WWE WrestleMania 37: 5 perfect opponents for Edge after winning the Royal Rumble

After 58 minutes and 30 seconds of classic chaos, Edge threw Randy Orton over the top rope to win the 2021 Men’s Royal Rumble and punch his ticket to WrestleMania. While there arguably could’ve been younger choices, Edge is one of the most capable legends WWE has ever had and spent the majority of the bout making moments for young stars.

When Edge made his miraculous and shocking return during the 2020 Men’s Royal Rumble, fans were immediately buzzing about his return and the potential matches that seemed on the horizon. Unfortunately, all we got was a series of rematches with longtime rival and fellow veteran Randy Orton.

When their second match resulted in another injury, it looked like Edge’s triumphant return was over before it could really get started. The stage now appears to be set for many great possibilities, but one question remains.

Who is the perfect opponent for Edge at WWE WrestleMania 37?

While there are plenty of choices when it comes to dream matches for Edge in the future, the question of who he faces at WrestleMania is more constrained by who could actually be WWE or Universal Champion when that event happens. WrestleMania is still two and a half months away, and it’s entirely possible those titles could change hands between now and then. First, let’s look at the obvious choices.

1. Drew McIntyre

Being the most likely choice doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a bad one, and Edge having primarily been a competitor on WWE Raw since returning last year makes targeting that brand’s top champion very probable. Believe it or not, Edge actually defeated Drew McIntyre two times on SmackDown in March of 2011, just a month before his career came to an end due to a neck injury.

Of course, that was a very different and much younger Drew McIntyre. It was also a version of Edge at the top of his career, and now he’s trying to climb back up the mountain to prove himself while elevating the modern generation. This would be a spectacular rivalry, and a great match to main event one night of WrestleMania.

2. Roman Reigns

You also have to consider the other top dog in WWE, as Roman Reigns retained his Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble. Since returning at SummerSlam 2020, Roman Reigns has been delivering the best work of his career on a weekly basis and putting on classics every time he steps in the ring.

While he’s become a staple of the company, Reigns was just another name in FCW when Edge had to retire. The only time they’ve even been in the same match was last year’s Royal Rumble, so it would be fantastic to see Edge trying to prove himself as the increasingly dangerous Reigns tries to put down “The Rated R Superstar” for good.

3. Kevin Owens

There’s only one name that comes to mind as someone likely to become champion in the next few months, and that’s the man who narrowly failed to defeat Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble. Kevin Owens was once again robbed, which makes a rematch likely, and Owens could very well secure his second Universal Championship in the next few months.

That would set the stage for Owens and Edge at WrestleMania in what could easily be a match for the ages. At 36-years-old, Owens is in the prime of his career and is becoming one of the great Canadians of the modern era. It would only be right to see him share the spotlight at WrestleMania with one of the greatest Canadians to ever lace up a pair of wrestling boots.

4. Finn Balor

There’s always the NXT factor to consider, as Charlotte Flair proved last year when she won the Royal Rumble and challenged then-NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley. It would be truly shocking to see a veteran like Edge decide to head to NXT, but it would prove the importance of the brand in an instant while setting up a truly anticipated dream match.

Finn Balor is arguably one of the best performers in all of WWE, and seeing him test that mettle against an absolute legend like Edge at WrestleMania would be amazing. Just imagine the image of the NXT Championship headlining WrestleMania 37 with Balor defending against 11-time World Champion Edge.

5. Shinsuke Nakamura

I’ll be honest in saying this is the least likely of these choices, but I’m allowed to dream, right? Shinsuke Nakamura just recently branched back out on his own, even getting his old lyric-free theme music to complete the transition. He should’ve won the WWE Championship after winning the 2018 Men’s Royal Rumble, but it’s never too late to correct those mistakes.

Nakamura is a legend in his own right, and it could be possible to see him secure a shocking victory at WWE Fastlane or even inside the Elimination Chamber if that event takes place next month. Nakamura and Edge are two of the greatest performers this industry has ever seen, and it feels downright criminal not to make this dream match a reality now that it’s a possibility.