Adam Cole

[8.0] "I've gone up and down on Adam Cole's time in AEW. His entrance theme is (a ripoff of Bombtrack and) a banger, so I was always happy to hear his entrance music hit, even when personally I would be down on him. He was a great winner for the inaugural Owen, involved in some fairly great stories from time to time, along with some stinkers. But he had the charisma to pull me back most of the time. Hope his career can resume in some respect soon, behind the scenes, at the commentary desk, at ringside. I'd rather him protect his brain and usher in a new generation than destroy himself."

[6.0] "Bay bay! Well, everyone who knew the NXT knows that guy is somekind of a legend, and still is. His matches with Gargano (two of them, not the last one) and his leadership with probably the second biggest stable that WWE did in the decade are already enough to put him in a seven category for me. However, there is some problems between him and myself. I was never a huge fan on him, his promo work is really basic and besides the cut promo he did into Karrion Kross, he does not have anything remarkable with the mic. Basic ring skill set, basic gimmick, and again, injuries suck. In his case, injuries really fucking suck, he was good. One of the nicest persons in the business btw."

[10.0] "One of my favourite wrestlers of all-time; gutted his career was cut short. Adam Cole has been excellent wherever he's been - PWG, RoH, NXT and AEW, winning the world title in all of those but the latter. It looked like he was on coure to win the world title in AEW too with that awesome feud with MJF, but for injuries cutting it short. Excellent in the Undisputed Era in NXT too. Quite bizarre Cole never got an opportunity on the main WWE roster but with how bad the booking was at the time it wasn't a bad thing."

[6.0] "I honestly feel so sorry for him. He had such great potential and then he just started to get injured a lot. He a very great wrestler but I always hope for more for him. I don't exactly blame Triple H for pushing Adam Cole as hard as he did in NXT because he thought he was going to be the next guy in WWE."

"really hope this isn't the end of his career, he's always going to be one of my favourites and I want to see his career go further. I like a guy who can interact with a crowd and Cole is one of the best at that."

[8.0] "7/10 form me, Accomplishments - 8.5, Charisma/Character Work - 9, Cultural Significance - 7, In-Ring Skills - 9, Longevity - 9.5 and Move-Set - 7.5 = 8.2 rounded down to 8/10."

[5.0] "If his career has come to an end, what a damn shame. During his time in Ring of Honor, Cole was a promising, slimy heel who could work and could talk. The biggest issue with Cole was his body, as he's on the shorter and skinnier side. In recent years, he's been looking even skinnier, less defined and pale as a ghost. His work has been so-so since the kick-out extravaganzas with Johnny Gargano and escpeically since that abhorrent match he had with Jericho. With that being said, he's about the nicest guy you could meet and will remain a what if for me."

[10.0] "adam cole is one of those guys who people take for granted way too often, because if you actually look at his body of work, he consistently puts on good to great matches no matter the situation or who he's working with. he has this ability to get the absolute best out of whatever he's given, whether it's a big storyline match or something with less buildup, and he rarely ever misses. his in-ring storytelling, timing, and connection with the crowd are always on point, and it's something that feels so natural to him that people almost overlook how hard that actually is to maintain. on top of that, his promos are always top-tier, he speaks with a level of confidence and clarity that makes everything he says feel important, and he knows exactly how to sell a match or a feud without it coming across as forced. i also think he gets a really unfair reputation because of the injuries he's had over the past few years, like people use that to discredit him or act like he's unreliable, when in reality every time he comes back, he proves the opposite. he always returns in great shape, clearly puts in the work to be ready, and somehow manages to come back just as good if not better than before. it feels like that part gets ignored way too often, even though it should be something people respect more. overall, he's one of the most dependable performers out there, and the criticism he gets sometimes really doesn't match the level of consistency he's shown."

[10.0] "One of the biggest reasons why I loved NXT was because of the Undisputed Era. But seeing him now with no direction, not even a singles title win yet simply hurts cause he and Johnny Gargano put on for me the greatest main event in the history of NXT in New York 2019. The better than you bay bay story I thought i was great but since then. There's no direction for him which I won't blame him for. He needs a title win in AEW or he's gonna just be wasted when Triple H would have this guy back in a heartbeat alongside Kyle and Roddy. But as a wrestler. Amazing."

