Scott D’Amore revealed why AEW star Adam Copeland is wrestling at MLP Northern Rising on Oct. 3. He noted that the WWE Hall of Famer will be able to cross an important dream off his personal bucket list.
D’Amore explained that Copeland has always had an appreciation for one of Canada’s most historic venues.
Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling, MLP, will celebrate a milestone event with Northern Rising this Saturday. The event takes place at Mattamy Athletic Centre, formerly known as Maple Leaf Gardens. It is a historic venue, as it served as the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs until 1999.
The venue also has a rich pro wrestling history. It frequently hosted WWE events, particularly during the company’s boom period when it became part of mainstream culture.
Copeland has been open about his dream to wrestle at the former Maple Leaf Gardens and will finally get his wish. He headlines the event against former TNA star Steve Maclin.
Scott D’Amore Reveals Why AEW’s Adam Copeland Was Interested in Wrestling for MLP
MLP founder Scott D’Amore revealed that there was a lengthy process before securing Adam Copeland for Northern Rising.
Copeland, who has been a lifelong pro wrestling fan, used to attend events at Maple Leaf Gardens. But he never had the opportunity to wrestle there.
“Somebody shared an interview with me from one Adam [Copeland] had done a couple of years ago, where he talked about how his white whale was he’s always dreamed of wrestling at Maple Leaf Gardens, and he never got the opportunity. He started with [WWE] months after they stopped running Maple Leaf Gardens, so he just missed it by a matter of months,” D’Amore told The Game Plan.
After learning of Copeland’s dream to wrestle at the venue, D’Amore reached out and sent a feeler out. Copeland is a legendary Canadian pro wrestler, so having him not only appear but also wrestle at Northern Rising is significant.
“I texted him and I said, ‘Hey, a certain pudgy old roommate of yours might be able to make this happen.’ And he was like, ‘Keep me posted. Seriously.’ So we kept in touch. We had talked about it briefly last year. It didn’t work out for last year.”
D’Amore Credits Tony Khan for Allowing Copeland to Wrestle at Northern Rising
D’Amore revealed that Copeland agreed to wrestle for MLP at this year’s Northern Rising and was ecstatic about it. However, approval from AEW was obviously still required.
D’Amore expressed gratitude towards AEW founder Tony Khan for being gracious and allowing Copeland to perform at the historic venue.
“[Copeland] gets paid very well and treated very well by AEW to be a wrestler there. Adam clearly has more of his career in the rearview mirror than he does in the windshield ahead. So, it would be fair for a company like AEW to say no and protect him, and be extra cautious,” D’Amore told The Game Plan. “Instead, the response from Tony Khan was, ‘That’s pretty cool, him wrestling there,’ and he gave the green light. So with that, we were off to the races.”
Scott D’Amore Reveals Why AEW’s Adam Copeland is Wrestling at MLP Northern Rising