WWE Reportedly Wanted Adam Cole To Manage Keith Lee

During the AEW All Out post show media scrum, newly signed AEW star Adam Cole called the decision to join AEW over the WWE main roster a "fairly easy" one. New information suggests that WWE's creative plans for Cole may have made it even easier.

On today's Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that Cole's main roster plans involved him being a heel manager for Keith Lee. A report from Ringside News earlier in the week also reported that Cole had been pitched a heel manager position upon being called up to the main roster.

According to Meltzer, the idea was for Lee to turn heel with Cole as his manager. It was noted that Cole would probably have been given a different name so that there weren't two Cole's with Michael Cole also being on the main roster.

"The idea would be kind of like a Lio Rush / Bobby Lashley thing, where you have this little guy who's a big talker, and he hides behind this big, massive African American guy type of a thing," Meltzer said. "So that was kind of the dynamic they were looking for for him, more as a manager than a wrestler."

Meltzer noted that the idea came from either WWE Chairman Vince McMahon or WWE head writer Bruce Prichard. He had heard from one source that it was McMahon's idea while another said it was Prichard's, but he noted that he did not hear that it came from the creative team.

The focus on Cole will now shift to his AEW run, where he is firmly entrenched as a member of The Elite. He will make his in ring debut for the promotion on next week's AEW Dynamite, taking on Frankie Kazarian.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Wrestling Observer Radio and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription