Subhojeet Mukherjee on January 9, 2024
Adam Copeland came to AEW with one goal in mind, which was to help elevate younger talent and prepare them for the future. Copeland essentially did just that with his match against Griff Garrison on AEW Collision last week and now Copeland defended his decision to wrestle Garrison.
On the January 6th episode of AEW Collision, Adam Copeland hosted an open challenge, which was answered by Griff Garrison. The two wrestled a six-minute match that saw Copeland win, but it finally showed that Garrison had some character and skills to boot.
While speaking on Busted Open Radio with Dave LaGreca and Bully Ray, it was mentioned that there was some ‘chatter’ about Adam Copeland facing Griff Garrison and why he would even do such a thing.
Copeland explained his reasoning, emphasizing the learning experience for young talent. He highlighted the importance of storytelling, character development, and providing opportunities for the newer generation, drawing parallels to his own early career experiences with seasoned wrestlers.
”Because long after I’m gone, Griff Garrison will be there (at AEW) and just like Bad News Brown showed me or just like Rick Martel showed me or just like Tom Prichard showed me or Pat Patterson showed me or Michael Hayes showed me or Bret Hart showed me. I’m in that stage of my career. So if I can get in there with Griff Garrison, what is a 30-second match gonna do for Griff Garrison? But suddenly now, you get a couple, ‘Woah! He almost took that thing.’ Alright, well now you add in the element of story of like, okay, Copeland took this kid maybe a little lightly and there’s something to him. It’s also an opportunity for him to get on a microphone. It’s an opportunity for reps in front of an audience that will have eyes actually watching because there’s a character in there that they know. That to me is all that needs to be said.
If he can get in there and we have five minutes of time in there, I feel like he can learn more in that five minutes than he would in probably 200 matches with people of the same experience and I know that sounds kind of cocky and egotistical, but that’s the way it was for me when I was his age and that’s what this is… I believe it to be but that’s why.”
Adam Copeland expressed the joy of adding layers to the ongoing story and stressed the significance of patience in storytelling, citing classic wrestling rivalries as examples.
”That’s why I wanna work a guy like Griff Garrison, that’s why put me in with Dante Martin or Lee Moriarty or Zak Zodiac… This is a part within the story that Christian (Cage) and I are telling where we can do this and add another layer in the final book that is this story. That’s so fun to me. I think nowadays, people are just so, ‘Well why isn’t it this? Why isn’t it this? Why isn’t it right now? Right now, right now, right now, right now,’ and if you give them right now, ‘Well they did it too quick.’ This is another chapter. While they continue to write more chapters on their end, I’m gonna write it over here on this end and there’s always a plan and sometimes, like my favorite stories when I was growing up and I know it’s a different time, but Steamboat-Savage, let ‘em wrestle for a year!”
Copeland is set to wrestle in an eight-man tag match during the ‘Homecoming’ edition of Dynamite this week. His team will consist of Orange Cassidy, Dustin Rhodes, and Preston Vance, facing off against Brian Cage, Lance Archer, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun. The match is dedicated to the memory of Brodie Lee, serving as a tribute to the late wrestler.
What do you think of what Adam Copeland had to say? Do you feel had should put over more young talent? Let us know in the comments section below!
January 9, 2024 5:20 pm
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