Adam Cole has revealed one of the primary reasons he decided to leave WWE and jump to All Elite Wrestling.

Cole signed with AEW back in September of 2021. Prior, he had spent four years with WWE as a vital part of their NXT brand. Cole was a former NXT Champion, NXT Tag Team Champion, and NXT North American Champion during his run.

However, he never did get the call up to the main roster during that time. Once his contract expired, Cole, like many others, made the jump to AEW, where he’s currently experiencing a tremendous amount of success.

He’s on his way to the finals of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament after getting past Jeff Hardy in his last bout. Speaking at the Motor City Comic Con recently, Cole dove more into his decision to leave WWE and sign with AEW.

One of the biggest reasons, Cole revealed, was to be closer to his girlfriend and AEW star Britt Baker.

“One of the biggest things was getting to be around and see Britt a lot more,” Adam Cole said. “At the time, our schedules were so different that there’d be some times that I’d see her for maybe half a day, one day a week.

“Sometimes I wouldn’t see her for weeks at a time. So getting to travel with her and just being behind the curtain when she walks through after she’s done a match or a promo is really nice.”

While Cole was with WWE for the past several years, he obviously knew what was going on in AEW. Especially with Baker playing a vital role in their programming. Cole admitted that the product always looked fun, and he pondered what it would be like to compete in front of those fans.

“It just looked like so much fun,” Cole said. “You know, I had known tons of people on the roster, but to see these crazy, wild crowds every single week, I was like, ‘God, I’d love to wrestle in front of these fans.’”

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

It was revealed over the weekend that top AEW superstars Britt Baker and Adam Cole had filmed an episode of the hit reality series Bar Rescue, a show that follows host Jon Taffer as he shares advice to struggling nightclubs, bars, and pubs in an effort to help their business.

Cole was a guest on today’s Busted Open Radio to discuss his experience filming the series, which airs on the Paramount Network. He begins by revealing that Baker had no idea what the show was about.

“It was kind of a random thing brought up to Britt actually where someone within AEW said, ‘Hey, we have a chance for you and Adam to do this show, Bar Rescue.’ The best part was Britt wasn’t really sure what it was.”

Cole adds that his younger brother is a big fan of the series, so he felt like had to appear just for him.

“My younger brother watches Bar Rescue all the time. He’s like the biggest fan of the show. So aside from the fact that I’ve really liked the show as well, I felt like I had to do it for my younger brother. I’m like, oh my god, we have to do this.”

Cole then recounted what their experience was with Taffer, and how great he was to work with. When Cole mentioned to Taffer that his younger brother was a big fan the host kindly sent him a personal video.

“Jon Taffer was awesome. I thought this was really cool. I told him that my younger brother was such a big fan of his show. He immediately went, ‘Well, let me film a video for him.’ I was like, ‘What?’ He goes ‘Yeah, yeah, just let me say hello to him. What’s his name?’ I said, ‘It’s Brent’, and then he filmed this 30-45 second promo to my younger brother and he’ll cherish that forever. So he was such a pro. The entire team was really really cool.”

The episode featuring Baker and Cole aired on Sunday night.

(H/T WrestlingNews.Co for transcription)

If you’re a fan of Bar Rescue, get ready for a little wrestling flare.

Adam Cole and Britt Baker are scheduled to appear on this Sunday’s episode of the hit show. The episode, which aires on Paramount, features the couple performing surveillance on a bar that host John Taffer looks to improve.

Friday night, the real-life couple tweeted about their appearance on the show.

“Tune into @BarRescue this Sunday at 10pm et on @paramountnet!” Baker wrote, accompanied by a screenshot from the episode.

Cole followed that up, writing, “We are gonna shut it down BayBay!”

Cole And Baker Look To Win Owen Hart Cup

Both Cole and Baker are participating in the Owen Hart Cup tournament, which recently finished qualifying matches on AEW television. Both the men’s and women’s tournament final matches will occur at the end of this month as part of the AEW Double Or Nothing PPV event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cole is scheduled to open the tournament by facing Dax Harwood in the quarterfinals of the men’s tournament, while Baker will face a surprise “Joker” entrant in the quarterfinals of the women’s tournament. The Cole vs. Harwood match is scheduled for this week’s AEW Dynamite broadcast.

Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube. 

Adam Cole is now eight months into his run with All Elite Wrestling, but when he sits down for interviews, questions are still asked about his time with WWE NXT. That’s for good reason — Cole was one of the most decorated stars in the history of the brand.

That being said, Cole never had a run on the WWE main roster despite many clamoring for it over the years. Undoubtedly one of the most talented wrestlers in the world, Cole took his talents to AEW and feuded with “Hangman” Adam Page for the AEW World Championship earlier this year.

Speaking this week with Stephanie Chase, Cole addressed his past with NXT and whether he has any regrets.

