Adam Copeland ‘really, really amped up’ to face Christian Cage on AEW Dynamite

To Adam Copeland, his TNT Championship match against Christian Cage had to take place in Canada.

Copeland is challenging Christian for the TNT title on this Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite from Montreal. It’s the first time the two best friends and iconic tag team partners have faced each other one-on-one since 2010. Copeland made his AEW debut this October and has been feuding with Christian since.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Copeland addressed why the match is taking place on Dynamite instead of this month’s AEW Worlds End pay-per-view. Copeland said that, to him, the match had to happen in Canada. Copeland said facing Christian for a title in Montreal is what he’s dreamed of.

I’ve heard, ‘Why isn’t this at the pay-per-view?’ To me, where is more important than when. We get to do it in Montreal. There’s no other choice for us but to have it here. My family is coming for this one, cousins and relatives who’ve known [Christian] for years.

There’s something special about doing it in Canada. I am really, really amped up to do this one. I truly think there’s not another story like ours, with this real story. Two friends from Orangeville, Ontario, who made it where we made it because of each other. I’m hoping this is a rabid crowd. This is what I dreamed of–working that guy in Montreal for a championship.

Though they’re currently on-screen rivals, Copeland has plenty of praise for the work Christian is doing in AEW.

This is [Christian] without any constraints. He’s discovering and sometimes accidentally stumbling on things that garner a reaction. He’s the type of performer whose ears are always open. If he pushes a button, then just wait, he’ll do it again and even better. And he’s helping bring others up, too.

Christian has been TNT Champion since September. He’s the leader of The Patriarchy in AEW, a faction that also includes Killswitch (Luchasaurus) and Nick Wayne. Copeland teamed with Sting & Darby Allin to defeat Christian, Killswitch & Wayne at Full Gear last month.

Copeland told Sports Illustrated that this story with Christian, and helping give others a boost, is everything that he wants to do.

We were both told we’d never wrestle again. Then we were [in] different companies, so the possibility for us to wrestle each other wasn’t even there. Now we’re here. And we’re at a point where, in terms of being able to tell a layered story, we’ve never been better. And we’re bringing different talent into the story and giving them a boost. It’s everything I want to do.

Wednesday’s Dynamite is being held at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The venue is also hosting an AEW Collision taping tonight (December 5). Collision will air in its normal time slot this Saturday.