AEW News & Rumor Roundup: WWE sends a cease and desist letter regarding a major name; Plans involving Adam Copeland scrapped, Mercedes Mone loses cool

Welcome, everyone, to the latest edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's AEW News & Rumor Roundup. Today, we are covering top news involving major All Elite Wrestling stars, including Adam Copeland and Mercedes Mone, among others.

WWE has reportedly issued a cease-and-desist order against a top AEW star. Meanwhile, the Jacksonville-based promotion allegedly had to cancel major plans involving Adam Copeland, and Mercedes Mone lost her temper after comments from a prominent wrestling analyst. All this and more as we explore the biggest stories coming out of Tony Khan's promotion today. So, without further ado, let's get started.

#4. AEW reportedly scrapped plans for Adam Copeland to take on a coaching role.

In a recent development, reports surfaced revealing that AEW had big plans involving Adam Copeland, which have now been shelved. During a recent Q&A session featuring Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, the insider reported that the former TNT champion was set to take on a major new role as part of the promotion's plans to establish a dedicated performance center for training and developing future wrestling talent. The proposed facility was to be built in Asheville, North Carolina, and would have been a key step in the company's long-term talent development strategy.

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The plan included recruiting several high-profile names to serve as coaches and mentors. Alongside Cope, there were discussions around bringing in Beth Phoenix and FTR to train younger wrestlers. Sting’s son, Steve Borden, was also rumored to be among the first group of trainees who would have benefited from the new setup. However, the project was eventually halted due to operational cost challenges.

#3. Mercedes Mone calls Dave Meltzer "dumb" and "stupid"

Mercedes Mone has made headlines outside of the ring again, this time for lashing out at veteran wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer. The altercation began when Meltzer named Sareee as his pick for the best in-ring performer of 2025. Although he mentioned the CEO, Toni Storm, and Saya Kamitani as close contenders, the reigning TBS Champion took offense at not being recognized as the year's top performer.

The CEO responded on X, calling Meltzer a “dumb, stupid, salty Mark!”

"You dumb, stupid, salty Mark! I’m the greatest of all time, 10 belts Moné, The CEO, Último Moné. I had the greatest year of my career! Who's better than me?" Mone wrote.

#2. Andrade reportedly involved in legal trouble with WWE

The mystery surrounding Andrade’s absence from AEW programming appears to be connected to legal complications involving WWE. El Idolo returned to AEW earlier this month at the six-year anniversary show of Dynamite, attacking Kenny Omega and joining The Don Callis Family. His surprise comeback followed his brief return stint with WWE, which lasted just over a year. Since then, Andrade has not been seen on television.

Wrestling journalist Bryan Alvarez, when speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, reported that Andrade is neither injured nor released from the company. Instead, the issue reportedly stems from a non-compete clause tied to his WWE contract.

“I was told that Andrade is not hurt. He didn’t get himself fired. Apparently something is up involving his WWE non-compete. When he was fired, remember we were told WWE didn’t care.”

Dave Meltzer further noted that individuals within AEW were unaware that the clause was still active.

“That is what I’ve been hearing was WWE sent a letter and AEW obviously didn’t know. AEW obviously believed that there was no non-compete,” Meltzer noted. [H/T WOR]

#1. Samoa Joe confirms his retirement plans

Samoa Joe recently opened up about his long-term career plans and confirmed that he is preparing for retirement from in-ring competition. The former AEW World Champion discussed his future during a recent interview with SHAK Wrestling, revealing that he intends to stay involved in professional wrestling even after stepping away from active competition.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to help us as much as we need to be helped in that area. I mean, I think I definitely would like to have some involvement with the industry. I’d love to work with younger athletes and help them develop and become better — obviously, if they choose to want to work with me," he said. [H/T - Ringside News]

As of today, Joe is set to face Hangman Page for the AEW World Championship at the upcoming WrestleDream 2025 event this weekend.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Karan Raj