“I cherished my time in NXT, and I would not change a thing about the way my career has gone,” Cole said. “I think in a lot of ways, my time in NXT made me a better performer. It put me in a position where I got to learn under guys that I idolized. Like Triple H was a guy that I really looked up to, and I formed a great relationship with him and he helped me a lot.

“Shawn Michaels is my favorite wrestler of all time, in my opinion, just the greatest ever. We still have a wonderful relationship, again, we still keep in touch, and we still talk and stuff like that. He helped me more than anybody, he was just so, so helpful on so many different levels. So, definitely do not regret at all my time in NXT, I loved my time there.”

Cole also discussed his career in general and how he believes he has been in the right place at the right time, joining promotions that were either hot or just starting to gain momentum. That has definitely been the case when you look at his runs with the Bullet Club in ROH and Japan, NXT, and now AEW.

“My whole career, I don’t know how this has happened. But I feel like whether it be Ring Of Honor, or CZW where I started, or New Japan, I feel like I’ve gotten so lucky in so many different ways as far as the timing of stuff that has happened. So, to me, NXT was peaking as I was coming in. And then I got to work with all these guys that I have known for years, and years, and years, and ended up on television, which was really cool. Now with AEW, same thing. I feel like I am at a point where AEW is just doing this (growing) right now, and I feel like they will for years,” Cole said.

Make sure to check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube. 

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcript.

Adam Cole still thinks Pat McAfee is a “dirtbag” – but gives the SmackDown Live commentator props for his performance at WrestleMania 38.

Cole was recently interviewed by Stephanie Chase and was asked about his former NXT rival’s performance on “The Grandest Stage Of Them All.” McAfee went one-on-one with Austin Theory in Dallas, Texas and managed to come out on top.

Still playing up to their old storyline, Cole said McAfee is still a “dirtbag,” but admits McAfee’s performance was one of the highlights of the entire weekend.

“As a person, he’s a dirtbag, can’t stand him,” Adam Cole said. “But if I will look objectively and talk about how much potential he has, Pat McAfee blows my mind. He’s so athletically gifted, as far as the wrestling part he’s done great.

“Everyone knows he can talk for hours, and he’s super compelling and interesting. Pat knocked it out of the park, he did an amazing, amazing job. So, as far as the potential of where he could go, and what he could do in the pro wrestling industry, I think he could go as far as he wants to, seriously.

“To me, it was one of the highlights of the entire weekend was Pat’s match. He’s a terrible person, but a lot of potential.”

McAfee had a big WrestleMania weekend in Dallas. First, got to make his in-ring WrestleMania debut against Austin Theory. The ex-NFL punter impressed with his in-ring ability, and even managed to pull out the win over the WWE Superstar. However, what came next was, arguably, even bigger.

Vince McMahon, sitting ringside to support Theory, came into the ring and demanded an impromptu match between himself and McAfee. McAfee, already beaten and tired from his first match, eventually fell to McMahon for the three count.

While McMahon and Theory celebrated, WWE Hall Of Fame Stone Cold Steve Austin hit the ring, stunning both Theory and McMahon to make the save. McAfee actually got to partake in a beer bash celebration with Austin, before “The Rattlesnake” hit McAfee with a stunner as well.

For McAfee, it was a dream-come-true for the longtime professional wrestling fan, and his performance inside the ring alone was impressive on its own.

Quotes via Wrestling Inc.

Adam Cole says everyone in AEW is psyched for Forbidden Door, and he already knows who he wants to work with at the show.

During a recent discussion with Stephanie Chase, Cole spoke about the excitement that’s building for the upcoming inter-promotional super-show.

Both companies have huge stars and passionate fan bases. Forbidden Door is a chance to see the top stars of both companies square off.

Some AEW fans do not watch New Japan Pro Wrestling. Many NJPW fans don’t watch All Elite Wrestling. This collaboration will expose both companies to new viewers and that’s a huge win for everybody.

“Some of my fondest moments years ago were over in New Japan so yeah, I’m very, very excited for this event,” said Cole. “I think it’s gonna be awesome.”

Cole vs. Okada

The top stars of AEW and NJPW are making it known who they want to work with at Forbidden Door. Cole has his eye on Kazuchika Okada, the reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.

“So I’ve never had a singles match with Okada,” he said. “I’ve wrestled Okada before in like a six-man tag team match in Ring of Honor but we barely had any interaction together.”

Cole is eager to make history with Okada and steal the show at Forbidden Door.

“I’ve wrestled Tanahashi, just wrestled Ishii, which was really cool. Wrestled Jushin Liger, YOSHI-HASHI.. so many different guys, but I would love a classic one-on-one singles match with Okada at some point. I think that’d be really cool.”

