Fantasy, Logical, Dubious, Wildcard: What Next For WWE NXT's Adam Cole?
The former NXT Champion is at a crossroads in his career...
Well, it’s been a wild couple of weeks hasn’t it?
From the rumours of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan joining AEW, the unexpected release of Bray Wyatt from WWE, and Nick Gage getting in trouble with Domino's Pizza, it’s been an exciting time to be a wrestling fan.
Then when we all dusted ourselves off and waited for a return to the status quo, it came out that Adam Cole’s WWE contract had expired and the former NXT Champion, having penned a short-term extension, could be a free agent come the end of August.
Now for all the best will in the world, us wrestling fans can’t help but be suckered in by baseless speculation, whataboutery, and fantasy booking. Our collective creative brains have gone in to overdrive recently, with even the calmest fan screaming “IT’S LIKE THE MONDAY NIGHT WARS AGAIN” in the face of the nearest innocent bystander.
So obviously, if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em.
Here’s what we think could be in the pipeline for Adam Cole (baybay).
Fantasy: Back to PWG/ROH
I’m setting my stall out here but I don’t care; PWG Adam Cole is the best Adam Cole. It’s not even close.
As part of the Mount Rushmore of Wrestling, Cole was at his smarmy best, the villain you hated so much you kind of loved him, even if you did want to see him get his teeth kicked down his throat.
He was X-rated, violent, absolutely hilarious, and whether telling everyone and everything to 's his d' (we’ve self censored there) or taking things far too far when fighting the likes of Candice LeRae - Cole was money.
And as box office as Cole was in PWG, it was tenfold in Ring Of Honor.
To date the only three-time ROH World Champion, Ring of Honor Cole was far more ruthless and focused than his PWG persona. Whether the lynchpin of The Kingdom, or kicking literally everyone’s head in as Bullet Club’s ROH branch leader, looking at Cole’s ROH run it was obvious that he was going to succeed in NXT with Undisputed Era.
Just imagine if he returned.
Unfortunately, this ain’t the Ring of Honor of old, and whilst Cole’s return would likely see a spike of interest for ROH, it’s probably very wishful thinking .
PWG though? That could happen. As seen at the recent Mystery Vortex 7 show, the likes of ROH’s Jonathan Gresham and Brody King made their way to PWG, as did Malakai Black, Orange Cassidy and Evil Uno of AEW…
