AEW's Adam Copeland Injury Update; WWE's Rumors on Hikuleo and More TNA Crossovers
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.
Copeland Provides Injury Update After Surgery
After fracturing his tibia during his barbed wire steel cage match against Malakai Black at Double or Nothing last month, Adam Copeland gave some insight into the surgery he underwent and his recovery process.
In an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Copeland said the following about where he stands and his doctor's expectations:
"My Achilles tear a few years ago led to my most difficult rehab, and I'm expecting more of that. 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."
The injury occurred when Copeland shockingly jumped from the top of the cage while Black was prone on a table in the middle of the ring.
Rather than landing on Black with all of his weight, Copeland landed to the side and hit Black with his arm, but the force of the landing on his leg is what caused the tibial fracture.
Copeland explained the rationale behind the spot, noting that he wanted to do it in a safe way that wouldn't injure Black:
"My biggest concern when I got up there was, 'How do I not crush him?' I didn't even consider getting injured. 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."
Copeland added that he got "cocky" because of how good he has felt and believed he could pull the spot off, but it ultimately knocked him out of commission.
With Copeland on the mend, the TNT Championship had to be vacated, and a new champion will be crowned in a ladder match this month at Forbidden Door.
As for Copeland, his absence figures to be sorely felt by AEW while he rehabs since he had been one of the company's best and most complete performers since debuting back in October.
Details on WWE's Reported Interest in Hikuleo
After watching his brothers Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa make the leap from New Japan Pro-Wrestling to WWE, Hikuleo is reportedly on his way as well.
According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Hikuleo had been on WWE's radar for quite some time, and they were simply waiting for him to get more experience before signing him.
Cassidy Haynes of BodySlam.net previously reported that Hikuleo had finished up with NJPW this month and was expected to be on his way to WWE to join the Bloodline storyline.
Both Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa made the move from NJPW to WWE in the weeks after WrestleMania, joining The Bloodline, which is being run by Solo Sikoa while Roman Reigns is taking time off.
Hikuleo made is pro wrestling debut in 2016 and joined Bullet Club shortly thereafter alongside his brothers.
Billed at 6'8", Hikuleo is the adopted son of WWE legend Haku, who is known as one of the toughest men in pro wrestling history. Given his size and background, Hikuleo could bring some added muscle to The Bloodline.
Much like Tama Tonga, most of Hikuleo's exposure to wrestling fans was in Japan, although he did make some appearances on American television in recent years for AEW and Impact Wrestling.
At 33 years of age, Hikuleo is young in wrestling terms, meaning there is plenty of untapped potential he could unlock as part of a massive angle in WWE.
WWE Reportedly Amenable to Using The Rascalz as Part of TNA Partnership
As WWE and TNA cultivate a working relationship, a TNA tag team is reportedly on the radar to potentially make a crossover appearance at some point.
According to Fightful Select (h/t Mukherjee), WWE is "open" to using The Rascalz on NXT if the right situation arises.
The Rascalz are made up of Zachary Wentz and Trey Miguel, and NXT star Wes Lee used to be part of the group before signing with WWE in late 2020.
Wentz signed with WWE at the same time and went by the name Nash Carter, forming the tag team MSK with Lee. Together, they won the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in 2021, and they were NXT tag team champions twice.
However, WWE released Wentz in 2022 after his ex-wife, former wrestler Kimber Lee, alleged that he physically assaulted her. Wentz denied the allegations, but after Lee posted a photo of Wentz appearing to do a Nazi salute while sporting a mustache similar to that of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, the decision was made to part ways with him.
Wentz went back to TNA to team up with Miguel, while Lee enjoyed enormous success asa singles wrestler in NXT, winning the North American Championship.
Lee was part of a Triple Threat match for the North American title last weekend at Battleground against Oba Femi and Joe Coffey. After Femi's win, Coffey and the rest of Gallus attacked Lee.
On this week's NXT, Lee teamed up with Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate against Gallus, but it could represent an opportunity for Wentz and Miguel to provide their old partner with some backup in the near future.
TNA Knockouts champion Jordynne Grace challenged Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women's Championship at Battleground, and some potential TNA entrants in a 25-man battle royal to determine the NXT Championship No. 1 contender were teased for next week, so the WWE-TNA partnership appears to be moving forward.
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