The Original Bro searches for the biggest victory of his NXT career as he takes on The Undisputed ERA’s Adam Cole. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.

Not only did Adam Cole, the self-appointed “uncrowned NXT Champion,” suffer a crucial defeat tonight at Matt Riddle’s hands, but he nearly came to blows with Roderick Strong after the bell, suggesting the tension between the two Undisputed ERA members is far worse than initially thought.

Cole took issue with Strong involving himself in the final moments of The Panama City Playboy’s battle with the fast-rising Original Bro. By the time The Messiah of the Backbreaker ran to ringside, Cole and Riddle had already unloaded enough high-power offense on each other to warrant “Fight forever” chants from the Full Sail faithful. Cole endured countless suplexes, countered Riddle’s Bromission and drilled the former UFC star with the Last Shot. Incredibly, Riddle kicked out of Cole’s signature strike and mustered the strength to knock Cole from the ring with the Flash Knee.

Strong, who hadn’t been at ringside until this point, tried to revive Cole, but wound up eating a knee from Riddle. That gave Cole an opening to superkick Riddle, but The Original Bro kicked out of the ensuing pin attempt and maneuvered Cole into the Bromission. Unlike the first application of the hold, Cole had no choice but to submit.

Following the loss, Cole blew up at Strong – and had it not been for Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish keeping both men apart, it’s hard to know just how far the situation would have escalated. With each week that passes, Cole’s prediction that the entire Undisputed ERA will be draped in championship gold by the time 2019 grows bleaker. At this rate, it might be a miracle if the group even makes it to the end of the year intact.