While no matches have been signed as of this writing, it’s worth tracking who wrestlers are saying they want to work with. In addition to Cole saying he wants to wrestle Okada, we’ve also seen:

• Will Ospreay Wants Kenny Omega at AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door

• KENTA Challenges CM Punk to Match at AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door

The AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view takes place Sunday, June 26th from Chicago, IL at the United Center.

Watch Adam Cole’s full conversation with Stephanie Chase:

Adam Cole has discussed the influence of CM Punk on his career multiple times in the past. It’s only natural that Punk has been a longtime dream match for the former NXT champion. Now that the two stars are finally in the same promotion, Cole says that this match ‘just has to happen.’

The AEW star recently had an interview with FightFul. He discussed things such as Triple H’s recent health scare and more. Talking about Punk, he mentioned how there was a time when he thought he would never get to wrestle the Straight Edge Star. Though now he cannot get the possibility out of his head:

“It hasn’t happened yet, but CM Punk is my huge one. That’s a good one because again, I’ve made it very clear that for me personally,” said Adam Cole, “he was one of the most impactful professional wrestlers as far as inspiration goes.

Cole Continued: “I remember seeing him in Ring of Honor, watching his promos and going, I really really want to focus on getting good on the microphone because of listening to him talk. Then I thought, ‘Okay, he retired. It’s never gonna happen.’ Now the fact that it’s a possibility, I can’t get it out of my head, I know that someday it just has to happen.”

• Adam Cole Reflects on Triple H & Shawn Michaels’ Impact on his Career

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star and former NXT star Adam Cole has offered his comments on Triple H’s recent health scare.

“The Game” recently opened up about his near-death experience and also admitted that he is now retired from in-ring competition as a result of his health complications. Cole, who worked closely with Triple H in NXT over the years, offered his thoughts on the situation during an interview with Fightful.

Cole noted that he thinks the world of Triple H after the time they spent together at NXT, saying he learned a lot from him and considers him a mentor. He added that he was very disheartened to learn that Triple H was forced to retire due to his health concerns because he knows how much wrestling means to “The Game,” however, his health is what’s most important.

“So truth be told, with the way stuff has been going lately, I’m just happy he’s okay,” Cole said. “But yeah, I mean, everything that he’s given to the wrestling industry and the wrestling business will never be forgotten, whether it be his in ring career, or the countless amount of people he’s influenced within NXT and the countless people he’s taught within NXT. So I really do, I love Triple H. I admire the hell out of him, and I’m glad he’s alright.”

Adam Cole left WWE back in 2021 after his contract with the company expired. He later made his debut for AEW at their All Out pay-per-view (PPV). During his run with NXT, Cole became an NXT Triple Crown Champion, winning the promotion’s World Title, North American Title, and Tag Team Titles.

As for Triple H, the 13-time World Champion can hang his hat on a career that will surely go down as one of the greatest of all time. After helping shape the professional wrestling industry in the ring, he now helps shape it behind the curtain, playing a huge role in molding the stars of the future.

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

Former WWE Executive Canyon Ceman has shared his farewell post to the company. Ceman worked with the WWE from 2012 to 2021.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that the WWE released Ceman on July 23, 2021. The company has released talent over the year due to budget cuts. However, it’s unclear if the former executive release is related to WWE’s budget issues. The timing of Ceman’s departure also happened around the time of WWE’s contract issue with Adam Cole. Wrestling Inc’s Marc Middleton shared that timing of Cole’s contract dispute “Very much lines up with the timing of Ceman’s departure.” Although, the WWE hasn’t confirmed Middleton’s statement.

Regardless, Ceman seems grateful for his time in WWE and shared his appreciation in the farewell post on Linkedin.

“In the spirit of 2022, and a new chapter about to begin, I want to say thank you and a final LinkedIn goodbye to my past chapter at WWE am grateful to WWE for an adventurous 9.5 year run as a leader in talent development,” wrote Ceman.

Canyon Ceman Reflects on Accomplishments

In his post, Ceman detailed his proud accomplishments during his WWE tenure. He shared that he helped scout talent in China, Japan, and Mexico. Ceman also mentioned he played a role in the “Women Empowerment Movement” in the WWE. The former executive brought up talents Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, and Rhea Ripley as people he helped.

“I am most proud of the efforts we made towards professionalization and globalization of athlete acquisition and development, India, Dubai, Japan, China, Saudi, Mexico, Australia, Chile, Germany,” said Ceman. He continued, “…Our role in the Women’s empowerment movement in WWE, from Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch to Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair, so proud of Sara Amato and all we accomplished. The culture of respect and empowerment we built at the WWE PC, as we launched and grew NXT and NXT UK, and of the superstars launched and stories created through all of these projects.”

