Adam Copeland, the legend himself, just dropped a bombshell that’s gonna have wrestling fans talking for *weeks*. Turns out, his old rival John Cena’s retirement match in 2025 could’ve been a groundbreaking, crossover event, but one company straight-up killed it. Yeah, you heard that right. We almost got one last dance between these two icons, and it sounds like it would’ve been absolutely epic.
Khan Was Game, But The Other Side Wasn’t
Copeland, currently holding down half of the AEW World Tag Team Championship alongside his long-time buddy Christian Cage, revealed all this juicy info Tuesday on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” He’s convinced, absolutely believes, that AEW founder Tony Khan would have been totally on board for this dream match. Why? Because Khan gets what it means to the fans, the massive segment of us who wanted to see it. But the hang-up wasn’t with AEW. Copeland laid it out plain: “One place doesn’t want it to.” He knows the broader business landscape, even if it meant missing out on a moment everyone wanted to see. Having been in the game so long, especially with WWE, Copeland saw the writing on the wall. He just knew, given their mindset, that it wasn’t going to happen, even if he and John were both down for it.
Tributes, Rivalries, And A Polarizing Farewell
Even without that final showdown, these two still paid their respects to each other, slinging signature moves in their matches from across the pond. Copeland emphasized how their rivalry back in the 2000s wasn’t just good, it was the kind of angle, the kind of story, that truly propelled both their careers to a different stratosphere. You could argue they made their bones on each other, and they both know it. Cena’s year-long retirement tour was still packed with big names, revisiting feuds with Randy Orton, AJ Styles, and Brock Lesnar. But the actual final match? That went down against Gunther. And man, that ending was polarizing, right? The man known for “never giving up” tapped out to Gunther’s rear-naked choke sleeper hold in his final in-ring appearance. But Copeland’s got a super mature take on it: if Cena’s cool with how he went out, that’s all that matters. Forget what the community thinks; John walks in John’s shoes.
So what’s next for Copeland? He’s been on a heck of a run since returning to action in 2023 with AEW, having an absolute blast. He and Christian Cage are gearing up for a massive title match against The Young Bucks at AEW All In 2026, going down next Sunday, August 30, at Wembley Stadium. Talk about high stakes!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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