[7.0] "He was one of the best wrestlers on the planet in NXT but I just don't see that in AEW. Yes, injuries have played a huge part in it and I can't but any blame there but even before I just wasn't as impressed by his performances. He had a couple of good ones but it wasn't the same. Since his injury in 2023 he's rapidly declined in the ring, as I've enjoyed very few matches of his since. Just really unlucky stuff."

[7.0] "Adam Cole is cool, but he should probably just stop wrestling. He is an 8 out of 10 wrestler and 8 out of 10 promo, but he just can't do it anymore. He is so injury prone and I feel bad every time he get injured. He is such a sweet guy, and I understand he wants to keep going, but it would probably be best if he transitioned to a manager.It didn't make sense when he was in WWE, but he should retire in AEW from in-ring competition AEW desperately needs talkers and he'd be a great babyface manager that AEW lacks. He has just been sitting at home for most of his career. He was great in-ring, but he has so many other assets that could be utilized by AEW. I loved his in-ring run and he was so talented, but I'd rather see him on TV as a manager than not see him at all. He has all the tools to still make a difference."

[6.0] "I genuinely cannot suspend my disbelief enough to believe Cole is someone to worry about in a physical altercation. I do find him to be charismatic, and his in ring abilities are decent, but his lack of believability holds him back to the point where he is simply mediocre overall."

[7.0] "Ngl, over the last few years, I've had mix feelings on Adam Cole. First off, he was one of the best things during the black and gold era of NXT, he was the top heel, he was having bangers, he was the leader of one of NXt's best factions, he was on top of the world. Then he went to AEW and things went slightly downhill. He did get a push, but he kept getting injured and had some poor matches, not saying his AEW one was a fail, he did had bangers and had a memorable team with MJF."

"Adam Cole is honestly one of the best wrestlers, period! On the mic, he's a 10. Character, he's a 10. In ring, bell to bell, he's an 8. He could have made so much money in WWE, but I get why he left. It sucks that his AEW run was plagued by injury after injury. He is missed, and I hope that he makes back. But the most important thing is that he gets his health in check."

[9.0] "I understand the criticisms of Adam Cole but I was always a huge fan of his and thought he was great. The ROH era, the NXT era and even the AEW era, which had it's ups and downs, were really good, imo. Hard not to feel bad for the guy and all the injury trouble he's had. As much as I enjoy him, I'm glad he's putting health first."

[2.0] "I don't like Adam Cole. I've never liked Adam Cole. I will likely never like Adam Cole. I'm willing to admit that he can wrestle, which is the overarching reason as to why I've put a 2 instead of a 0, but there's just something about him that I simply cannot stand. Maybe it's the fact he's skinnier than a beanpole, or maybe it's that his character is irritating for me. I think the only time I've ever tolerated him was when he was in Better Than You BayBay with MJF, and that's only because I'm a diehard MJF fan. I wish Cole all the best if he retires, but (not to sound too harsh) I certainly won't miss him in the ring."

[8.0] "I think an eight is a reasonable rating for Adam Cole considering that he does have some drawbacks as a wrestler, however, I truly believe that his career should've been a ten. Firstly, and maybe his biggest strength, Adam Cole oozes charisma. When he is presented right he looks and acts like a million dollars and there's a very good reason why the Undisputed Era is remembered so fondly. However, aura and charisma are not enough to make you a successful wrestler, and Adam Cole was no slouch as a worker. I find some of his work to be a bit much, especially his acclaimed 2/3 Falls Match against Gargano, but this doesn't stop him from being an incredibly exciting wrestler with a trove of work. In particular, I find his tag team work to be phenomenal especially during the 2010's with Kyle O'Reilly. Adam Cole isn't my favorite, and he isn't everyone's cup of tea, but rating him any lower than 8 is a bit crazy to me."

[9.0] "One of my favorite wrestlers of all time. He's an absolute key figure in NXT B&G and 2010s ROH. He also did great things in AEW. He would have been a much bigger superstar if not for the unfortunate injuries. Thank you baybay for the matches, the memories, the great feuds, and the booms."

