Kyle O’Reilly Makes AEW Debut On Dynamite

Written by James Holder • Published 23rd December 2021
Kyle O'Reilly

Kyle O’Reilly has arrived in AEW immediately causing friction between Adam Cole and The Young Bucks.

From the moment it became clear that Kyle O’Reilly would be leaving WWE and NXT, speculation ran wild suggesting that the former Undisputed ERA star would be heading to AEW.

Then on the December 15th edition of Dynamite, Adam Cole poured even more gas on the already well lit fire by promising that he’d got a Christmas surprise on the way.

Fans didn’t have to wait long to find out what that surprise was with Cole opening Dynamite by taking on Orange Cassidy. While the match had already seen run-ins aplenty, as the action headed towards a barn-storming conclusion, Bobby Fish ran to the aid of his friend. But with the referee distracted, Kyle O’Reilly snuck in the ring attacking Cassidy, allowing Cole to win the match.

However, this wasn’t the straight-forward Undisputed ERA reunion that it first appeared. While O’Reilly and Bobby Fish were back on the same page immediately, Cole looked perplexed rather than elated. Seemingly unsure of how to react or how to feel.

With the situation balanced on an already delicate knife-edge, the Young Bucks then arrived in the ring to muddy the waters even further. With his Elite teammates to one side and his former Undisputed ERA boys to the other, Cole was clearly conflicted. Although the former NXT Champion wasn’t quite ready to pick a side, simply rolling out of the ring.

Kyle O’Reilly signed with WWE in the summer of 2017 alongside Bobby Fish and Adam Cole. The Undisputed ERA as the team would go on to be known, stood tall over NXT until early 2021 when Cole betrayed O’Reilly attacking him at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day.

The pair then embarked on a three match series which saw them compete in an unsanctioned match at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, a singles match at The Great American Bash and Two Out Of Three Falls Match at NXT TakeOver: 36. After their third and final bout in August, Cole left the company to join AEW.