WWE competitor AEW has its most spectacular signing in years in the bag: Adam Copeland, the former Edge, makes an acclaimed debut at the Pay Per View WrestleDream. Afterwards, he reveals his motivations.
A Pay Per View on Day 1 after his WWE contract expired, the pre-announced news that old partner Christian Cage would be in the main event: The clues had been mounting in advance – now the sensation is complete!
Adam Copeland, formerly Edge, from WWE to AEW!
Adam Copeland, formerly of Edge, has turned over a new leaf nearly four years after making his ring comeback for WWE, moving to AEW. The 50-year-old but top-fit former rival of John Cena, the Undertaker and Roman Reigns made his unannounced debut at the WrestleDream event in Seattle.
League boss Tony Khan then officially announced afterwards that Copeland is “All Elite” – the most spectacular signing since the triple-coup of Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson and the recently disgraced CM Punk in September AEW is perfect.
Meanwhile, at the post-event press conference and in a social media post, the “Rated-R Superstar” revealed his motivations and other details.
The Rated R Superstar Adam Copeland has arrived in AEW!
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https://t.co/sT1hBzcprU@EdgeRatedR pic.twitter.com/V53End15hM– All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 2, 2023
“WWE and I have grown apart “
“Sometimes relationships grow apart and WWE and I grew apart,” Copeland wrote: “I wanted to do more and they didn’t have much left for me to do. Very simple and totally okay. “
AEW, he said, was a new and exciting challenge: “New roster with a few familiar faces I was excited to work with again and lots of possible new match constellations. Anyone who has followed my career knows that new challenges have always been my drive.”
However, as the Wrestling Observer reported weeks ago, WWE and Copeland’s failure to agree financially on an extension also played a role. Copeland was reportedly earning three million dollars a year with WWE – but it seems logical that WWE’s interest in keeping Copeland at that salary has waned now that his comeback story seems “played out”. At AEW, on the other hand, the need for a wet reinforcement is higher and will have translated into numbers.
Former Edge meets good friends
Copeland stressed that he continues to “love” WWE, where he has been active since the late nineties, and is forever grateful to the promotion, but that he doesn’t subscribe to “this weird mentality of one league or the other”, either as a wrestler or as a fan, which he still is. “It’s great that there are two well-run leagues that showcase wrestling nationally and globally. If you’re really a wrestling fan and not a fan of a combination of letters, that should make you happy too.”
Reuniting with old partner and good friend Cage – who has also just renewed with AEW – is said to be a not insignificant motivation behind the move. The two will be a permanently active part of the same league for the first time since 2011. At AEW, Copeland will also meet tag team champions FTR, personally good friends with him and wife Beth (Phoenix).
A notable announcement, Copeland stressed that unlike WWE, he signed a “full-time contract” with AEW, planning to be at the shows “every week. “
Copeland surprises ex-partner Christian Cage
Copeland hit out at Seattle after the main event where Cage defended his freshly won TNT Title against league veteran Darby Allin – with the help of 18-year-old super talent Nick Wayne, who turned on his mentor Allin in their shared home.
The shock scenes – AEW also blended in Wayne’s terrified mother, widow of the late wrestler Buddy Wayne – culminated in the new alliance of Cage, Wayne and the masked luchasaurus beating up Allin and the iconic Sting coming to the rescue.
When Cage tried to give Sting the “conchairto” made famous together with Edge – a double chair punch to the head – AEW initiated the dramatic twist: The newly-recorded trademark phrase “You think you know him” rang out and Copeland marched in to his legendary WWE theme “Metalingus” by Alter Bridge. Copeland also continued to be called “Rated-R Superstar”, WWE having let the legal rights to the moniker expire a few years ago.
Copeland gave Luchasaurus and Wayne his Spear finisher, Cage took flight, Copeland then shook hands with Allin and Sting in the ring. With the scenes cheered, the show came to an end,
The celebrity newcomer’s first television appearance has been announced for the TV show Dynamite. It is Dynamite’s birthday show four years after it first aired, with Copeland’s ring debut against Luchasaurus scheduled for the following week.
Tony Khan talks of “new era “
Khan spoke of the beginning of a “new era”. He now has a new drawing card with big-time appeal alongside Danielson, Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho to bring more attention back to his product and his younger stars like Allin, Wayne, Cage’s currently suspended sophomore Jack Perry, Cole, Hangman Page and World Champion MJF.
Copeland – retired between 2011 and 2020 due to a serious, initially life-threatening neck injury – looks back on a total of eleven reigns as WWE and World Champion, in the past three years proving he is still fit, excellent in the ring and hungry.
Now he’s looking to prove himself all over again at AEW.
AEW WrestleDream – more results, news and highlights:
Current AEW World Champ MJF was in the opening match at WrestleDream, defending the tag team titles from sister league ROH alone against The Righteous duo in a comedy-heavy match. MJF holds the belts along with Adam Cole, who is out for an extended period of time due to a broken ankle – a break in the “Brochachos” storyline together, which has been AEW’s most successful programme of late.
MAX HIT THE KANGAROO KICK!
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https://t.co/sT1hBzcprU@The_MJF @DEATHxWALKS @NoNamexVincent pic. twitter.com/UotwQECgs5– All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 2, 2023
Victories also came for two other local heroes from Seattle and the surrounding area: Swerve Strickland – part of WWE’s Hit Row grouping until his release last year – celebrated his biggest triumph to date at AEW with a dirty win over former World Champion Hangman Page.
Swerve just hit the STOMP while Hangman was getting medical attention!
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https://t.co/sT1hBzcprU@Swerveconfident HangmanAdamPage pic.twitter.com/k07uC6hIVO– All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 2, 2023
Bryan Danielson, meanwhile, won the Duel of the Noble Technicians against Brit Zack Sabre Jr. dispatched by Japanese affiliate league NJPW – following triumph over Kazuchika Okada earlier in the summer, the next success for the “American Dragon” in a “Dream Match” he has longed for for years. WrestleDream – dedicated to Japan icon Antonio Inoki, who passed away a year ago – again featured several stars from his former league.
Both are scrambling for the advantage in this Dream Match!
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https://t.co/sT1hBzcprU@bryandanielson @zacksabrejr pic.twitter.com/0fTE2KrnGW– All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 2, 2023
The “Family” of arch-villain Don Callis also continued their triumphant march: Konosuke Takeshita, Will Ospreay and the freshly switched to Callis’ side Sammy Guevara – so far “best buddy” of rival Chris Jericho defeated Jericho, Kenny Omega and the latter’s long-time companion Kota Ibushi in a turbulent Six Man Tag Team Match.
In the show’s co-main event, Copeland’s buddies FTR defended their tag team titles against the up-and-coming Aussie Open duo, with whom they previously had a top match at NJPW. Now it looks like there will be a renewed rivalry with the Young Bucks, who earned another title match earlier in the show against the Gunns, the Lucha Bros, and Hook and Orange Cassidy.
