All Out Main Event

Punk should beat Darby and the story for Punks run should be Darby getting to the level to get the win back.

I have every intention of being there in Chicago now. I want Hangman v Omega as much as I want any match for that show.

That said, I can see them pushing Hangman off if they feel they have a justified story and with the Hangman story starting in 2019 it can run a lil longer but the rest of the plans have to protect him.

Omega beating Punk (in Chicago) and Bryan (in NYC) and declaring nobody left does open door back up for Hangman by the fall.

However can those matches wait if Hangman takes the belt off Kenny? It slides Kenny back and maybe the window closes on those matches in the near term.

What if Hangman is off the card altogether and the absence makes fans want him more and blame Kenny? Iā€™d hate Hangman to sit out a big show but it feels thatā€™s the best way to not shove him down the card and kill the connection he has right now

This is a plethora of rich combinations that Iā€™m so happy and not jealous TK has to figure out.

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How long until Bray Wyatt joins them now?

No doubt he is probably gonna end up there too.

Iā€™m not so sure.
Bray as a character and likeness is incredibly tied to WWE in terms of IP.

Unlike Bryan or Punk, who existed as basically the same people prior to their WWE runs, Bray is totally a WWE creation.

If he is into it, sure I could see him reinventing himself. But it would require a total character change, in my opinion.

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Yea, I didnā€™t mean the actual character of Bray. But he seems like the type that has a lot of ideas, that would enjoy being in a place like AEW.

I actually think him and Malakai Black could have a great psychological feud.

I think people are overthinking this a bit. I think having Christian main event All Out and Hangman missing out on another opportunity just adds to the story of him missing out on his changes. And when he finally does get that shot and he wins, it makes it that much sweeter. Go look at Naito and when he won the IWGP title after losing so many times.

I also really dont see Punk or Danielson being in the main event right away. Especially when AEW has these rankings. It just doesnā€™t make sense. I think Hangman still is the one to dethrone Omega, but you have to build that story.

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I agree totally. I do think they could main event, just not for the title. It would go against everything Tony Khan has been trying to put out there and against what he said when Miro came in. The rankings arent the greatest thing ever seen in wrestling, but they have been useful.

I want to see Omega vs Page, but I dont hate the idea of making people wait for it.

My only issue is seeing Christian vs Omega. If the fans want to see it, then I canā€™t blame AEW for putting it as the main event. For me, I just dont have any desire to see that match main event a PPV. Iā€™m sure it will be a decent match, but its tough getting into a match when you know there is zero chance that the title changes hands. In some ways it reminds me of how I felt watching Lashley vs Kofi at MITBā€¦I just didnt care because the match felt like a formality. Iā€™d prefer Omega to face someone who they can make be believe has a chance. Even if its just a slight chance, still a chance.

Meltzer says on the 8/1 WOR that there are no plans for a Hangman match which seems like a big mistake and wanting us the fans to force him on the show

Who is that person? If we all pretty much believe it will be and should be Hangman, who is left other than Christian? They absolutely cannot do Punk or Danielson. Neither should win the title in their first match and neither should be losing. Theyā€™ve already teased Christian wanting to go after Punk and had him work his way up the rankings to get there. With 1 month to go, it makes no sense for anyone else to be thrown in there.

Its touchy. Hangman missing the biggest show of the year is good for the story. This guy failed in the first title match against Jericho. All he had to do was beat Brian Cage and he would have been the #1 contender and he lost. He failed against The Elite and now he cant even get on the biggest show. He would need to come out on the Dynamite after and cut a huge, serious promo about not failing anymore.

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Well if I could choose anyone it would be Hangman, but I assume youā€™re asking outside of him.

Based on the booking, I get why itā€™s Christian, so given where we are right now I understand it. I wish we could go back in time and they put someone else in that spot.

Iā€™d take almost any of the top guys over Christian. I would have been fine if they held off on the Jungle Boy match until All Out. I just personally have no desire to see that Christian vs Omega main event a PPV. If you do, thatā€™s totally cool. I only have so much time to watch wrestling now a days, so when something comes on that I donā€™t care about, thatā€™s what the fast forward button is for.

At first, I thought it would be a big mistake to put this story on hold before it hits its apex. I firmly believe Hangman Page is the man to dethrone Omega. Pushing him aside because of Punkā€™s imminent arrival does kinda put me off.

If it gets drawn out to Full Gear (a year after they faced off for the title shot). I can accept it. I donā€™t want AEW to stray from the course theyā€™ve been on with Hangman. I would hate to have my emotional investment go to waste.

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Iā€™ve long been of the thought, Full Gear made the most sense as the conclusion to the rivalry.

Anything that happens at Full Gear will be overshadowed by Punk wrestling. Hangmanā€™s win should not feel secondary.

Iā€™d say Page could disappear from TV / go AWOL leading into Full Gear, and appear at the conclusion of whatever Omega does, and attack.

Or start a story over the next 8 weeks where he wins an Eliminator Tournament, to face the Champion at Full Gear.

There are definitely ways to keep him hot, even if heā€™s not in the main / wrestling on the show.

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Itā€™s a big gamble.

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I agree with the Punk stuff, and if they can keep Page hot then im ok with it, but it is riskyā€¦I canā€™t think of many AEW examples, but I remember WWE did this with Del Rio, if you wait too long it can hurt the talent. Though I have much more faith in AEW then WWE when it comes to keeping a talent hot.

Cold feet is a MFā€™er

Theyā€™re not doing this because they are having cold feet though. It seems pretty clear that they are doing it, because they dont want the guy, who is going to be the top champion of their show, to be over shadowed by someone else and he absolutely will if the match happens at All Out.

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Iā€™d also say that sticking to a plan with Del Rio totally cut Punkā€™s momentum in 2011.

It seemed they they were so into a Del Rio push that was planned, that they did whatever they could (Nash, Triple H), to take attention off Punkā€™s natural direction.

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Yeah, I really donā€™t see this as cold feet. Itā€™s pretty clear Hangmanā€™s the guy who will end up on top.

Theyā€™ve done this with Page for the last year. There is definitely a way to do it for a couple more months.

His progression makes sense, and heā€™s the last man to become as Star from the Elite, in All Elite Wrestling. If that makes sense. His coronation is undeniable, and I have no doubt itā€™s happening.

It feels like theyā€™re just trying to balance out a lot of things to make sure heā€™s not lost in a shuffle.

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Same thing happened with TNA with the Roode/Storm storyline and also Aries title run being abruptly ended by Jeff Hardy. TNA was getting pretty hot around that time and a few bad decisions crushed people the fans were getting behind

Thatā€™s when they were too lateā€¦Del Rio should have won the title at Mania, but they delayed it until the late summer/fall when Punk was hot. Both of us are right.

If Del Rio wins at maniaā€¦you could have done a big match between him and punk at SS. You didnā€™t need to have Del Rio win the RR, loose his shot, then win MITB, and then win the title for a short reign.

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