Former NXT Writer Chris Dunn Recalls Pitching Adam Cole Turning On Kyle O’Reilly In 2018

Undisputed ERA became whole at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans in 2018 when Roderick Strong joined the group. 

Adam Cole pulled double duty on that night, competing in a ladder match for the NXT North American Championship and teaming with Kyle O’Reilly to defend the NXT Tag Team Championships against  The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) and Pete Dunne & Roderick Strong in a triple threat match. Cole was replacing Bobby Fish, who was injured, in the bout. 

The match ended with Cole & O’Reilly winning thanks to Strong turning on Dunne and joining Undisputed ERA. 

However, there was another pitch made for the night. 

“When that happened, it was before the TV taping going into TakeOver Mania. That was one of the longest meetings the night before a TV taping I had ever been in with NXT. The production meeting was canceled. I, at one point, pitched, ‘If Bobby is hurt, let’s have Adam turn on Kyle and go to a singles program.’ I really thought within the next year you would be on Raw or SmackDown. I had never pitched an idea that got so much anger towards me than that. Gabe (Sapolsky) was like, ‘You’re breaking up Undisputed ERA?’ and throwing up his hands. (Joe) Belcastro was like, ‘Chris, I love you, please don’t pitch that to Hunter,'” recalled former NXT writer Chris Dunn on The Universal Wrestling podcast. 

Undisputed ERA would become one of the most dominant factions in NXT history until Cole did eventually turn on the group at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day. 

Cole, who was the guest on the podcast, said that he was told that Undisputed ERA would not be like NWO with guys joining and turning every week, but when Strong was pitched to be part of the group, they all agreed it made sense. 

Cole, O’Reilly, and Fish are now reunited in AEW. 

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