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Adam Cole may join what is shaping up to be a bigger free agency period than the NBA this year. News broke earlier this week that the former NXT Champion's contract is set to expire after Summerslam.
This news shocked many fans and wrestlers alike with Adam Cole being recognized as the face of NXT. His departure would be a huge blow to the brand and to WWE overall. With his ties to AEW stars, it would be reasonable to predict that he would head there if he decides to leave WWE.
With Cole potentially leaving the company, it is an ideal time to remember the most memorable encounters of his time with the biggest promotion in wrestling. In this article, let's take a look back at the top ten best Adam Cole matches in WWE.
#10. Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish & Kyle O'Reilly) vs. Sanity (Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe & Killian Dain) vs. Roderick Strong & Authors of Pain in the WarGames Match (NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2017)
Adam Cole debuted at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III, attacking NXT Champion Drew McIntyre along with Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly. The three men would become known as Undisputed Era. They immediately caused chaos for the black and gold brand. Cole, O'Reilly and Fish wanted Roderick Strong to join their ranks, but he refused, which caused animosity.
Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish would draw the ire of Sanity, Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong. This set up a three vs. three vs. three matchup at the next TakeOver. William Regal thought the only place to settle the differences was WarGames. For the first time in WWE, the Dusty Rhodes creation was introduced and would main event TakeOver.
All nine men battled inside the two-ring steel cage. This was a different version of WarGames with no roof, but it still had the intensity of WarGames of the past. Killian Dain stood out and put in a tremendous effort. Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong showed heart, while the rest of Sanity brought a level of mayhem unlike anyone else in the match.
The Undisputed Era used their smarts and their teamwork to the best of their advantage. This was a wild and great main event that introduced weapons to escalate the violence and utilize the stipulation brilliantly. Adam Cole pulled out the win by hitting a steel chair-assisted Last Shot on Eric Young. Everyone delivered and established WarGames to become a staple of NXT.
#9. Adam Cole vs. Kyle O'Reilly (WWE NXT: Great American Bash 2021)
At NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day, Adam Cole did the unthinkable and turned on his long-time friend, Kyle O'Reilly. He delivered a superkick to emphatically end the Undisputed Era after O'Reilly sided with NXT Champion Finn Balor. At NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver, O'Reilly gained revenge on Cole in an Unsanctioned Match.
That 45-minute clash didn't settle things between the former Undisputed Era members. It only ramped up their hostilities. Adam Cole took several weeks off of television before returning ahead of NXT TakeOver: In Your House 2021. The two men would interact in Fatal Five Way for the NXT Championship, but neither man would win.
After a pullapart brawl between the two men, NXT General Manager William Regal made a rematch for the Great American Bash 2021 special. This time, it was a traditional singles match with both men looking to prove who was the better wrestler. This contest turned out to be slightly better than their encounter at Stand and Deliver.
This was another great battle between the rivals. Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly attacked each other's legs. It was Cole who worked over O'Reilly's leg long enough to use it to his advantage. O'Reilly countered the Panama Sunrise with a knee strike, but reinjured his leg. Cole then hit the Panama Sunrise and the Last Shot for the win. This tied their series and set up an eventual final showdown.
#8. Adam Cole vs. Daniel Bryan for the NXT Championship (WWE SmackDown 11/1/2019)
Ahead of Survivor Series 2019, NXT staged an invasion of the main roster led by NXT Champion Adam Cole, starting on SmackDown. Triple H brought a group of NXT superstars and wanted to show their dominance over the main roster ahead of Survivor Series where they would go head to head with both brands.
To headline the November 1st, 2019 SmackDown episode, Adam Cole defended the NXT Championship against Daniel Bryan. The battle between Cole and Bryan set the tone for what was to come at the 2019 Survivor Series. Cole brought his A-game and showed why he is considered one of the best wrestlers in the world, while Bryan is one of the greatest wrestlers of this generation.
The two men showed off incredible chemistry with one another. There were sequences that were akin to the best of NJPW's junior heavyweight division. Fans got 20-plus minutes of non-stop action that displayed technical wrestling and extraordinary exchanges. This contest once again proved how great Daniel Bryan is and helped elevate the stock of Adam Cole.
The finish was outstanding as Bryan looked for a running knee, but Adam Cole caught him with a superkick. He followed up with the Panama Sunrise and the Last Shot for the victory to retain the NXT Championship. This was the first strike in the war between NXT, Raw and SmackDown, in which the black and gold brand eventually won at Survivor Series 2019.
#7. Adam Cole vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship (NXT TakeOver: Portland)
When NXT came to the USA Network, Adam Cole was front and center as the NXT Champion. He defeated Matt Riddle to retain the NXT Championship on the first episode to go head-to-head with AEW on October 2nd, 2019. At the end of that episode, Undisputed Era completed Cole's golden prophecy with Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish winning the NXT Tag Team Championships.
