Back at my Best

[Ben M]

Adam Cole stood backstage in his locker room at the Paycom Center, the faint hum of the arena crowd just a few walls away. It was a hot day in Oklahoma City – 97 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Weather app on his phone – and the warmth of summer contrasted sharply with the cold reality of his last few months. He ran a hand through his hair as he reflected on the rollercoaster that had been 2024 so far.

At the end of 2023, Cole was on top of the world. He was a double champion, and having just defeated the self-proclaimed "GOAT" Will Ospreay at Christmas Eve of Destruction, he felt invincible. But his attempt to cash in the Gateway Title for a shot at the EBWF World Championship at Last Survivor had been a bitter disappointment. Damian Priest had bested him, and it felt like everything went downhill from there.

In February, he lost the Breakout Championship to Aiden English. In March, his quest to reclaim the Gateway Championship ended in a loss to Stone Cold Steve Austin in the tournament semi-finals. The defeats weighed heavily on him, both physically and mentally. He kept his struggles private, sharing his frustrations only with his girlfriend, Britt Baker. Needing time to recover, he took some time off, hoping that a break would help him regain his focus.

Returning in June for the King of the Ring tournament, Cole faced Damian Priest once more in the first round, and lost again. It felt like the universe was mocking him, but he was determined to turn things around. An early exit in the King of the Ring tournament effectively gave him another month or so off, as King and Queen of the Ring took up so much TV time, wrestlers who weren’t still in those tournaments didn’t tend to get booked. Cole had used the extra time off to work harder, putting additional hours in at both the gym and in the ring. Tonight was his first TV match since losing to Damian Priest, and his opponent was the veteran Christian Cage.

After taking some time to compose his thoughts, Cole walked out to the ring. Warfare wasn’t going on the air for another 45 minutes or so, but there were plenty of fans in the arena already, and as soon as Cole stepped out onto the stage, the crowd began cheering. It was obvious they were happy to see him, which made Cole smile; it felt like he was reconnecting with an old friend. After making sure that one of the cameramen at ringside was filming him, Cole grabbed a microphone. He took a deep breath, then began to speak.

Adam Cole: Good evening, Oklahoma… it’s been a while. If I’ve got my facts right, the last time EBWF had a show in Oklahoma was 15 months ago, and I wasn’t even booked that night. So, God only knows how long it’s been since all of you good people have seen yours truly in the flesh. But even if you’ve been watching Warfare at home – live every Monday night on A&E!

Cole pointed at the camera and winked, his “cheap pop” drawing a mix of cheers and laughter from the crowd.

Adam Cole: If you’ve been watching EBWF week in, week out, you’ll have noticed I haven’t been around much lately. And I think it’s time I explained a few things. So Oklahoma City, let me ask you a question… who’s ready for story time with Adam Cole, baybay?

The fans inside the arena erupted, and a “yes” chant broke out. Cole grinned, then his expression became more sombre as he continued speaking.

Adam Cole: Here’s the thing… there’s no easy way to say this, and I’m not looking for sympathy when I say it, but let’s face the facts. 2024 hasn't been my year. I ended 2023 on a career high; I was the Breakout Champion, the Gateway Champion, and I defeated Will Ospreay at Christmas Eve of Destruction in one of the toughest matches of my career. It seemed like everything was going my way, and when I celebrated the start of the new year, I thought, “2024 is going to be my year”. I had my sights set on the EBWF World Championship – a title I’ve never held. But you know how the story goes… I cashed in my Gateway Championship for a World Title match, and I was beaten by Damian Priest at Last Survivor. Then I lost the Breakout Championship to Aiden English. And in March, Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated me in the Gateway Championship tournament semi-finals. It was a rough few months, to say the least. The reason you haven’t seen me much since then is because I needed time off. I was physically and mentally drained. Apart from Britt, very few people knew how much I was struggling. I came back for King of the Ring, and honestly, I’m not sure I was ready. That’s not me trying to make excuses for going out in the first round, but in a weird way I’m grateful for the extra time off that defeat gave me. Because I feel a hell of a lot better now than I did two months ago. My body and my mind are healed. And tonight, my focus is on you, Christian Cage.

The crowd booed at the mention of Christian Cage, and a smirk spread across Cole's face.

Adam Cole: You know what, Christian? I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I have to thank you. Seriously. I was starting to wonder if I'd lost my fire, my motivation. But then I remembered I was facing you, the biggest bastard in EBWF! And just to be clear, that’s not a compliment. I’m not calling you a bad ass or a tough guy; quite the opposite, actually. I think you're a coward and a creep. Why else would you be so obsessed with trying to hurt Alexa Bliss and her friend Becky Lynch?

Cole's expression turned serious.

Adam Cole: Maybe you’re just a misogynist. Do you know what that means, Christian? It means you hate women. Or maybe you’re just targeting them because you know you can’t cut it against the men in EBWF. And before anyone thinks I'm disrespecting the women's division, let me make it clear – I have the utmost respect for the women of EBWF. In fact, I’d back any woman on the EBWF roster to kick Christian’s ass… Just like Becky Lynch did at Total Supremacy.

The crowd erupted in cheers at the mention Becky Lynch beating up Christian at Total Supremacy, and for good measure, an image was shown on the tron of Becky powerbombing Christian through a flaming table. Cole let the noise die down before continuing.

Adam Cole: I’ve had setbacks this year, no doubt. But I’ve been wrestling long enough to know that there will always be high points and low points in my career. The last few months have certainly been a low, but I’ve had time to rest, to heal. I’m back at my best, Christian. So tonight, you’re in for one hell of a fight. And when I hit you with The Boom, I hope it knocks some sense into that thick head of yours.

With that, Cole dropped the microphone, his eyes blazing with determination. The crowd's cheers followed Cole as he left the ring.