AEW superstar Adam Cole joined today’s edition of Busted Open Radio to discuss a wide range of topics, including what he believes are the main creative differences between NXT and AEW, how he felt about filming Bar Rescue with Britt Baker, and what his relationship is like with AEW President Tony Khan. Highlights from the interview are below.
On the creative differences that he’s noticed between NXT and AEW:
“Creatively, I’d say by far, the biggest difference is NXT had a very hands on approach, which is wonderful. It’s a great learning experience. When you look at guys like Shawn Michaels and Triple H, who have an exact vision of where they wanted to go, how they wanted the promos to sound, and what they wanted us to say. Then as time went on, I got more freedom you could call it, whether it be with promos and matches, because they started to trust me. With AEW, from the beginning, no one has ever handed me a script for a promo. No one has ever told me directly how they want my match to go. You get that creative process and that freedom to do as you please, especially if you’re someone who’s trusted. Fortunately with AEW, from the beginning, I’ve been trusted. So I’d say they definitely give you a lot more stuff to play with, and use your own creative process to go about things that you want to.”
Breaks down his relationship with AEW President Tony Khan:
“I got to know Tony a little bit even before I started working for AEW when I would go to the New Year’s Eve parties or I would go and watch Britt. I got to meet and talk with everyone and I got to meet Tony as well. So he was always a very friendly, very nice guy. But since working with him, I feel like at any time of the night, at any point in the day, I could shoot him a text or give him a call. Even if he can’t get back to me immediately because he’s a very busy guy, I know he will make time and get back to me. His passion for pro wrestling is so contagious that you can’t help but get excited. Whether it’s getting ready to do something or just ping ponging ideas back and forth, he’s very open to a bunch of different ideas. At the end of the day, he’s someone that loves pro wrestling with his entire heart and soul.”
Shares details on filming Bar Rescue with Britt Baker
“It was kind of a random thing brought up to Britt actually where someone within AEW said, ‘Hey, we have a chance for you and Adam to do this show, Bar Rescue.’ The best part was Britt wasn’t really sure what it was. So it was so ironic because me and Britt were on Anthony Bourdain at one point years ago, and it was a very similar story where Britt was like, ‘Oh, I got asked to do this show by some guy Anthony Bourdain?, and I’m like, ‘What?’ I lost my mind. I was like you have to do this. So then I was lucky enough to be on it with her. But a similar story with Bar Rescue. My younger brother watches Bar Rescue all the time. He’s like the biggest fan of the show. So aside from the fact that I’ve really liked the show as well, I felt like I had to do it for my younger brother. I’m like, oh my god, we have to do this.”
(H/T and transcribed by WrestlingNews.Co)