Adam Cole On What Makes WWE's Pat McAfee Different From Other Celebrities Who Wrestle

Pat McAfee is one of a few celebrities who have taken to pro wrestling like a duck to water, and his former opponent, Adam Cole, has explained why he was successful right from the get-go.

Cole, during his recent appearance on "Inside The Ropes," praised McAfee's in-ring ability, and explained why the footballer-turned-commentator-turned-wrestler has excelled whenever he's stepped inside the ring.

"Pat, from watching years of pro wrestling, just understood certain nuances that sometimes takes a really, really long time to understand if you're someone who has not watched pro wrestling," said Cole. "I think between his athletic background, his gift of gab, and his love and appreciation in years and years and years of watching it ... Truth be told, I knew he was gonna do really well. I knew that going in, but I was so happy to see that he exceeded everyone's expectations because I think at this point he's proven that he's darn good, especially for his experience level."

The AEW star also believes that celebrities who have watched pro wrestling before take to it much quicker than those who haven't.

"I think you see this with a lot of celebrity matches, celebrities who come from the outside and want to work a match in pro wrestling, the ones who have watched it their whole life and really, really love it, my god, you can tell a difference," said the former "NXT" Champion.

He added, though, that becoming a wrestler takes several years, and even after more than a decade in the business, he continues to learn and develop. Cole was McAfee's first opponent in WWE, back in 2020. The former footballer has gone on to face Vince McMahon, Austin Theory, Baron Corbin, and most recently, The Miz at WrestleMania 39.