Two of All Elite Wrestling’s top stars, Adam Copeland and Maxwell Jacob Friedman, announced their departures on the September 24 episode of Dynamite. The exits were presented through separate angles, with Copeland taking an indefinite leave and MJF stepping away on a temporary hiatus.
Copeland’s announcement came in a backstage segment, framed as a direct response to FTR’s post-match attack on his wife, Beth Copeland, at All Out. He told Christian Cage he was leaving to be with his family and admitted uncertainty about his future, questioning whether he could return while his career puts them at risk.
Later in the show, MJF addressed his own hiatus in a pre-recorded promo. The longest-reigning AEW World Champion said he had lost what once made him the best in the business and was stepping away. “I’ll be back when I’m ready to be the greatest again,” Friedman promised.
Copeland’s storyline exit ties back to the conclusion of All Out, where Beth made her AEW debut. The angle ended with FTR delivering a Spike Piledriver to her as Copeland, handcuffed to a ring post, was forced to watch.
FTR addressed their actions live on Dynamite. Cash Wheeler said their focus had been on the AEW Tag Team Championships until Copeland involved his family. Dax Harwood denied intentionally harming Beth, claiming he dropped her by mistake after she punched him. The segment ended when Willow Nightingale confronted FTR, leading to an attack on the team by Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight of JetSpeed.
Both departures serve as storyline covers for outside projects. Copeland is filming the third season of the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, while Friedman is set to appear in Violent Night 2.