WWE, Topps Strike Deal; Cody Rhodes Reveals Full Schedule; Copeland Talks Retirement

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.

WWE, Topps Agree to Trading Card Deal

Topps announced that it entered into a "long-term trading card partnership" with WWE.

WWE previously worked with Topps in the 1980s and then from 2005 to 2021, but Panini became the main producer of WWE cards in 2022.

Darren Rovell of Cllct reported in September 2023 that WWE sought to terminate its agreement with Panini due to breach of conflict, but the two sides settled the issue in November in 2023 and continued working together.

Given that Fanatics owns Topps and is the main distributor of WWE merchandise, it was widely expected that WWE and Topps would reunite once the contract between WWE and Panini expired.

That time has come, and Topps is already showing off some WWE Topps Chrome product that includes numbered autographs of Rhea Ripley, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes:

The 1/1 Rhodes card will likely be especially sought after since it includes the inscription, "Story finished," which alludes to his WWE Championship win over Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.

Topps has yet to announce when its WWE product will be available in 2025, but it figures to be coveted given WWE's rise in popularity and success over the past couple of years.

Rhodes' Full January Schedule

WWE champion Cody Rhodes posted his January schedule on X, which includes three Raw dates and five SmackDown dates:

Although Rhodes is a SmackDown Superstar, he appears on Raw occasionally, and it looks as though it will happen even more often in the early part of 2025.

Raw is made the move to Netflix starting on Jan. 6, and the debut Raw on Netflix featured a card fit for a premium live event, which suggests that WWE wants it to be as big and successful of a show as possible.

It comes as little surprise that one of the company's top stars in Rhodes will make appearances on Raw on the road to WrestleMania.

In a rematch of their bout on Saturday Night's Main Event, Rhodes and Kevin Owens will meet with the WWE title on the line once again at Royal Rumble on Feb. 1 with the added stipulation of a ladder match.

Rhodes and Owens figure to have plenty of interactions on Raw and SmackDown in the weeks to come, plus some seeds could potentially be planted for what WWE has in store for Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.

Copeland Reveals Potential Retirement Timeline

AEW star Adam Copeland suggested that his in-ring career in pro wrestling is starting to wind down.

Speaking to Raj Prashad of Uproxx, Copeland expressed his belief that he will likely retire within the next two years, saying:

"There's still some really fun stories to be explored that will probably eat up a year and a half, two years, and then I think it's going to be time. But again, I can't sit there and dwell on it. I have to focus on each time I'm in that ring and go, here I am. You've got to be in the present. Otherwise, bad things can happen, but also being in the present, I soak it all in, I enjoy it all instead of getting too far forward."

After spending about 13 years in WWE as Edge, Copeland retired in 2011 due to a neck injury, but he made a surprise return in the 2020 Royal Rumble.

Copeland's WWE contract came to an end in late 2023, at which point he signed with AEW and made his debut for the promotion at WrestleDream in October 2023.

The Rated-R Superstar enjoyed plenty of success over the next several months, including winning the TNT Championship twice, but a broken leg suffered at Double or Nothing in May landed him on the shelf.

Copeland returned at Worlds End, helping FTR ward off AEW world champion Jon Moxley and his Death Riders stable.

The 51-year-old Copeland got a second chance to go out on his terms when he was cleared to return from a neck injury, and he will have a chance to do precisely that in AEW over the next couple of years.

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