AEW: Anthony Ogogo Signed New Deal, Dralistico Contract Update, Adam Copeland on Cope Open Challenge Origin

Anthony Ogogo Signs New AEW Deal

A recent episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast featured Anthony Ogogo. One of the topics discussed included Ogogo revealing that he recently signed a new contract with AEW to remain in the company for the foreseeable future.

“There’s working there (on the independents) and there’s working AEW. So I’m in a weird situation now where I think there’s a lot of potential around me and Tony Khan has signed me and he’s re-signed me. So he obviously sees something in me and I have this aura which people haven’t got because they haven’t done what I’ve done in real life. But it’s like, I need to get the experience. It’s what do you do? Do I put myself out and do every indie? Just go on and get the experience? But then again, working in front of 100 people is very different to working in front of 5,000 against somebody else, or do I just kind of sit and be patient? But I don’t wanna be patient… I don’t wanna be patient anymore. I wanna show my worth. I just wanna show what I can do… If I didn’t think I could deliver, I wouldn’t be saying this. But I know what I can do, I know what I have. I just wanna contribute.”

Ogogo also gave his thoughts about his appearance at AEW’s All In event this past August in front of his home country of England being a last minute type decision. AEW Director of Wrestling Administration and co-host Will Washington confirmed that Ogogo’s appearance was a late decision made by AEW officials for the event.

Ogogo – “I got to have a moment (at AEW All In). I think (I) should’ve, could’ve had a much bigger moment. I’ll be very honest on this podcast. It’s the reason why I wanted to do it because I wanted to be really honest and come on here and tell my story. It’s in London, it’s my hometown. I was AEW’s first developmental talent. I came here with no wrestling experience. I trained unbelievably hard to get real good really quick and I just think I should’ve been on that card. Now I know what I’m saying, not obviously how the previous 12 months has went. I haven’t done anything, right? Because I haven’t — but I’m desperate to work hard, I want the opportunities, I wanna go and I was gutted to be — even in that moment, that was put together last-minute actually.”

Washington – “I was in the creative meeting where that was all pitched and literally, it all came together and I was excited to see it come together but, very last minute.”

Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com

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Dralistico AEW Contract Status Update

As noted before, Dralistico signed an official contract with AEW this past November.

TJ Sports Lucha Libre held a recent interview with Dralistico. One of the topics discussed included Dralistico providing an update on his contract revealing that it is for four years in length.

“Yes, I signed a deal for 4 years with AEW and I am very happy to belong in the company. I have years to learn a lot, to face a lot of great wrestlers, and the English language may have been a difficulty, but it will not stop me. Rome was not built in one day after all, so we will go step by step to keep in favor with the people.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

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Adam Copeland Comments on Origin of His “Cope Open” Challenge Series

Sports Illustrated held a recent interview with Adam Copeland. One of the topics discussed include Copeland’s thoughts about the origin of his “Cope Open” challenge series in AEW.

“While the story with Christian plays out, I thought, let’s do this fascinating side story where no one knows what comes next. The more I thought about it, we can use it as a vehicle for some young guys to get some different experience. And then I kept thinking about it, and it hit me: ‘This means it could be anyone.’ I’ve been tossing out all kinds of names and seeing who bites.”

Copeland also gave his thoughts on the process that led to his recent match against Minoru Suzuki in AEW.

“I thought Suzuki and I would be really cool. 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.

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