During the September 24, 2025 episode of AEW Dynamite, fans were shown exclusive post-match footage of Adam Copeland and Christian Cage following their tag team loss to FTR at All Out. In an emotional moment, Copeland addressed the attack on his wife Beth Phoenix, delivering a heartfelt message that immediately fueled speculation about his future.
“I can’t keep doing this. I can’t — it’s affecting my family, and this isn’t the first time it’s happened before. I can’t keep doing this to them. I can’t. It’s my family. I have to go, man. I don’t know if I’m going to come back,” Copeland told Christian.
The promo quickly sparked online rumors that Copeland could be leaving AEW and possibly returning to WWE for a long-awaited showdown with John Cena. However, despite the buzz, Copeland is still under contract with AEW, and based on comments he made earlier this year, his current deal is not expected to expire until well into 2026.
According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com, the segment was designed to write Copeland off television so he could focus on filming Season 3 of Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Copeland is set to reprise his role as Ares, the Greek god of war, a character he portrayed in the show’s first two seasons.
While Copeland’s in-ring future remains uncertain, his departure is believed to be temporary. Once filming wraps, fans can likely expect the Hall of Famer to return to AEW programming.
