Imagine being a young, aspiring wrestler with dreams of the big leagues, but with absolutely no money and nowhere to stay. That was the precarious reality for Adam Copeland, now known as Edge, before he ever stepped foot in a WWE ring. And the person who made it all possible? A name you might not immediately associate with his journey: Johnny Smith.
It’s a fascinating tidbit of wrestling history that Adam Copeland shared, revealing a crucial turning point in his career that’s often overlooked. During a show back in 2018, before his triumphant return to the ring, Copeland recounted how he landed his initial opportunity with WWE. It all started with a tour through the Maritime provinces, a journey that led him to an unexpected piece of advice: reach out to the legendary Bret Hart.
"I had done a tour out in the Maritimes, and in between, I got a call saying, ‘You should really go to Bret’s. He’s down with a knee injury. He’s WWE Champion at this point, but you should get out there and show him what you can do.’" Copeland explained.
But here's where it gets truly remarkable. Copeland found himself in a bind – he had no place to sleep. In a moment of desperation, he remembered Johnny Smith, a wrestler who had competed in the Stampede Territory alongside Davey Boy Smith. Copeland reached out, hoping for a long shot.
"I took all the money I made from that tour. I bought a plane ticket to Calgary. I didn’t have a place to stay. I didn’t have any money. So, I landed, and I went, ‘Oh, what do I do? I don’t know anyone in this city. I don’t have any money. Maybe I can go to the YMCA, and they’ll let this homeless kid come sleep on a mat or something so that I can somehow walk to Bret’s and show him I know how to wrestle.’ It’s crazy now when I think about it."
He continued, recalling his thought process: "So, then I went, ‘Wait, hold on. I do know Jericho. I’ve met him once. He lives in Calgary. He’s in Mexico. Ah, damn it. Wait a minute. Johnny Smith lives in Calgary, I think.’ Now, Johnny Smith wrestled in the Stampede Territory as Davey Boy Smith’s younger brother. I went, ‘Right, I just I got to call this man that I’ve met once and hope that he lets me stay at his house.’"
And this is the part most people miss: Johnny Smith didn't just open his home; he went above and beyond. "Not only does he let me stay at his house, but he feeds me. He takes me to Bret’s every day, picks me up every day, takes me to the gym with him, and trusts me to babysit his daughter. It’s a very little known thing with my story, but without Johnny Smith, when I don’t have two pennies to scrape together, I don’t know what happens."
Copeland believes this act of kindness significantly accelerated his path to WWE. After meeting Bret Hart and impressing him in the ring – a private encounter that marked the only time the future Edge and Bret Hart ever shared a ring – Hart offered his endorsement. "Okay, I got to put in a word for you because you’re good," Hart told him.
Following his return to the Maritimes for his tour, Copeland brought his tag team partner, Christian, with him. Bret Hart recognized their talent, and soon after, his manager contacted them with an offer from WWE. "I pick up the phone, it’s Carl De Marco, he said, ‘You got to go down to Stanford. There’s a contract waiting for you.’" Copeland recalled.
It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes, the most critical support comes from unexpected places and people who believe in you when you're at your lowest. What do you think about this lesser-known aspect of Adam Copeland's rise? Do you believe such acts of generosity are more common or rarer in the wrestling industry today? Share your thoughts below!
