Former Impact President Reflects On Long History With Ex-WWE, Current AEW Star Cope
Adam "Cope" Copeland has had a career in pro wrestling spanning three decades. While he spent most of his time with WWE, the Canadian crossed paths with many names in the industry, including former TNA President Scott D'Amore. Today, D'Amore runs the newly revitalized Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling promotion but has started writing his own column, "The D'Amore Drop," for Uncrowned, where he recently recalled his relationship with Copeland.
"Speaking of AEW, I saw my old friend, Adam 'Edge' Copeland, say he has maybe two years left wrestling in AEW, and then he'll call it a day at age 53," D'Amore wrote. He then praised Tony Khan for his ability to book ends to legendary careers, citing the example of Sting, and further praising AEW for being a viable alternative with a passionate promoter at the helm. "I've known Adam a long time, long before the world met him as Edge in WWE in 1998. Thirty-five years ago, we were both young, hungry, broke, and trying to figure out how to make it in this crazy business we loved."
D'Amore claimed to have driven Copeland to Orangeville, Ontario, in 1997 to wrestle for Grand Prix Wrestling, where the two spent seven nights a week, wrestling in every little town in the area with future world champion Christian Cage.
"Glamorous, it was not," he added. "We'd come home after midnight, talk about our matches, and getting better."
Though, according to D'Amore, Copeland already had a certain X factor, as well as an unshakeable motivation.
"Folks would look at him twice, thinking, 'Hey, is that a rock star? He looks like someone!' Adam wasn't just hoping to make it — he was dead set on being one of the best ever. And damned if he didn't do it," D'Amore wrote.
'He's getting to finish on his terms'
D'Amore then recalled watching the "RAW After Mania" in 2011, where Copeland announced his retirement, noting how heartbreaking it was to see his career end because of a doctor's diagnosis and not on his own terms. Copeland's diagnosis "leveled" D'Amore.
However, he then noted how massive Copeland's 2020 Royal Rumble return was, describing it as a "rare, true, holy s**t" moment and added how the veteran's decision to jump to AEW was a testimony to him living on his own terms.
"He's getting to finish this on his terms, standing tall in the ring, doing what he loves, not because a doctor told him it's over. That's rare. That's beautiful. And it's exactly what he deserves," D'Amore noted. "Enjoy the last 18 months or so of Adam Copeland, guys. This last run in AEW is going to be epic, and once it is over, we will not see another one like "Cope" again."