hardy
I’m V-Onnneee-uuhhhh!
The Sensei of Mattitude