It looked like Undisputed Era didn't have any more challenges ahead of them until Tommaso Ciampa returned to NXT to confront Adam Cole. Ciampa wanted to regain the title that he never lost and bring Goldie home. This set the stage for NXT TakeOver: Portland when Ciampa finally got his shot at gold.
Adam Cole and Tommaso Ciampa went at it and brought their very best to this NXT TakeOver: Portland main event. This was a lengthy war of attrition going well over 33 minutes long. Ciampa brought the aggression and physical intensity that he has become known for. He looked for Willow's Bell early and often with the Portland crowd heavily in his corner.
Adam Cole used his ring IQ and quickness to get control. The two men countered each other's signature arsenal and kicked out of big moves. Johnny Gargano was the difference maker, interfering and costing Ciampa the NXT Championship with a heel turn. It was an exceptional main event that delivered and continued Cole's iconic reign.
#6. Adam Cole vs. Aleister Black in an Extreme Rules Match (NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia)
The rivalry between Adam Cole and Aleister Black turned extremely personal heading into NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia. With the event taking place in Philly, WWE decided to make their encounter an Extreme Rules Match. Cole had a lot of experience in this stipulation due to his time in CZW, while Black was a fighter and ready for the no rules nature of the bout.
The Philadelphia crowd was even split between the two men. There were a wide array of weapons used here, from kendo sticks to chairs to ladders. At one point, Adam Cole's hand was cut and trainers had to check on it. Black looked like he was getting the upper hand until Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish interfered. Sanity, however, came down and evened the odds.
With it back to the two participants, Aleister Black hit a crazy meteora off the guardrail on Adam Cole through the announce table at ringside. Both men made their way back into the ring where Cole caught Black with a superkick. He looked to follow up with a steel chair, but Black hit the Black Mass with the chair in front of Cole for the win.
The Philadelphia crowd was heavily into this bout and got louder as this Extreme Rules Match progressed. This was a great encounter that used the stipulation superbly. Aleister Black and Adam Cole proved themselves as main eventers and top stars for the NXT brand in this battle.
#5. Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Bobby Fish & Roderick Strong) vs. Team McAfee (Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch) in the WarGames Match (NXT TakeOver WarGames 2020)
In 2020, years of tension between Adam Cole and Pat McAfee came bubbling to the surface. The two men bantered back and forth on NXT preshows and other platforms, but things came to a head when Cole appeared on McAfee's podcast and got aggressive with the former NFL punter. This set up a matchup at NXT TakeOver XXX.
Cole and McAfee put on an entertaining bout that proved to be one of the better debut matches in WWE for the Super Bowl Champion. Pat McAfee impressed, but it was Adam Cole who pulled out the win. However, things were far from settled following this encounter.
Pat McAfee put together a group of NXT superstars to counteract Adam Cole and Undisputed Era. He hired Ridge Holland to take out Cole and attacked Strong and Fish ahead of a NXT Tag Team Championship Match. McAfee then recruited Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch as well as helping them defeat Breezango to win the NXT Tag Team Titles. He followed that by bringing Pete Dunne into his ranks.
With Team McAfee assembled, the Undisputed Era wouldn't go down without a fight. Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong returned to set their sights on Team McAfee. This set the stage for William Regal to put the two teams against one another in the WarGames Match.
At NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2020, Undisputed Era and Team McAfee battled in an insane, intense battle. Adam Cole looked to get his hands on Pat McAfee, but his team worked so well together to keep their leader safe. McAfee was once again impressive, hitting the spot of the night with a senton off the cage. Kyle O'Reilly got the win with a top rope knee drop to win for the Undisputed Era.
#4. Adam Cole vs. Ricochet for the NXT North American Championship (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV)
Adam Cole became the first ever NXT North American Champion at TakeOver: New Orleans. This started a stellar lineage of champions that have proven to be future NXT Champions and champions on the main roster. His first title defense on the main stage of TakeOver took place at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York, against Ricochet.
Ricochet was also apart of the inaugural matchup to determine the first titleholder in his WWE debut. He stood out the most with his magnificent high flying ability on full display. He followed this performance at NXT TakeOver: Chicago II by defeating Velveteen Dream. Ricochet then made his intentions known that he was coming after Adam Cole and the North American Championship.
This proved to be a marvelous back and forth contest that made both men look credible. There was good drama throughout, with Adam Cole and Ricochet delivering breathtaking exchanges. The moment of the match came when Ricochet looked for a Lionsault off the middle rope, but Cole caught him with a superkick in mid air. He followed with a brainbuster on the knee for a nearfall.
Ricochet overwhelmed Adam Cole in a hot closing stretch, hitting an over-the-top rope to the apron rana and followed with a 630 senton for the win. There was some awe-inspiring action that had the fans on the edge of their seat the entire way. Cole sold this loss extremely well, while Ricochet went on to continue the legacy of the North American Championship.
