Adam Copeland is back in the squared circle for All elite fights. The Rated-R Superstar returned to the company this past weekend in End of the AEW worldteaming up with longtime friends Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler to take the fight to AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and his Death Riders. This was the first time Copeland had been physically involved in a wrestling ring since May, when he broke his tibia after a dive from the top of a steel cage into AEW double or nothing.
Copeland's return to AEW comes days before the Tony Khan-led promotion enters its streaming era, as all TBS broadcasts AEW Dynamite and TNT AEW Collision are scheduled to be simulcast on their respective network channels, as well as on Warner Bros.' streaming service. Discovery, Max. He is set to headline the first simulcast episode of AEW Dynamite alongside Harwood and Wheeler in a trios competition against the Death Riders.
Ahead of AEW Dynamitefirst episode of Max on January 1st, TelaRant caught up with Copeland to discuss how his recent return was kept under wraps, why he's targeting Moxley for his comeback feud, what his wrestling schedule will look like in 2025, and what it was like returning to the set for Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2.
Adam Copeland's AEW return is all about gold
"It's time to move on and not apologize for this..."
ScreenRant: Congratulations on your return. To begin with, I want to know how you kept this a secret?
Adam Copeland: We kept it as secret as we could, but there was also the aspect of, 'Well, we want to be able to announce that I'm going to be in Asheville for AEW Dynamite: Fight for the Fallen.' It's our first show broadcast on Max. It's a big deal. We wanted to get something out there, so the FTR promo says we won't come alone. I thought that would at least get people out of the way of, 'Well, he won't be at the End of the World then.' Whenever you can get surprised these days in the wrestling world just by the social media aspect and people see you in an airport or something, that kind of thing, it was nice to be able to do it again because I really enjoyed doing it. . I look at it as a wrestling fan. When I was a wrestling fan, if I was surprised, I loved it. I loved the feeling of being surprised and jumping in and having the unexpected. I think one thing the wrestling business can always offer is surprises.
Very. And you're coming out with guns blazing. You have your eye on the biggest dog in AEW right now, which is Jon Moxley. Dog, an appropriate word to use, former member of the Hounds of Justice, The Shield. You fought Roman, you fought Seth in WWE. What is your relationship like with Moxley? Do you know his work?
Adam Copeland: I mean, I've been a fan of his work since the first time I saw it, honestly. Some people just have intangibles and he has them. Sometimes it's just that someone has that thing and they have it. I love his style and I love the way he fights. So for me it was obvious that at some point we would have to try to get to this kind of landmark match that had never happened before. It's the first time. With his story, with my story, it felt like something that we had to move on from and for me to come back, it felt like the right time to push that button and say, 'Okay, let's go and let's go for the heavyweight championship' and let's go. having some of these things that I didn't focus on first. It was really just getting out there, showing what I am in this incarnation and then going from there. But it looks like now is the time to step on the gas.
I also find the story very fascinating because all Moxley has done now is challenge the AEW originals to move forward. This is like the antithesis of who you are. You made a name for yourself at another company, but more than that, you were a guy who never had any problems climbing the career ladder. You were a member of the SmackDown Six, you ran wild with the World Heavyweight Championship and everything, and then you came into AEW with guns blazing. When you're challenging Moxley in this story that's so focused on the originals and the guys who need to step up, how do you take that into consideration? Why are you the right guy for the job?
Adam Copeland: Well, I think the idea is that it's not for AEW. This is purely from the point of view of a guy who sees another guy making choices that maybe he's made in the past and realizes they're not the right choices. The head is heavy. He complains and complains about being champion. Give it to me. I've done this 11 times, I'll do it again. The mindset is with the resume, with all the history and everything, it's time to move on and not apologize for it. Yes. Do you want the AEW Championship? For sure. Who wouldn't? And of course my character has always been obsessed with gold, always. This is nothing new. That's what the story is about. This is not about defending a company. It gets old. You can only do this for so long. We love the company. I understand. It's not about that. It's about, 'Okay, do you think you're the boss? I know I am. So let's go.
John Cena was impressed by Adam Copeland's in-ring resurgence
"We had spoken briefly when he came back. 'How are you doing this?'"
A guy you've beaten a lot in championships throughout your career is John Cena. I believe your first world title was defeating Cena when you cashed in Money in the Bank. Cena will be going on a retirement tour starting very, very soon. He is one of his most famous rivals in his career. Did you talk to John about what it's like to switch off and do this farewell tour?
