Adam Copeland. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

WWE Hall of Famer reveals disappointment with moment in AEW's 'Double or Nothing'

By Adam Taylor | Last updated May 31, 2024 6:33 PM ET

AEW is known for providing strong pay-per-views. It often looks to push the boundaries and captivate the audience. The problem is that the risk of injury increases exponentially when you're pushing the boundaries.

Adam Copeland was an unfortunate casualty during the recent "Double or Nothing" pay-per-view. He fractured his tibia when jumping off a 15-foot cage to put Malakai Black through a table.

Speaking on his "Hall of Fame" podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T pinpointed that moment as the one flaw in what was otherwise a solid show for Tony Khan's company.

“There was no arc," Booker T said. "[Copeland] had no arc to his body or anything like that. It looked like he just jumped into a pool feet first. Like I said, if he was one of these 20-year-old kids doing parkour, they could do that. I’m serious. They go hit, they go dropping, they go land and roll, get up and go run, jump over something else. That’s just the way their bodies are – equipped to be able to do that. But when you just do it [at 50 years old], it was a bad idea. And I think if hindsight was 2020, he would definitely think twice about doing that.”

Copeland recently updated his fans that he will require surgery. He joins Eddie Kingston on the long-term injury list. Kingston was hurt in a crossover spot while appearing in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Both Khan and Copeland likely regret the cage stunt. Yes, it got the crowd involved. And yes, it was a big moment in a match that had been built up perfectly over the previous weeks.

Nevertheless, that one moment has now cost AEW and Copeland months of in-ring work, put his storyline on hold, and caused confusion with the TNT Championship. Booker T is right to question the decision-making behind that spot.

AEW has a significant amount of young and upcoming talent on its roster. Many of them are currently dominating the TV time. Understanding the limitations that come with age will be imperative to keeping some of the older talent healthy moving forward. Dangerous spots in matches should be limited for the likes of Copeland and Chris Jericho. Both bring a lot to the table. AEW will suffer while Copeland is out.

Nevertheless, "Double or Nothing" should be seen as a success. Storylines were wrapped up. Others were moved forward. And some new ideas were born. That's exactly what you want from a pay-per-view and is part of why AEW is on an upward trajectory at present.

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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