After a quarter-century hiatus, Adam Copeland and Christian Cage once again secured tag team championship gold, triumphing over FTR in a grueling "I Quit" match at the Double or Nothing event.
Since claiming the titles, Copeland and Cage have maintained dominance within the tag team ranks, successfully defending against formidable challengers such as The Death Riders and The Dogs. This impactful tenure, which began when Copeland joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW), aligns precisely with his aspirations for a substantive run, rather than merely a nostalgic reunion.
A Strategic Evolution, Not Just Nostalgia
Copeland remarked on their successful reinvention, emphasizing a departure from their past approach.
"And I think we’ve been successful in that. We tried to change things like we never had a finishing move as a team. Like that's insane. We never had a finishing move. Our finishing move was a concerto which is illegal. So, what we always did is just cheat and we were heels so it worked. But this incarnation is different. So, it was before Forbidden Door, I was like, ‘Hey, I was thinking about this pop-up spear thing.’ We hadn't tried it. We're just like, OK, we'll try it out there in London at the O2 for the first time ever in our first match back in 15 years. It was like, ‘Oh, yeah, we hit it. Okay, we still got that thing.’"
He highlighted the development of a new signature maneuver, a "pop-up spear," which they debuted during their first match back together in 15 years at the O2 in London.
The reigning champions, Copeland and Cage, are now preparing for a high-stakes encounter against The Young Bucks, comprised of Matt and Nick Jackson, at the upcoming All In event. The prestigious AEW World Tag Team Championship will be on the line.
Copeland previously indicated his desire to compete against The Young Bucks, noting them on a personal "wrestle list" shared via social media. This aspiration was alongside a roster of iconic venues he aimed to perform in, such as Arena México. He confirmed that facing The Young Bucks had been a long-standing objective.
The Dynamic of the Duo
Reflecting on the evolution of his partnership with Christian Cage, Copeland pointed to a match involving Jon Moxley as a pivotal moment that reignited their teamwork.
"So, really it was it was the match with Mox that was the vehicle to get him and I going as a team again and for him to lose the Casino Royale opportunity because of his selfishness and then for me to go, ‘See your selfishness isn't working, man.’ And then taking the turn of, OK, but you're selfish, that's you. And then I just got to accept it and then we could kind of start running and that's just been really fun. When I think of a word, the only one that comes to mind is we've just been having fun and I get to live vicariously through Jay's character. So, like I’m like what if you said this and he's like, oh, and some of the things, man, like it it's just it's so much. It's just fun."
He elaborated on Christian Cage's character, particularly his "selfishness," and how accepting this trait allowed their team to flourish and enjoy their current run. Copeland expressed the immense enjoyment derived from their collaboration, noting the fun of exploring "Jay's character" within their narrative.
The All In event is scheduled for August 30 at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London.
