Tony Schiavone revealed Adam Copeland's reaction after debuting at Arena México and compared it to the ovation he received in his return to WWE at the 2020 Royal Rumble. On his podcast What Happened When, Schiavone recalled that the day after the event in Mexico, he sent a message to Copeland asking if he had ever received such an ovation in his entire career. The presenter assured that he had never seen anyone receive a reaction of that caliber anywhere in the world and wanted to know what Copeland himself thought about it.
Copeland replied that the reaction at Arena México was probably the best of his life, only comparable to the one he received when he returned to the ring at the Royal Rumble after nine years out due to a cervical injury. "It's probably the best. When I returned to the Royal Rumble, I received an ovation equal to that one. But this has to count as the best," he told Schiavone. The Canadian referred to his comeback in 2020, when he surprised the wrestling world by appearing in the match after being forced to retire in 2011 due to cervical disc ruptures and cervical spinal stenosis.
Schiavone also recalled how the night at Arena México was. Copeland opened the AEW Grand Slam Mexico show on August 5, teaming up with Christian Cage and The Young Bucks against The Death Riders. The presenter recounted that as he watched Excalibur and Nigel McGuinness from the commentary table, he couldn't believe what was happening.
The fans went completely crazy. I was shaking my head like: 'What the hell just happened?'
Prior to the event, Copeland had already pointed out that competing at Arena México was an opportunity he had on his wish list for years. The 52-year-old wrestler has experienced multiple facets in his career, from his days as Edge in WWE to his current stage in AEW, but acknowledging that the ovation at the Mexican wrestling cathedral equals one of the most emotional moments of his career speaks to the special significance that venue holds for any wrestler. The comparison to the Royal Rumble, a moment that marked his return after an injury that many thought would be the end of his career, further underscores what it meant for him to step into the ring at Arena México for the first time.
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