The Rated R Superstar Adam Copeland

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:06.480 Battle Down. Why from the Parts Unknown Studios into the Double Battle Crowd, 2 00:00:08.279 --> 00:00:15.720 Battle Round, the Battle Round, Battle the Battle Crowd. Welcome to the 3 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:22.239 Battleground Podcast, your place for all things pro wrestling. The Battle Road, 4 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:28.920 the Battle Round now making their way to the microphones. Give it up for 5 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:37.520 your hosts. Welcome to the Battle Crown. I feel as if like I 6 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:42.159 have an Adam Copeland shrine behind me for some odd reason. I've got the 7 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:45.240 tag title. I've got the Big Gold, I've got the inter Continental. 8 00:00:45.479 --> 00:00:48.719 I've even got the uh you know, the Funko Pops sign, the United 9 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:52.719 States title sign. Uh. The only thing I don't have is the rated 10 00:00:52.840 --> 00:00:57.240 R Superstar Spinner. That's the only one I don't have. But I do 11 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:00.960 have two additions that I believe you're gonna be adding that TNT title eventually in 12 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:04.879 the AW title. Eventually. I mean, you never know. It's uh, 13 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:08.519 you never know, they'll leave it. We'll leave it at that. 14 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:12.640 I I, uh, great stuff, great stuff. I've got Adam Copelan 15 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:17.519 on with us of course this week in AW Collision and Battle of the Belts 16 00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:22.200 eight debuts at the FedEx Forum this Saturday. Of course. You can grab 17 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:26.319 your tickets now at all Elite Wrestling dot com. Real quick, I do 18 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:30.319 want to ask you a question, and I've seen rumors on the internet about 19 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:36.760 this. It is because I know you're in the upcoming Percy Jackson series. 20 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:38.560 We've all seen it at the New York Comic Con. Big congrats on that. 21 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:45.239 My question is is it true that if you're in a Disney show or 22 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:49.000 movie or whatever, you get passes to all the Disneys for life, like 23 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:52.480 all the theme parks. I mean, I don't know it to be true 24 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:56.480 yet, so I think we can debuck that one. I mean, that 25 00:01:56.519 --> 00:01:59.079 would be kind of cool that if you if you're in a Disney you should 26 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:01.319 get free access, right. I mean, I got two daughters who would 27 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:06.159 definitely agree with that sentiment, But uh, yeah, I haven't. I 28 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:08.000 haven't been privy to that way yet. Well, we'll have to get to 29 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:12.479 the bottom of this and figure this a lot to make sure everything's taken care 30 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:15.599 of. Uh, you know a lot of headlines have been made you. 31 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:20.000 You came over to ae W and it was a monumental moment. Everybody lost 32 00:02:20.039 --> 00:02:23.719 their mind when that theme song hit. And you know, Aw's got a 33 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:29.080 unique blend of talent. What seems like a more relaxed creative environment. How 34 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:32.840 does this differ from your previous experiences and how do you find it more fulfilling 35 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:38.840 as a performer. I mean, every process has its pros and cons. 36 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:45.360 Right, it's great to be involved to a heavy extent creatively. Now I've 37 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:50.759 been lucky in that throughout the years and throughout a lot of years and producing 38 00:02:50.840 --> 00:02:55.360 that you are given some creative freedom. That's always great, you know, 39 00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:59.840 because as a performer you have to be able to bite into what you're trying 40 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:04.199 to produce out there. I've always said, if there's some element of truth 41 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:09.479 that the person behind the character can bite into, then the fiction should follow 42 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:15.000 that truth. And that doesn't change, you know, that's always treated the 43 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:19.599 saying. But it's really nice to sit down and go, Okay, how 44 00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:23.639 could this story play out? And be heavily, heavily involved in that and 45 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:27.759 being here on a week to week basis, that becomes more possible. You 46 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:30.520 know, it's not poking in every three months, and that becomes hard, 47 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:34.319 you know, it becomes a hard process to be involved, you know, 48 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:38.520 in a large creative way when it's just kind of popping in and out like 49 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:42.360 that, right, for sure? And you know, we've already started seeing 50 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:45.680 all the wheels turning. You've already made who made it known who you would 51 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:50.439 like to wrestle in aew after the press conference, and something really cool, 52 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:53.719 and it's been making its way around the internet. Recently, a photo was 53 00:03:53.719 --> 00:03:57.879 posted on social media of you, Ryan Danielson, and Soraya, all of 54 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:00.479 which were told at some point ever gonna be able to wrestle again, And 55 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:05.919 here you all are in the same company, all defying the odds and wrestling. 