Adam Cole made a surprise comeback to AEW on January 11th during the “AEW Dynamite” broadcast, where he announced that he was back in the ring and competing again. Cole had been out of action for some time due to serious concussion issues, which raised concerns about his future in wrestling. In light of these concerns, AEW CEO Tony Khan commented on Cole’s recovery process and his return to the company before his on-screen appearance.

“It was [a] really challenging recovery and there were points where I’m sure he had to question if he was going to make it back or what he was putting himself through,” Khan said appearing on “In The Kliq.” “He didn’t leave the house to do anything but brain therapy. He wanted it so bad. He wanted so bad to come back to AEW and get back in the ring and wrestle for the fans … That’s his dream and, for us, it’s a dream come true having Adam Cole being a part of the AEW roster and it’s very exciting that he’s getting closer and closer to making a comeback.”

During his return promo on “AEW Dynamite,” Adam Cole stated that he had to go through multiple doctor’s appointments while away from the ring to ensure he was healthy enough to return. He also talked about how he would wake up in the middle of the night with headaches and would have to walk around to try and calm himself down. His last match before his absence was AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door, where he suffered a concussion during the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match.