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The Undisputed Era grew to be one of the most entertaining WWE factions in recent years. Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Roderick Strong, and Bobby Fish enjoyed a dominant run on NXT before the group was disbanded following Cole's betrayal.
Former Undisputed Era member Kyle O'Reilly recently discussed the lesser-known details of the shocking split during his interview with ViBe & Wrestling. O'Reilly stated that he wanted to be an honorable contender whereas Undisputed Era resorted to underhand tactics for success. However, he admitted that he was sick of the group long before Adam Cole kicked him in the face.
O'Reilly was quoted as saying:
"When Adam Cole kicked me in the face, I realized, but before that, I felt maybe rumblings because I was in a weird place in the summer before that, maybe six months out Adam kicking my teeth down my throat. I was in a weird spot because I thought I was growing as a performer because I was sick of the tactics of The Undisputed Era. There were a lot of underhanded tactics that we used to great success, and we saw a lot of championship gold, but we were attacking guys in the parking lot; we were clobbering them in the knees with weapons, so to speak. But I wanted to be a more honorable fighter."
O'Reilly further asserted that he wanted to prove that he is the best in the business and he can only do that by treating all his opponents with respect. He was conflicted about The Undisputed Era's refusal to play by the rules and believes that Adam Cole sensed his discomfort. O'Reilly went on to say:
"I wanted to treat my opponents with respect and play by the rules because that is the only way to prove that you are the best, and now I’m on this quest to just straight up, take on those new challengers, and no more underhanded tactics. I felt I was beyond that, and I think Adam sensed that he made the decision."
The Undisputed Era's split was officially confirmed in March earlier this year during a backstage segment featuring Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly. The latter has since been involved in a brutal feud with Adam Cole on WWE NXT.
Watch the full interview below:
Kyle O'Reilly's rivalry with Adam Cole after The Undisputed Era's fallout
Adam Cole's betrayal came across as a huge shock at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day when he kicked Finn Balor and then Kyle O'Reilly. Following that, the two former Undisputed Era members were involved in multiple altercations.
As a result, Cole and O'Reilly were booked for an unsanctioned match at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver. Both superstars faced each other in a brutal match that headlined the show. The match eventually ended with Kyle O'Reilly securing a pinfall for the win.
Both Cole and O'Reilly were involved in NXT Championship matches in the months that followed. Both superstars were once again involved in confrontations which led to another match being booked between them at the upcoming The Great American Bash pay-per-view.
