Pat McAfee vs. Adam Cole Set for NXT TakeOver XXX After Triple H's Challenge

Joseph Zucker @@JosephZuckerFeatured ColumnistAugust 6, 2020

FILE - In this April 26, 2019, file photo, Former Indianapolis Colts player Pat McAfee announces the Colts' third round pick at the NFL football draft, in Nashville, Tenn. The former Indianapolis Colts punter had his talk show debut Monday morning, Sept. 9, 2019, on DAZN in the U.S. and Canada as well as Westwood One radio in 40 cities. This is in addition to calling Thursday night college football. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan, File)

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Pat McAfee might have been an All-Pro punter in the NFL, but he might have bitten off more than he can chew when he knocked out Adam Cole during WWE NXT on Wednesday.

Triple H appeared on ESPN's Get Up to say Cole was issuing a challenge for McAfee at NXT TakeOver XXX.

McAfee uploaded a video to Twitter saying he will meet Cole inside the ring on Aug. 22 (warning: video contains profanity).

Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow
I kicked @AdamColePro’s head off of his body last night on #WWENXT. I didn’t want to do it, I HAD to do it. He ASSAULTED me with a bottle. Then I got physically kicked out of the building by @TripleH. Never thought this is how a honeymoon was supposed to go but BREAKING NEWS https://t.co/KYAiV9LLHJ

McAfee, who was listed at 233 pounds in his last season in the NFL four years ago, was working at the broadcast booth on Wednesday night and calling a match between members of Imperium and The Undisputed Era. Cole confronted McAfee, continuing the beef that predated the most recent installment of NXT.

WWE officials attempted to escort McAfee out of the Full Sail University arena, only for him to give Cole an up-close and personal look at his punting technique.

This certainly represents a stark contrast for Cole when compared to the most recent major NXT event. He successfully defended the NXT Championship against Velveteen Dream at NXT TakeOver: In Your House in June.

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He subsequently dropped the belt to Keith Lee on the second night of the two-week Great American Bash show.

NXT has generally eschewed this kind of angle, especially for a TakeOver show. As a result, some fans probably won't be happy to see a former football player who has never wrestled get such a prominent match.

The storyline is already achieving what WWE set out to do, though.

Ben Axelrod @BenAxelrod
Triple H is about to be on ESPN's Get Up to discuss the Pat McAfee-Adam Cole feud, so it'd be tough to argue this isn't getting mainstream attention.

Charlotte Flair enjoyed a second run with the NXT Women's Championship, which seemed like a clear tactic to boost NXT's ratings on USA Network. The strategy ultimately didn't work.

Now, WWE is adopting a more traditional approach to draw in casual viewings who otherwise might not watch NXT every week.