56 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:11.400 How awesome was that moment for you three when you were taking that photo 57 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:14.879 and letting it all sink in. Well, I mean, if we're Brian 58 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:17.800 and I are not the brightest bulbs on the tree. So it was Sorea 59 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:20.759 who put it together and she went, oh, but I'm a second. 60 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:24.399 We're like, oh yeah, yeah, you're right. I mean, we've 61 00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:29.199 got to get a picture of this because just to be able to acknowledge it, 62 00:04:29.240 --> 00:04:33.000 to celebrate it. You know, three people who who wanted to do 63 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:38.279 this, and and I think three people who always wanted to do this. 64 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:44.319 So the fact that all of us got it back pretty cool, pretty cool, 65 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:46.399 and just nice to be able to take that moment for a second and 66 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:51.600 soak it in really because that's the first time we're all in a ring together, 67 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:56.279 and it just kind of dawned on her thankfully. Yeah, And I 68 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:58.439 got to tell you, like, you know, growing up, I was 69 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:00.600 a big wrestling fan, and I've got my kids into wrestling. I've got 70 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:03.959 an older kid who's kind of now the teenaged age where wrestling's not cool. 71 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:10.079 My sixth wrestling is the greatest thing in the world. And I was able 72 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:13.360 to grow up watching you wrestling. I watched you when you came in as 73 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:16.360 the Brood and everything else ministry. I was there at wrestle Mania back in 74 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:21.199 was it twenty eleven in Atlanta when it was you and del Rio and then 75 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:25.160 when later that year you retire and everything. I was like, I don't 76 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:28.000 think my kids will ever be able to, you know, think ahead, 77 00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:30.839 my kids be able to watch, you know, Adam and a ring. 78 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:34.279 And now my kid gets super excited and he's like trying to spear me as 79 00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:39.199 I'm sitting downstairs on the couch watching aw and I like and I'm like, 80 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:45.040 ah uh, it's great because now you know he can watch you wrestle and 81 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:48.040 you know people that you know that I grew up watching are still there going 82 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:51.560 at a high level, and it's it's a testament right there. Well, 83 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:57.480 you know, the biggest thing for me was the challenge. Initially, Okay, 84 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:00.959 can I can I do this again? Can I do something that that 85 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:06.680 hasn't been done before with the extent of my surgery is an injury. But 86 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:12.959 after that, I started to realize that I'm reaching a whole new generation. 87 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:19.279 And when I started seeing the little kids and now being a dad and connecting 88 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:23.240 with them in a different way. You know, I think they all feel 89 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:28.199 that dad energy coming from me, and that to me, has been the 90 00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:32.399 greatest byproduct of this by far. H It's so much fun, you know, 91 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:35.560 because I think back to being that kid, right and I remember maybe 92 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:40.759 Belief Gardens, you know, if I got to smack hands with Texas Torrado 93 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:44.959 and he let me touch the Interconnamental Championship, Like come on, you know, 94 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:50.120 to be of anything like that for a kid is just you know, 95 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:55.240 my favorite part of this now it's and it's great to just watch him react 96 00:06:55.240 --> 00:06:59.000 because we were at the aw show in Nashville a few weeks or about a 97 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:01.279 month or so ago, and we were right there on ringside and Dax and 98 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:03.920 all them came by and handed my kid the belt like you were just talking 99 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:08.040 about, and he's like taking a photo of it, and he's like losing 100 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:11.040 his mind and he's like, this is the belt and he's got all the 101 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:14.279 belts as well. But it's great to see kids getting involved into it. 102 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:20.120 And you know, this is what's great about when you watch AW. You've 103 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:23.680 got a lot of people there and it seems like everybody's there to help each 104 00:07:23.720 --> 00:07:26.959 other out. And as a veteran in the industry, how do you see 105 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:30.959 your role in AW in terms of like mentoring and helping that younger talent develop 106 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:35.319 their skills. You know what, I've always said, I'm here to be 107 00:07:35.480 --> 00:07:40.839 that if people want that. I don't want to be one of those guys 108 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:44.079 who who you know, walks around say I'll watch your match and if you 109 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:46.000 did that, Like, I don't want to be that guy. But if 110 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:50.680 people ask me, I'm always here help me and always here as a sounding 111 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.399 