Adam Copeland Explains Why He Changed His AEW Name to ‘Cope’

Adam Copeland is officially going by Cope in AEW, and now he’s shedding some light on why he made the switch.

After making his big return at AEW Worlds End 2024, the WWE Hall of Famer wasted no time stepping back into the spotlight, confronting AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and the Death Riders before teaming up with FTR for a trios match on AEW Dynamite: Fight for the Fallen.

But just days after returning as Adam Copeland, fans were surprised when AEW officially started billing him as Cope—a name he’s been using ever since. Now, in an interview with Stephen Brunt on Up Close, he finally addressed the decision, saying, “I go to AEW, and now I’m Copeland, or Cope. I’m trying to get the Cope thing (over) because it just looks sexier on a marquee.”

Since rebranding as Cope, he’s been making waves in AEW, most recently competing in a wild 12-man tag match on AEW Collision: Maximum Carnage. Teaming with FTR, Powerhouse Hobbs, and The Outrunners, he took down Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castagnoli, Chris Jericho, Big Bill, and Bryan Keith in a massive showdown. With that win under his belt, all signs are pointing toward an eventual one-on-one clash between Cope and Moxley.

Love it or hate it, Cope is here to stay, and Adam Copeland is making sure fans get used to it. Whether it really does “look sexier on a marquee” or just feels like a fresh start, he’s rolling with it—and with a showdown against Jon Moxley looking inevitable, he’s got way bigger things to focus on than just a name.