Adam Copeland: No, but we talked briefly when he came back, and I was in WWE, and he said, 'How are you doing this, man? You're having half-hour matches. We don't talk about retirement or anything like that. John is very... he thought it through. He thought of every scenario and every conceivable direction and all that stuff. He's an intelligent man, so I'm sure he's accepted it and I think he's been accepting it for a long time. I think it will be harder for the fan base to come to an agreement, which usually ends up being the case.
Adam Copeland confirms Percy Jackson's return in season 2
“It was good to get out there and film some scenes for this season…”
Adam, you knew this was coming. I need to talk a little Percy Jackson like you. It was recently said that you filmed some scenes for season 2. How did it feel to be back on set and with this group?
Adam Copeland: I mean, it was great because in the first season we filmed everything and it looked like it was a good show, but you still don't fully know until you see the final product. So fast forward to December 2023 and you see and we're at the premiere and everything and my girls are there and we watched it and it kind of blew my mind. I felt very honored to be a part of Percy Jackson's world and world and to be included in it. Seeing that finished product really hit home for me. And then once you get out there and you start having families showing up and grandparents coming over and kids asking if I'm Ares or if I'm Adam Copeland and not because of the wrestling, that's when I realized the show was onto something. Now, 16 Emmy nominations later, it's mind-blowing to be a part of it all.
I realize that actors wait their entire careers to get into a show like this and some never do. I don't look past that and realize the gift I've been given with the writing and with the character of Ares, because he's the kind of character that's open to exploration. There really are no handcuffs with this character. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are some, we're Disney, but just in terms of facials and moves and big and just making everything look really big, which is what wrestling is all about. So yeah, it was a pretty crazy ride. It was good to get out there and film some scenes for this season. Yes, I mean It's not a hard job, man. I'm going to Vancouver, one of my favorite cities. I spend time with great people. I have a lot of friends out there, so it feels like I'm back home every time I go. I love working with the cast, with the crew. It's just a phenomenal group of people who have the same goal.
How does it feel in terms of tone compared to Season 1? Because I remember a lot of things from the first season, it was definitely aimed at the younger demographic. Walker, he looks five years old from the first season. It feels like we're getting to a level where maybe the color palette tones down a little bit and we have some of these more serious, mature themes. Did you feel that way in Season 2?
Adam Copeland: Well, I think just with the characters aging naturally, more serious problems arise, but they are following the books, but there will always be some things added, like the restaurant scene in season one that wasn't in the books, but I'm very glad it was included in the scripts because that's what I auditioned for and thought, 'Oh, there's so much fun here.' I think there will always be fun in this show. I mean, how can it not be when you look at what's happening and going on and the fantastical nature of it all? Children are growing up and are no longer children. I think it naturally follows the progression of what happens to you as a teenager. I think that's why the books have always connected, because I feel like people saw a little bit of themselves in these characters and the weird phases you go through, but if you have friends it doesn't seem so weird. And I feel like at the heart of Percy Jackson, that's what they're about.
Adam Copeland plans full time in 2025
"Just throw me into every show. Let's get on with it while we can..."
Your contract will end in about 18 months or so. You've said at length that this will be your last contract, you'll hang it up after this. Going into 2025, do you plan to watch the weekly matches on TV and continue putting out great fights in the ring, or are you reserving yourself for pay-per-view? What will your in-ring schedule look like in 2025?
Adam Copeland: For me, let's get as much energy out of this as possible. I have a list of people I want to work with and there are many, so I would like to go back to working as it was before. I think now with Rated FTR and these different elements, you can get some really fun combinations, and you have three guys who are amazing friends who have natural chemistry. I'm really looking forward to seeing what we can create as a trio. But yeah, just put me in every show, and let's keep going while we can. That's one of the reasons I came to AEW: let's maximize what's left while I got it. Anyway, that's my plan from here on out is just to get in touch with as many different talents as I can and also try to create some really, really cool stories in the process, because that's probably my favorite aspect of what we do. Create, compile and put moving parts into the stories and as many characters as we can involve and then they follow and this one comes in.
On AEW Dynamite AND AEW Collision
All Elite Wrestling has been airing weekly episodes of AEW Dynamite since Fall 2019 and AEW Collision since Summer 2023. Both two-hour broadcasts exist under the Warner Bros. umbrella. on Max in January 2025. Both shows feature top stars from the AEW roster, including Jon Moxley, Mariah May, Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland, Kenny Omega, Adam Copeland, FTR, Private Party, Daniel Garcia, MJF, Christian Cage , Mercedes Moné, Toni Storm and more.
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Source: TelaRant Plus