Known as one of the best wrestlers of the modern era and a true journeyman who has travelled across the world, Adam Cole comes with plenty of hype around his wrestling career. As a former World Champion in numerous promotions and leader of many influential factions, Cole has left his mark on the wrestling industry as one of the best in the world.
While fans are well aware of his history-making run as NXT Champion and his larger accolades, Cole's career has a long and storied history. With much time spent on the independent circuit, some of his matches may not be known by casual wrestling fans. Thankfully, the more wrestling fans dive into Cole's career, the more impressive his resume looks.
10 NWA World Heavyweight Championship - Vs Adam Pearce
At one point in history, the NWA World Heavyweight Championship was the most prestigious championship in professional wrestling. In modern days, other companies have usurped its importance, but it remains an important piece of wrestling's legacy.
In the midst of Adam Pearce's fifth reign as champion, he faced a young Adam Cole who was just climbing the ranks of the main event scene. While Cole was ultimately unsuccessful, his resume would be built on encounters like this, eventually leading to great success for him.
9 PWG - All Star Weekend 11 - Guerilla Warfare
The Pro Wrestling Guerilla promotion in Southern California can be credited for jumpstarting the careers of many of the top wrestlers in North America today, including members of the Mount Rushmore stable. Adam Cole, alongside The Young Bucks and Roderick Strong, took over the promotion by force throughout 2015.
Opposing the team were some of the good guys in PWG including the likes of Candice LeRae who attempted to end the stranglehold the group had over the promotion. During a wild, hardcore, Guerilla Warfare match at All-Star Weekend 11, two teams clashed in an insane brawl that must be seen to be believed.
8 WWE - NXT Championship Vs Daniel Bryan
Despite Adam Cole and Daniel Bryan (or Bryan Danielson) having parallel careers in Ring of Honor and other promotions, their first encounter came in 2019 during their stint in WWE. As the reigning NXT Champion, Adam Cole invaded the main roster and participated in a dream match for wrestling fans.
During an episode of Smackdown, Cole defended his NXT Championship against Bryan and defeated him in a classic match. With both wrestlers currently in AEW, their paths are bound to cross more often, and if it lives up to this match then fans will be sent home happy.
7 EVOLVE 131 - NXT Championship Vs Akira Tozawa
WWE's partnership with the independent EVOLVE promotion was unprecedented and led to some big breaks for many wrestlers. The arrangement led to EVOLVE's events broadcast on the WWE Network and some of their wrestlers would make appearances on the shows, sometimes even as unannounced surprises.
Several NXT stars made appearances for the promotion, including an NXT Championship defence against 205 Live wrestler Akira Tozawa. Now that EVOLVE has ceased running shows, this partnership is often forgotten about, but this match was a big deal for the promotion to hold.
6 MCW - Vs Rich Swann
Despite having achieved considerable success as Adam Cole elsewhere on the independent circuit and as a tag team with Kyle O'Reilly, Cole went by a different name for a period in his wrestling career. Throughout 2009, Adam Cole changed his name to Adam Carelle.
Primarily in Maryland Championship Wrestling, Adam Cole adjusted his ring name for several months. However, he returned to being called Adam Cole after leaving the promotion, but not before wrestling Rich Swann while holding the promotion's Television Championship.
5 RevPro - Vs Prince Devitt
Before Adam Cole and Finn Balor feuded over the NXT Championship, and even before he was named Finn Balor, he went by Prince Devitt and was one of the crown jewels of the United Kingdom wrestling scene. Both wrestlers were top prospects for big things in the wrestling world, and their first encounter came in 2014.
In the infamous RevPro promotion in England, two big names crossed paths for the first time in a gripping match that would show glimpses of their future encounters. These days, both wrestlers have exceeded expectations, which is difficult given how well fans thought they would do even then.
4 WrestleCircus - Adam Cole & Britt Baker Vs Roppongi Vice
The relationship between Adam Cole and Britt Baker is well publicized and is often front-and-center during their recent AEW run. However, their first mixed tag team matches as a couple took place at a different event. Co-hosted by Cody Rhodes, one of the WrestleCircus events placed the couple in action together for the first time.
In a match for the Big Top Tag Team Championship, Baker and Cole defeated the team of Trent and Rocky Romero to take the championship. Despite never defending it together, they are one of the few intergender teams to hold championships together, which is another record for their relationship.
3 NXT - Vs Pat McAfee
Including celebrities that have not had in-ring experience before can turn out to be a mistake once they are pegged for in-ring competition. However, if the circumstances are correct then it can turn into magic. Thankfully, Adam Cole's feud with football's Pat McAfee turned into fireworks that few were expecting.
After weeks of trash-talking each other, McAfee and Cole met in the ring at NXT TakeOver 30 in a match that truly defied expectations. Fans may not remember just how unsure they were of this match, but they likely remember how surprised they were when it turned out to be fantastic.
2 EVOLVE 107 - NXT North American Championship Vs WALTER
In modern WWE, Adam Cole became one of the best wrestlers to hold the NXT Championship and WALTER - now known as Gunther - has had a star-making turn as an impressive member of the main roster. However, when both were rising in the ranks of WWE, they met during a co-promoted show with EVOLVE.
In a match that fans were not expecting to see, Cole defended his NXT North American Championship against WALTER, and the Ring General took him to the task. Few WWE-centric wrestling fans knew who WALTER was at the time, but they were left with a great impression following this match.
1 ROH Best In The World 2011 - Future Shock Vs Generation Me
After several years of grinding, Adam Cole would eventually make it to the top of the Ring of Honor ladder by becoming a multi-time champion, including a World Champion. However, he had to start somewhere in the company, and it was at the bottom.
In his first pay-per-view appearance with ROH, Cole teamed with Kyle O'Reilly as Future Shock to take on Generation Me, who are better known as The Young Bucks in a dark match. The match itself was nothing special, but it would showcase some of the best wrestlers of the modern era in their earlier years.