[5.0] "Adam Cole is so mid average wrestler he was the leader of the undisputed era but strong and Kyle was much better than him but the fans loves them anyway his body is so skinny and the in ring performance is mid he had a little pit of charisma but that is not enough"

[6.0] "Man, Adam Cole. A true paradox for me. Objectively good in the ring, awesome promo skills, well-liked by everyone backstage, but despite all that, I literally never care about anything this man does. Like, ever. Even though he's good at doing movez I'm bored watching his matches. Even though he's good at cutting promos (even somehow making his stutter sound natural), I find myself looking at my phone during them. If I had to pinpoint the reason, I think it's because his character work always kind of, well, sucks. His gimmick is "good at wrestling and confident". Like, that's it. There are SO MANY dudes in wrestling over the last 20 years where that's their entire personality and the only reason Cole stands stands out among them is just his raw talent and natural likeability. I'm not asking Adam Cole to come back repackaged as a viking plumber or something but just, like, something, anything to making him *actually interesting* besides an entrance catchphrase/pose. It's frustrating giving him this low score because again, he's very good, it's just that he's never made anything work for me personally. Like, OK, imagine taking really really expensive bread, toasting it, and then just eating it without any butter or jam or anything. That's Adam Cole. Really high quality plain and dry toast. Maybe he just should've been an actor or something, so that he can play other people's characters really really well. It also would've been a lot better for his body which I'm convinced is made of porcelain. 5.5 rounded up."

[8.0] "one of the truly great and Underappreciated wrestlers of this time. his charisma is undeniable as well. even on his lowest days, you could never truly say he was bad or not giving an effort. when he was on fire, he was one of the best. ill never forget following him before wwe and then he set nxt on fire. if his career is done, I hope he doesnt have regrets as he still is an inspiration for so many. as long hes healthy is what people care about as he deserves to be happy and not in pain in snd out of the ring"

[8.0] "Adam Cole is one of the most charismatic wrestlers of his generation. He brings a natural swagger to everything he does, whether it is in promos, character work, or in the ring. His matches are smartly paced, with sharp timing and great storytelling. He is not the biggest or flashiest athlete, but he makes every move count and connects with the crowd in a big way. Whether leading a faction, playing the cocky heel, or rallying as a babyface, Cole always feels like a main event player. One of the best pure entertainers in wrestling today. Consistently delivers in big match situations and knows how to work a crowd perfectly."

[4.0] "I was never a huge fan of the guy, but I admit he was a good wrestler back in the day. I even used to have him at a 7 back in 2021, but now he is simply washed. He is still young but his best days are so far behind him it's kinda sad. He has been doing the same gimmick, surrounded by the same people, sporting the same look (but somehow much worse) for more than a decade. On top of that he has had a myriad of injuries that have kept him out and made him slower in the ring. Being a nostalgia act at 35 is insane, but here we are with Adam."

[3.0] "You know, Adam Cole is very athletic and can do a lot of great moves. And there was a certain point in time you could've legitimately bought him as a Main Eventer and ROH proved that. His run in NXT Black And Gold with the UE was great as well. But Adam Cole knows nothing about ring psychology and has proved that time and time again throughout the years. He relies on the moves and constant near Falls to get his matches over and that'd only get you so far. His big matches follow one simple formula of hitting big moves and kicking out of them. That's not enough for me. His AEW run has also been ruined by constant injuries and terrible booking. ROH Adam Cole showed some potential, but he hasn't been able to get there."

[8.0] "What he has gone through is rather unfortunate, and as of this writing his AEW run has clearly not gone the way anyone has expected. That's not to say Tony Khan didn't try, and if the talent wasn't there, why would he? Adam Cole may not be the most athletic, definitely not the craftiest professional wrestler, he won't wow you with any extraordinary moves. But my god, he is uber-charismatic. There's a reason this guy was always a main eventer everywhere he went. He was the textbook definition of a heel magnet. Genuinely one of the best promos of this past decade, arguably of the generation. While young in his ROH run, he used his great heat and humor to get himself over a lot of times. NXT, he felt like the best wrestler on the planet. Whenever the bell ring, you were destined to see the MOTN, and in some cases, even the MOTY. His run with the Undisputed Era, is still among some of my favorite times of watching wrestling. So yes, while I can agree that Cole is a bit of a shadow of his former self, it does not take away from the fact that he is still for my money, one of the most entertaining wrestlers of his generation."

