AEW Thread: A Real Alternative To WWE?

[Symphony Steve]

OK. Tony has to stop with this WWE obsession. Seriously, he takes an NXT wrestler who was released due to a drug violation and he puts him on Dynamite? You know, the sleeping with the fishes guy?

He's got far better performers just sitting there unable to get on TV.

 

[jordville]

How did they like Eddie/Jericho barbed wire match?

They liked it. My daughter (who is a Jericho fan) said she doesn't want to watch that match again though.

Watching them set up for that match was quite the production (especially getting the wire around the ropes). They kept bringing more barbed wire and tables out. I didn't think they'd have everything ready by the time we went live again for TV.

 

[OrangeDW]

Moxley-Jericho go for 25 minutes for the title. Moxley wins. JAS storms the ring to beat down Moxley. Punk runs down for the save and clears the ring. Punk and Moxley look at each other - Moxley gives him the finger, shoulder bump walks through him and leaves. Punk hops around on the bad foot to show he’s healed and plays to the crowd.

Simple, but great stuff. Crowd was hot the whole time. Loved it all.

 

[jncuse]

The last few weeks have certainly been strange regarding CM Punk. (I am watching 30 minutes in behind so maybe something else happens as I type).

Last week CM Punk goes off on Adam Page (apparently not a work, and some sort of payback but who knows). Then the Moxley-Punk match gets done before All-Out. Was that always planned or not?

Now tonight Moxley destroys Punk in about 5-8 minutes, playing up an injury angle (that seemed like a work, but maybe not).

Probably way off here, but is Punk quitting AEW -- probably not, but makes you at least think something could be up.

Will be interested to see where they go from here to All-out.

 

[Knicks411]

The last few weeks have certainly been strange regarding CM Punk. (I am watching 30 minutes in behind so maybe something else happens as I type).

Last week CM Punk goes off on Adam Page (apparently not a work, and some sort of payback but who knows). Then the Moxley-Punk match gets done before All-Out. Was that always planned or not?

Now tonight Moxley destroys Punk in about 5-8 minutes, playing up an injury angle (that seemed like a work, but maybe not).

Probably way off here, but is Punk quitting AEW -- probably not, but makes you at least think something could be up.

Will be interested to see where they go from here to All-out.

Meltzer was saying the main event for All Out is still Punk-Moxley, which seems a little weird to me

 

[jncuse]

Meltzer was saying the main event for All Out is still Punk-Moxley, which seems a little weird to me

I was listening to a Wrestling Observer Live Podcast yesterday and they also said it was planned. The podcast host (Bryan Alvarez) thought it was great booking to set up a great comeback story at All-Out in Chicago.

I tend to disagree. It's a great storyline for those fans in Chicago. But I think for AEW fans outside of Chicago, the majority it doesn't deliver.

Now if Punk was up against a heel last night and got destroyed, I think it would have been good booking to set up his heroic comeback at All-Out

But 2 complicating factors in my view:
- Punk is going up against Moxley, who is also quite popular so there is not necessarily a hunger to see him lose.
- The Punk/Page incident arguably took some lustre of Punk.

 

[Symphony Steve]

I was listening to a Wrestling Observer Live Podcast yesterday and they also said it was planned. The podcast host (Bryan Alvarez) thought it was great booking to set up a great comeback story at All-Out in Chicago.

I tend to disagree. It's a great storyline for those fans in Chicago. But I think for AEW fans outside of Chicago, the majority it doesn't deliver.

Now if Punk was up against a heel last night and got destroyed, I think it would have been good booking to set up his heroic comeback at All-Out

But 2 complicating factors in my view:
- Punk is going up against Moxley, who is also quite popular so there is not necessarily a hunger to see him lose.
- The Punk/Page incident arguably took some lustre of Punk.

I think what cost AEW a lot of luster was the promo that MJF cut after being 'destroyed' in the ring at the previous weekend's PPV. Didn't sell the injury at all. That whole thing should've never happened.

For some reason, I've had less enthusiasm for the promotion ever since then.

 

[djcon57]

I think what cost AEW a lot of luster was the promo that MJF cut after being 'destroyed' in the ring at the previous weekend's PPV. Didn't sell the injury at all. That whole thing should've never happened.

