I mean, 36 vs 44……doesn’t seem that different to me. Semantics anyways if you’re being sarcastic lol.
It’s a really weird situation, does WWE want to advertise for a show that goes head to head with their A show?
Oh well the point about CM Punk and Mox main eventing is that they were full time stars of the promotion, whereas those named in the hypothetical are 2 not-even-part timers and somebody unsigned. For me, age has nothing to do with it if they are currently the feature of the promotion. In fact we are seeing that with age comes being featured more, something different than a bygone era when retirements were happening pre-40.
That said, I was being sarcastic about the use of Rock/Austin/outsiders. It makes a lot of sense and as somebody long $WWE I fully endorse this decision. Also bring in more Logan’s PatMacs and Bad Bunnies as well as get some higher profile ex-NFL and NBA stars in the rotation. That’s actually a prediction for 2023 - a notable high profile athlete who has recognition among causal sports fans will crossover and be as good as Logan and Pat have been.
I was referring to how hard NBCU pushes the property (Young Rock) - I see commercials for this all the time on CNBC (also a NBCU station). Then again I’m always unsure if these are targeted at me via Hulu Live via a Roku or on the actual cable station. The ads I’m told can be different.
I get that, but the original comment you made wasn’t about full time vs part time it was about “building new stars”. My comment of comparing “Punk vs Mox” to “Austin vs Punk” was that in both cases, no “new star” is being built, but both are cases of putting on a giant match.
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Ah yes. Semantics in sarcasm. You are correct I did not specify. Won’t even try to back into it.
Hey btw - back to Full Gear: it’s surreal how an audience that chanted for CM Punk for 7 years to come back in the span of 18 months is now chanting Fck CM Punk.
Shame nobody came up with a good Target themed chant. I thought FTR woulda worked too.
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What happens in Chicago? Do Elite get booed? CM Punk chants?
I have a feeling he gets booed until he comes out and tells his side of the story. Once he does that, I have a feeling some fans will then take his side, especially in Chicago.
I’ve been trying to figure out how I feel about those chants. I know I don’t like it, but I can’t explain why. I think it’s maybe what Wai said (paraphrasing), that it’s just smarky bullshit by fans who want to prove that they know backstage stuff.
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I agree. One thing that wasn’t happening in early AEW shows was fans trying to get their own shit over. That it’s CM Punk at the center of the shift when he was the catalyst when he first left WWE, ironic. Since we still don’t know the status it’s weird fans would spit on his grave so to speak. Not likely to make him want to come back and we’d all agree it would be a better AEW on air product if he did.
Hopefully it isn’t something that sticks around. I liked how AEW fans positively impacted the show. I didn’t find it positive tho I get supporting the Elite in their return.
Shocked BTE aired it like they did. InWrestling they say never say never. Punk breaking that for both companies, also ironic.
I may be using the term ironic wrong
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As someone who really doesn’t like the young bucks at all, I would love to see a Chicago’s crowd beat down of the Elite.
Thought about this more (I have a long commute), and I think it bugs me that the crowd seemed to be “picking sides” in an issue where there should be no winner. I know it’s both human nature and a part of tribalism inherent in many wrestling fans, but it doesn’t sit right with me. Don’t validate the EVPs without knowing the facts just because you think they’re good wrestlers.
And I don’t think AEW is helping with all of the Punk references (MJF and apparently on BTE as well). If that’s actually leading to something then it’s pretty brilliant, but if not then it’s just childish. Don’t take shots at a guy who might be suing you in the next six months. Especially if he doesn’t have a platform to respond… I’ve heard rumors that Punk hates that.
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100% agree. I’ve said many times that I think this situation was a result of Punks attitude, but I’m not going to pretend to know for sure, and I’m certainly not going to say blame is 100%-0%. These fans are all speculating.
The thing I like least about AEW is the fans. They are so damn tribal and defensive, and this is just another example of it. Just move on. Your guys won, this just feels like a bunch of brats acting like sore winners. Makes me embarrassed to be an AEW fan to be honest.
Really? I don’t hear any AEW fans say they’re beating WWE. It’s a different product and caters a different audience. WWE will likely out-sell AEW for 10 years at least and i don’t think many people think otherwise. I hear WWE fans on here belittle AEW quite often and it surprises me coz it sounds like WWE has been poor for years so im not sure why there’s so much hatred.