#3. Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano for the NXT Championship (NXT TakeOver XXV)
The Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano rivalry elevated the already critically acclaimed main event scene for NXT to the next level. After their Match of the Year candidate at NXT TakeOver: New York, Cole continued to target Gargano and the NXT Championship. The challenge was made and the main event for TakeOver XXV was set.
This was different from their first showdown, which was best two out of three falls. Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano II would be a straight-up singles bout. This made Cole believe that he had the advantage since he scored the first fall in New York. However, Gargano scored two straight falls and was confident that he could beat his opponent here.
The Connecticut crowd was on their feet for large portions of this contest. This bout had an awesome layout that helped escalate the action as this went on. Both men worked on body parts early with Cole targeting Gargano's knee, while Gargano attacked Cole's arm. This paid off tremendously in the closing stretch when Cole went to the extreme to dismantle Gargano's injured arm.
There were great swings of momentum going both ways. Johnny Gargano displayed his terrific babyface fire, while Adam Cole showcased ruthlessness in the way he attacked his opponent. Cole hit the Panama Sunrise and the Last Shot to beat Johnny and win the NXT Championship. This was an excellent main event that lived up to lofty expectations set by their previous meeting.
#2. Adam Cole vs. Velveteen Dream vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Killian Dain vs. EC3 vs. Ricochet in a 6 Way Ladder Match for the NXT North American Championship (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans)
Although Adam Cole and the Undisputed Era had accomplished a lot in the first six months in NXT, TakeOver: New Orleans was where their success took up a notch. At the event, Roderick Strong joined the group after months of questions about whether he would align with them. Cole and O'Reilly also won the 2018 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, while also retaining the NXT Tag Team Titles.
NXT Takeover: New Orleans kicked off with a six-way ladder match to determine the first NXT North American Champion. The introduction of a secondary title helped add depth to the black and gold brand, giving the superstars another goal to strive for. The six men were Adam Cole, Lars Sullivan, Killian Dain, Velveteen Dream, the returning EC3 and debuting Ricochet.
It was a contest that made every single individual come out of this match looking better than they did coming in. Lars and Killian were monsters and did powerhouse moves. Velveteen Dream showed off his athleticism and charisma. EC3 felt right at home back in WWE, while Ricochet was the MVP of this ladder match. He was simply amazing in every way possible.
Adam Cole proved to be the smartest man in the room. He waited for the exact right time to take advantage and head up the ladder to retrieve the title. Cole became the first North American Champion. This sets the tone for the new title and still stands as the greatest opener in TakeOver history.
#1. Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the NXT Championship (NXT TakeOver: New York)
As previously mentioned, Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano will go down as one of the greatest rivalries in NXT history. The two men shared some history from their time on the independent scene, but they were kept separate for a while after both came to the black and gold brand. These two men weren't even supposed to face each other the first time they clashed in NXT.
For well over a year, Johnny Gargano did battle with his former DIY tag team partner Tommaso Ciampa. After defeating Ciampa at TakeOver: New Orleans, he lost to Tommaso at TakeOver: Chicago II and Brooklyn IV. Ciampa had made his life a living hell and held the NXT Championship that Gargano coveted. Johnny slipped into the dark side, but he had an ulterior motive.
Johnny Gargano made Tommaso Ciampa think that he had manipulated his former friend to his side, but Johnny Wrestling proved that it was his plan all along when he turned on Ciampa first. Before the two men could finally settle their war, Ciampa went down with a serious neck injury and was forced to relinquish the NXT Championship. This opened the door for Adam Cole to slip in.
Adam Cole defeated Aleister Black, Ricochet, Matt Riddle and Velveteen Dream in a Fatal Five Way to face Johnny Gargano for the NXT Championship at TakeOver: New York during WrestleMania 35 weekend. The bout was made a two out of three falls match to make sure the winner was undisputed.
Despite Gargano's underdog journey to the biggest stage of his career, Adam Cole started out as the heavy favorite for the fans inside Barclay Center. Cole used that momentum to hit the Last Shot and get the first fall in this contest. Gargano would win a strike exchange and transition from an arm bar into the Gargano Escape to tie things up.
Gargano was bleeding from the right eye and had to deal with Cole's Undisputed Era stablemates, but this didn't deter him at all. Johnny Wrestling fought from underneath and kicked out of every big move by Adam Cole, including another Last Shot. This totally turned the crowd in his favor.
In a fantastic closing stretch, Gargano reversed the Last Shot by Adam Cole into the Gargano Escape to win the NXT Championship. This was a phenomenal main event that finally completed the Gargano story. He overcame the odds and solidified himself as Mr. TakeOver. It was a superb triumph and an outstanding effort from both men.
This main event stands as one of the greatest WWE matches of all time. There was so much emotion, drama and remarkable storytelling. It was a fitting end to one of the best TakeOvers in history and the perfect culmination to the greatest babyface journey told in NXT. Despite him taking the loss, this is by far the best Adam Cole match of his WWE career.