For some reason, I've had less enthusiasm for the promotion ever since then.

I think the influx of ex NXT guys and Cody leaving also really hurt the appeal of AEW for many. It was looked at at NOT WWE...and now you see Cody leave to go back and it gives the appeal that its just a minor league instead of an alternative. They went away from what made it different. The top of this PPV is Punk vs Mox and Danielson vs Jericho. If I wanted to watch WWE, I'd watch WWE. I wanted to see new guys. Darby, Omega, Bucks, etc MIXED in with those guys. Maybe they can turn it around, but just doesnt feel right lately. I find myself FF'ing through half the show.

 

[Knicks411]

I was listening to a Wrestling Observer Live Podcast yesterday and they also said it was planned. The podcast host (Bryan Alvarez) thought it was great booking to set up a great comeback story at All-Out in Chicago.

I tend to disagree. It's a great storyline for those fans in Chicago. But I think for AEW fans outside of Chicago, the majority it doesn't deliver.

Now if Punk was up against a heel last night and got destroyed, I think it would have been good booking to set up his heroic comeback at All-Out

But 2 complicating factors in my view:
- Punk is going up against Moxley, who is also quite popular so there is not necessarily a hunger to see him lose.
- The Punk/Page incident arguably took some lustre of Punk.

When Punk was selling the foot so bad after the match, I thought he was going to be out for a few months and they'd do the rematch at full gear. Wrestling is fake, I get it, so they can easily have him come back from the injury and beat Moxley at All out (and its in Chicago, it'll get over huge I'm sure) but the whole thing feels weird

 

[jncuse]

When Punk was selling the foot so bad after the match, I thought he was going to be out for a few months and they'd do the rematch at full gear. Wrestling is fake, I get it, so they can easily have him come back from the injury and beat Moxley at All out (and its in Chicago, it'll get over huge I'm sure) but the whole thing feels weird

I was listening to another podcast and I think a heel turn victory rather than a heroic return victory may make more sense.

The way Punk beats Moxley at All-Out is by cheating all throughout the match (outside help), and then he comes out very disingenuously after that on Dynamite.

AEW does seem to lack a top level heel right now that people really want to see get destroyed (Jericho is great but not enough). And I am sure Punk can play that role well - he is so versatile.

 

[jordville]

Word has gotten to AEW from Warner Bros Discovery that they’d like the language toned down.

 

[Knicks411]

I was listening to another podcast and I think a heel turn victory rather than a heroic return victory may make more sense.

The way Punk beats Moxley at All-Out is by cheating all throughout the match (outside help), and then he comes out very disingenuously after that on Dynamite.

AEW does seem to lack a top level heel right now that people really want to see get destroyed (Jericho is great but not enough). And I am sure Punk can play that role well - he is so versatile.

Punk is (or at least was, I'm sure he still will be) an awesome heel. But he's obviously a mega babyface in Chicago. Any kind of a heel turn at the PPV will be like Austin going heel at Mania 17 in Houston.

 

[jncuse]

So I watched AEW Dynamite yesterday.

In conclusion - why didn't they just have Punk have that in match injury angle against one of the lower tier AEW in a "warmup" match a few weeks earlier (18 days or 25 days before PPV). You could have had him get hurt in the match -- then he either pulls out of the match, loses or better yet wins by cheating. You could have then had a few weeks on TV where Punk comes out questioning his body and also doubting his ability to take out Moxely Finally this past week you could have then had Ace Steele come out and pump him back up..

Instead AEW went with a match between Moxley-Punk on Dynamite that was basically a nothing and damaged their rep. The "super matches" they have had on Dynamite have always delivered (thinking Punk-MJF, Omega-Danielson, Page-Danielson)

 

[two3zone]

I still think the whole MJF thing was a work.

 

[Symphony Steve]

What is wrong with Punk? Unless it's a well-crafted work, I don't think Punk is long for AEW. Talk about the Airing Of The Grievances, he went after the 'EVP's', Colt Cabana, and Hangman Page at the post-show press conference. After he left, he got into a legit altercation with the Young Bucks. This guy can't let go of slights, real or imagined.

