Matt Cardona Has A Message For Adam Copeland After Dream Match On AEW Collision
After a four-year absence, Matt Cardona returned to AEW in a big way on "AEW Collision," answering Adam Copeland's "Cope Open" challenge for the AEW TNT Championship. Though Cardona came up short in his one-off appearance, the match received high praise from wrestling fans and pundits, while allowing Cardona to finally have a singles match against someone who has played an important part in shaping Cardona's career.
On Sunday morning, Cardona took to X to further share his thoughts on the match and its significance, explaining how Copeland had been one of his favorite wrestlers dating back to Cardona's high school years. Cardona also credited Copeland for saving his career in WWE, describing how he and Brian Myers were floundering as the Major Brothers and on the verge of being fired until the duo pitched becoming Copeland's "Edgeheads" and became part of the La Familia stable.
After the stable disbanded, Cardona continued to hope for a match against Copeland, but came to believe it wouldn't happen after Copeland retired in 2011, and after Cardona was released from WWE in 2020, only months after Copeland came out of retirement. After Copeland joined AEW in October 2023, however, the path was cleared for Cardona to finally get his dream match when he answered the open challenge Saturday night. Describing it as a night he'll never forget, Cardona thanked Copeland, and AEW owner Tony Khan, for allowing the match to happen.
.@RatedRCope vs. Matt Cardona...my dream match...finally happened last night at #AEWCollision.
When I was in high school, Edge was one of my favorite wrestlers. I'd have matches with him (an invisible version) in my bedroom or trampoline.
Him reinventing himself into the Rated R... pic.twitter.com/6Apy59XWzM
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) March 31, 2024
Cardona will have little time to rest, as he is set to appear at several independent shows during WrestleMania weekend. His most high-profile match so far will take place at Joey Janela's Spring Break on Friday, where he will go one-on-one with Blue Kane, with allies Steph De Lander and Jimmy Lloyd in his corner.