Adam Copeland Reveals What AEW Offered Him That WWE Could Not

Adam Copeland recently spoke with the New York Post to promote AEW Full Gear 2023 this coming Saturday night at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA.

During the discussion, “The Rated-R Superstar” spoke about the creative freedom he had in WWE and how it compares to AEW, getting to do more in AEW than he could with a limited-schedule in WWE and more.

Featured below are some of the highlights from the interview where he touches on these topics with his thoughts.

On how he did have creative freedoms in WWE but itโ€™s different in AEW: “What Iโ€™ve noticed is the creative process and some of the freedom that comes along with that and I think thatโ€™s been really fun. Not that I havenโ€™t had creative freedom, Iโ€™ve been very lucky in that regard over the years. But itโ€™s different when there are not shareholders and itโ€™s different when there is a different structure in that regard.”

On wanting to tell interesting stories for wrestling fans in AEW: “Tell stories and I think have more input into those stories, too. That to me is what I always thought we are is storytellers. To be able to have more of a voice in that regard is exciting. Thatโ€™s not to say that I didnโ€™t have that to a degree. Twenty-five years in a place (WWE) you are gonna have that trust and all of those things, but I also understood itโ€™s a different animal. Thereโ€™s more to answer to. With this, it feels like maybe just a few more chances taken in order to see what is gonna stick to the wall. Sometimes some isnโ€™t gonna stick. Itโ€™s exciting the process to see what does. To sit down with a guy like Jey, with Christian and kind of start mapping out this story when we are at this stage of our careers, itโ€™s just fun.”

On the limited schedule WWE had for him and how he wanted to be a bit more involved, which is something that AEW has offered him: “I think from their perspective and I see their perspective entirely, if we bring you out too much then itโ€™s not special anymore. I get that. I really do. So it was for limited dates. With that though, you canโ€™t really get into a proper story. You canโ€™t really dive into what this thing could be. For me looking at it, itโ€™s like Iโ€™m 49. I got a very, very limited time to capitalize on what I have left. Because three months off, thatโ€™s three months where I could have done some stuff. And I know it sounds great on paper and donโ€™t get me wrong it wasnโ€™t a horrible place to be. But, if Iโ€™m gonna do this man. I want to do it. I want to try to craft some stories and do what I can while I can. So limited time, yeah, because Iโ€™m far closer to the end of my career than I am to the beginning. But still think I got some good stories that I can tell and a whole new roster of people who Iโ€™ve never touched before.”

Check out the complete interview at NYPost.com.