#1 – Edge
This is the rivalry that turned a tag team legend into a main event singles player, kicked off a streak of world title runs, launched years of great entertainment on Smackdown, created the "Rated-R Superstar" persona, pushed the envelope well past its PG rating on a weekly basis, and ultimately had a huge hand in Edge becoming a legitimate Hall of Famer.
During a time where much of the product was turning kid-friendly, teenagers (like myself at the time) were flocking to the Edge-Cena program. These two busted each other open on a frequent basis, Cena threw Edge off a peer, championships were renovated, there were "live sex" celebrations that drew record ratings, and Monday Night Raw was must-see television in an era that was more "miss" than "hit". Their rivalry truly had something for everyone. Girls loved John Cena, guys wanted to be Edge and lusted after Lita, little kids wanted their hero to overcome the biggest baddie they'd ever seen, and the adults got to enjoy great wrestling and great story-telling that was more or less appropriate for their demographic. They took things to a level we really haven't seen since the Attitude Era, and weren't likely to see again. Hell, some of their segments are the reason the entire landscape of the WWE has changed over the past decade.
For all the great matches and Chicago moments that Cena and Punk had, and for all the comparisons between Cena and Orton, the rivalry between Cena and Edge was just more personal. John was still in the midst of becoming "the guy" that would carry the company on his shoulders, and Edge was transitioning into a brand new character that would cement his place in the record books. They were in every way different – from size, to style, to character – but seemed to be made for one another. Cena left that feud and went on to rule Monday Night Raw, while Edge departed to rule Smackdown, the two kings of pro wrestling until the brand split came crashing down. It is a testament to how good these two truly were, that in the 8 years since their program began, only two legends – Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels – have come close to producing a rivalry as heated, as personal, as violent, and as intriguing as the one between John Cena and the "Rated-R Superstar" Edge.
