There is nothing better in professional wrestling than a great heel stable. The WWE has had plenty of them down the years – personal favorites here include the Nation of Domination, Evolution, and (for a too-brief period) The Nexus -but it is a model the company has moved away from over the years.
It feels like heel stables are back. The Bloodline is dominating programming – as it should because it remains one of the hottest things in all of wrestling – but the Judgement Day Stable being formed by Edge is really catching my attention. I am an Edge mark from back in the days of The Brood (still the best entrance/theme music in wrestling history, fight me) and this feels like almost a modern-day version of that.
In Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley, Edge has a couple of newer members of the roster already in the group with him to help turn them into massive stars. The Judgement Day group has an obvious gothic look and vibe, and all reports are that at least one more wrestler will join the fold. While it is sad that Tommy End/Aleister Black/Malakai Black is no longer on the roster, there are a few names that would be fun additions to push this stable to the next level.
Here are a few of them:
Finn Balor
The former Prince Devitt is the name most often noted by spoiler pages as the next member of Judgement Day. Edge has already offered a spot to Balor as part of the ongoing feud of which AJ Styles is also a part. The theory is that Balor will turn on Styles in yet another WWE Bullet Club reunion gone wrong and bring his Demon persona into Edge’s fold.
I have always preferred Balor as a heel than as a face. There is something about his look that isn’t quite white meat enough, something sinister in the eyes. He was Bullet Club. It was his ability to twist into an evil alter ego close enough to the happy version of Prince Dewitt, but just far enough removed to be easy to hate. A similar transformation here would be awesome.
Tommaso Ciampa
This one I really like. Ciampa deserves a shot on the main roster in a legit role and this would be a gimmick he would be great at. TheSicilian Psycho doesn’t exactly have a goth twinge to his character, but he would be outstanding as an unhinged fighter that Edge could set on opponents to soften them up during fueds.
Ciampa is an outstanding worker. He has also been loyal to the company when talents of his ilk have up and left for much more prominent roles on AEW. A push is deserved and what better way that in a heel stable that can really lean into his look and personality.
Paige
It is hard to see this one happening as Paige was forced to retire from the ring with a neck injury. It would be interesting, however, given that Edge himself made a miraculous comeback from a similar injury that was supposed to be the end of his career.
Paige would be a great fit in terms of look and perfoanlity. The only issue is that Pagie feels more like a group leader than an underling. It would also be very un-WWE to have a stable like this with as many female members as male and you would worry that Paige and Ripley would unintentionally take some of the shine off of one another.
Always remember folks. Pro Wrestling is Real.