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Adam Cole left WWE in August 2021 after wrestling his last match for the promotion at NXT TakeOver 36 against Kyle O'Reilly, where he lost a Two-out-of-Three-Falls match. He would soon after make his debut in AEW at All Out 2021, aligning himself with the then-heel stable of Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks, The Elite.
Almost three and a half years into his AEW run, he is currently the reigning TNT Champion and leader of the Paragon stable that he formed with Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly.
However, Cole's AEW run hasn't been as exciting or successful as fans expected it to be. Moreover, his run was significantly hindered by injuries. Many fans and wrestling pundits believe he has become lost in the shuffle in All Elite Wrestling and should consider returning to WWE once his contract with the promotion expires.
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In this listicle, we will expand on this thought and look at three reasons why Adam Cole must return to WWE.
#3. Adam Cole was a heavy Triple H favorite
Adam Cole was considered one of Triple H's golden boys during NXT's black-and-gold era. In fact, The Game handpicked Cole to lead The Undisputed Era, holding the NXT Championship for 403 days in the process.
Now that Triple H is at the helm of creative in WWE, and the company has been thriving, reporting better numbers than ever in its history. Now might be the perfect time for Cole to break the cycle of AEW's inconsistent booking and return to his former employer as one of its perennial main eventers.
#2. Adam Cole was never part of the WWE main roster
Despite his immense popularity and undeniable talents, Adam Cole never transitioned to the WWE main roster.
His entire tenure took place in NXT. This is a double-edged sword, as we don't know what would have happened had he been part of the main roster during his first run in WWE.
Looking at how former AEW stars such as Penta and Cody Rhodes are thriving in WWE, there probably isn't going to be a better time for The Panama City Playboy to make the switch than now.
#1. Adam Cole was a fan favorite in WWE
Adam Cole gained immense popularity during his run at NXT as the leader of the Undisputed Era stable. Many remember that time as the peak of the developmental brand.
Even main roster-exclusive fans who didn't watch NXT knew his name. Cole impressed many with his charisma and his matches against top stars of the brand. His bouts against Johnny Gargano were five-star classics, still recalled to this day. But this popularity has somewhat dwindled since joining AEW.
He had a few highs here and there, especially his Devil feud against MJF being one of them, but overall, his impact seems to have been diluted by AEW's lack of creative direction related to him. Fans have also been vocal about this. This might also play a part in nudging Cole to choose WWE as his next destination.
Cole's contract with AEW is set to expire in 2027, as confirmed by AEW President Tony Khan. It would be interesting to see if we can see him back in WWE thereafter and have him potentially face off against superstars such as Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes.
