Last-minute medical concerns force title change just hours before pay-per-view
In a stunning announcement delivered just 90 minutes before AEW All In: Texas, President Tony Khan revealed that TNT Champion Adam Cole has not been medically cleared to compete and must vacate the championship.
Khan announced via social media livestream that he “cannot clear Adam Cole to go out there and wrestle today” and is asking Cole to “take some time away to make sure he’s clear.”
The decision comes after Cole’s last match on the July 10th episode of AEW Collision, where he teamed with Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong against The Don Callis Family.
New Four-Way Match Created
With Cole’s scheduled TNT Championship defense against Kyle Fletcher canceled, AEW has restructured the bout into a fatal four-way match for the vacant title. The participants are:
- Kyle Fletcher – The original #1 contender
- Daniel Garcia – Former TNT Champion
- Sammy Guevara – Former TNT Champion and current ROH World Tag Team Champion
- Dustin Rhodes – Current ROH World Tag Team Champion and veteran
Both Guevara and Rhodes are also scheduled to compete on the Zero Hour pre-show, teaming with The Von Erichs against Shane Taylor Promotions in an eight-man tag team match.
Cole’s Championship Run Ends
Adam Cole held the AEW TNT Title for 97 days with three successful title defenses. This marks another setback for Cole, who previously missed an entire year from September 2023 through October 2024 due to a non-contact ankle injury that required two surgeries.
The nature of Cole’s current medical issue has not been disclosed by AEW officials. The company’s medical team and Khan made the precautionary decision to prioritize the wrestler’s long-term health.
AEW All In: Texas continues as scheduled at Globe Life Field in Arlington, with the vacant TNT Championship now adding an element of unpredictability to the already stacked card.