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Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee

Match

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Average rating based on the displayed comments: 6.91
ShaliK wrote on 06.02.2024:
[6.0] "Average, incredible spots from McAfee and usual wrestling from Cole save the match. Medium finish with McAfee moving crouched to get in front of Cole for the Panama Sunrise. (3*1/4)"
GreatAether531 wrote on 27.09.2023:
[4.0] "One of the more baffling matches to get praised recently, and the representation of why having some gif-worthy spots doesn't make a match good. You see so much commentary about how McAfee is a natural in the ring and so impressive, and I honestly don't see how we saw the same match at all. Everything wrong with McAfee's performance becomes obvious when one pays attention to what occurs in between the big spots. It's how he barely reaches a very short Adam Cole's midsection for a dropkick as the commentators lavish praise on him. It's in how he overshoots a corner kick and somehow lands with less force than usual. It's in how his movement feels very reserved despite his rambunctious demeanor, all the while he never seems to bump correctly. In a sentence, it's in how everything he does feels phony. Cole is his usual self here: technically smooth and proficient without being especially great, which is why this doesn't get a lower rating, but where this match really suffers is the attempts at storytelling, during which we get to see some of the defining flaws of late-stage Black and Gold NXT: a large helping of cringe-worthy 'dialogue' done to facilitate the story, as well as over-the-top facial expressions because neither men have the will to tell a story through the subtlety of their actions. Approaching wrestling like community theatre is a big part of what made pandemic-era wrestling so unbearable. Not to mention, Cole had been the smarmy main antagonist of NXT for 2 years, and yet we're supposed to like him because he happens to be going up against a worse heel? Come on."
Jman7 wrote on 26.05.2023:
[7.0] "This was a good match with a surprisingly really good performance from McAfee. They told a great story and Cole and McAfee worked well together. ***1/2"
AlDente01 wrote on 14.01.2023:
[7.0] "The fight was rather slow at first and took a few minutes to build momentum. McAffee looked really good here for his WWE debut. Superplex is practically his signature action. Adam Cole did a good job of keeping the match safe and flowing. Applause for both of them."
Prince Osborne wrote on 10.01.2022:
[8.0] "Huge respect to Mike Tyson, Mr. T & Lawrence Taylor, but this is THE best celebrity showcase in pro wrestling's history irrespective of the promotions we have. Even Bad Bunny at WrestleMania 37 was a fantastic showing but Pat is really the equalizer for Bad Bunny and this is the best example of that. Many might complain why Adam Cole competed here for this long but this can't be done any better to put McAfee on the map and silence the doubters towards McAfee. Cole as a babyface was really enjoyable here. 3.75 out of 5 stars!"
brickhitterSam wrote on 06.08.2021:
[6.0] "Fun little match here. McAfee sold his leg injury better than a lot of wrestlers. McAfee has a future wrestling, if he wants."
BrayanLaPre wrote on 10.07.2021:
[6.0] "This match exceeded all of our expectations. Adam Cole always delivers, but Pat McAfee stepped up with some impressive moments. I was a skeptic, but they delivered a decent match that helped pace the show. 3 stars, 6/10."
Wrestling Forever wrote on 13.06.2021:
[8.0] "Wie kann es sein dass das Tabe wieder geschlossen wurde. Einfach nur ärgerlich. Ein tolles Singles Match (***1/2)."
Argylex wrote on 13.01.2021:
[8.0] "Maybe the best celebrity match of all time? Of course it can't be compared to other NXT masterpieces, but it was as good as it could be. McAfee's charisma was obvious, and his wrestling skills(? ) were more than satisfying for a debut."
hassan01 wrote on 13.01.2021:
[7.0] "This is the best celebrity performance in all of pro wrestling and in my opinion one of the greatest debuts on American soil . McAfee doing a senton on all the people to the outside was impressive and is also very agile . The outcome was never in question , other than that it was all round action with the right man winning in the end. ***3/4"
phil ibuster wrote on 06.11.2020:
[7.0] "This... was actually kinda good? McAfee came off as a really athletic and competent wrestler, and it was actually pretty fun. There were a few moments I was convinced the loser was actually was going to take it."
Smi-48 wrote on 31.10.2020:
[6.0] "Ja klar kann man jetzt hingehen und sagen 'McAfee hat mehr geleistet, als jeder andere Non-Wrestler in diesem Spot bisher'. Aber erstens bin ich mir da gar nicht so sicher und zweitens ist es vor allen Dingen Adam Cole, durch den der Punter richtig gefährlich wirkt. Cole sellt und erzählt und gibt dem Outsider halt auch ordentlich Gelegenheiten, um zu scheinen. Dass dieser dann diese Gelegenheiten auch anständig nutzt, ist nicht selbstverständlich und darum muss man das auch positiv hervorheben. Aber lassen wir die Kirche im Dorf, das hier ist kein Match für acht oder mehr Punkte. Aber es wird einer wirklich starken Story gerecht."
