10 Wrestlers Who Should Replace Shelton Benjamin As SmackDown's New Star
6. Adam Cole
Like Jay Lethal before him, Adam Cole is another Ring of Honor megastar whose contract expires at the end of the year. Again, Cole is a well-seasoned indy worker with no obvious holes in his game, and while he’s not quite as tenured as Lethal, it’s highly unlikely that Cole would require significant time at the Performance Center in order to fit in on SmackDown.
The 27-year-old Cole has a knack of making every little thing he does look like the easiest thing in the world. He wrestles with a smoothness and fluidity that’s increasingly hard to come by these days, and he compounds his outstanding technique with a superstar look and limitless charisma.
The cocky, arrogant Cole might be the best microphone worker on the North American indy scene today, and he’d have no trouble grabbing a mic and getting himself over on SmackDown.
Cole is a little undersized at 5’11” and 210lbs, but he’s been one of ROH’s hottest properties for a long time, and he’s still years away from peaking as a wrestler. There are times when his shtick and act can become a little overbearing, but that wouldn’t be an issue with WWE’s regimented approach to writing and storytelling.
Put Adam Cole on the SmackDown roster, and he’d be a major player within months.