Ceman also thanked his former co-workers like Triple H, Matt Bloom, and William Regal. He ended the farewell post by saying that an announcement was coming soon. It’s unclear if Ceman still wants to work in the professional wrestling business.

Shawn Michaels recently commented on the NXT departures of Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, & Kyle O’Reilly. Now that they are gone, Michaels admits they are the reason he fell back in love with sports entertainment.

“We still keep in contact, but yeah it is bittersweet, those young men were a big part of my life, they were a lot of the reason that I sort of got back into this line of work,” Michaels said during an interview with Denise Salcedo. “I was happily retired.”

“When it came to Johnny, Tommaso, Adam, those guys, even way back, the Revival Boys, Shawn Spears who was Tye Dellinger at the time, all those young men sitting in a room with them; their passion, their excitement, their desire to be better was just hard not to love,” he continued.

In November of 2018, it was revealed that Michaels was now working as a writer and producer for NXT. This was shortly after he had returned for one match at the Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia.

“They are the reason that I came back, and fell back in love with Sports Entertainment, with this line of work. As you’ve heard and everyone has numerous times, in NXT at the Performance Center, is where it’s still pure, it’s still all the reasons we get into it before it becomes business, and money and negotiations and things of that nature. To fast forward your question, I miss them.”

Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, and Bobby Fish Unite In AEW

Adam Cole debuted for AEW this fall at the All Out PPV in Chicago. He aligned with the Young Bucks and they re-created their Super Kliq team. Then on this week’s Dynamite show from the Greensboro Coliseum, Kyle O’Reilly debuted for AEW as well. O’Reilly helped Adam Cole defeat Orange Cassidy. Then him, Cole, and Bobby Fish all left together, leaving the Young Bucks alone in the ring. After being at the top of NXT since 2017 as the Undisputed Era, they now appear to have re-aligned in AEW.

The full interview with Shawn Michaels can be heard in the player below:

H/T To WrestlingNews.co for the transcriptions

Kyle O’Reilly has joined the AEW roster and drama has already reared its ugly head.

On the Holiday Bash episode of AEW Dynamite, Adam Cole went one-on-one with Orange Cassidy. Cole got a major assist from the debuting Kyle O’Reilly, which allowed Cole to hit The Boom for the three-count.

After the match, The Young Bucks made their way down the ramp and they did not look too pleased. Cole promised a surprise for his fellow Elite members but this isn’t what The Bucks were hoping for.

Bobby Fish was also at ringside and he posed with O’Reilly. Cole looked conflicted as he noticed that The Young Bucks were not happy with what had transpired.

Cole, O’Reilly, and Fish were all members of the Undisputed Era on NXT. The group eventually added Roderick Strong to the group.

O’Reilly had been with WWE under the NXT brand since 2017. Once his contract came to an end, O’Reilly decided to leave the company. Many expected the move given that NXT has changed direction.

Adam Cole would “love” the chance to reunite with Kyle O’Reilly. He’s also eager to work with Johnny Gargano once again.

Luckily for us, there’s a strong possibility we’ll get to see both scenarios play out in the near future.

Over the weekend, AEW held a Q&A panel at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo. Talent in attendance included Adam “Hangman” Page, CM Punk, Adam Cole, Ruby Riott, Billy Gunn and Christopher Daniels.

Cole was asked about the reuniting with former Undisputed Era partner Kyle O’Reilly. O’Reilly and Johnny Gargano’s WWE contracts expired last week. Both men are available to work anywhere, effective immediately.

Kyle O’Reilly & Johnny Gargano

Adam Cole has no idea what Kyle’s next move will be. “I’m not sure he even knows what he’s going to do,” he said. “But the idea of getting to reunite with Kyle as well as Bobby [Fish]? Hell yeah, I would love that. Hell yeah I would. Absolutely.”

Panel host Tony Schiavone joked that if you “heard on the Internet” that Kyle O’Reilly is a free agent, then it must be true.

Undisputed Era reuniting in AEW would be huge. However, Adam Cole looks equally excited to resume feuding with another top free agent from NXT.

Another audience member asked, “Who on the stage would be most interested in kicking Johnny Gargano’s ass?”

Adam Cole’s hand went up, which got a big pop from the crowd.

Watch footage from the AEW C2E2 panel below

AEW signed a lot of relatively unknown guys when the promotion originally started such as Jungle Boy or Darby Allin. They have done an incredible job of putting over many of these talents and making them megastars. The promotion has also brought in a number of well-established names in recent months. These names such as Adam Cole or Bryan Danielson have helped the company in accelerating their growth and get things to the next level.

