Adam Cole gives his thoughts on the changes in NXT 2.0
For the last four years, you could not think of NXT without thinking of Adam Cole. A Grand Slam Champion of that brand and the longest-reigning NXT Champion in history. Following the end of his rivalry with Kyle O'Reilly, Adam Cole left NXT and appeared in AEW.
Now, being able to look at the changes in NXT from an objective perspective, Adam Cole tells Chris Jericho on a recent episode of Talk is Jericho that he believes NXT losing in the ratings to AEW definitely plays a role in the changes but he also believes that these changes will make it easier for talent to transition to the main roster.
"This is all just me guessing. I think, for sure, (AEW beating NXT) played a part (in the rebrand). I also understand the thought process of...there were so many guys in NXT who were presented a certain way and then they'd go to Raw or SmackDown and it was a complete 180. I see the standpoint of, if I am Vince McMahon, him looking at NXT as this breeding ground for guys on Raw and SmackDown, he wants his hands in it a little bit more and he wants bigger guys. Not saying everyone is going to be big, but more guys who are geared to be ready to go for Raw and SmackDown. I understand that. When I was there at NXT, it was treated as a third brand. We got on television because of it, we had the big Survivor Series month, which was really cool. It was the more athletic pro wrestling storytelling and style. Them going back to this, certainly, AEW has to play a factor in my mind. It just has to. More important, I do think it's so they don't have to change a thing about guys when they are in NXT now."
One of the staples of the Adam Cole era of NXT was WarGames. Elsewhere in the interview, Chris Jericho explained that he watched many of those to get a modern perspective on the match for Blood & Guts. Learn more here.
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