During the All In: Texas event, AEW star Adam Cole took to the ring to address the crowd, revealing he will be out of action for an extended period due to health issues. The AEW co-founder and founder, Tony Khan, had pulled Cole from his match against Kyle Fletcher, citing that Cole was not medically cleared to compete. As a result, Cole relinquished the AEW TNT Championship, which was put on the line in a four-way match involving Kyle Fletcher, Daniel Garcia, Sammy Guevara, and Dustin Rhodes. Cole’s emotional remarks highlighted his health struggles and his potential retirement, though he did not specify the exact nature of his condition. He expressed gratitude to the wrestling community and was joined by his Paragon stablemates in the ring.
Despite his recent absence from in-ring action due to a major ankle injury from December 2, 2023, which kept him out of action for approximately six months, Cole has made a significant impact in AEW. He rejoined the company after rekindling the feud with Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF), eventually putting it to rest in December 2024. Cole’s tenure in AEW has been marked by his rise to the AEW TNT Championship, which he won at the Dynasty event in April 2024, making it his first AEW title. Before joining AEW in 2021, Cole had established himself in various promotions including Combat Zone Wrestling, Ring of Honor, and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, and had previously competed in WWE, where he won the NXT Championship, NXT North American Championship, and NXT Tag Team Championship.
Cole’s announcement came as a surprise to many fans, who had been following his career closely. The lack of details about his current health condition has sparked speculation, with sources such as Fightful Select reporting that Cole was dealing with a concussion. The outcome of his absence from the industry has led to discussions about his potential return and the future of the AEW TNT Championship. With Cole’s absence, the title is now in the hands of Dustin Rhodes, who won the four-way match, and the storyline may evolve further in the coming months. Cole’s departure has also raised questions about the stability of the AEW roster and how the company will manage without one of its key figures.