Adam Copeland, the former Edge, dares to take a high-risk move at AEW – and pays dearly: he is out for a long time and has to relinquish his title
In hindsight, Adam Copeland, the former Edge, spoke as age-wise as he probably should have approached the matter in the first place.
“My brain sometimes forgets what my body unfortunately doesn’t seem to forget: I’m 50 and I need to make better decisions,” the WWE Hall of Famer said in an online video after the momentous mishap occurred.
At the Double or Nothing pay-per-view, the “Rated-R Superstar” took a high-risk move in his cage match against Malakai Black and jumped from the edge of the steel structure onto his opponent from a height of several meters.
As is now clear, the former arch-rival of John Cena and the Undertaker paid dearly for the idea: Copeland’s landing failed and his shin broke under the weight of the impact. The former star fought to the end of the match and won with the help of his old companion Gangrel, but now AEW has declared his TNT title belt vacant on the TV show Dynamite – the WWE rival will have to do without one of its most prominent stars for a long time to come.
Adam Copeland: Comeback interrupted for the second time
Copeland had returned to the ring in early 2020, nine years after a serious and, in the worst case scenario, life-threatening neck injury forced him to end his career as reigning World Champion. Now his emotional comeback is interrupted for the second time by major injury drama – following his 2020 tricep tear against Randy Orton.
Adam Copeland wrapped up Malakai Black with the barbed wire on the table, climbed up and then DOVE OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE WITH AN ELBOW DROP.
Mind you, Cope is 50 years old.
This man has proven all his doubters wrong. Good lord.
pic.twitter.com/T7ce4zNSV0– Drainmaker ️ (@DrainBamager) May 27, 2024
In the fall of 2023, Copeland had moved to AEW after his WWE contract expired, the long-term plan there seems to be a reunion with his former partner Christian Cage with big matches against today’s top tag teams like the Young Bucks and FTR.
Now fans will have to wait a while longer for that: Copeland declared that he does not yet have a rehab schedule. Typically, the downtime after a shin fracture is at least three months – so it will be extremely tight in terms of the annual highlight All In on August 25th at London’s Wembley Stadium.
,AEW Dynamite: Young Bucks release TNT Title
In Copeland’s absence, AEW began knitting a new storyline around the TNT Title on Wednesday in Inglewood near Los Angeles: The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) declared the belt vacant with their authority as EVPs (Executive Vice Presidents) of the league and wanted to flip it to their ally Jack Perry – who, as an ex-pupil of Cage’s, also has a connection to Copeland’s cosmos.
The Jackson brothers justified the move with the main event of Double or Nothing, where their group The Elite won the Anarchy in the Arena match against Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin and FTR, with Luke Perry’s son earning the pinfall against Danielson at the end.
However, the Bucks’ plan was then thwarted by an unexpected appearance: their old rival Christopher Daniels entered and announced that league boss Tony Khan had appointed him interim EVP in place of Kenny Omega – who the Bucks had last eliminated with a brutal attack on his badly injured stomach area.
Daniels explained that he was also speaking for Khan in his role and said that Perry would not get the title just like that: Instead, there would be a ladder match with multiple participants at the next big event, Forbidden Door, on June 30.
Forbidden Door: Will Ospreay goes for the World Title
In the main event of Dynamite, the next challenger for World Champion Swerve Strickland was crowned: Will Ospreay won a Casino Battle Royale and gets his first chance to rise to the top of AEW.
The opponent of star newcomer Mercedes Moné, the former Sasha Banks, is also clearly emerging: Moné defended her freshly won TBS Title at Dynamite against Skye Blue, then was targeted by top international wrestler Stephanie Vaquer.
The Chilean Vaquer is a big star in Mexico and has already been in the ring with Moné at an American show of the Japanese league NJPW, which Forbidden Door organizes together with its partner league AEW.
The show will take place in Newark, the home of former champion MJF, who has just returned from a lengthy injury layoff. AEW’s top star was not in attendance at Dynamite. His TV comeback has been announced for next week
