AEW Star Fascinated By Vince McMahon

AEW star Adam Copeland admits he is fascinated by Vince McMahon.

The 51 year-old star, currently wrestling in AEW as Cope, has spent the majority of his career working for McMahon whilst the controversial figure was at the helm of WWE.

Copeland departed WWE in September 2023, three months before McMahon and fellow former WWE Executive, John Laurinaitis were accused of sexual assault and sex trafficking in a lawsuit filed by former WWE employee, Janel Grant.

Despite denying all accusations, McMahon resigned as Executive Chairman of TKO Group on 26th January 2024, bringing to an end the 79 year-old’s day to day control over WWE.

Copeland admitted that he had a business only relationship with his former boss but explained his fascination with McMahon during a recent appearance on ‘Up Close’:

“It was fascinating to eventually sit down with him and ask him the reasoning for certain things on the show. ‘Why are we doing this?’ I liken it to being able to sit down with [PT] Barnam, ‘How? Why? How was all of this created? Why did you do it this way?’

I just thought, I have this opportunity to sit down with this really interesting man and try to understand how he got where he got to, the choices he made to get to where he got to, the chances he took, the risks he took, because there are a lot of them, and then just having chats with him about a lot of really crazy stuff. That, to me, was always fascinating.

To try and peak into what a billionaire’s brain looks like. I also realize that, I think I’m good not being a billionaire. You see how much comes with that. Fascinating man. Intelligent man.”

Vince McMahon Credited For Industry Changing Impact By AEW Star

Adam Copeland would go on to praise 79 year-old Vince McMahon for his impact on the business, going as far as to credit ‘The Genetic Jackhammer’ with creating the industry:

“I love talking business with him. The Dana Whites of the world have taken their cues from Vince and what he created. If you think about what he created and turned it into, he created an industry.

Wrestling was there, but it was regional, it was pockets and these tiny things and a code, and you didn’t break that code. Vince went, ‘I’m taking over. I’m going to make this worldwide.’ Even to the extent of not calling wrestlers ‘wrestlers,’ they are Superstars, that’s bigger than ‘wrestlers.’

I get a lot of what he was trying to accomplish. I didn’t always agree with it at the time, I’d sometimes fight it kicking and screaming, and sometimes I’d be like, ‘Ah, but he was right. Interesting. I didn’t see that coming.’

Fascinating, just from the wrestling and business perspective, to dive into how and why he made the decisions he made. I always found it fascinating.”

H/T: Fightful for the above transcription.