AEW star and WWE Hall of Famer Adam Copeland recently revealed how many years he thinks he has left in wrestling and where he wants his last match to take place. In October of last year, Copeland made his big debut in AEW. He came to AEW to spend the final years of his career with his best friend Christian Cage. However, Cage has been less than receptive to having Copeland in AEW.
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During a recent interview on Notsam Wrestling, the subject of Adam Copeland’s retirement came up, along with what he thought he should do next when his WWE contract expired. Adam Copeland revealed he doesn’t plan on wrestling for more than a few more years. He stated the following:
“If I can do this for a limited time, ’cause it is all limited even though it’s been four years back now [returned from forced retirement in 2020]. It’s not like I got another four or five in front of me; I know I don’t … We’re looking at a two-year window to get as much done as I can get done, to tell as many stories as I can. Try and help talent along the way with that. I need to be there more to do that.
“…At most, it’s [AEW] two times a week. And that’s very doable to still be the dad I need to be, to be the partner I need to be. I still have the time and energy to do that because it’s not as all-consuming as it was, I don’t let it be as all-consuming as it used to be either. By the schedule it just becomes less all consuming.”
H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription
LOOKING BACK AT ADAM COPELAND’S WWE CAREER AS EDGE
Adam Copeland wrestled in the WWE from 1998 to 2011 as Edge. In 2011 he was forced to retire from in-ring action. He announced to the WWE Universe that he was suffering from cervical spinal stenosis or a narrowing of the spinal canal. It had gotten to a point where if he had taken a hard enough hit to his neck it could paralyze him.
Adam Copeland would appear occasionally in WWE. He had short segments during Monday Night RAW and at premium live events along with his former tag team partner, Christian Cage (formerly just Christian in WWE). As time went on, fans wondered if he would ever be able to return to the ring for one last match. He was pretty quick to shoot down rumors or even the possibility that he could ever return to the ring.
This is how Copeland’s career went until 2020 when he made a surprise return to WWE in the Royal Rumble match. During his return to WWE was very active and won the Royal Rumble, challenged Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania, and later founded the stable The Judgement Day, among other things.
In September 2023 Copeland’s WWE contract expired and he weighed his options. Adam Copeland chose AEW and he explained why he felt AEW was his best option. He continued on his choice to sign with AEW:
“I just wanted to do as much as I could while I could, and that [AEW] felt like the place I was going to be able, going to be allowed to do that. I was like, that’s where I gotta go and Lyric, she just said ‘you’re gonna have more fun with him [Christian Cage].’”
EDGE AND CHRISTIAN PAIRED UP AGAIN IN AEW IN A HEATED FEUD
Since joining AEW Copeland has been engaged in a heated feud with his best friend, Christian Cage. Cage was not too happy to see Copeland join AEW. They were not best friends in it together again like Copeland had thought and hoped. Copeland challenged Cage for the TNT Championship and was unsuccessful.
Eventually, their feud led to a rematch for the TNT Championship at AEW Worlds End this past Saturday. Copeland was able to win the championship, but then immediately lost it to Cage. Copeland was asked how he sees his retirement happening and if he wants it to be triumphant or heartbreaking. He revealed that the place is the most important part to him. He told Sam Roberts:
“I don’t think it needs to be triumphant. I already had that. I don’t know if it’s Christian [his final opponent] anymore … In a perfect world, again, to me, the place is important. I would love to do it in Maple Leaf Gardens. That I would love to do. Even if it means I’ve got to start an indie for a day, and I’ve got to book Maple Leaf Gardens, I’ve got to book it, I’ve got to get a production team, and the talent. To be able to do it in the place that I first saw wrestling live, to be back in that place [would be great].”
H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription
Copeland is fresh off his feud with Cage and it feels like it is over, it feels complete. It is a new year and the roster is open for new feuds. AEW is full of wrestlers he has never wrestled and a few he has many times. His next feud should be interesting.
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Do you feel like Adam Copeland truly has only a few years left? Or does he have much more or much less? What did you think of his feud with Cage in AEW? Was it the best or worst feud of their careers? Who do you think should be Copeland’s last opponent? Let us know on social media who you would like to see Copeland feud with next in AEW.
SOURCE: Wrestling Inc., Notsam Wrestling, Wrestling Inc.
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