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Adam Copeland‘s mindset regarding his work in AEW is something that every wrestler can learn from.
All Elite Wrestling‘s Adam Copeland was a recent guest on Busted Open Radio. When asked what his main goal is for fans who used to see him in WWE but now see him performing elsewhere, Copeland said he wants to prove that he’s always adaptable.
“More than anything, I’ve — my pride tells me I’m adaptable, right? I want to be able to get in with anybody. Whether that means Penta and we’re exchanging head scissors that I haven’t done since 92, or I’m exchanging forearms with Minoru Suzuki, or I’m having a no DQ match against Brody King on a Wednesday and on that Saturday, having a technical match with Kyle O’Reilly. That, for me, is just super fun.
“I love being able to dive into different styles and go, ‘Okay, I can adapt to this. I’ve done enough of this, and I’ve done enough of this,’ and tried to throw those into my palette over the years to be able to at least pull off something serviceable so that Kyle doesn’t get in there and go, ‘Man, I can’t chain wrestle with this guy.’ Or something like that, right?”
Build in moments for the audience
Copeland also stressed the importance of building in moments for the audience because moves are great, but the reaction isn’t sustainable if the audience doesn’t care about the performer.
“But more than anything, it’s making sure to build in moments for the audience,” Adam Copeland continued. “Because I feel like so many times now, we get caught up in the moves. If they don’t care about the person or the character doing the moves, then there’s the reaction to the move, and then nothing. And then that’s it, right? And it’s not sustainable, and it doesn’t last.
“Now, I could also take my own advice. Again, I didn’t mean to do that off of a cage, so I fell into the same trap. It happens to all of us, I guess. But more than anything, it’s really just trying to build in moments, moments for the audience. And I know there’s one moment where we can connect, and that’s when it becomes this thing.”
Adam Copeland compares moments to attending a live concert
The Rated R Superstar would go on to talk about likening things to a concert and compare the differences in styles between a babyface and a heel.
“That’s when I liken it to a concert,” Adam Copeland continued. “And I’m going to say this for Dave’s sake, it’s like when I go to a Pearl Jam concert, right? And you get this group of 20,000 people who are all on the same page, who are feeling the same thing. It’s the closest thing I can relate to is religion; in a way, that same kind of bonding feeling, right?
“And you got to give an audience an opportunity for that to come on your side. To let them know with the look in your eye you need them, and we’re in this together. Let’s do it. Or as a heel, the flip side of that I don’t need you, which is just watching a Christian Cage match. The look on his face, which is his everyday, 24-hour look, will let you know I don’t need you, don’t want you.
“And as a babyface, it’s the opposite. There’s a point where I’m going to start setting up for that spear. I’m just going to look to them. And I liken it to when you’re at that concert, and the lead singer, he looked at me. I know he did. Meanwhile, he’s looking at the 5,000 people on that side, but you feel connected.
“That, to me, is what our job is, is to make people forget about the boss, forget about the bully, forget about whatever it is, and just get engrossed in this story that we’re trying to tell. And there’s a hero, and there’s a villain, or there’s somewhere in between, but in a perfect world, there’s always a story, and the match is truly just a chapter in that story.”
READ MORE: Adam Copeland Provides Injury Update And Reflects On Double Or Nothing Match
What do you make of Adam Copeland’s comments? Do you agree with what his mindset is regarding moves and reactions? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
If you use any of these quotes, please credit Busted Open with a link to this article for the transcription.
