Adam Cole returns to Evolve, puts NXT North American Championship on the line

It’s no secret that the relationship between WWE and the World Wrestling Network has grown even closer recently, with defenses of the WWN Championship by both Keith Lee and Austin Theory and of the Evolve Tag Team Championship by the Doom Patrol of Chris Dickinson and Jaka happening at WrestleMania Axxess in New Orleans, but things have just turned up another notch.

Well then! Adam Cole, defending his NXT North American Championship at Evolve 107. What a world!

Cole is no stranger to Evolve, having wrestled at every show from Evolve 3 to Evolve 6. In that time, he racked up a 1-3 losing record (at a time when Evolve was very concerned with records), with his sole win coming against Johnny Gargano and his losses to Sami Callihan, Jimmy Jacobs, and his NXT North American Championship ladder match opponent Ricochet before he (along with fellow Undisputed Era stablemates Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly) left Evolve to focus on Ring of Honor.

And while his opponent currently isn’t set to be announced until Monday, looking at the talent roster for Evolve 107 there are three names who don’t have a match just yet— Anthony Henry, Dominic Garrini, and Timothy Thatcher. All of whom would be worthy and present Adam with the grappletastic challenge of his life, but just based on position on the card and all that, if I had to stake a guess, I’d say the match will be Thatcher/Cole, unless WWN officials have an ace up their sleeve.

There is one nagging question in the back of my mind, though— this isn’t the first time WWE have let their talent wrestle for Evolve shows, but in the past, whenever a full-time WWE Superstar arrives in Evolve, the match hasn’t been allowed to be broadcast on the internet pay-per-view feed. Now, there’s no worrying “for the live crowd only” type language in effect here, but it’s worth tempering your excitement if, like me, you’ll be sitting watching this bad boy at home.

And speaking of watching, you can do that on WWNLive or FITE, and going through WWNLive you can get half-off on your purchase (and access to the complete Dragon Gate USA/Evolve/FIP/Shine/Style Battle archive) by subscribing to Club WWN first.

Evolve 107 (June 24, 7PM Eastern)

• Jaka vs. John “Bad Bones” Klinger vs. Josh Briggs
• Darby Allin vs. Jarek 1:20
• Chris Dickinson vs. “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams
• AR Fox vs. WALTER
• DJ Z vs. Matt Riddle
• Austin Theory (c) vs. ??? (WWN Championship)
• Adam Cole (c) vs. ??? (NXT North American Championship)

There you have it, folks

Excited to see Adam Cole in an Evolve ring again, Cagesiders? Who do y’all wanna see get a shot at his title?