However, these signings have made it easier to divide the talents into two groups. During his recent interview with Barstool Rasslin’, Adam Cole was asked if this divide between the recent signees and day 1 talents exists behind the scene as well. Or if all the stars feel like they are a part of the team once they are there. Replying to it, Cole said that the AEW locker room feels like a team in every sense of the word:

“It very much feels like the ‘you’re one of us’ thing. It very much feels like a team in every sense of the word. That was one of the more attractive things to me as well about AEW. You look at veterans. Guys who’ve been doing this for a long time and you think, ‘Man, it’d be really, really fun to work with this guy.’ And then you look at the young crew of guys like Jungle Boy, Sammy, MJF, Darby, and you’re like, ‘Man, I could do some really, really cool stuff with these guys.’ It very much feels like a team effort. “

• Adam Cole Reveals If He Felt Uncomfortable With The Double Barrel Debut At All Out

Adam Cole Feels The Fans Are Connected To AEW

Adam Cole continued by explaining that this feeling goes much further than just the talents that have been signed by the promotion. According to him, the fans in many ways feel like they’re a part of the AEW team too. This is where AEW’s incredible connection with its fanbase comes from:

“And that goes so much further than just the locker room. It feels that same way with the fans too. AEW has done something so special. I feel like years and years and years and years and years from now people are going to talk about [it, like] ‘Man, remember when AEW started?’ It’s a really special time and the locker room knows that. So, we are all connected in that sense, and the fans know it too. And I feel like that’s where the connection comes from as well.”

If you use any quotes from this article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for the transcription

People had been waiting for Adam Cole to show up in AEW ever since the promotion kicked off. Though some of them were disappointed with the way it happened at All Out earlier this year.

There were fans who believed that Cole’s debut was overshadowed by the arrival of Bryan Danielson only minutes later. However, the former NXT champion loved how the double debuts unfolded. Cole was asked if the rapid fire debuts made him uncomfortable during his recent appearance on Brandon Walker’s Rasslin podcast.

Adam Cole did not feel overshadowed by Bryan Danielson debuting minutes after he did. In fact, he loved every second of it.

“I loved every second of it,” he said. ”Because there is this mentality, I think that some people can fall into. Where you go ‘I’m making a huge appearance and a huge debut. And I want it to just be me.’ You can understand the argument of like, ‘oh man, but you know, let’s spread it out a little bit. Let’s make this night, a really big night’,

And then a couple of weeks down the line cause we had the Arthur Ashe show a few weeks down the line and then maybe do this debut here. When the idea was pitched to have us debut at the same time. I immediately was like, ‘we need to do it this way.’ Just for the sheer excitement and unexpected nature of the whole thing.”

• MJF Addresses The Miz & Adam Cole, Snubs Wardlow

“It’s The Favorite Night Of My Career”

Adam Cole explained how it was a beautiful thing because a lot of people expected Danielson to show up. The swerve of him showing up first made Bryan’s arrival even more exciting.

The former Undisputed Era leader then revealed that All Out was his favorite night of his illustrious career.

“It’s my favorite night of my career,” Cole said. “The sheer buzz within the building. I’ve never felt the whole process of flying into a different city the night before. Getting dropped off in the middle of the show, hiding in a trailer all day. Going out absolute last minute, having the locker room be like ‘Oh, whoa, whoa, okay, Cole’s here, I guess.’ the whole thing was just, it was awesome. I loved the double debut.”

If you use any quotes from this article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for the transcription

Tony Khan has responded to social media hot takes criticizing Adam Cole’s booking in AEW.

Adam Cole made his AEW debut at the end of the All Out PPV back in September. Since that time, he has realigned with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks of The Elite.

While Cole has been getting fantastic crowd reactions, some believe he isn’t being presented as a headliner.

Over AF

Tony Khan responded to someone on Twitter who expressed his belief that Cole isn’t being utilized to his fullest potential.

“It’s false equivalence, Will. They try to move the line with ridiculous points aiming to dispute the credibility of something credible. Adam Cole is over af, he’s pushed & has many more young fans watching him than he did on Tuesdays. Would we argue if they said water wasn’t wet?”

Adam Cole’s take

Adam Cole addressed the banter about him. He wrote on Twitter, “No matter where I’ve gone…no matter how long it takes… I’ve always become “the guy.” Always.

Adam Cole was seen in action at the Full Gear PPV. He teamed with The Young Bucks to take on Christian Cage and Jurassic Express. The Superkliq ended up losing the match.

AEW was able to scoop Cole up once his WWE contract ended. Cole had competed on the NXT brand where he was the promotion’s main champion over a year.

As of late, Cole has once again joined forces with Bobby Fish. Fans, however, have taken notice of Cole seemingly leaving Fish high and dry when things don’t go their way.

Do you think Adam Cole is being underutilized by AEW?

Adam Cole, Xavier Woods, Tyler Breeze, and Cesaro are known to video game fans as Da Party. Their frequent gaming adventures were dealt a blow this year, however, after two members of the group left WWE. Tyler Breeze was released and Adam Cole signed with AEW after his WWE contract expired.

