Why adding Adam Cole to the NXT Title picture again is the right move

It’s been a rough few months in NXT for Adam Cole, but things are starting to look up again.

From losing in the second round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic alongside Roderick Strong, to the implosion of The Undisputed Era and being defeated by former teammate Kyle O’Reilly, not much has gone the way of the “Panama City Playboy” on the black and gold brand.

But on the June 1 edition of NXT, Cole re-entered the main event scene when he interfered in the No.1 Contender’s match between O’Reilly, Pete Dunne, and Johnny Gargano — three men that he has plenty of history with.

Adam Cole is back in the NXT Championship picture, and that’s a good thing.

Bitter, angry, and violent, Cole laid out all three competitors and caused a no-contest. Later that night, he stormed to the ring and began a verbal tirade like only he can, which in turn drew the ire of NXT Champion Karrion Kross.

Cole went on to lay a verbal ass-whooping on the champion, calling him “overrated” and claiming the company has done everything to make him special, but he still isn’t as good as Adam Cole, Bay-Bay.

Seriously, if you haven’t seen his promo yet, go check it out.

Cole’s addition to the title picture has now led to a five-way match at TakeOver: In Your House, which is guaranteed to steal the show.

The inclusion of the longest-reigning NXT Champion to the match and the main event picture makes it feel like an even bigger deal. While there is no doubting the ability of the other competitors in the match, none of them have the star power or the history in NXT that Cole does.

Cole has an unparalleled ability to elevate everyone he is in the ring with, and during his run in NXT has made just as big of a star out of his opponents as he has himself.

What his return to the title picture also does is open the door for some outstanding potential storylines to be told.

Cole and O’Reilly had a huge unsanctioned match that ended with both men in the hospital, but was it really the end of the rivalry, or just the first chapter? Putting these two back in the ring together in a multi-man match keeps that storyline in the front of the audience’s mind, but it also allows it to breathe, as there will be so many other moving parts.

Whether or not either of the former U.E. members is victorious in their quest for the title, it’s a possibility we see them renew their feud and headline another TakeOver event later this year.

Cole potentially winning the title would also be a great move for the brand, and it could open the door for some singles matches with Kross, who he is yet to face.

While there are many people who enjoy Kross’ work in NXT, he still has his detractors. Putting him in the ring with one of the best performers in the world and arguably the greatest in the brand’s history in Cole will take him to a new level in fans’ minds and showcase his enormous potential even further.

The aforementioned history with both Gargano and Dunne could also lead to some great storylines between those men.

Cole and “Johnny Wrestling” had an outstanding rivalry in 2019 over the title. It would be interesting to see how they would work together without a title on the line, as well as with the shifts in character we have seen in both men.

Last year at War Games, Dunne was a part of the losing outfit against U.E, but the pair haven’t had much chance to work against each other without the moving parts around them. Both men are incredible inside the ring, and a match with Cole would certainly take the Englishman to a new level.

At a time where many fresh acts are on the rise — think Bronson Reed and Hit Row — there is nothing wrong with going back to an established star like Cole at the top of the card. He is proven in that role, and now that the split from The Undisputed Era is no longer the crux of his story on NXT, it leaves so much room for him to grow as a performer.

At only 31 years of age, this singles run atop the card in NXT without a stable around him will be reinvigorating for Cole, the brand, and the fans who love his work.