Adam Copeland says doctor is ‘optimistic’ about fractured leg recovery
Adam Copeland is taking a positive approach to his recovery from a fractured leg.
Copeland told Sports Illustrated that, while he expects rehab to be difficult, his surgery was successful and his doctor is optimistic about Copeland’s prognosis. A silver lining is that Copeland will be able to spend even more time with his family as he recovers from the injury.
“My Achilles tear a few years ago led to my most difficult rehab, and I’m expecting more of that,” Copeland said. “I’m 50. I know what’s in front of me. But the surgery was successful, and the doctor was optimistic because my bones are healthy.
“It’s my seventh surgery, so I know the drill. We’ll see how my body cooperates.”
A timetable for when Copeland will be able to make his AEW return has not been disclosed. For the next 8-10 weeks, he won’t be able to put weight on his injured leg.
The injury occurred at AEW Double or Nothing when Copeland faced off against Malakai Black in a barbed wire steel cage match for the TNT Championship. During a spot where Copeland jumped from the top of the cage, he landed feet-first and fractured his tibia. Copeland was able to finish the match despite being hurt.
Copeland explained to Sports Illustrated that his biggest concern with the spot was making sure that he didn’t hurt Black.
“My biggest concern when I got up there was, ‘How do I not crush him?’ I didn’t even consider getting injured,” Copeland said. “My take was if I jumped to the side, landed on my feet, and hit him with my arm but not my body, then the table would break just because of the sheer height. It happened exactly how I planned it.”
The risk of jumping off the top of the cage was an unnecessary one, Copeland admits. He feels he could have gotten the same mileage from the spot if he jumped off the top rope instead.
Copeland retained the TNT Championship against Black at Double or Nothing but had to vacate the title due to his injury. There will be a ladder match at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door on June 30 to determine the new champion. So far, Konosuke Takeshita and Mark Briscoe have qualified. The qualifying matches will continue this week with Jack Perry vs. Dustin Rhodes on Dynamite and Lee Moriarty vs. Dante Martin on Collision.