Recently, wrestler Adam Copeland shared some reflections on his previous feud with fellow professional wrestler Matt Hardy, which originated from their off-screen love triangle involving female wrestler Lita during their time in WWE.
This high-profile rivalry came into existence in 2005 when Hardy and Copeland’s on-screen conflicts were surprisingly based on the reality of off-screen drama. Specifically, it capitalized on Copeland’s relationship with Lita who was, at that time, romantically involved with Hardy.
During a guest appearance on the “Insight” podcast, Copeland, also known as the Rated R Superstar, opened up about his perspective on the entire situation. Here are some excerpts from the conversation with him on the podcast:
Speaking about the situation with Hardy when all the truth got revealed: “Well… we’re here, right? So, how can we extract some positives from a crummy scenario? It’s a situation for which I’m responsible — I made the bed, right? Not to mention, the company wants to explore this. Well, let’s transform this into an engaging storyline, a compelling program. Let’s leverage it to make some money because what else can we do at this stage?”
Regarding mending things with Hardy swiftly: “Once we both understood, ‘Oh okay. We’re still the same friends. We’re still sharing the same camaraderie, everything is pretty much the same.’ I believe the audience took significantly more time to accept our peace than we did.”
Reflecting on the notion of tribalism in wrestling: “In my opinion, it’s a bit absurd. I say this from the perspective of my childhood when I used to watch anything I could lay my eyes on. Whether it was Continental, Mid South, NWA, BC Allstar, I simply wanted to watch and see the developments. Speaking of allegiance to initials, I reckon it’s akin to people rooting for their favorite sports teams … but for me, it’s the same with hockey. While I’m a Maple Leafs fan, I love hockey as a game, so I don’t mind watching other teams like the Boston Bruins or the Florida Panthers because I enjoy a good game. That’s my point of view.”
An interview video with Adam Copeland about his experiences in wrestling, transitioning to AEW, his WrestleMania moments and his bond with Christian Cage can be watched below.