Adam Copeland Reflects On AEW Barbed Wire Cage Match, Why It Was Different Than Post-Retirement WWE Hell In A Cell Matches

Adam Copeland recently sat down with Kenny McIntosh from Inside The Ropes and discussed his barbed wire steel cage match at AEW Double or Nothing.

At AEW Double or Nothing 2024, Adam Copeland faced Malakai Black in a barbed wire steel cage match. The match is best remembered for Copeland diving off the top of the cage and suffering a fractured tibia from the landing. In the interview, Copeland spoke about what was going through his mind before jumping off the cage and the reaction from medical staff when he walked into the hospital later that night:

“You know, in my last run with WWE, I was in two Hell in a Cell matches between Finn Bálor and Seth Rollins, so I’d still occasionally do those. But this one, it was probably upped a little bit with the barbed wire and everything like that. With that, it was one of those deals where my mind didn’t remind me I’m 51. This time though, I will say I got to the top of the cage and I went, “Huh?” And I never do that. I usually just get up and do the move.

Now, I took a second to look at what was ahead of me. Then I went. There was a half a second of thinking, “This should be interesting.” I contemplated a splash, but then I thought, well, he might not survive that. An elbow he can survive. I just assumed I would, because I do. So it just ended up being a broken leg.”

“But even during it, and I finished the rest of the match, I knew something was up but I thought maybe like a bone bruise, because I walked to the back, I walked to the trainer’s room, I walked out of the arena, I walked into the emergency room, and then they took X-rays and said, “Why are you walking dumb ass? You have a broken leg.” So, it’s one of those things. You just get in there and you try and put on a good show, and adrenaline can do amazing things.”

Check out the complete interview at ITRWrestling.com.