Adam Cole Celebrates 17 Years in Wrestling with Epic Title Match

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Adam Cole, the veteran professional wrestler whose career began 17 years ago in Philadelphia, is set to mark this significant milestone with a title match against Daniel Garcia on Sunday. The event will take place in the city where Cole’s journey began, at the famous ECW Arena, where he participated in his first match on April 6, 2008.

“It just feels like such a full-circle important moment for me that I think I’m going to remember for a really long time,” Cole said. He is recognized for his appearances in various promotions, including Independent Wrestling, Ring of Honor, WWE’s NXT, and currently, All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Cole’s match against Garcia will be a no-time-limit contest for the TNT Championship, intensifying the stakes as both wrestlers have been engaged in a heated rivalry over the past few months. “It is so important, just like it is within wrestling matches, to be in there with someone that you gel really well with,” Cole remarked, emphasizing the chemistry needed for effective promos.

The 35-year-old wrestler noted that engaging promos are often critical to a wrestler’s character development and audience connection. “So much of the attachment that fans and audience members have with these wrestlers is because of the character,” Cole explained. “And lots of times the character can be explained much better through words, or just as equally as when you wrestle in the ring.”

Throughout his career, Cole has honed the art of cutting effective promos. He credits much of his learning to former wrestler Steve Corino, who mentored him on effective delivery, focusing on cadence and storytelling. “The audience can get distracted. So it’s important to kind of lower your voice sometimes then talk a little bit louder,” Cole advised. “You’re taking the audience on a roller-coaster ride with your promos as well as your matches.”

Preparation is key for Colt; he typically enters the ring with a general idea of what he wants to communicate, but he remains adaptable to the audience’s reactions. “I’ll change the pace of what I’m saying, sometimes even just change what I’m saying completely based on the audience’s reaction,” he said, highlighting the importance of being responsive during performances.

Despite the challenges, Cole affirmed the importance of maintaining confidence. “There have certainly been times, especially earlier in my career, where the crowd isn’t completely invested in what you’re saying,” he recalled. “Even if you feel like you don’t completely have the audience on your side, you got to stick to your bit and commit to it.”

Interestingly, some of the most memorable promos can emerge even in empty arenas, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic when wrestlers performed without live audiences. Cole, who was then wrestling in WWE’s NXT, delivered a compelling promo against Karrion Kross that remains a talking point among fans. “I didn’t go into it thinking this is going to be one that people talk about for years and years,” Cole admitted, reflecting on the unexpected impact his performances can have.

With Sunday marking 17 years since his debut, Cole is set to step back into the ECW Arena, where it all began. As he prepares for his match against Garcia, fans can expect to see a mix of raw emotion and finely tuned performance, characteristic of a wrestler dedicated to his craft.