Adam Copeland, Jade Cargill Showcase the Benefit of Parity in Pro Wrestling

The arms race between All Elite Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment rages on as Adam Copeland and Jade Cargill swapped companies ahead of another clash on Tuesday night.

The Wednesday Night Wars officially ended when WWE's developmental brand moved to Tuesdays on Apr. 13, 2021. Due to the 2023 MLB playoffs, AEW Dynamite and NXT will go head-to-head again on Oct. 10.

This isn't a new occurrence because baseball bumped AEW's flagship series from its usual Wednesday time last year around this time as well. As a result, the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, OH hosted Title Tuesday.

Similarly, this year's special edition of Dynamite will feature two championship matches and high-profile matchups like Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson. Elsewhere, WWE has also put together a stacked card with some of its biggest names from the main roster.

To add even more fuel to the fire, NXT has been on a hot streak for the past few weeks partially due to Becky Lynch and The Judgement Day. In fact, the latest episode boasted a higher viewership than AEW's most recent offering on Wednesday night.

The scenario has left many fans waiting to see how next week's showdown will pan out. Conversely, both companies continue to compete for the best stars that the industry has to offer.

The free agency market has become much more intriguing since AEW became an alternative to WWE in 2019. It has been an exciting turn of events for pro wrestling fans, but it has been even more advantageous for performers in the US.

From The Edge of Nowhere

Over the last four years, AEW has offered veterans like Chris Jericho, Bryan Danielson, Sting, Samoa Joe, Christian Cage, and Billy Gunn a new lease on life. At WrestleDream, Copeland became the latest name to venture into the company in search of creative freedom.

The Rated R Superstar stunned the wrestling world when he returned to in-ring competition at Royal Rumble in 2020. Like Danielson and Saraya, the 49-year-old retired at an early age. So, it's hard to believe he can still compete at such a high level, let alone for a company other than WWE.

The 2012 Hall of Fame inductee made a name for himself there and spent most of his illustrious career under its bright lights. As such, it was surreal to hear his theme song, "Metalingus" by Alter Bridge, ring out during the main event of Dynamite.

Nevertheless, Copeland looked excited to start this new chapter in his career without the ring name that put him on the map. Under his real name, he has the chance to work with his lifelong friend again and compete against some of the best tag teams in the world.

He has already created an incredible legacy, but now he can add to it with more stories and dream matches. Yes, AEW has found success as a place for a different style of wrestling. However, the fact that it has also become a viable second chance for wrestlers to go out on their own terms has been a joy to watch.

It has already been fascinating to see Copeland in a new environment. His debut adds a much-needed positive buzz following the controversy surrounding CM Punk's exit. It's easy to be pessimistic, but as stated earlier, AEW has a remarkable track record with veteran stars like him.

After all, his former tag team partner Cage is on the run of a lifetime as a conniving and opportunistic heel. It will be fun to see how he fits in and develops a new character as the newest addition to the roster.

A Neophyte Turned WWE Superstar

Meanwhile, Cargill has much more to prove as she steps onto the biggest stage in the industry as the most highly-touted woman to sign with WWE since Ronda Rousey. That may seem like hyperbole, but the announcement of her arrival at the Performance Center sparked an impressive rollout that we rarely see anymore.

Like The Rated R Superstar, she is preparing to write the second chapter of her career, but this is uncharted territory. It seems like there was still so much for her to do with AEW after a brief 2-year stint, but now she has the chance to become an even bigger star.

Yes, her time with All Elite Wrestling transformed her into a commodity worthy of such a vigorous media blitz. It's hard to imagine she could join the fray and possibly go straight to the main roster without the mystique she created as the TBS champion.

Still, the beauty of the current landscape of pro wrestling is that she could immediately use her proven success to find the opportunity that best suits her. There is more than one major game in town now, so the hottest stars don't have to wait and hope the situation improves. They can simply try a different path.

For someone like Danielson and Copeland, who have experienced the highest of the highs in this industry, it's probably more appealing to trade a larger audience for fewer constraints. For someone like Cargill, who still has a long career ahead of them, the infrastructure and exposure of wrestling for a publicly traded multimedia juggernaut must be alluring.

There is no wrong solution, and parity among the top two companies makes both paths achievable. It's also great that Mercedes Moné can leave WWE, fulfill her dream of wrestling in Japan, and still find success. The more options, the better for performers hoping to give us their best version of themselves.