AEW President Tony Khan has addressed the possibility of Adam Copeland competing at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom before bringing his professional wrestling career to an end in 2027.
During Thursday’s pre-AEW WrestleDream media call, Khan was asked about Copeland’s previously expressed desire to wrestle at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, one of the remaining venues on his career bucket list.
Khan confirmed that he was aware of Copeland’s interest but stopped short of revealing whether any discussions had taken place regarding a potential appearance.
Rather than confirming or denying the possibility, Khan suggested that any conversations involving himself, NJPW booker Gedo and Copeland would remain private. “I’ll leave some mystery to that,” Khan said.
Copeland previously discussed his ambitions to compete at several iconic wrestling venues during an interview in August, describing the locations as his “great white whales.”
His list included Arena Mexico, Wembley Stadium, Maple Leaf Gardens and the Tokyo Dome. Having already accomplished his goals of performing at the first three venues, the Tokyo Dome remains an outstanding destination for the WWE Hall of Famer. An appearance at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom in January 2027 could potentially provide Copeland with an opportunity to fulfill that ambition before retiring.
The speculation comes after Copeland announced during the October 14 edition of AEW Dynamite that 2027 will be his final year as an active professional wrestler. Although Khan’s comments leave the door open for a potential appearance in Japan, no agreement or plans for Copeland to compete at Wrestle Kingdom have been officially announced.
