In what’s shaping up to be a showdown of epic proportions (and some serious scowling), Adam Cole has stepped into the spotlight, flexing a verbal warning that could rattle even the most seasoned wrestling villains. With two wins already in the bag, Cole is now staring down his next challenge: a face-off against AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita on “AEW Dynamite.” The stakes? High. The attitude? Higher.
In a video posted to AEW’s X account (formerly known as Twitter, but we all know they can’t resist a good rebranding), Cole addressed Takeshita with words that could melt a microphone. “Takeshita, we’ve never stepped into the ring before,” Cole began, like a guy who just discovered his arch-nemesis at the neighborhood block party. “Normally, I would say it’s an honor, because you’re one of the best AEW—and the world—has to offer. But make no mistake: this is a must-win situation for Adam Cole.”
The gravity in Cole’s words made it clear: he’s not just throwing shade; he’s assembling it with purpose. After taking down Buddy Matthews and Malakai Black, Cole isn’t about to slow down. And if Takeshita thought he was in for a casual Wednesday night rumble, Cole would like him to think again. “You are next,” Cole continued ominously, channeling the energy of a man who just found out there’s only one left of his favorite limited-edition flavor of protein shake at the gym. “I will do everything in my power to get my hands on MJF at Full Gear and I will not stop.”
This bravado didn’t come out of nowhere. Cole has been on a victory-hungry rampage ever since MJF put out a call for challengers, offering a title shot to anyone who could string together three back-to-back victories. Now, just one win away from his Full Gear dreams, Cole isn’t about to let anyone—or anything—stand in his path, even if he has to stomp through the entire AEW roster to get there. In an interesting twist, AEW President Tony Khan recently tossed in a new stipulation: if both Cole and his buddy-turned-rival Roderick Strong each get their three wins, they’ll be facing MJF in a three-way slugfest for the title.