WWE fans are pinching themselves at Adam Cole’s clean win over Daniel Bryan
This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown was absolutely loaded, but perhaps no single moment made more waves across the wrestling landscape than Adam Cole pinning Daniel Bryan in the show’s main event.
WWE is serious about building up NXT into a juggernaut to bridge the ratings gap with AEW on Wednesday nights, and the company’s third brand certainly showed off its quality on Friday Night SmackDown this week.
Whether it was Shayna Baszler attacking Bayley, Rhea Ripley stealing the show, Keith Lee getting pops from the fans, or Tommaso Ciampa owning The Miz, the WWE NXT roster made its presence felt up and down the card heading into a Survivor Series showdown with BOTH Raw and SmackDown.
But the biggest story of the night was the main event between Adam Cole and Daniel Bryan. We knew Cole, whose faction Undisputed Era is known for weaseling its way into helping each other retain their titles, would emerge from this match with the NXT Championship still in his clutches. However, we were not prepared for him beating Bryan CLEAN, which is an even bigger deal than Ciampa’s clean victory over Miz earlier in the night.
The WWE Universe went wild at this massive way to put over the NXT roster and its charismatic champion.
Words. They are beautiful.
Cole and Bryan was dope!
— Andrew “The Giant” Everett 223cm (@_AndrewEverett) November 2, 2019
Wrestlers enjoying great wrestling. You love to see it.
Well said. This was a fabulous episode of SmackDown, and the NXT roster really brought it today. Perfect way to end the night, too.
Part 3. Part 4. Whatever. Let’s Star Wars this.
https://twitter.com/ItsMachoT/status/1190448139834138626
Bryan putting over the stars of tomorrow just like his mentor. You also love to see it.
Daniel Bryan always looks good. It’s the beard.
They just gave us Cole vs. Bryan clean. For free. Triple H is building an army in the middle of the ring. This is a coup. #Smackdown
— Ross W Berman IV (Unrated Director's Cut) (@RossWBermanIV) November 2, 2019
Triple H overthrowing Vince McMahon? That’s best for business. (Maybe.)
Daniel Bryan is the man. Adam Cole is a star. That was how you get guys over.
— Jimmy Korderas (@jimmykorderas) November 2, 2019
Becky Lynch is The Man, but, yes, Adam Cole is a star.
Adam Cole picks up the win over Daniel Bryan.
— Just Talk Wrestling (@JustTalkWrestle) November 2, 2019
Clean as a whistle as well. THAT is impressive #Smackdown
https://twitter.com/TweetPW2/status/1190447466199633920
Next. Full SmackDown Results, Highlights, and Grades. dark
I can’t wait for Survivor Series.
This was a fantastic match between two of the most talented wrestlers in the company, and Daniel Bryan did everything he could to make Adam Cole look like the star that he is. Cole came to play, and we’re all excited for what he can do this month in his main roster appearances as the main representative of NXT’s Men’s Division.