AEW is far from perfect but we don’t have “are you watching survivor series” threads or whatever every time there’s a show
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Disagree. I didn’t watch WWE and ROH and all the other necessary viewing, so I don’t rally care about this guy’s story, I like seeing the athleticism of the Bucks and the people that got AEW to the dance.
You all heard what this guy said and saw how he acted on the mic, didn’t you? But the crowd expressing their displeasure about a selfish guy who got himself and three other people suspended is too much? I’m surprised at the already revisionist history some of y’all are trying.
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I choose to remember the year that AEW was on fire with Punk than the fall out at All Out. One bad night should not be held as a bad mark forever when the impact of that is a totally different company and trajectory for said company. Shit happens. Don’t professionals at some level move on?
FWIW I’ve always placed blame squarely on TK for letting it get to that point. Not for not stopping Punk that night or the Elite backstage - but just not managing his “team” or company better since this had obviously been bubbling up to the point of explosion in which emotions or whatever take over.
I think this is where Egos and fan-favorites and picking sides has soured a bit of the magic that AEW had prior to All Out 2022. It’s not cliche to say when the geenie gets out of the bottle it’s hard to put it back in. The do-no-wrong sentiment is not ever coming back. TK can own that.
Maybe I’m romanticism the benefit of the doubt fans of AEW gave AEW whereas there was 0 benefit of any doubt on Saturday night when the audience decided to clearly choose a side and blast the perceived bad guy. Which, I guess, if he ever wants to come back, is his heel turn 
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You’re all talking about ‘spitting on his grave’ when he blasted the Bucks, Kenny, Page, and Colt live in front of the media and his boss. Why is it ‘just busness’ and not something you stand up against when he does this shit, but it’s the Bucks who are at fault for leaving an organic chant in their fanservice series? I don’t care about a billionaire booker or guy with a messiah complex, I want to see the crazy action that I’ve seen from these guys for the past six years, but AEW fans doing one chant at the show where the main guys come back after being gone due to the actions of this primadonna is ‘shocking’ and the straw that breaks the camel’s baxk? And before you say ‘they didn’t have to confront him,’ he told them to say shit to his face, and y’all are the same type who would call The Elite cowards if they let it go. The evidence is front of y’all from the press conference, I don’t see why ya feel the need to be so precious about a guy who has a history of being a prick.
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It’s not “belittling” to have an opinion. And thinking AEW did something negative is not necessarily supporting WWE.
There’s a lot of wrestling chatter on the Internet and most of it makes this forum sound like Bible study. In fact, it’s what keeps me here, and what brought me back after checking out for an extended period. There is room for nuance in these conversations, it’s not just gang warfare between two equally stupid factions.
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fwiw i was more commenting on the fans. I still think they should just do business and make a shit ton of wrestling and good content and shows outa it. Best for Business.
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Twitter? Facebook? Any member of the wrestling media? An email chain?
So AEW fans all validate these terrible no good unprofessional EVPs and it’s all tribalism, but this guy going off in a press conference tirade which we all saw and that he clearly had planned beforehand (hi nick hausman how ya doin), and who has a history of being a prick, deserves a ‘both sides’ argument?
There’s all this talk of AEW fans being lame and tribalistic, but the knots y’all are pulling to defend CM Punk … man oh man.
There is a clear difference in the audience types.
AEW fans, while I think decent people, fit into a younger more hardcore phenotype. The shows are aggressive and TBH my wife won’t go anymore as she finds the audience a bit too intimidating. I wouldn’t take a young child there - and speaking to some people at the Meet and Greet I know you felt the same.
So stuff like saying “F CM Punk” etc fits with that. It’s like an ECW audience.
However I feel like the audience was broader before. Their core will always be the young hardcore type that doesn’t like WWE and likes flips and indy style and blood. However I had a few friends who started to watch them when Punk came over who had no idea who Kenny Omega was. They got into it - but a few things have caused them to tune out -
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Lack of pushing guys they know like Miro and now Punk is gone as well and BD keeps losing. Ruby Soho, Athena etc. Malaki Black. The list is long
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Too many Japanese people every week that they don’t know who always lose. How many people actually know who Eddie Kingston fought etc. most “casuals” don’t even know who Okada is.
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WWE getting better with storylines involving Bloodline etc. AEW in ring is great - storytelling is not largely bc of Khan
Ultimately that means the audience has shrunk a bit back to the super hardcores. And this the shows are going to be increasingly saying stuff like we saw.