Rolling Stone‘s Aaron Oster spoke with Ring Of Honor star and new Bullet Club member Adam Cole before a Ring of Honor show in Baltimore to talk about recent events in his career, including joining the Bullet Club, if he’s facing any pressure replacing past members, his goals for this year and more. You can read a few highlights below:
Adam Cole on how he reacted to being told he would become part of the Bullet Club:
I was just ecstatic when I first heard. The Bullet Club is, by far, the most influential faction in pro wrestling in years. If for no other reason, you’re seeing in the influence in WWE. They were dominant in New Japan, and got more eyes on the New Japan product from America. Just look at who has been in the Bullet Club, and whose shoes I have to fill. I was intimidated, I was excited, but it’s going to be a really positive thing for my career going forward. I’m still stoked thinking about it.
Does he feel any pressure replacing guys like AJ Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows?
Definitely. Those guys are incredible. The cool thing about that though, is that it forces me to be different and find something different about my involvement with the Bullet Club so that I’m not just like them. Of course the people in the Bullet Club will have similarities, and always will, but finding what I can do as Adam Cole to be different is important. And I’ve noticed that it’s pretty much just me being myself, and I’m much different than AJ Styles. We bring what we bring to the table, so this will be a cool new chapter for the Bullet Club.
Does he feel like Bullet Club’s popularity shows how the landscape in wrestling is changing?
I feel like this is the closest to the Attitude Era that we’ve had, just in the sense that we legitimately have no idea who is going to show up where. It’s crazy. Anyone, in any company, could show up anywhere. Not only are some of people’s favorite independent guys going to the WWE, but you’re having guys leave WWE and show up at a Ring of Honor show, or New Japan, or whatever. It’s not only exciting for the wrestlers, it’s exciting for the fans.
Has WWE’s approach to bringing in different types of talent changed the rest of wrestling?
The biggest thing for sure is just that they’re giving opportunities to guys that before wouldn’t have gotten that opportunity. At the end of the day, the cream rises to the top. Now, pro wrestling is realizing the market for that style of wrestling, and that style of wrestler. They’re starting to pursue that type of wrestler. You see it all the time in NXT and PWG and Ring of Honor and New Japan, and now you see it in main events of WWE pay-per-views. The whole wrestling landscape is changing, and it’s changing for the better.
What does Adam Cole see for himself in 2016?
Man, I have no idea. That’s the most exciting and scary thing. This is all fresh for me. I’ve never consistently worked for New Japan. I don’t know what that’s going to be like. I can tell you right now that my goal is to become Ring of Honor World Champion again. I think my goal is just to continue to grow in Ring of Honor, have a great run in New Japan, and continue to travel the world and do what I do.
