Why AEW's Adam Copeland Compares Pro Wrestling To Fondue

Wrestling means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To some, it means nothing; to others, it means everything, and it's usually those people who find a way to turn their fandom into a vocation. That's how one might describe AEW star Adam Copeland, or more importantly, how he would describe himself. 

Copeland has achieved almost everything in his career: countless championships, Mania moments, and even coming back from a career-threatening injury. He has a hell of a resume, and by all accounts, every reason to kick back, relax, and enjoy retirement. So why is Copeland still taking bumps at 50 years old, now with a wrestling organization younger than his kids? He expounded on that during a recent appearance of "This is VANCOLOUR." 

"Here's what I love about AEW — it's young and it's exciting," Copeland said. "The great thing about an AEW crowd is that you'll have some dude come dressed up as Jesus, you'll have a dude dressed up as the Macho Man. Everybody's just coming to have fun. And that's, to me, what professional wrestling's always been. It's been an outlet. Forget about the boss, forget about the bully, forget about whatever it is, and dive into this theater of the absurd. And that means larger-than-life characters, that means explosions, that means music, and it's this giant fondue melting pot of entertainment."

For all of wrestling's silliness, Copeland theorized on why it can still be deeply impactful.

"When I first retired, I had many grown men come up to me and say, 'I was in tears.' And at first I was like, 'Oh, wow. We're just jumping around in spandex,'" he said. "But then I think back to when I was a kid and how it really affected me ... that's what you get into it for, is to try to replicate what you felt as a kid."