marexcel wrote on 29.08.2020:
[7.0] "Pat McAfee überrascht dann wohl alle und stellt mit Adam Cole ein wirklich sehenswertes Match auf die Beine. Die Mischung aus Story, McAfees Athletik, Coles In-Ring-Arbeit und den Spots sitzt gut und ergibt ein schlüssiges Gesamtbild. Einzig war es mir etwas zu abgehackt. (***½)"
ZestyZuluWarrior wrote on 26.08.2020:
[8.0] "Match of the night for me which is something I did not expect to say walking into this event. Easily the best celebrity wrestling match ever, McAfee showed that he gets it and wants to work a good match and he's not just there for a paycheck. Insane athleticism. (****)"
Robert Taylor wrote on 25.08.2020:
[7.0] "Überraschend gut und sehr unterhaltsam. McAfee gibt einen sehr guten Heel, der sogar einigermaßen wrestlen kann. Stark erzählt von beiden. Muss vielleicht nicht zwingend 16 Minuten gehen, dennoch eine positive Überraschung."
FROSTY wrote on 25.08.2020:
[9.0] "Best celeb professional wrestling match I've ever seen, Pat McAfee is a beast and could be a great wrestler full time if he really wanted it. Never been a fan of Adam Cole, I think this is legit the first Adam Cole match I've ever watched from beginning to end. Will probably be the last too, unless he wrestle's Pat again, just not a fan but he lead a great match here with a novice (but natural. ) Would definitely watch McAfee again for sure, hell NXT might need a new champ if Cross is seriously hurt."
Bearcatfan4life wrote on 24.08.2020:
[8.0] "Shockingly great performance from Pat McAfee. You would never know this was a football player with absolutely no experience in wrestling. He showed great athleticism, good timing, and generally looked like he belonged. On top of that his character and in ring charisma were very impressive, not to mention his promos. One of the best debuts I have ever seen. He could be a big star if he devoted to this full time. Just blown away"
AnotherSpreadsheeter wrote on 24.08.2020:
[7.0] "Best celebrity match I've seen in decades (at least in WWE). They told the story in a way that made logical sense, with Pat's freak athleticism being the only reason he got a few hope spots but never really being enough to outweigh Cole's experience for more than a few seconds. Everything related back to the build, and the in-ring vocalisations helped edge it along even more. Obviously never gonna hit the highs of a match between two by-profession wrestlers, but as a fun curiosity? Definitely worth a look, if only to admire Cole's ability to drag a novice to a fun match. 3 1/2 stars."
Marky Whipwreck wrote on 24.08.2020:
[8.0] "Easily one of if not the best celebrity matches in history, Pat is a super athlete and it really showed here. Super impressive spots like the backflip-leap-superplex, his swanton, his punt just to name a few. And Adam Cole, the man is just too good he was the perfect guy for Pat to have his first match with because he's a true ring general that can go out there and have a great match with literally anyone. Perfectly executed celeb match ****"
Okaro143 wrote on 24.08.2020:
[8.0] "Much Much better than I would have expected. It was a solid wrestling match with a good storytelling but considering the in ring experience of Pat McAfee, this was amazing. Pat was really careful with what he could and couldn't do. They smartly played into Pat's strength and Cole being the more experience wrestler led the match well. I was genuinely surprised by how good the match was considering the ladder match that had just happened. Cole for future WWE or Universal Title quickly as possible. ****"
nachodvt wrote on 24.08.2020:
[8.0] "So it's really difficult to rate this one but I was very impressed. Cole is obviously a veteran at this point, and he carried Pat to an amazing debut. There were no flaws or significant botches that hurt the match, and the right man won. And a point for the great story this two had. ***3/4"
The Beholder wrote on 23.08.2020:
[5.0] "This was one of the better celebrity matches in WWE history, but as impressive as McAfee could be at times, it was clear his cardio and selling were far short of where they need to be. It was a decent match, but if it were any wrestler on the roster instead of McAfee it wouldn't be praised. **3/4"
EvanCallaway wrote on 23.08.2020:
[10.0] "Everything here made sense from start to finish. The story was very good and McAfee, in particular, was fantastic. They played the start very well with Pat running away from Cole until the distraction allowed him to take control of the match. After that, he started showing his skills and that really added to the match. I saw some people complaining about the 50/50 booking in this match, but McAfee being so good for real made sense for him being so good kayfabe-wise."
