Former WWE Star Adam Copeland Says He Handpicked Initial Judgment Day Members

The Judgement Day has been a launching pad for several stars in WWE to become prominent names on the roster as they all reinvented themselves, like Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest, and Dominik Mysterio. Originally, the group was led by Adam 'Edge' Copeland and included both Ripley and Priest.

"Vince [McMahon] said, 'I want you to start a group,' and wanted it to be like The Brood, and I went, 'Okay, okay,'" he said on the "SHAK Wrestling" podcast, adding that he saw it as a three-person stable, which Vince McMahon allowed him to handpick talent for. "I was like, 'Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley.' No hesitation. Those are the two people that could make this really cool group, I think."

McMahon was surprised by Copeland's picks, which made the veteran realize his boss didn't understand the potential of both Ripley and Priest at the time. 

"I thought that was a shame. So, I truly thought, 'Hey, this can be a vehicle. So, hopefully, they just start getting more reps and some more experience," he added. "And then I got to feud with them for a year, so I got to be their babyface along with Rey [Mysterio], and when you got two babyfaces like us, chances are your heel group are going to do okay? And, it's still going, I think, so it worked!"

While assessing the spaces both Ripley and Priest are in today on the WWE roster, Copeland expressed how proud he is of both talent and claimed that they both took the stable exactly where he thought they were capable of. Copeland has since joined AEW, where he is one-half of the World Tag Team Champions, alongside Christian Cage.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "SHAK Wrestling," and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.