board. Always here, Like if you want to work on promos, send 112 00:07:54.439 --> 00:07:58.720 them to me and we can dive into them and pull them apart and tran 113 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:03.279 out some layers. I love being a part of that. I love seeing 114 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:09.040 a light bulb go off for young talent. The growth of young talents, 115 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:13.120 to me is really exciting because I think back again to what I was getting 116 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:16.759 in the industry and the bad news Browns of the world and the brent Herts 117 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:20.879 of the world, you know, took me under their wing and showed me, 118 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:26.120 showed me, you know, and woke me up two things. And 119 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:28.600 that's always you know, pay it forward, pay it forward, right, 120 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:33.200 It sounds cliche, but especially in this industry, it's really really important. 121 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:37.799 I mean you look at it, and I mean ae W has been very 122 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:41.679 very good at cultivating that young talent, that home grown you know, I 123 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:45.200 know they call it the four pillars, but I mean you look at them, 124 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:50.000 and they've done really good at cultivating that young talent. And something also 125 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:54.480 great that we've noticed when you watch AW is you get a little bit more 126 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:58.840 freedom to do certain things with like other promotions outside of AW I know a 127 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:03.120 W has the working relationship with New Japan and everywhere else. Is that something 128 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:07.320 that you would like to do And if so, you know, outside of 129 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:11.559 aw is anybody you'd like to step inside the ring with. That's pretty exciting 130 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:16.519 actually, you know. And and again a byproduct of coming here is oh 131 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:22.919 wait, hold on a second Tokyo home could could I could get? That's 132 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:26.399 that's on a checklist. Arena Mexico, Well hold on, you know, 133 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:31.679 because I went there once. I was I was World Chap, but I 134 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:35.240 wore a mask because I want to watch the show, and so I snuck 135 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:39.960 in and watched the show with I think I'm a fist still fask on bands 136 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:43.720 and just how to blast because I just I love the culture of lucha libre 137 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:50.879 and I love the pageantry and and uh yeah, so I mean those those 138 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:54.720 two things I think would be very cool as as you know, a lifelong 139 00:09:54.759 --> 00:10:00.519 wrestling fan. Those are two experiences that I think would be really cool that 140 00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:03.159 I just didn't know whatever be in the card, so you have to kind 141 00:10:03.159 --> 00:10:07.360 of write it off. Especially after I'd retired in two thousy eleven. It's 142 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:09.399 like, Okay, just didn't get those things done. Now they can get 143 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:13.279 done, and that's pretty fun. Yeah, And here's my thought. And 144 00:10:13.320 --> 00:10:18.080 I'm throwing this out there in the universe because every time we've thrown something out 145 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:22.759 in the universe, it happens my personal thoughts. Adam Copelant entered the g 146 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:28.480 One climax next year. I mean we'd have to carve out some time, 147 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:33.320 I guess, but Eddie did it this year, right, so it's possibility. 148 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:39.759 I mean, never say never, right, right? So you know 149 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:43.360 this weekend it's a big one AW collision battle the Belts aids FedEx Forum this 150 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:48.960 Saturday, because you still grab your tickets now all ali Wrestling dot com and 151 00:10:48.039 --> 00:10:52.639 here on the show. We were big into music, and I know bringing 152 00:10:52.679 --> 00:10:56.720 in alter Bridge for your theme song for AWS great, And I know that 153 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:01.240 Tony likes to kind of throw in throwbacks every now and then. Is there 154 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:05.639 a possibility for like a random one off, we might get that Rob Zombie 155 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:11.720 theme song come out just randomly? Nothing I do is random, Okay, 156 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:20.759 Okay, there's always a plan. So but but knowing how in tune I 157 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:24.720 am, and how important music is to my character and and how I look 158 00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:31.080 at things, you never know. But but I feel like if it does 159 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:37.200 happen, it will be because it will hit more and with more story behind 160 00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:43.200 it. You're like playing at my heartstrings right now, because I've been sitting 161 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:46.200 there and I was playing back like all your theme songs earlier, just getting 162 00:11:46.200 --> 00:11:50.759 pumped for this this interview I was doing that, and then I was also 163 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:54.639 listening to Tony Chimmel do your announcing, which but that did that also, 164 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.679 maybe you know, throwing it out there in the universe as well. Maybe 165 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:01.320 just he randomly shows up, how like Thinkle would do certain things back in 166 00:12:01.360 --> 00:12:05.759 the day, just