Sebastian V wrote on 23.08.2020:
[7.0] "Das war vielleicht das beste Match eines Nonwrestlers, das ich je gesehen habe und das aus mehreren Gründen. Zum einen wusste McAfee was er tat und konnte Cole wirklich glaubhaft gefährlich werden und man baute auch ganz gut vom Characterwork auf der Fehde auf. Zum Anderen regelte man das mit der McAfee Posse und der UE gut und es gab kein Überbooking. Natürlich war das kein Hammermatch aber ein wirklich mehr als anständiges und unterhaltsames, welches in meinen Augen 7 Punkte verdient und die positive Überraschung des Abends war."
v-sick wrote on 23.08.2020:
[5.0] "McAfee bot tatsächlich eine gute Leistung für einen Non-Wrestler bzw. für sein erstes "richtiges" Match. Mit Cole hatte er natürlich einen guten Gegenspieler. Es war vollkommen solide, aber die Story dahinter hat mich nicht wirklich gecatcht. [** 1/2]"
btcaunce wrote on 23.08.2020:
[7.0] "This match was far better than it deserved to be, and Pat McAfee impressed the hell out of me. Anyone expecting Pat McAfee to have a stereotypical celebrity-style WWE match was proven wrong. First he did a front flip off the top rope onto The Undisputed Era and a handful of security guards standing on the outside of the ring. Then he hit a beautiful dropkick to Adam Cole. He set up for a superplex, but when Cole tried to knock McAfee down, McAfee landed a picture-perfect backflip to the ground. Then McAfee showed off an impressive vertical leap to jump straight back up to the top rope, and hit a clean superplex. And finally, he was able to perfectly get hit by the Panama Sunrise for the victory to Adam Cole."
blackgoku wrote on 23.08.2020:
[7.0] "McAfee was better than anyone expected him to be. Extremely charismatic and athletic, his jump to the top rope caught everyone by surprise."
AndoCommando wrote on 23.08.2020:
[3.0] "I tried giving this feud the benefit of the doubt, with little time and next to no crowd investment leading up to this match. But once you step into the ring, it's sink or swim and no matter how many buoys were thrown their way, both men ultimately drown in their own indulgence. For as many "athletic feats" McAfee pulls off, there are just as many moments that looked more like a struggle than anything to be impressed about. The spots might look good, but the connective tissue in between doesn't. It shouldn't be surprising given he's had practically no experience in the wrestling industry beyond commentary, but what does shock me is how this match was structured in spite of this. A competitive back-and-forth doesn't bode well for McAfee, but we also have Cole, the longest-reigning NXT Champion, attempting to carry this across as something legitimate. I don't know what was worse: the hammy distractions padding this out to 16 minutes, or everyone involved trying to paint this as something great. Let me make something clear - celebrities can and have put on good performances in the ring before, even in their debut. Ronda Rousey played to her strengths as a mixed martial artist and capitalized on how much heat Stephanie had built up over the years, while her inexperience was covered by the wrestlers around her. Stephen Amell displayed some truly impressive athletic ability at Summerslam 2015 while also looking sympathetic in his selling, never overshadowing the Superstars he shared the ring with. Pat McAfee is a retired punter made out as a challenge for Cole to overcome. In reality, the challenge was working a match that wouldn't look blatantly transparent and artificial, Needless to say, they both failed. *1/2"
Childofthelost wrote on 23.08.2020:
[8.0] "This was a wonderful surprise, going in I really thought it would be bad. Pat is a natural and I hope to see more of him in the future. ***¾"
thebigmilkman wrote on 23.08.2020:
[8.0] "This was match of the night to me just on pure shock factor alone. Slightly below Kai vs Io if you base it on ring but man this match just had a special feeling about it"
Suzukigun wrote on 23.08.2020:
[7.0] "For a match that featured a newcomer, this was fantastic. Pat McAfee has proven to be a great promo already, but he showed what he can do in the ring tonight. The senton was a shocker, the superplex was good and the ending was emphatic. The match didn't need to be 16 minutes, but I don't mind it. 7/10, worth checking out because of how good McAfee looked so early on into his NXT career."
BongStroman wrote on 23.08.2020:
[7.0] "Well, I'll be damned. Enjoyed pretty much this whole thing. Pats dive to the outside was tremendous, His backflip/leap to the rope-superplex combination was potentially the spot of the night. Few takeaways such as pats facials needing a lot of work and his selling to be more consistent. And he stood up and walked into position for the finish too obviously. But if this is his genuine first inring work at a high level. Hes going to be very good. ***1/4 for sure. Looking forward to how this plays out"
IcehandGino wrote on 23.08.2020:
[6.0] "I feel this one is overrated by a part of the fanbase by the virtue of exceeding expectations. It indeed was way better than expected, with a truly great performance from Pat McAfee, but it's not even close to be MOTN, even with his great performance, Pat's lack of experience was hurting the flow of the match, and I think it was a tad too long, a part of the middle portion felt boring, plus being that long doesn't do any favours to Adam Cole's credibility.."
realyoshihashi wrote on 23.08.2020:
[5.0] "I mean it was fine and Pat was an entertaining heel but the ending was so dopey, like why did they do Ospreay level facial expression drama? Funny, but sorry Adam Cole it wasn't that good"
arrogantdesperado wrote on 23.08.2020:
[7.0] "Genuinely a really good match. McAfee was very impressive and showed a much stronger moveset than I think anyone would have anticipated. I don't think the story was too compelling, but it was good. Not a weak part of the show at all, which I think is a huge credit to how seriously McAfee took his preparation"