Wrestling fans were given a shock last night when WWE Hall of Famer Adam "Edge" Copeland made the switch to AEW.
His appearance at the AEW WrestleDream PPV coincided with a main event spot for former tag-team partner and childhood friend Christian Cage. Fans lost it live in the arena when Edge's iconic music hit.
Those not lucky enough to attend the event took to X, formerly Twitter, to voice their shock at the debut of the 49-year-old legend of the ring. Edge, who returned to action in 2020 after nine years of retirement, thanked the WWE for his move in a recent social post.
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His statement regarding WWE blasted those who believed he should be a one-company man and instead saw him turn his attention to a new challenge. The wrestling legend had even left his wife, former wrestler Beth Phoenix, a note about his sudden debut.
A photo of the note was posted online, which read: "B – heading to wAlk the dog bE back in a feW. – A". His note, clearly, made reference to AEW, and it appears Copeland is sticking around for weekly matches.
Not only will the star make weekly appearances but he is expected to make his first in-ring appearance on October 10 against Luchasaurus, per reports from NoDQ.
Reaction to the debut proved popular on X, with one saying the appearance of the Rated R Superstar at the event gave them "goosebumps". Real-life pal Christian Cage, when asked if he cared for the appearance of his long-term friend, said: "Not really."
Taking to X to explain his decision in signing for AEW, Copeland wrote: "As some of you may now know, I’m no longer with WWE. My new home is AEW. I’m excited. Whole new roster. Some familiar faces that I wanted to work with again and a whole set of first ever matches.
"New challenges, and if you’ve followed my career, you know that’s what I’ve always been driven by. But first and foremost I want to address my 25 years with WWE. I love WWE and appreciate everything the company did for me. Always have, always will. They put me on the map, gave me amazing opportunities and through hard work on both ends, I’ve been supplied with a wonderful life.
"Sometimes relationships just grow apart and I feel the WWE and I have just outgrown each other. I wanted to do more. They didn’t have much more for me to do. Simple as that. And that’s ok. I’ll still be watching and still be supporting all of my friends there."
Copeland's departure from the WWE comes just days after a slate of acclaimed faces and firm names of the WWE were released. The likes of veterans Dolph Ziggler and Shelton Benjamin saw their contracts terminated.
Edge calling time on his WWE career appeared to be of his own volition, with the star adding: "I don’t buy into this odd mentality of one company or the other. It’s weird. If you took offense to that, take a walk, get some fresh air and soak up some sunshine. It’s wrestling. An amazing gig. But still, it’s wrestling. Relax. It’s supposed to be fun."
He added: "I guess what I’m trying to say is this, if you’ve appreciated my work, you still can, no matter what the initials are. Because I’ll still be bustin my ass everytime I’m out there. This ride isn’t over just yet. Just try to have fun, like it should be. Because trust me I’ll be having fun everytime I’m out there in an AEW ring."
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