Jonathan Coachman believes one decision involving a rental car may have helped put Edge and Lita on the road together during one of WWE’s messiest real-life situations. During a discussion on The Coach and Bro Show, Coachman admitted that he carried some guilt after stepping away from traveling with Edge before the relationship with Lita began.
The subject came up while Coachman and Vince Russo discussed WWE using real relationships as television material. Coachman pointed to the Matt Hardy, Lita and Edge situation as one of the clearest examples of WWE taking a real backstage controversy and turning it into a major wrestling program.
“This is what Vince McMahon believed in. He believed in the most realistic thing going on with his entire talent pool. There are a few stories out there that everybody knows Vince turned into wrestling storylines, and they were some of the best you ever had.”
Coachman was working for WWE when the situation exploded. He recalled McMahon being furious about what was happening before WWE eventually put Hardy, Lita and Edge together on television.
“Who can forget the Matt Hardy situation? I was there that day. Vince was irate that it was even happening. So, what did they do? They wrote a storyline with Matt, Lita and Edge, and that became a thing.”
After someone in the live chat challenged Coachman’s version of events, he made it clear that he was personally present when WWE was dealing with the fallout.
“I was there. I was there the day of it. We walked in the back, and Talent Relations sent people that way because they didn’t want people going that way. I walked in during the middle of this.”
Coachman then revealed why he had carried guilt over the situation. He had been Edge’s regular travel partner before Edge suffered an injury and was forced to remain home.
“I walked around with some guilt for that, if I’m being completely transparent. Would you like to know why?”
While Edge was away, Coachman began traveling with Hurricane and Christian. The new arrangement worked, so Coachman decided to stay with them even after Edge returned.
“I traveled with Edge. It was me and him, and then he got hurt, so he had to stay at home. I jumped in with Hurricane and Christian. We got along, and when you find a car that you get along in, you stay in that car.”
Edge eventually asked Coachman if he wanted to resume traveling together. Coachman turned him down because he was happy with his new group. According to Coachman, Lita then took the open spot alongside Edge.
“When he came back, he was like, ‘Hey, do you want to ride together again?’ I was like, ‘Man, I’m with the boys over here. I’m good.’ Then she jumped in with him, and that’s how it happened.”
Russo was stunned by Coachman’s admission and said he remembered Bruce Prichard discussing the situation before WWE turned it into television. Russo argued that Hardy, Lita and Edge ultimately had to decide whether they could set their personal feelings aside and make money together.
“What is business all about? Business is all about making money. Now he’s sitting down with three professionals who want to make money. If we can put our personal feelings aside, let’s go out there and make some money. Either you do or you don’t.”
Coachman did not claim that his travel decision caused the entire situation, but he believes it helped create the opening that placed Edge and Lita together on the road. Years later, he still remembers wondering what might have happened if he had agreed to travel with Edge again.
What do you make of Jonathan Coachman’s story about Edge and Lita—was his travel decision a major turning point, or would everything have happened anyway? Let us know what you think and leave your feedback in the comments.
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