Adam Copeland set to star in AEW Grand Slam Australia at Brisbane Entertainment Centre

Professional wrestling and acts taps into the ‘creative space’ that AEW star Adam Copeland thrives on.

At 51, Adam Copeland knows his latest visit to Australia is likely to be his last as a professional wrestler – but as an Emmy Award-nominated actor, more trips Down Under may await him after he retires from the ring.

“Rated R Superstar” Copeland, more commonly known as “Edge” from his long stint with the WWE, is in Queensland for Saturday night’s AEW Grand Slam Australia event at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

“Chances are this is my last show in Australia,” Copeland said on Thursday.

“I’m making sure to enjoy the process and the experience of all of this and really soak it in because the last time I did these countries, I just assumed I’d be back.

“Now I know I can’t just assume that, and I really have to just enjoy it, and soak it in.”

Copeland will compete for the AEW World Championship against Jon Moxley next month in Los Angeles, and the pair will also trade blows on Saturday night as part of the “Brisbane Brawl” that also includes Jay White and Claudio Castagnoli.

Professional wrestler and actor Adam Copeland will be part of the ‘Brisbane Brawl’ at AEW Grand Slam Australia. Picture: John Gass

However, Copeland’s career outside ring is also burgeoning, having been nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Performer in the Pre-school, Children’s or Young Teen Program category for his role as Ares on Disney+ show Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

“My acting career has snowballed but unexpectedly,” he said.

“It wasn’t one of those career aspirations by any stretch. I always just wanted to be a wrestler.”

However, when neck and spine issues forced Copeland to retire from the ring in 2011 – a retirement that lasted until his return to wrestling in 2020 – acting became an avenue for him to tap into his “creative space”.

“I needed that,” he said.

“I’ll probably still continue to act once I’m done with wrestling. The good thing about acting, unlike wrestling, is you can do it into your 60s and 70s.

“There is a 99 per cent chance this is my last time here, at least for wrestling.”

Originally published as Adam Copeland set to star in AEW Grand Slam Australia at Brisbane Entertainment Centre