[4.0] "For my money, one of the least compelling main eventers of the modern era, coasting on a catchphrase but insisting on the most indulgent yet weightless version of superindie style. He has no presence of his own and turns matches into utter slogs of bad offense, crap selling, and abysmal pacing. For me he is everything that the Bucks' haters say they are, working their lucharesu with none of their flair or capacity for intensity. And when he attempts to do a match that hinges on some aspect of old-school ring storytelling, he has no ability whatsoever to put over the stakes of a match or the feeling of being in a war with an opponent. I don't wish ill on any worker, but every time he has had an extended absence from an active roster it has made the work in whatever promotion he's in noticeably better."

[9.0] "My Rating 9.3 Adam Cole is the definition of AEW/NXT guy. In my opinion he is the best wrestler to come out of CZW wrestling school and it is also interesting that a CZW guy would get over without doing death matches."

[8.0] "A stalwart of the peak NXT era, but never broke through on the WWE main roster and has yet to solidify his status as a top guy in AEW (granted in part due to injuries). Solid promo ability with a slightly underwhelming appearance that might have held him back at times."

[8.0] "Almost anybody can be entertained watching him. He can talk on the microphone, for sure, and his matches tend to be good stuff. The only "issue" you could point out is his size and look."

"Just above average in ring and on the mic. Has had some good matches. Terrible finishing move which is probably one of the worst looking to be honest. He doesn't have a great look. He definitely has some charisma to him though. On balance a 5 seems fair."

[7.0] "There is something to Adam Cole but he mostly falls into the "not for me" category. Outside of the ring he is a charming personality and it's weird that hasn't been tapped into on screen much at all."

[7.0] "His current run is unfortunate, but he's a solid wrestler and solid promo, however, nowadays he is very generic, and "solid" is downgrade to what he was before, because he used to be one of my favorites"

[5.0] "He is a proven star in certain contexts, so it is tough to go lower than 5 on Adam Cole. He's "boom" comboed with this infectious theme music really gets him over with certain crowds. I've always found him to be a bit lame and could never buy in. This is more of a personal poor rating than a fully objective one ."

[4.0] "I feel bad for saying this because at one point Adam Cole was one of my favorite performers in AEW and I like to rate wrestlers based on their CURRENT work and after Adam Cole's severe ankle injury he's never been the same since. He's very slow and generic when it comes to offense, hitting his big moves and everything else going at a snails pace due to the injured ankle. His promo work is still great but he's been saddled with a dying story that makes no sense anymore and a reunion that was too late. Let's hope going into 2025, he can find his groove!"

[8.0] "I'm a big fan of Adam Cole, at one point, he was the best wrestler in North America when he was NXT champion. Then comes AEW and poor boking + injuries killed his momentum, and he is now in a very precarious position. That being said, an amazing wrestler and a very good promo who deserve his flowers since the days of ROH."

[6.0] "Adam Cole is no doubt a good wrestler, but he isn't excellent at anything. He's a solid promo, he has a solid look, and he's good between the ropes. My problem with Cole is that I don't ever feel excited to watch any of his matches. If one is in front of me I'll find things to appreciate, but it's rarely a memorable experience."

[8.0] "Was absolutely insane a few years ago but currently i can't rate him higher than that. Maybe it's his body or his ring rust that's holding him back but he can't deliver in the ring anymore currently. I'll hope he recovers since he's only 35 and a very nice and talented dude."

[10.0] "Adam is the nicest person in the business and deserves to be in it. He's had a long career and rightfully should be in for years to come."

[8.0] "The Undisputed Era's reign over black and gold NXT was a thing of beauty. And Adam Cole as the leading man of the team is a joy to watch. While I'm not particularly fond of his AEW run, he was unmistakably brilliant before then."