Recently, members of Da Party have been teasing a reunion. They took to social media using the hashtags #DaParty and #DaPartyForever yesterday.

Xavier Woods recently commented that a Da Party reunion could take place on his G4 show when it begins next year.

“Being linked to WWE where anything can happen, G4 would be a great place to interact with other wrestling talent from anywhere,” Woods said to Cinema Blend recently. 

“I’m hoping that it is a means to create more content with more people that you normally wouldn’t see us creating content with.”

“I’m not sure the ins and outs of things like that, but I am definitely hoping that we see a little bit of [holds up Adam Cole t-shirt]…some of that. So if we can re-link up with some Da Party stuff, that’d be great.”

WWE will be producing Woods’ show on the rebooted G4 network.

Adam Cole has an uplifting message for those who are no longer employed by WWE and ROH.

It’s been a rough few days in the wrestling industry. First, word broke that Ring of Honor is going through a “reconceptualization” phase and has released all of its wrestlers. Then, a new wave of WWE roster cuts was announced.

Adam Cole Speaks On WWE & ROH Releases

Adam Cole appeared on Busted Open Radio and showed support for those who no longer have a wrestling company to call home. He also shared some words of encouragement.

“First of all, it always breaks my heart to hear stuff, whether it be a company like Ring of Honor, which I love dearly, going on hiatus for a little while, I hope they come back strong, hope they have the chance to. Like you said with the releases, pretty much to everybody who is in that boat right now where they’re not too sure what they’re gonna do going forward, I’m sure there’s a lot of stress going through their minds, but I wanna remind everybody that there’s a reason that they got to where they did.

“Ring of Honor’s an incredible company and the people who were in WWE who got let go, again your talent it spoke for itself. There’s a reason you were able to advance so far within the industry and get so far because a lot of people saw a lot of talent in you and a lot of people still do see a lot of talent in you. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Again, if these people continue to have patience and continue to show the world how good they are, trust me when I tell ya it’s gonna work out.”

Adam Cole was in a situation where he could’ve either signed a long-term extension with WWE or take his talents elsewhere. Ultimately, Cole decided to sign with AEW. He has realigned with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

Could Bobby Fish and Adam Cole be on a collision course at some point in AEW?

Fish and Cole were a part of the Undisputed Era faction in NXT. The two started the group along with Kyle O’Reilly. Eventually, Roderick Strong joined them. All four members of Undisputed Era made a name for themselves in Ring of Honor and dabbled into wrestling in Japan with NJPW prior to joining NXT.

Bobby Fish & Adam Cole No Longer Chummy?

Fish and Cole may have been tight as members of the Undisputed Era but things appear different now. Fish was released from his WWE deal back in August, while Cole decided not to re-sign with the promotion.

Both men now compete under the AEW banner but Bobby Fish claims he and Cole have yet to communicate. Here’s what he had to say on the AEW Unrestricted podcast.

“He didn’t say anything to me. We haven’t talked yet.”

When host Aubrey Edwards pointed out that a lot of people in AEW are busy backstage, Fish had his own theory.

“Yeah, Adam acts like he doesn’t know me.”

Fish went on to say that he still speaks with Kyle O’Reilly, whose WWE deal is reportedly expiring soon.

“Kyle and I still talk. We are definitely still close. Like we said at the top of this conversation, pro wrestling is strange in that way where you see some of the same people daily or weekly for X number of years and then things shift, and you don’t see that person anymore for a little while, but you never know when you’re going to cross paths again and what that frequency is going to be. And we’ll see. I feel like Kyle, Adam, Roddy, myself, however many years we’ve all had in the wrestling industry, we’ve all found a way to cross paths repeatedly.”

Given Adam Cole’s reputation for being one of the nicest people in the business, it’s likely that Fish’s comments are kayfabe. Many feel that Fish and Cole will inevitably cross paths on AEW TV. Whether they realign or go to war remains to be seen.

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

Adam Cole believes there are similarities between AEW and NXT fans.

The former leader of the Undisputed Era faction is well-aware of what it’s like to be a top star on the NXT brand. Adam Cole had been a main eventer on NXT ever since he arrived at TakeOver: Brooklyn III back in 2017. He went on to become the face of the brand and an NXT Triple Crown winner.

Cole ended up leaving WWE just a few months ago and signed with AEW in September 2021.

Adam Cole Talks AEW & NXT Fans

During an appearance on the #DORK podcast, Cole broke down what makes both AEW and NXT fans stand out.

“That’s how the magic happens in a lot of ways,” he began. “At the end of the day, in a lot of ways, the fans looked at NXT as, not the little engine that could, but this new brand that was starting that they felt responsible for its growth, which I think is so important.”

