Pro wrestling greats Adam Copeland, Christian Cage talk AEW's growth, working for Tony Khan
Copeland joined AEW over a year ago, while Cage has been with the company a few years
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}All Elite Wrestling (AEW) stars Adam Copeland and Christian Cage have been among the veterans to join the promotion and bolster the roster with their vast experience in the business.
AEW got off to a hot start in 2019 when Tony Khan founded the company, promising an alternative variety of wrestling that most fans at the time hadn’t seen in a while — or at all.
Fast-forward to 2024, and AEW has remained one of the top wrestling promotions in the U.S.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With that has come increased scrutiny over ratings, attendance and even the performances inside and outside the ring.
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Professional wrestler Christian Cage sounds the siren prior to Game 5 of the Western Conference finals of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars at T-Mobile Arena on May 27, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images)
Cage, who made his AEW debut at Revolution in 2021, told Fox News Digital in a recent interview most people tend to forget how young the company still is compared to others.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think people also forget the fact that we’re a company that’s still in its infancy," Cage said. "The company has only been around for five years. So, yes, there’s still going to be growing pains. The company has grown tremendously in that time — probably faster than any wrestling promotion in history.
"We’re putting how many thousands of people at Wembley Stadium two years in a row. It’s unheard of how fast this company has grown. But people should take into account that there’s still things to iron out when you’re that young of a company, and we have a very young roster also."
AEW STARS ADAM COPELAND, CHRISTIAN CAGE TALK PURE PLANK, HOW PLANKING REVITALIZED THEIR LIVES
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Copeland also acknowledged going through some tough years when he was with WWE.
"It just seems like people forget a little bit of history," said Copeland, who spoke on behalf of Pure Plank. "Like, I was with WWE through some pretty lean years. It happens. It’s a cyclical business, and every business has the growing pains.
"I think if you look at any company in their fifth year of existence, I think we’re doing pretty damn good. There’s different tastes. It’s different flavors. I’ve never understood the anger toward another company, and that goes both ways. I don’t really get that, personally. If you don’t like it, you don’t like it. OK.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jay Reso, left, and Adam Copeland with the Pure Plank. (Pure Plank)
"It just seems like it’s become a pastime to try and dog the opposite company, but only from the fan base. People within the industry, I think we all understand it’s a good thing if there’s multiple companies and there’s multiple places to apply your trade and get in front of people.
"And, for me, I’ve loved coming over to AEW because it allowed me an opportunity to really try and dip back into things I haven’t done in 30 years, 25 years, and to try new things too — not just do kind of the greatest hits and actually get in and try some new things and rediscover things that I haven’t done in a while. That, to me, is really a fun place to navigate from."
Khan isn’t the most conventional wrestling promoter. His father is billionaire Shad Khan, and Tony serves as senior president of football and analytics for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also joined the Fulham FC front office in 2017.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Khan’s love of wrestling blossomed into a fully fledged company in late 2018, and AEW was officially launched with Double or Nothing in May 2019.
"No wrestling promoter’s conventional. I’ve yet to meet one that is conventional. The chances are if you’re promoting wrestling, you think differently. And you’re probably wired differently too," Copeland told Fox News Digital. "When I think about the people I’ve worked for, they all have their different processes. Tony has so much going for him and so many different companies and businesses, but his bandwidth just seems to be never-ending.
"I always tell him it’s Tony time because there’s no way I could keep those hours. He just seems to be like the Eveready bunny. He just keeps going, and it’s infectious, too. I remember when I brought my girls to the first show, and he came running up, and he knew their names. And he said, ‘I’m so excited to have you here,’ and then he took off.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"And they were like, ‘Dad, who’s that?’ I was like, ‘That’s my boss.’ And they were like, ‘Whoa, he’s so nice and really exciting and cool.’ And I was like, ‘OK, right, he is.’"
Cage added that Khan is not one to be pushed over.
Adam Copeland speaks onstage during the "Percy Jackson And The Olympians" panel during 2024 Comic-Con International at San Diego Convention Center July 25, 2024, in San Diego. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
"On the flip side, I mean, I think there’s been, for whatever reason, some sort of reputation that he could be a pushover, and that can be the furthest thing from the truth," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}AEW will finish up the year with World’s End Dec. 28. The pay-per-view event will feature the Continental Classic Championship final.
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The company also announced that next year’s All-In pay-per-view will take place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. It had taken place at Wembley Stadium in London the last two years.
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