Bully Ray & Mark Henry Break Down Former WWE Star Adam Copeland's AEW Debut
Adam Copeland, who performed as Edge in WWE, debuted for All Elite Wrestling at the inaugural AEW WrestleDream pay-per-view this past weekend. During an appearance on SiriusXM's "Busted Open Radio" show, Bully Ray and Mark Henry discussed Copeland's first appearance in Tony Khan's promotion. Ray spoke about the video package that played prior to Copeland's entrance.
"If Christian [Cage] was in the ring by himself cutting a promo last night [at WrestleDream on Sunday night] and there was no physicality — let's just assume there was no physicality last night — it was just Christian in the middle of a ring, 'Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,' and then the video package airs and we get the debut of Edge," Ray said. "Now it feels right to me. But the video package airing before a run-in and a save — that's what felt odd.
"I loved the video package. I love Edge. I love the physicality. Yada yada yada for all you AEW fans out there who think I'm not happy with the whole Edge situation. I'm just saying, as Mark [Henry] agreed also, the video package feels a little weird when you're doing a save."
Copeland made his AEW debut by saving Sting and Darby Allin from a beating by Christian Cage, Nick Wayne, and Luchasaurus. Cage had just defeated Allin in a two-out-of-three falls match to retain the AEW TNT Championship in the main event of AEW WrestleDream.
'I want to see how Adam is used on all these shows'
During the AEW WrestleDream post-show media scrum, AEW CEO Tony Khan said that Copeland would be working full-time with AEW moving forward. Henry commented on the "Rated-R Superstar's" new AEW schedule.
"Adam [Copeland] said that he wanted to work Samoa Joe, that he wanted to work Claudio Castagnoli," Henry said. "All of those people are on different shows, so that means he's gonna have to work both tours, and he's gonna have to work all the shows ... The important thing is how you're used, and we have that question [looming] with a lot of wrestlers ... I want to see how Adam is used on all these shows.
"Is Adam gonna come and be the litmus test? 'Listen. I'm here at AEW. I'm a fan, but I also love wrestling, and I wanna see the wrestling business in a better place, and I'm gonna challenge you. So, Luchasaurus, that being said, I'm in my gear. Bring your a** to the ring, and we'll see if you can live up.' And have him be a challenge. Have him be somebody that makes the business better. He said he wanted to make the business better and work to make AEW a bigger deal, right? Those were his words. So that means he's gonna try and influence the business behind the scenes, not just in the ring."
Copeland is set to make his first appearance on "AEW Dynamite" this Wednesday night. The WWE Hall of Famer has filed for several new trademarks, including "Ledgend," Iconoclast," "The Rogue," and "Cope," which will presumably be used during his tenure with AEW. Copeland said he joined AEW because he felt that he and WWE had outgrown each other. His contract with WWE expired at the end of September.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.