As recognizable figures that stand out in a crowd, it's almost inevitable for high-level pro wrestlers to be spotted by fans while they're in public. Most wrestlers don't seem to mind the interactions as long as the individuals stay respectful, but things can quickly become uncomfortable when strangers become overfamiliar. This often happens at the airport, when the performers are already exhausted from travel and can't easily get away. Speaking on "The Ringer Wrestling Show," AEW star Adam Cole detailed the strangest fan encounters that he's experienced at the airport.
"The weirdest interaction where someone has screamed, 'Adam Cole bay-bay!' is while I'm at the urinal in a bathroom in an airport," Cole said. "Someone saw me and just yelled it. I'm there at the urinal and I turn around and I'm like, 'Oh, hey! Okay.'"
That isn't the only awkward fan interaction Cole's had at a urinal, and the other situation was even worse. The wrestler recalls relieving himself in an airport bathroom while wearing noise-canceling headphones when he suddenly felt someone tap on his shoulder.
"I said, 'Just give me a second and I'll wash my hands and then I'll take a picture with you,'" Cole continued. "I did take the picture, but [it was a] wild request."
In recent years, it seems as though fan encounters at the airport are becoming increasingly hectic, with many of the people there to get autographs they intend to sell. Wrestlers like CM Punk and Rhea Ripley have had to set boundaries with fans who became too aggressive while seeking these autographs. Cole's separate bathroom encounters can both be counted among those that crossed a line, though the wrestler handled the situations with more kindness than he needed to.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Ringer Wrestling Show" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