All this on a night when he 'won' the AEW Title Belt.

Talk about self-destructive...

 

[jncuse]

Great wrestler, great entertainer.
But when you problems and create significant drama wherever you go (even if you are the one wronged) you have to look in the mirror as well.

Already major problems in the AEW locker room beyond Punk -- many egos there that are all driven, but that doesn't always work out.

 

[jncuse]

Really this could be real or a work.

The part of going after Colt is obviously real, but it creates a set-up to make everything else said after that appear to be part of a real rant as well... I'm not outright buying or denying anything.

 

[jncuse]

Punk and his buddy Ace Steele reportedly got in a fight with Bucks/Omega after the media scrub per Meltzer. Ace Steel was apparently biting Kenny Omega during the skirmish. Real or work, who knows.

The locker-room seemingly is out of control in AEW (Punk vs Paige, Bucks, Omega... Thunder Rosa-Brit... Kingston-Guevera... apparently many not many with TV Time).

Brings publicity but - 2 PPV's back the MJF Drama (work or not) , took the total shine off a good PPV and Wardlow.
And now the CM Punk Drama (work or not), is taking the shine off the PPV and ironically the MJF return.

 

[jncuse]

Danielson certainly has no problem putting guys over. He has seemingly lost a number of matches of late. He feels somewhat wasted the last 5 months or so.

Have to wonder if Khan would have been better riding Danielson to the top instead of Punk - seems like a much more stable guy

 

[Symphony Steve]

It'll be interesting to see if the real-life soap opera within the company will draw viewers to this Wednesday's Dynamite. Not to mention that a shoot can be integrated into a couple of worked story lines.

Maybe democracy and pro rasslin' don't mix...

 

[OrangeDW]

Danielson certainly has no problem putting guys over. He has seemingly lost a number of matches of late. He feels somewhat wasted the last 5 months or so.

Have to wonder if Khan would have been better riding Danielson to the top instead of Punk - seems like a much more stable guy

And frankly, Danielson is better than Punk. Always has been.

 

[jncuse]

It'll be interesting to see if the real-life soap opera within the company will draw viewers to this Wednesday's Dynamite. Not to mention that a shoot can be integrated into a couple of worked story lines.

Maybe democracy and pro rasslin' don't mix...

Short term can certainly work. (whether the gripes are real or just semi-real and artistically heightened)
But I don't think its a sustainable formula, and I suspect Tony realizes the same. Just not sure if Tony's personality is the one to control this drama.

But like MJF's post PPV Rant in June (May?) I am sure they will get plenty of views on Wednesday night to see what will happen next.

 

[jordville]

That locker room sounds pretty toxic right now. As crazy as this seems... if Punk doesn't make real ammends, he could be on the outs. If Punk goes AEW takes a big hit, but they'd survive. If the Elite walked that would be another story... AEW is their creation and the company's identity.

 

[OrangeDW]

That locker room sounds pretty toxic right now. As crazy as this seems... if Punk doesn't make real ammends, he could be on the outs. If Punk goes AEW takes a big hit, but they'd survive. If the Elite walked that would be another story... AEW is their creation and the company's identity.

Hard to believe all this stuff is actually real.

And frankly I’m not sure what I prefer…..Vince McMahon’s sterile, boring WWE of the last 15 years where nothing remotely interesting ever happens, or this dumb ass late 90s but with social media stuff.

I….think I’m going with AEW. I’m in it for the entertainment at this point, because the style of most of the matches in 2022 does absolutely nothing for me. Gymnastics and kicking out of finishers.

 

[jordville]

Hard to believe all this stuff is actually real.

And frankly I’m not sure what I prefer…..Vince McMahon’s sterile, boring WWE of the last 15 years where nothing remotely interesting ever happens, or this dumb ass late 90s but with social media stuff.

I….think I’m going with AEW. I’m in it for the entertainment at this point, because the style of most of the matches in 2022 does absolutely nothing for me. Gymnastics and kicking out of finishers.

Some of the guys (Rey Fenix is a guy that amazes me when I see him work the ropes and air) aerials are entertaining, but there is too much of it in general from the roster. The kicking out of finishers, etc. bugs the hell out of me...