Adrienne Dinardi’s journey to her national television debut in professional wrestling was filled with unexpected twists and turns, much like her career itself.
Earlier this month, Dinardi, who has been wrestling for nearly ten years under the name Kennedi Copeland, made her way to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. She was hoping to secure a spot as an extra at All Elite Wrestling’s taping of its “Dynamite” and “Rampage” shows, which are broadcasted on TBS and TNT, respectively.
However, there was a slight hiccup. Dinardi couldn’t use her ring name as AEW already had a Copeland — the very person from whom Dinardi had borrowed her ring name.
She had chosen the name as a homage to Adam Copeland, who was wrestling as Edge in World Wrestling Entertainment at the time. The first name was inspired by Myles Kennedy of the band Alter Bridge, who performed the wrestler’s theme song.
When Adam Copeland signed with AEW in October, Dinardi was asked to come up with a new name. She decided to pay another tribute.
And thus, Kennedi Hardcastle — a nod to Adam Copeland’s original wrestling name, Sexton Hardcastle — was created.
“I suggested it as a joke,” the 31-year-old admitted. “But it was still a way to honor him, and the guy who books the extra talents loved it.”
That was Dinardi’s ticket in. That night, Kennedi Hardcastle stepped into the ring for AEW Rampage, partnering with Notorious Mimi in a match against AEW veterans Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale.
Although the match was brief, Dinardi’s performance earned her accolades from AEW founder Tony Khan and seasoned wrestler Dustin Rhodes, the son of the iconic “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.
The first person Dinardi wanted to share the news with? Her father.
“I immediately told my dad, who’s also a wrestling fan,” she said. “He was the one who took us to all the shows. I told him, ‘You won’t believe this.’”
Dinardi herself is still in awe of the path that pro wrestling has led her on. She’s wrestled across the Northeast, often for companies that promote a wild and extremely violent brand of wrestling.
She’s been a fan “since nursery school,” and fell in love with wrestling during WWE’s extremely popular — if not entirely age-appropriate — Attitude Era in the late 1990s.
“It’s just something that’s always been with me. It’s like the one consistent in my life,” Dinardi said. “Even when I wasn’t actively watching it, I always found a way to get back into it. It’s just always been something that I knew I was going to pursue, no matter what. And, here we are today.”
She began training to become a pro wrestler while she was still a senior at Shenendehowa, right after she turned 18.
Admittedly, it wasn’t the most typical of hobbies.
“I would go to school the next day with a black eye and people would be like, ‘Are you OK?’” she said. “They thought I hadn’t finished my makeup. I’d tell them, ‘That’s not makeup.”
The journey hasn’t always been smooth.
“It’s definitely been a roller-coaster,” Dinardi said. “There were times when I quit. But I always found my way back to it, and I’m so grateful I did, because this has honestly been the ride of a lifetime for me. I’m glad I stuck it out.”
That “ride of a lifetime” took an unexpected turn in the past couple of years.
In 2021, she was scheduled for a match with one of her closest wrestling friends, who then had to withdraw due to injury. With less than a week’s notice, the promoter of the show reached out to Dinardi with a potential replacement opponent — a well-known figure in wrestling’s ultraviolent “deathmatch” circles.
“I couldn’t say no,” she said. “I thought, ‘Why not? Let’s do it.’ That’s pretty much been the mantra for my whole career. And I did it. It was really to prove to people that didn’t believe in me.”
Deathmatch wrestling is notorious for its bloody fights, often involving increasingly absurd weapons — from the standard steel chairs and wooden tables to barbed wire, light tubes and, in one instance Dinardi remembered, tattoo needles.
It’s quite a contrast for someone whose day job is caring for animals at the APF.
“One of the guys’ gimmick is that he’ll stab you with tattoo needles,” she said. “Everyone was saying, ‘Get ready to take tattoo needles to the forehead.’ And I thought, ‘No, I have tattoos. It can’t be that bad, so why not?’ It really pushed me.”
Whether she’s wrestling as Kennedi Copeland or Kennedi Hardcastle — she’s used both names since her national TV debut — Dinardi plans to continue pushing herself.
She’s come this far, and she’s excited to see how far she can go.
“It’s overwhelming,” she said. “I keep saying it’s probably one of the most overwhelming experiences ever in my life. But, in the best way possible. I’m definitely not complaining.”
Agree:
Way to go, Adrienne! Chase your dreams and make them a reality. We’re all rooting for you to become a successful professional wrestler!
Uncaring:
Sounds like a risky career choice. Good luck to her, I guess.