[5.0] "Technically, he's a gifted performer and a lot of fans seem to enjoy him. I'm not one of them. He has big man charisma in the body of a 12-year old boy. I just can't take him seriously when my FedEx guy looks like he could beat him up in a fight. I'd like to cut that damn hair, too. And AEW pushes him like he's a superstar? I don't get it."

[4.0] "I think I should update my thoughts on Adam Cole as my comment from four years ago wasn't too thought out. This dude is stupid to watch. He seems like a nice dude in real life and more power to him and I hope he lives a healthy life after all these injuries. But man, his in-ring psychology is on the same level as a "see and say". His main event matches are not boring, but they're uninteresting because they're just so damn stupid. I've talked about his promo ability before, and I'll say it again, there's nothing there. There's nothing that separates from any other joe schmoe on the indys that cut a promo the way he does, all he has is a catch phrase where he says his name and then baby in dumb way. In-ring ability he's fine, very emblematic of the indy style, not technical, not high flying, just... moves for the sake of moves. This AEW run in particular has been awful, his best match was with Christian Cage, and that's cause that dude is an absolute master of psychology. Adam Cole just isn't for me, if I were to pick between him and KO'R on which Future Shock member should be more over, it should be Kyle. Unfortunately some people just like hearing the sound of their own voice over pro wrestling."

[5.0] "Adam Cole is just not it. I've been watching since his Bullet Club days, and he's progressively gotten more average as time has gone on. I never cared for his NXT work, and sadly it was his NXT title run that turned me off the product. Seeing where he's at now with AEW, it's clear to see that he's overplayed and would be better suited as someone to put over the company's real stars."

[5.0] "Adam Cole is easily one of the most overrated wrestlers and has shown why in recent years. While he was certainly enjoyable during his peak years, it's very hard to take him seriously now. He's declined in both promo ability and in ring work, besides being in bad shape. I don't like what he's become."

[6.0] "Ask someone who didn't watch 2010's independent wrestling to describe an independent wrestler, and they will describe Adam Cole. Undersized, not particularly athletic, very meme-y in promos and angles. Cole has been pushed everywhere he has gone, and has never lived up to the ambitions of the promoters, mostly due to being injury prone and having some bad instincts. His work is over indulgent, and it really drags everything he does down."

[9.0] "One of my favorite wrestlers of all time. His ROH run was awesome, his role in The Elite was great, his NXT run was easily one of the best, and his AEW run should be way better. He should be World Champion in my opinion and think there is still a chance if he gets out of Undisputed Kingdom and finally get's cleared to compete. Overall Phenomenal wrestler."

[7.0] "Many people that I know don't, but I really enjoy some of the stuff in Adam Cole's catalogue, of course his size and look are always a discussion, and I agree it isn't very showy, but common, he did a lot of good stuff already, his runs at ROH and NXT have many valuable stuff, even at AEW he did some good things. I like Adam, specially as a heel, not my favorite style, but I can totally see him as a main eventer in some moments."

[9.0] "Had a very very good career in three different companies, worked the main event in front of the biggest paid audience of all time, has had a fantastic catalogue of matches, great on the mic, really fun guy to get behind and has had a really fun career. Looking forward to seeing it continue."

[10.0] "I'm basing this off of his career as a whole, Adam Cole in Ring of Honor was amazing, Adam Cole in NXT was amazing, Adam Cole in AEW for some reason has not been amazing, I don't know what has made it turn out like this but his booking hasn't been the best since arriving. Admittedly with the talent they have and the deep rosters they have, AEW would ideally need a 2nd brand but with the attendances dipping that might not be the best move for a little bit. When he returns from injury I would like the Undisputed Kingdom to feature prominently and an eventual feud with Wardlow and one with MJF (although since he is back to being a heel making Cole a face again might be the play.)"

[9.0] "Adam Cole is a great wrestler. His abilities in-ring are excellent, on the mic he is good. Entertaining and has charisma. He has a great moveset. He's had one of the best runs in NXT with the undisputed era."

[10.0] "Extremely underrated in my opinion. Unlucky with the injuries lately, he is still one of the best in-ring performer. Combined with a charisma that a few people have, he is also one of the best with the mic in his hands. He didn't have time enough in AEW cuz of the injuries, but wait and see. He will be for sure as great as he was in NXT and ROH."