Adam Copeland Reacts to John Cena’s Emotional Tribute on His Final SmackDown Appearance

WWE Hall of Famer Adam Copeland acknowledges John Cena's 'Spear' tribute on the September 5th segment of SmackDown.

Adam Copeland Reacts to John Cena’s Emotional Tribute on His Final SmackDown Appearance

Adam Copeland and John Cena (via WWE)

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Fans of WWE’s Ruthless Aggression Era will always remember the legendary rivalry between John Cena and Adam Copeland. The erstwhile Edge was the ultimate villain to Cena’s heroic character, and their clashes defined an era.

In fact, Copeland made history at New Year’s Revolution 2006 by becoming the first man to cash in the Money in the Bank contract, doing so against Cena right after he survived a brutal Elimination Chamber match to win the WWE Title.

Their battles didn’t stop there. Later that year, Cena handed Copeland his first-ever loss in a TLC match at Unforgiven, and the two went on to collide in countless classics, including a WrestleMania 25 triple threat with The Big Show. Their careers were intertwined for years, making Copeland one of Cena’s greatest rivals. 

So when Cena stepped into the ring for his final SmackDown appearance on 5th September, it was only fitting that he paid tribute. In his United States Title match against Sami Zayn, a 25-minute barnburner inspired by Cena’s old US Open Challenge, the 17-time World Champion honored several of his contemporaries by borrowing their signature moves. 

From the Angle Slam to the GTS, Cena tipped his cap to rivals he would never face again. But perhaps the most special moment came when he clutched his head, mimicked Copeland’s trademark taunt, and delivered a spear. Recently, Copeland himself acknowledged the tribute in an interview with The Score, showing that even years later, their rivalry still carries weight.

I saw a clip, you know, a couple of days ago, where he did the whole setup and everything. Super fun. Yeah, it’s just fun. And I think for John and I, we’re two guys that met each other at the right time. You know, he needed a bad guy and I needed a good guy, and it just clicked.

Adam Copeland via The Score

Copeland fondly recalled that he and Cena clicked from the very first time they faced off, largely because they were complete opposites, unlike his rivalry with the late Eddie Guerrero. He added that both he and Cena were always willing to do whatever it took to elevate each other in the eyes of the fans.

John was already well on his way. But I feel like our angle is what really put the stamp on him being the top guy. And it put the stamp on me being a main-event guy. So, you know, I’ll always look back at that one fondly and at what we were able to do and the fun we had.

Adam Copeland via The Score

With less than three months left in his retirement tour, Cena is now set for one final clash with Brock Lesnar at WWE’s upcoming Wrestlepalooza on September 20th. The stakes are even higher as the event marks WWE’s first-ever premium live event on ESPN, following their groundbreaking $1.6 billion deal that ended the Peacock era.

While Cena will never share the ring with Adam Copeland again, he recently named him among the select few he considers his wrestling soulmates, alongside Randy Orton, Seth Rollins, and CM Punk.

Adam Copeland expresses a desire to wrestle his last match in his hometown of Toronto

Much like John Cena, Adam Copeland is also firmly in the twilight of his career. Fans will remember that the former 11-time World Champion first retired in 2011 after years of injuries and a serious neck surgery that forced him to step away from the ring. But in 2020, the world was stunned when ‘The Rated-R Superstar’ made a shocking comeback in the Royal Rumble match.

Many assumed that his final match came in 2023, when Copeland faced Sheamus on the August 18 episode of SmackDown in his hometown of Toronto. This was the night that marked his 25th anniversary celebration in WWE. Instead, he chose to move on from the company and later joined AEW.

Adam Copeland in WWE
Adam Copeland in WWE (via WWE)

Now, Copeland is preparing for another homecoming at the Scotiabank Arena, where he will team up with his longtime best friend, Christian Cage, at All Out to face FTR in a high-profile tag team clash. Ahead of the bout, the 51-year-old opened up about his future in an interview with The Toronto Sun, including his desire to close out his career where it all began.

I honestly don’t know (how I want my retirement road to pan out). I have the luxury, I guess, of having one retirement under my belt, and that was a very emotional one… it was an amazing send-off, right?

Adam Copeland via The Toronto Sun

Copeland acknowledged the memorable send-off he had in WWE but admitted he is less worried about how this final chapter unfolds, except for one thing.

So, this one, I’m not that concerned with how it goes. Would I like for it to be in Toronto? Yeah. I think that would be fitting to try and do it as close as I could to the place that I started it, which is Monarch Park.

Adam Copeland via The Score

Copeland is widely regarded as one of the greatest to ever step into the ring. From his days as a tag team specialist to becoming a main event star and eventually a Hall of Famer, the Canadian legend has truly done it all. And if the end is indeed near, it will be a well-deserved conclusion to a remarkable career.

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