“The fact that the roster kept growing and they kept signing these Independent stars, they felt responsible for this massive growth of NXT becoming this legit third brand. AEW has that same kind of passion in the sense of people feel they are responsible for AEW’s growth these past two years, and they are.”

“The fact that fans are so amped and so jacked up and ready to enjoy these matches, makes it so special. Fans are vital.”

Adam Cole has realigned with The Elite since making his AEW debut. He’s been involved in a feud with the Jungle Boy, Christian Cage, and Luchasaurus.

On the Oct. 23 episode of Dynamite, Cole and The Young Bucks tossed Jungle Boy off the stage. As of this writing, he is not booked for a match at the upcoming AEW Full Gear pay-per-view.

H/T to Fightful for the transcribed quotes

Adam Cole recognizes the challenge that comes with being cheered as a face, but he never wavers from the task at hand.

Cole is easily one of the most beloved heels in the wrestling industry. It seems every time his music hits, the crowd pops big. They also love to yell, “Adam Cole, Bay Bay” in unison.

No Boos? No Problem For Adam Cole

When your goal is to be the bad guy, it can be tough when the fans don’t want to boo you. For Adam Cole, however, it isn’t an issue at all. Appearing on the AEW Unrestricted Podcast, Cole explained how he’s able to thrive as a heel despite having the crowd on his side.

“It has been a thing that I’ve gone through for a few years, and I take it as a giant compliment. My match with Jungle Boy is a prime example. So, in the beginning, they’re excited for the entrance. They want to do the ‘boom,’ and they want to do ‘Adam Cole, Bay Bay’ and they’re into me at the start of the match, but my theory and my thought process is, if I have enough time, I’ll get them to change their mind.”

Cole has realigned himself with The Elite. As of late, he’s been feuding with Jurassic Express, Bryan Danielson, and Christian Cage. Cole has been getting pinfalls over Jungle Boy as of late and many believe it’s only a matter of time until he gets his comeuppance.

On the Oct. 23 episode of AEW Dynamite, Cole and The Young Bucks threw Jungle Boy off the stage and through a table.

H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcribed quotes

There is no denying that Adam Cole is one of the hottest wrestling sensations right now. One of the most unique things about his persona is his catchphrase.

The former NXT champion recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. He discussed things such as how his Twitch streams have become a vital part of his life, potentially doing an angle with Britt Baker in AEW, and more.

On the topic of his famous catchphrase, Cole said that he has been doing it since 2009. Revealing the origin of it, Adam recalled seeing Joey Matthews during an indie event of Maryland Championship Wrestling:

“Joey Matthews [Joey Mercury in WWE] was on the show, and he was in the finals of the Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup. He was the heel, and he was just walking around going “Joey Matthews!” and putting his fists up in the air, and he said it so many times.

I remember sitting there and thinking that is so smart. If you are not really a hardcore wrestling fan, if you remember one name from that show, it’s going to be Joey Matthews.”

Adam Cole Took Inspiration From Chris Jericho

Adam Cole then explained how he came up with the idea to incorporate this taunt into his own character, with some inspiration from Chris Jericho:

“So I thought how can I incorporate that into my own thing? I’m a huge Chris Jericho fan, and when he would stand on top of someone, flex and go “come on baby!” I was like oh, I will do “Adam Cole Bay Bay.””

Cole also talked about leaving WWE for AEW and how things came together very fast. He said that he wants to make it clear that he had a great 4 year run in WWE.

Adam Cole and AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker have been dating since 2017. With Cole now a member of the AEW roster, there is potential for them to be involved in a storyline together. Cole was recently interviewed by Chris Van Vliet and stated that he would be happy to take part in an angle involving both of them.

“I do love the idea of eventually doing something on-screen with Britt. I know I have been asked that before, and I know some people are like ‘Oh maybe you want to keep it separate’ or ‘Maybe you want to work together.’ I love the idea of that,” Cole said.

Cole and Baker’s relationship has come up on AEW programming, most notably when Cole dressed down Baker’s friend Tony Schiavone on-air.

Cole continued to say that he enjoyed working with Britt on the independent scene when they were briefly able to do so. Baker and Cole teamed together twice for Wrestle Circus in 2017.

“There was a small phase when I was done with Ring of Honor, where for like 3 months I was doing independent shows. I remember doing shows that she was also booked on, and in a couple of those matches we got to do some mixed tags, or she had run in or I had run in, it was really fun to work with her. Eventually, doing something like that on the big stage that is AEW, I’m all for it.”

On June 24th, 2017, Baker and Cole defeated the now-engaged team of Sami Callihan and Jessica Havok. They later defeated Roppongi Vice (Beretta & Rocky Romero) that August.

• Twitch Leak Includes Payouts For Adam Cole, Paige & Zelina Vega

Adam Cole’s full discussion with Chris Van Vliet can be viewed in the player below:

Adam Cole has given his reaction to Bobby Fish signing with AEW.

