Cope, formerly known as Adam Copeland, delivered an emotional message to the Asheville crowd following this week’s AEW Dynamite: Fight For The Fallen. In the main event, Cope debuted his new ring name and teamed with FTR to defeat The Death Riders.
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The show doubled as a fundraiser for those affected by Hurricane Helene, which tore through Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas in late 2024. After the show, Cope took the mic to express his pride in being an Asheville resident and praised the city’s resilience.
“I live in the 828. Here in the 828, we’re tough sons of b****es. We don’t let a hurricane keep us down, do we? No, we don’t. We pick ourselves up, we dust ourselves off, we dig out, and we all come and have a good time. I cannot say enough about this community.”
Dax Harwood, also from Asheville, reflected on how far the town has come since Hurricane Helene, as he added:
“Last time I was in this building, it was bleak. We had just about 1,000 people. But tonight, you packed it out to see Rated FTR, and we love you guys. Thank you very much
Closing the post-show segment, Cope led the crowd in a spirited “828” chant, fostering a sense of unity among those affected by Hurricane Helene. Last week, he shared that his own family had been impacted by the storm, revealing they had been without clean drinking water for months and had relied on bottled water.
The Rated-R Superstar will be in action this Saturday on Collision, when he and FTR battle the Learning Tree. No matter where his journey in wrestling takes him, however, Cope will always be grateful to those in Asheville and is proud to call the town home.
