Booker T: Adam Cole Was Super Hot In NXT, Got Lost In The Shuffle In AEW

Booker T thinks that Adam Cole has been “lost in the shuffle” since joining AEW.

The former WWE star jumped to AEW three years ago, debuting at All Out 2021. Since then, he has suffered badly with injuries, with concussion and ankle issues costing him 18-months of his career.

Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast (H/T to WrestlingInc for the transcription), Booker T made the controversial statement about Adam Cole. He started by talkin about Ethan Page, and how he’s become a star since his move to NXT.

However, Booker T quickly moved on to Adam Cole. He claimed the former NXT Champion had been “lost in the shuffle” in AEW, and thinks that he hasn’t heard much from his since the move.

Booker T on Adam Cole in AEW

“Ethan Page in AEW, he really wasn’t that relevant, and then coming to ‘NXT,’ man, the guy, he’s a star.” Booker T said. “I mean everybody knows Ethan Page right now, he’s a guy that’s doing a hell of a job. Then you’ve got guys who, let’s just say, for instance, Adam Cole.”

“Adam Cole in WWE, in ‘NXT,’ he was super, super hot. I mean I had touted this guy as being the next Shawn Michaels. That’s what I said, I said that, and then he goes to AEW, gets lost in the shuffle, really don’t hear a whole lot from him.”

Obviously, Booker T’s claim about Adam Cole is not entirely accurate, and missing some context. Cole has been featured regularly when he hasn’t been injured, usually in a main event capacity.

Adam Cole appeared in world title matches on pay-per-view before his concussion and ankle injuries, including at Wembley Stadium in front of over 80,000 people. He has not wrestled since AEW All Out 2023 due to his ankle injury, and the highly-featured ‘Devil’ storyline was scrapped early in response to it.