AEW's Adam Copeland On How & When He Learned He'd Be Wrestling Minoru Suzuki

The next chapter of Adam Copeland's "The Cope Open" is set for tonight on "AEW Dynamite," and it's what the kids would say is a doozy. "The Rated R Superstar" will take on Japanese wrestling legend Minoru Suzuki, in a match that will air without any commercial interruption, giving fans the chance to fully grasp a match that seemed impossible only several months ago, when Copeland was still working for WWE.

In an interview with "Sports Illustrated," Copeland revealed that he was the one who pitched the idea of facing the former All Japan Triple Crown Champion. From there, AEW owner Tony Khan took care of the rest.

"I thought Suzuki and I would be really cool," Copeland said. "It's something you wouldn't even think of until you think of it, right? It's going to be hard-hitting. And the word that keeps coming to mind is grizzled. But I never thought this match would ever happen.

"So I asked Tony 'Can we get Suzuki?' He said he'd find out. As soon as he found out, literally as soon as he got off the phone, he advertised it on air."

At the time of the announcement this past Saturday on "AEW Collision," Copeland was still unwinding from his match earlier that night against Dante Martin. As such, he learned he and Suzuki would be going at it from an AEW star who has met Suzuki in the ring several times before.

"I'm sitting in the locker room getting changed, and Moxley says to me 'Hey man, it's you and Suzuki next week,'" Copeland said. "So you can only imagine my excitement. Immediately, I'm thinking, 'I need to cut a promo about it.'"