AEW sustains another injury blow after Double or Nothing

Adam Copeland Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

AEW sustains another major injury blow after Double or Nothing

By Adam Taylor | Last updated May 29, 2024 3:05 PM ET

Adam Copeland jumped off a 15-foot cage to put Malakai Black through a table while he was tied down with barbed wire. After the adrenaline had worn off, Copeland could be seen limping toward the dressing room following his successful title defense.

On Tuesday, Copeland took to X to confirm that he had suffered an injury during his match. He fractured his tibia and will require surgery.

"Hey everybody," Copeland said. "...I've been feeling really good lately. Having so much fun in the ring. I got cocky. That's probably what it boils down to...My brain forgets what my body always seems to remember, which is that I'm 50. I need to make better choices...I ended up fracturing my tibia, which is going to require surgery. I don't know the timeframe yet...I'll find out the timeframe next week and everything."

Howdy! pic.twitter.com/kKGH7xx55S
— Adam Copeland (@RatedRCope) May 28, 2024

Copeland's injury coincides with MJF's return. Adam Cole, Eddie Kingston and Kenny Omega are the three other major names who are currently sidelined. Unfortunately for AEW fans, they have yet to see the company's roster at full strength, at least in terms of the top-end talent available.

With Copeland set to miss significant time, AEW must decide how to navigate the TNT championship and the best angle with withc to move forward. Copeland has been a fighting champion, but the belt can't be taken out of circulation while he rests.

Regardless, Copeland's injury is a big blow to AEW. He has been a regular high-level performer since joining the company and is one of the biggest names on the roster. To lose him for a prolonged period of time due to one big spot will be a tough pill to swallow, though his cage match on Sunday was a highlight of the pay-per-view and will likely have some replay value for fans old and new.

AEW has enough star talent to survive without Copeland. However, they were closing in on having the majority of their top-tier talent available, and that would have been exciting. MJF figures to consume a significant amount of TV time in the coming weeks and that should help cover for Copeland's absence, at least in the short term.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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