When it comes to professional wrestling, Adam Copeland has seen more than most.
He's been the hot new gun, he's wrestled against some of the biggest stars in the world, been one of the biggest stars in the world, prematurely retired, and returned to lead a faction designed to elevate the next generation of stars the business has to offer, with Judgment Day still going strong in WWE a year after he exited the promotion.
So naturally, when Copeland earned a front-row seat to the in-ring debut of Steven Borden Jr., the younger son of Sting who made a surprise appearance in his father's Wolfpac gear at Revolution, it's hard for the 50-year-old WWE Hall of Famer not to be impressed by what he saw.
And yet, there's a big difference between hitting one impressive Stinger Splash and being ready for action as a full-time wrestler. But can Borden get there? Well, Copeland was asked that very question by Sports Illustrated and let it be known that if he commits to the business, there's no reason fans couldn't be treated to another Sting in the future.
“I think at Revolution there in Greensboro, he got a bit of the itch. He felt what it is. And once you feel that, man, it's hard to walk away from that. It's hard to go, ‘Wait that wasn't cool'. You're going to go, ‘That was really cool and really fun. It's a great gig.' So I think he felt that also in terms of his physicality. I mean, he's 6-3. He's about 230 pounds. He's probably sitting about eight percent body fat. He looks the part. He's got a good head on his shoulders, very similar to his dad in how he conducts himself, which is a great thing,” Copeland told Sports Illustrated.
“I think now it's really up to him. What does he want to put into it? Does he want to put in the work that it will take? Because you got to figure it. You might look at it and say, ‘Ok, an easier pathway into the business,' but once he's in the business, there's going to be a big spotlight on him, and with that comes extra pressures. Your Sting's son and trying to break out of that. But, he's smart. He's smart, and I think if he wants to do it, he absolutely could do it.”
On one hand, it would be pretty darn incredible to see a Borden back in the ring and on top of the world working for one of the top wrestling promotions at some point in the future, as it looked like a wrestling career for either Sting son was out of the question earlier this year. Still, with great power comes great responsibility, and if he does debut for AEW or elsewhere at some point in the future, the pressure will be on the second-generation Borden to live up to the family legacy, even if that's easier said than done.
Adam Copeland has a long list of AEW stars he wants to wrestle
While sharing the ring with the younger Borden would be a full-circle moment for Copeland, as he just shared the ring with his father at Full Gear in Los Angeles the previous November, that is far from the only dream match on his resume.
Discussing his goals for when he returns to the ring in the not-too-distant future, Copeland listed off a number of performers he would love to work with, including the International Champion, Will Ospreay.
“Oh, for sure. I mean, even though (Ospreay) wasn't with AEW at the time, it was talents like him that made the decision pretty easy. Yeah, that's… man. I salivate at stuff like that. First time matches? Feeling another person and possibly having a connection or no connection, it's really, really fascinating. That's definitely a match that for me would be so much fun just because the possibilities there with my mindset, my mentality and how I approach things and how he does would be a lot of fun. And also as a person, he's a really, really good guy who has a massive passion for this. And when you have that, that makes it exciting because it's like, ‘okay, you don't got to bring all the passion to the table 'cause this guy does too. Right, let's go.' That's usually when magic can happen,” Copeland told Comic Book.com.
“But that one is definitely a generational thing that I think could be really interesting. For me, it's also a great test. Like I'm 50 years old, I'm winding this down. I gotta still be able to get in there with those guys and produce to know how long to stick around for. You don't ever wanna be a detriment. I wanted to go to AEW to help; I wanted to try and help backstage. I wanted to try and help with creative. I wanted to try and help with training, as a sounding board, whatever it is. Just whatever hat you need me to wear, I'll throw it on. And if that means I get to get in there with a guy like Ospreay? Hell yeah. I look at the roster and I go down the list … It's like, Ospreay? Never touched. [Kenny] Omega? Never touched. [Jon] Moxley? Never touched. Claudio [Castagnoli]? Never touched. PAC? Never touched. Young Bucks? Never touched. FTR, never. Samoa Joe, never. Swerve [Strickland], never. Hangman, never. What the hell? That is two years worth of matches and stories right there. That's super exciting.”
Would a massive match between Copeland and Ospreay, likely on a Pay-Per-View, be a draw? Sure thing, as the latter can pretty much put on a five-star classic against anyone, and their stylistic differences could create something cool if they work up something cool. Still, outside of Ospreay, the other options he listed off, from Castagnoli to Moxley, Omega, PAC, and Strickland, are pretty exciting, too, which could lead to arguably the most exciting run of Copeland's career right at the end of his run.