AEW's Adam Cole Details Brutal CZW Initiation In First Day Of Training

Professional wrestling of the past has long had a reputation for excess and indulgence backstage, as well as a fraternal mentality that has often resulted in hazing. Appearing on First We Feast's "Truth or Dab," AEW star Adam Cole recalled a hazing incident on his very first day of training.

"When I first started training, I trained with a company called Combat Zone Wrestling in south Philadelphia," Cole say, describing the promotion's death match reputation. "My first day in wrestling school — I was still a senior in high school, by the way — I was duct-taped to a turnbuckle with my shirt off, and about 30 grown men chopped me, not only until my chest bled but until it turned purple. So that was quite the initiation."

The timing of the hazing was especially unfortunate as the following day was Thanksgiving. Cole described having to hide his chest the entire day in order to keep his family unaware of what had transpired, not wanting to worry them. Following Cole's tale, AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman, appearing on the show alongside Cole, chimed in, expressing his belief that there were some people out there who might pay to experience what happened to Cole.

Cole and MJF are quickly approaching a major responsibility this weekend — carrying the main event of one of the largest professional wrestling shows in history. AEW All In takes place this Sunday, live from Wembley Stadium in London, England, and is set to have somewhere around 80,000 people in attendance. After developing an onscreen friendship over the past several months, the two men will first team up to challenge Aussie Open for the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship on the show's Buy-In before Cole challenges MJF for the AEW World Championship in the main event.