Highlights
- Edge almost joined AEW back in 2019 before his WWE return, creating one of the greatest pops in wrestling history.
- Despite negotiating with AEW, Adam Copeland ultimately chose WWE, citing a conversation with Vince McMahon as a deciding factor.
- Copeland is now looking to wrap up his in-ring career with AEW, having enjoyed many big angles during his stint with WWE.
Adam Copeland officially became All Elite at the start of October last year, but what a lot of people don’t know is the Rated-R Superstar almost joined the company back in 2019.
Adam Copeland Nearly Chose AEW Over His WWE Return
The 2019 Royal Rumble match created one of the greatest pops in wrestling history as Copeland – working as Edge, made his return to the wrestling industry as an in-ring competitor. After what many believed to be a career-ending neck injury back in 2010 he came back to the ring in a brilliant surprise.
Adam Copeland Reveals That WWE Shut Down Bringing Back Former Star
In the last days of Adam Copeland’s WWE run as Edge he wanted to bring back a former Attitude Era star but was told no.
The idea of Copeland returning to WWE might’ve seemed inevitable to most fans if he was physically capable due to the history he has with the company. But the WWE Hall Of Famer admitted to “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” that he was also talking with Tony Khan at that time about potentially joining the company.
“So when I first started talking to AEW, I wasn’t yet cleared. I had made it, we talked about it like the bosses of each video game level. But I still wasn’t cleared by company doctors … So before I did anything, I had to go kind of get the final clearance needed for either company. But I had negotiated with everybody. I was like, Okay, here’s where I’m at, here’s what I’ve been told I can do and started the process.” (h/t
Wrestling Observer
)
Adam Copeland Reveals Why He Chose WWE
Ultimately, despite negotiating with AEW Copeland did opt to make his comeback in WWE, and even though the bulk of his initial run was done with no fans due to COVID-19 he did create some incredible moments. It ended up being a conversation with former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon that led to him choosing WWE over AEW.
“In going to WWE, and sitting down with Vince, he goes well, ‘it’s got to happen here.’ At that stage, I looked at the equity built and it felt like having to start over, especially having to start over after having been gone for nine years felt really daunting, if that makes sense. It felt like at least with WWE that’s one thing off the table that I don’t have to worry about. I can come back and walk into the history of this character. I do feel like it needed to have happened there initially. I really do, if only for that Royal Rumble moment right before the pandemic hit and just feeling and experiencing that I’m happy the way it turned out.”
Even though he didn’t win any titles during his second spell with the company, Copeland was involved in many big angles. From feuding against Roman Reigns and reuniting with Christian to starting The Judgment Day, he managed to cover a lot during his stint. But now Copeland is looking to wrap up his in-ring career with AEW, with the current TNT Champion having made it clear he’s coming towards the end of his run in the business.
