5 Fast Facts About Adam Cole – 3 Time ROH Champ

Adam Cole is finally in WWE, bay-bay!

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Here are five fast facts you need to know.

5. He was trained by a death match legend

Growing up in Pennsylvania, Adam Cole had no shortage of pro wrestling schools to choose from. However, he chose to attend the academy at Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), where he was trained by death match legend DJ Hyde.

Cole is certainly not someone anyone associates with death match wrestling, but he credits Hyde’s training with teaching him “how to be tough.” Besides, Hyde wasn’t the only person Cole trained under at CZW. He also learned from Jon Dahmer, Al Snow, and the legendary Les Thatcher.

4. Third time’s a charm

Cole’s goal has always been to sign with WWE. In fact, he attended two WWE tryouts before signing with the company in August 2017.

Adam Cole attended his first tryout in 2010, just two years into his training. The tryout took place at Afa the Wild Samoan’s school, and while Cole said it was a positive experience, he also concedes he wasn’t ready for the tryout at the time.

His second tryout happened three years later at the WWE Performance Center, after he’d already firmly established himself as a major player in Ring of Honor. Clearly he did something right, because he remained on WWE’s radar for years afterward.

Click next to read about Adam Cole’s favorite boss and his best friend who is also a WWE star.

3. He loved working with Jim Cornette

Jim Cornette is not a popular figure within the wrestling world, among wrestlers and fans alike. However, Adam Cole has expressed a very positive opinion of Cornette.

Cole first started in Ring of Honor while Cornette was the head booker. In fact, it was Cornette who signed Cole to an ROH contract after being impressed by one of his promos. So, technically speaking, Cole owes his entire career to Cornette.

2. He’s good friends with Kevin Owens

As the pro wrestling world is surprisingly small, Adam Cole is already friends with a lot of WWE Superstars. But he’s particularly close with Kevin Owens.

Kevin Owens was in the front row the night Cole made his WWE debut and has always supported him.

Here’s the two of them hanging out with their title belts.

With so many ROH alumni – not to mention so many ex-Bullet Club members – in the WWE, it will be interesting to see whose storylines converge – and how – in the years to come.

1. He’s the only three-time ROH World Champion in history

While multiple world title reigns are commonplace in WWE – especially when the title’s being treated like a hot potato – that’s not the case in ROH. Out of 27 champions, only three people have ever held the ROH World Championship more than once: Austin Aries, Jay Briscoe, and Adam Cole. And of those three people, Cole is the only one who’s held it three times.

Cole’s first run with the title was by far the longest: he held it for 275 days from Sept. 2013 to June 2014. His second and third runs, in 2016 and 2017, lasted 105 days and 65 days, respectively.

What do you think of Adam Cole? Are you excited to see what he’ll bring to NXT/WWE? Share your thoughts below!