Fish appeared on the second-anniversary edition of AEW Dynamite. He challenged Sammy Guevara for the TNT Championship. Guevara ended up getting the victory and many assumed this was a one-off for Bobby Fish.

As it turns out, Fish is actually All Elite. Now that he will be on the AEW roster going forward, it’s led many to wonder if Fish will reunite with Cole. After all, the two were members of the Undisputed Era during their time on NXT.

You may have to hold your horses on that thought a little bit. During an appearance at the 2021 New York Comic-Con convention, Adam Cole addressed Fish’s AEW signing and the possibility of bringing him into The Elite (h/t Fightful).

“The last time I was around Bobby Fish, things with my former group didn’t end so well. I’m not sure we’re on the best terms. However, I am very happy that he’s in AEW, I hope everybody else too. We’ll see if it gets to the point where we invite him into The Elite. I don’t know if I’m emotionally ready for that yet.”

It was reported by Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter that AEW EVPs, The Young Bucks, were crucial in getting Bobby Fish signed to the promotion.

Fish had been released by WWE as part of a wave of NXT roster cuts. Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong are the only former Undisputed Era members left in WWE.

A massive Twitch leak has allegedly unveiled the payouts of streamers, including WWE and AEW stars.

4Chan (via VICE) has been the home of many leaks over the years and this time, an anonymous poster shared 135GB of data revealing the payouts of popular Twitch streamers. Someone uploaded the pay wrestling streamers received on the platform, which has since been deleted on Pastebin. Fear not, we’ve got the totals here.

Several streamers confirmed on Twitter that their data inside the leak is accurate. Jason Koebler of VICE also says the figures appear legitimate, based on internal knowledge of what their own channel earns.

How Much Do Wrestlers Make From Twitch?

The following is the Twitch revenue data for the largest wrestling-related accounts for September 2019 through September 2021.

Keep in mind, these payouts are from subscriptions and bits. They do not include donations, which is a huge chunk of pay for streamers on Twitch typically.

• Paige (@SarayaOfficial) – $478,224
• Zelina Vega (@theatrinidad) – $341,748
• Adam Cole (@TheCHUGS) – $318,080
• Impact Wrestling (@impactwrestling) – $69,140
• Tyler Breeze (@thesweetzlive) – $43,755
• Evil Uno (@eviluno) – $35,742
• Colt Cabana (@coltcabana) – $32,479
• Xavier Woods (@AustinCreed) – $25,431

As you can tell, there’s a substantial amount of money to be made on Twitch for these wrestlers. WWE has a policy in place that prevents its talent from streaming on Twitch. Paige is an exception as the rule isn’t a part of her deal and she isn’t an active wrestler.

Zelina Vega had been released by WWE over the issue of not being able to stream. She eventually ended up signing with the company again. Vega’s husband, Malakai Black, had been taking over the channel but there hasn’t been a new stream for the past month.

WWE made a strong push to re-sign Adam Cole before he decided to jump ship to AEW. Adam Cole’s wish to keep his independent Twitch channel was said to be a non-negotiable stipulation during those negotiations.

All Elite Wrestling Women’s Champion Britt Baker confirms that WWE had an interest in signing her.

Baker appeared on Throwing Down with Renee Paquette & Miesha Tate to share WWE inquired about her AEW contract. She reveals that WWE spoke with her boyfriend Adam Cole to let Baker know they wanted to sign her. However, Baker had no interest in leaving AEW.

“…You know, It’s no secret since he’s (Cole) already said it by now. Cat’s out of the bag. I’m not going to get in trouble. That WWE was definitely poking the bear a little bit through him recently when I was still signed with AEW,” said Baker. She continues, “…Without teetering the line of contract tampering. They definitely let me know that they had interest in me, but it wasn’t a mutual thing.”

Britt Baker Picking AEW Over WWE

Cole revealed that WWE tried to inquire about Baker’s contract situation when he left the company for AEW on September 5th. Before his departure, Cole shared that WWE wanted to keep Cole and sign Baker. However, those discussions didn’t go any further.

Baker re-signed with AEW to a long-term contract between August and September. She revealed on the September 1st episode of AEW Dynamite that she re-signed to AEW. However, she didn’t share when precisely she signed the new AEW contract. It’s also unclear when her new contract will expire.

Baker has also publicly shared at Planet Comic-Con that she has no interest in wrestling for another promotion. “I’m not going anywhere because I’m in the hottest professional wrestling company on the planet. I don’t need to go anywhere. They can come here, and that’s fine, but I have no desire to go anywhere because they can all come to us,” said Baker. Although things can change, Baker has expressed her happiness with AEW and plans to stay with the company for the foreseeable future.