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What's the story?
In the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer has reported that Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish have been aligned with Adam Cole in NXT in order to compensate for Cole's apparent lack of size.
In case you didn't know...
After what felt like years of speculation, Adam Cole has finally arrived in NXT. The only man in history to win the Ring of Honor World Championship on three separate occasions, Cole made his long awaited NXT debut at the end of the NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III by attacking the new champion, Drew McIntyre.
Cole was joined in the attack by Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish, better known as reDRagon, one of the most dominant tag teams of the modern era. All three are Ring of Honor alumni, and an ROH stable had been speculated in the run up to Cole's debut. What was the reasoning behind the faction?
The heart of the matter
The latest issue of the WON goes in depth in reviewing WWE's weekend of shows in Brooklyn, including NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III. Meltzer postulates that Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish have been put together in order to compensate for Cole's apparent lack of size.
"[McIntyre] was laid out by Fish, O'Reilly and the debuting Cole. That's an interesting dynamic because you have a huge babyface against a small heel, which is why they gave Cole the back-up"
It has been reported in the past that WWE has always been extremely high on Adam Cole, but was apprehensive because of his apparent lack of size and aesthetic toughness. Cole impressed on a tryout some four years ago, but WWE chose instead to allow him to grow further on the independent scene.
In the time that has passed Cole has grown into himself as a performer, winning championships all over the world and developing into one of the top heels outside of WWE.
What's next?
Adam Cole has shot straight to the top of NXT, immediately finding himself in the top feud in WWE developmental. The next NXT TakeOver special takes place in Houston in November, and a Cole vs. McIntyre main event may well be likely for that show, which takes place over Survivor Series weekend.
Author's take
Whilst it is plausible that Cole, Fish and O'Reilly are teaming in order to increase Cole's threat, there are a plethora of reasons as to why the faction could have come about. WWE's focus on size makes this the most likely, although 'ROH faction' is as good a reason as any.
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