The "Rated R Superstar" is all elite.
More than a month after his last match in WWE, and weeks of rumors, Edge, whose real name is Adam Copeland, made his debut for All Elite Wrestling on Sunday night at the WrestleDream pay-per-view in one of the biggest signings for the promotion.
Copeland appeared after the TNT Championship match between fellow WWE alumni Christian Cage and Darby Allin. After Cage won and was unleashing a post-match assault on Allin and Sting, Copeland's famous "Metalingus" entrance song played and he emerged in raucous environment at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Cage looked stunned, as Copeland came to the aid of Allin and Sting to likely set up a big feud between the two stars that were a popular tag team duo in WWE.
Copeland and AEW President Tony Khan appeared in the post show media scrum together, where Khan officially announced the newest signing to the company. Khan added Copeland is going to be a full-time star for AEW, meaning he "is going to be with us every week." Copeland will appear at AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, and his first match will be against Luchasaurus on Oct. 10, Khan announced.
Copeland, 49, also talked about why he wanted to join the promotion.
"Part of coming here is that I wanted to contribute," he said. "I wanted to help and I just felt like here, I'd really be able to do that and have the opportunity to do that. And I look at an entire fresh roster of faces and, and so many talent that I've never laid hands on before."
The "Rated R Superstar" noted several stars he's never gotten the chance to be in the ring with, and his daughter had told him he should be in the ring again with Cage.
"There's just so many possibilities here and for me at this stage of my career, that is so enticing, that is so exciting," Copeland said.
The WWE Hall of Famer's future in wrestling was in question after his last WWE match in his hometown of Toronto in August. He later said on social media he had a new WWE contract "sitting in my inbox," but he didn't know what to do.
After his AEW appearance, Copeland addressed on social media how excited he is with his new company, but also commented on his time with WWE.
"I want to address my 25 years with WWE. I love WWE and appreciate everything the company did for me. Always have, always will," Copeland said. "They put me on the map, gave me amazing opportunities and through hard work on both ends, I’ve been supplied with a wonderful life. Hell, WWE helped me meet the woman I’d start my family with. Sometimes relationships just grow apart and I feel the WWE and I have just outgrown each other. I wanted to do more. They didn’t have much more for me to do. Simple as that. And that’s OK. I’ll still be watching and still be supporting all of my friends there."
Copeland said he doesn't believe in having to choose to root for either AEW or WWE, and hopes fans will be excited to see a new era of his career.
"I guess what I’m trying to say is this: If you’ve appreciated my work, you still can, no matter what the initials are. Because I’ll still be bustin my (expletive) every time I’m out there. This ride isn’t over just yet. Just try to have fun, like it should be. Because trust me I’ll be having fun every time I’m out there in an AEW ring," Copeland said.
