AEW star Adam Cole’s injury announcement came as a shock to many, including WWE wrestler and close friend Kevin Owens. Owens, who is also grappling with serious injuries that led to his withdrawal from a WrestleMania 41 match against Randy Orton and upcoming surgery, expressed his support by sharing old photos with Cole from their independent wrestling days. Both Owens and Cole share a deep friendship dating back to their time wrestling in ROH and PWG before joining WWE. Cole even credited Owens for his support during his early WWE NXT days and once encouraged Owens to join AEW when his WWE contract was set to expire. AEW CEO Tony Khan later confirmed that Cole would not be medically cleared to return at this time. The wrestling community, including stars from AEW and WWE, quickly sent their best wishes to Cole through social media. Following Cole’s departure, veteran Dustin Rhodes won the vacant AEW TNT Championship, claiming the title for the first time after Cole’s exit.
Fan Take: This news hits hard for AEW fans, as Adam Cole has been a pivotal figure in the promotion’s growth and success. His forced absence opens the door for new talents like Dustin Rhodes to rise, but it also raises concerns about the physical toll wrestling takes on its top performers and the future landscape of AEW.
