WWE Hall of Famer Edge recently appeared on Corey Graves’ After The Bell podcast for an interview covering all things pro wrestling. During the discussion, Edge talked about the evolution of the Judgment Day faction in WWE:
“It’s been a year now when we kind of first conceptualized the idea of the Judgment Day — it was over a year ago now. And it really started at WrestleMania, and the night that Priest and I kind of first joined together and that became the initial nucleus of what this thing was. But then it’s turned into something entirely different and better, honestly. It — where it’s at now was the goal that I had in mind. I really thought the concept of the Judgment Day, the idea behind it was, here’s these really talented individuals, who I truly felt weren’t getting the opportunity that they deserved. And if they got that opportunity that they could fly with it, they could run with it. Whatever analogy you want to use. And I’d been watching them all since NXT. And kind of kept tabs on them, and kept my eye on them, all these years. So when I was asked about starting a group, and was asked who would be in it, the first names I said were Priest, Ripley, Balor.”
“Thankfully, they were given the reins to take this in a different direction, an entirely different direction than it would’ve with Edge at the helm. Again, because with Edge at the helm, it’s swimming upstream because we’re trying to get an audience to turn on a character. But they know the backstory to this character. They know the real- life story behind this character, they know Adam’s story. So it’s like, ‘Well, we don’t really wanna hate this guy, because he fought back for something that he wanted to get back. And he’s also doing something that nobody’s ever done before. He’s wrestling with a triple fusion in his neck.’ Like, no one has ever done that. So it can be hard to hate that.”
“And I was trying. [laughs] I was trying every little old school heel trick in the book, I was trying. Like, calling them Cheeto-eating [bastards] and whatever else, but it just wasn’t gonna work. It might have eventually with more time, but it would have taken a lot more work. Whereas Balor, not being as firmly established — even though he’s established, not 25 years of equity within the company. Because this June is the 25 year anniversary of my TV debut. So you got to figure like, people have grown up watching me. Now they’re bringing their kids and they’re saying to their kids, ‘Hey, check this guy out. He was there when I was a kid.’ So that’s where I’m at now. So you have to look at it. And kind of work with what you got. And thankfully, all four of them with the addition of Dom have taken this thing in completely different directions. I think they’re being more of themselves. And when you can be more yourself, then chances are it’s going to work. Because you’re going to inject the actual person behind the character with some reality, with some truths, with some actual interests, with the way you would actually speak. And that to me is absolutely key.”
“That was absolutely the template. When I was first approached with the idea of starting a group, the initial pitch was, ‘I want a New Brood. Who would that be?’ And I said, ‘Well, Priest and Ripley.’ To me that just — visually, but also from a talent perspective, that makes sense. And those three, that’s a visual that I can, okay, now I start picturing the entrances. And let’s get a spotlight and I got a song. It’s called ‘The Other Side,’ and it’ll fit the story. So start putting all those pieces together. And the addition of Dom to this thing? Just, such a stroke of genius, honestly. Because, you know… from it, Dom has been able to grow into such a major part of making this thing work.”
“And if you would told any of us at WrestleMania of last year, ‘Oh yeah, by the way they’re all going to turn on you. Finn Balor is going to cause it to happen. Then Dom is going to join and become possibly the most despised character on the roster… let’s face it, Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley can all go. All animals in the ring, all have a great look, talented, can do it all. Not saying Dom can’t, but in a lot of people’s eyes, they go, ‘Well, Dom’s there because of Rey,’ right? So, there’s always that floating above him too. But, this turns it on its head and it’s like, ‘Well actually, Dom’s gonna be fine on his own. And you’re gonna hate it, because of all of those layers going into it.’ That’s been one of the happiest surprises out of the whole thing, is to see where that is gone and what it adds to the show too. It adds to the group, but it also adds to the totality of the show. And I’m strangely so proud that The Judgment Day has become such an important cog in the machine of Raw. And SmackDown for that matter.”
You can check out the complete episode below:
(h/t to 411Mania.com for the transcription)
