Adam Copeland believes AEW President Tony Khan would have allowed him to make a one-off WWE appearance to face John Cena during his retirement tour.
John Cena ended his in-ring career in 2025, with his farewell run featuring matches against several notable opponents. During the tour, some fans called for Adam Copeland to return to WWE for one final encounter with his former rival.
Copeland was under contract with AEW at the time, making the prospect unlikely. However, speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, the WWE Hall of Famer said he believes Khan would have been willing to approve the appearance. Instead, Copeland suggested WWE would have been the obstacle to making the match happen.
“Here’s what I realised: they could link up with each other. One place didn’t want it to,” Copeland said.
When asked whether he believed Khan would have allowed him to wrestle Cena in WWE, Copeland responded:
“Absolutely. I truly believe that. Because he knows what it would’ve meant to a very large segment of the wrestling fan.”
Copeland clarified that he never formally explored the possibility of facing Cena and was therefore assuming WWE’s position based on his previous experiences with the company. He also acknowledged that he could understand the situation from WWE’s perspective.
Adam Copeland Reflects On John Cena Rivalry
While a final match never materialised, Adam Copeland said he and John Cena understood the importance of their rivalry to their respective careers.
“But John knew I was there in spirit,” Copeland said. “We kind of made our bones on each other, and we’re both aware of that fact.”
Copeland and Cena were among WWE’s most prominent rivals in the latter half of the 2000s, and their feud featured several matches for the WWE Championship. Copeland believes both men would have enjoyed successful careers regardless, but credited their rivalry with helping elevate them to another level.
“Both of our careers would have been great, but I think that angle, that story, those two opponents kind of propelled us to a different place.”
According to Copeland, had the decision been solely down to himself and Cena, the two would have stepped into the ring together one final time. The match ultimately remained nothing more than fan speculation, with Copeland continuing his AEW career while Cena completed his retirement tour without another chapter in one of his most notable WWE rivalries.