randomly show up and announce. In no way do I 167 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:07.159 mean disrespect to this, but if you thought of it, I thought of 168 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:13.039 it about eight weeks ago. Hey, just weeks, but at least three 169 00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:18.120 I can't do my game up and just stopped here in the universe. But 170 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:22.240 uh, man, I gotta tell you, Adam, it's it's an honor 171 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:24.679 to have you on the show. I know you're a very busy man, 172 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:26.759 and you know, I don't want to take up too much of your time 173 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:28.759 because I know you've got some things. You got to address some stuff tonight 174 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:35.279 at a e W, especially with Christian and some words that he said last 175 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:39.679 week, especially pertaining to your family. Like I saw it, I was 176 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:46.360 like, somebody's about to get a solo concerto eventually. Yeah, it's uh, 177 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:50.440 it's it's been fun to play this this one out, you know. 178 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:54.840 And and I think the real challenge with it is we have a lot of 179 00:12:54.919 --> 00:12:58.360 TV, so it's making sure to keep this thing, you know, compelling 180 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:03.919 and and and that's a that's a fun challenge though, you know. Yeah, 181 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:09.080 And that's really that's where we're at with it is Okay, what's the 182 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:13.039 next twist? And that's usually when I start stroking my goatee. I realized 183 00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:16.919 I just did it. There it is. Now you're already thinking of something 184 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.799 that I'm gonna come like like weeks or later and be like, hey, 185 00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:24.200 what if Edge does this? And You're just gonna respond back thought about it 186 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:30.639 at that time where I was talking to you on the show. But Adam, 187 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:33.440 it's it's it's literally an honor and a privilege to have you on the 188 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:39.759 show. My co host Eli couldn't be here tonight because he had something else, 189 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:43.159 but he wanted to let you know that the very first wrestlers that he 190 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:48.519 met a long time ago were you and Christian and that was the first meet 191 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:50.679 and greet that he ever did with the wrestlers. Uh. And he even 192 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:54.440 had like the old like Brood shirt that he was going to wear during the 193 00:13:54.440 --> 00:14:00.720 interview tonight, the original, the original. He told me how much he 194 00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:03.120 bought it off on eBay, and I was like, I would have done 195 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:07.279 the same thing. I would have done that. But real quick before we 196 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:09.679 let you go, is there anything else you want to say to everybody watching 197 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:15.399 listening to this right now? You know, I more than anything, you 198 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:22.320 know, I know how wrestling, the social media culture of wrestling fandom can 199 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:26.919 be right now, and it's kind of a bummer sometimes. So more than 200 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:31.440 anything, I just when I look at things as a wrestling fan, which 201 00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:37.840 I still am, I think it's amazing. There's so many different ways to 202 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:41.320 watch. There's so many different things to watch. It doesn't matter what the 203 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:46.879 initials are. It's professional wrestling. And if we're talking about this or if 204 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:52.840 we're you know, complaining about this or you know, putting glory behind us, 205 00:14:52.039 --> 00:14:58.279 it means we love this thing. And I wish people would remember that 206 00:14:58.279 --> 00:15:01.919 that this is something that is awesome. It's just supposed to be fun. 207 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:05.879 It absolutely is. And the fact that the last every time I'm out there, 208 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:11.559 so you know, hopefully that translates. You can definitely when we when 209 00:15:11.559 --> 00:15:13.960 we watch like your debut and everything, you can definitely tell that you were 210 00:15:15.320 --> 00:15:18.799 like acstatic, and you can you can genuinely see that smile on your face. 211 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:24.679 You get out there, that crowd oop and you're on this and like 212 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:28.559 just having everybody go. It was and it's the It's the best gig in 213 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:33.039 the world, and to me, it's still the most fun form of entertainment 214 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:37.960 in the world that hasn't changed. Absolutely well, Adam, again, I 215 00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:41.000 don't want to take up too many your time. You're a Hall of Famer, 216 00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:45.879 a legend, an icon. I'm marking out right now, so I'm 217 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:48.559 just gonna say thank you for everything and coming on the show. We look 218 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:52.279 forward to having you back on soon. Thanks for having man. We hope 219 00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:56.360 you enjoyed today's episode of the Battleground Podcast. Make sure you give it five 220 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:58.159 stars and a nice review. To stay up to date with the show, 221 00:15:58.519 --> 00:16:14.679 follow them at Battleground Podcast on Instagram.