How WWE should book Adam Cole's main roster debut
Adam Cole is one of NXT's brightest prospects. He's transitioned seamlessly from the Indys into WWE's developmental system and is now at a point where he ought to be called up to the main roster.
However, this can be a dangerous point in any WWE superstar's career as poor initial booking has led to several promising wrestlers floundering and quickly becoming afterthoughts.
Adam Cole is still only 28 and so if WWE book him correctly they could have a star on their hands for years to come. This is how I would do it...
#5 Laying the groundwork
The Miz and Finn Balor have teased a feud over twitter and in this week's gauntlet match on Raw. The two are incredibly competent workers and Miz's talents on the mic could bring out a little more charisma in Balor than he has shown to this point. Therefore, I'd have these two spark a feud following Elimination Chamber. Balor can appear on MizTv the next night on Raw and declare his intentions to take the Intercontinental title away from The Miz.
The next week he can take on The Miz in a non-title match and win, then get jumped and beaten down by the Miztourage before Anderson & Gallows can come down and protect him. Angle can then announce that the following week if Balor can beat both Axel and Dallas in a handicap match, he will get his Championship opportunity at WrestleMania. Obviously, I'd have Balor win and let this feud bubble all the way to WrestleMania, making it The Miz vs. Finn Balor for the Intercontinental championship.
The other two members of Balor Club also need a greater role heading into WrestleMania. At the moment they are trading wins with The Revival and while I think it's important The Revival are given opportunities to shine on Raw, I'm not sure they've been booked well enough for them to be a WrestleMania title-match calibre act in time for the grandest stage of them all.
Therefore, at Elimination Chamber I'd have The Bar go over Titus Worldwide, leaving the champions in need of a challenger for WrestleMania. Anderson & Gallows, The Revival and Titus Worldwide can all throw their hats in the ring and claim they're worthy of the title match.
Angle can then announce a round robin tournament to determine the number 1 contenders, with Anderson & Gallows and the Revival both defeating Titus Worldwide in the opening two matches. In the deciding match-up, The Revival can seem close to cheating their way to victory having taken out the referee and looking for an illegal chair shot, before Balor can come flying down to the ring make the save and leave his club members to pick up the win.
The two storylines can then overlap in the build-up to WrestleMania. We can see MizTV segments with Anderson & Gallows, Anderson & Gallows vs The Miztourage and The Bar & The Miz vs Balor Club. I'd also book a Miz and the Miztourage match vs. Balor Club with the winner being able to choose the stipulation for the Intercontinental championship match at WrestleMania. Balor club should win and choose a Steel Cage match that would elevate the spectacle of a Miz vs. Balor match at WrestleMania. Heading into WrestleMania, each member of Balor Club has a chance at gold...