Eddie Kingston should have been promoted to EVP.

So, I can't wait for the Rosa shoot. Anyone else?

He definitely did. Kicked with his one foot and grabbed the other. Unless they say when he planted his foot, he injured it again. But that would require next level thinking and I don't think Tony Khan is at that level yet.

AEW fans are determined for this to be a work. And it could be. Because it’s fucking stupid. This doesn’t make you want to watch AEW more. It’s hilariously bad. It’s also a borderline bait-and-switch.

If the “story” is supposed to be that Punk came back too early, he looks like a twat for coming back too early. It’s horrible. And making it seem like there are backstage tensions is a horrible idea too. It’s all horrible. Doesn’t mean you should put it past them.

This could believably be an out for Punk too. He shows up, drops the belt to Moxley, fucks off. Yippee.

AEW fans are so obsessed with things being a work and being a “story” that they forget the part where the story should be good.

Only way I can even fathom this being saved is if Punk came back too soon because he’s too valuable to leave benched. But that doesn’t make sense. As a big star he should just tell them to go fuck themselves. Plus this was the guy that was willing to give up the belt a few months ago. But even if this was a retcon of what has already been established, they should have at least alluded to Punk needing to come back somehow. Mox should have baited him? I dunno. It’s all so uninspiring.

Working a trios match with Darby and Sting vs. House of Black

On one hand, I thought Punk vs. Mox was brilliant and it leaves me intrigued and excited to see where things go next.

On the other, this leaves no clear PPV main event a week and a half before the PPV, there's no indications that a PPV main event was announced on Rampage (unless it gets added in post) and so that means they might not announce anything until next week's Dynamite.

Every AEW PPV has been great so far IMO, and the announced undercard has sold me. BUT, regardless of this, waiting until 4 days before a PPV to announce a main event is just really bad optics.

Think Tony Khan's strength is laying out long-term plans for where he ultimately wants things to wind up, which is fine. But the problem is he seems to lay them out in a straight line and then people get hurt, backstage issues, etc. that throw off his plan and it feels like the workarounds for this are clumsy.

I do think it's good he's brought in more coaches, put an enhanced focus on talent relations etc. that can help with some of the structural issues happening behind the scenes. Coaches and agents can help sort out disagreements between workers who might not get along etc. He's never managed a locker room before, even within the NFL he's always been a front office/analytics guy, not a people management person. Delegating that shit is for the better.

But I'd wish he'd bring in some help for his booking. Not just asking the talent for input on their own angles, but actually have one or two other people pitching him ideas or making suggestions when the plan gets knocked off course. A good leader needs to recognize their own weaknesses and Khan's biggest one as a booker is course correction.

Yeah this is all very new. Lots of stuff to work out over the years. It’s not perfect and that’s ok. Go back and watch a lot of old wrestling. Tons of stuff stunk and made no sense. Still was awesome.

I love it because it’s unpredictable. I love the backstage stuff.

Having fun.

I think Khan missed a GREAT opportunity here. Whether Punk was coming back too soon or not was one thing. They could have made it to where Khan told Punk he was wrestling, Punk could have said he was still hurt and Khan forces him to defend the title. The match plays out the way it does last night and it's proven that Punk came back too early but was "forced" by Khan to defend the title.

The obvious drawback is that it would have turned Khan heel which he doesn't want to do because he wants everyone to love him. Especially when he comes out during shows when it's like a dad hands his little child a mic and says go be excited.

Could have been a good way to debut a heel authority figure, though.

I don't know who it could be if they were to ever do it, but having someone else make that call keeps Tony a face - and off camera - while creating a foil for the rasslers.

That made more sense in my head.

Basically I think AEW could benefit from an on-screen authority figure who isn't Tony Khan because I cannot take TK seriously ever.

I don't usually care about backstage stuff anymore, but the way it's been playing out for AEW has been entertaining. Enjoying these shows, even if they aren't super polished.

Some sites are saying the plan is to do a Mox/Punk rematch at ALL OUT

...

Will Ospreay is an insane person. JR mentioned that he just finished wrestling a whole ass G1 which are NOT easy matches, was in the final in Tokyo against Okada 6 days ago, and is now being a mad lad in a trios match in Cleveland fucking Ohio.

:lol:

If they add House of Crap vs. Miro and the Afterthoughts to All Out, that will be the THIRD six-man tag on the show. And 3 of the 6 units will not have been in the tournament. Keeping in mind the tournament finals are taking place on that show.

This is TNA stuff.

There are also already 8 matches confirmed. They are still to add Toilet of Black vs. We Used to Matter and a World Title match to the show. It’s gonna be loooooong.

I don't understand why the best use of Miro and Wardlow is supposed to be in trios matches

TK’s got to include FTR, but The Bucks don’t want to work with them, so he’s put them back with their old buddy and he’s hoping that they magically get themselves more over somehow. And Wardlow hasn’t been booked well enough to warrant his own spot on the card after squashing MJF on PPV.

He’s also hoping FTR carry El Gigante.

Miro is in a trios match because…well, I guess Sting and Darby have to make the card, and it’s not like they have their own issues booked.

I will pull a better All Out card out of my fucking ass right now:

* CM Punk vs. Bryan Danielson for the World Title
* Claudio Castagnoli vs. Chris Jericho
* Kenny Omega vs. Adam Page
* Christian Cage vs. Jungle Boy
* FTR vs. The Young Bucks for the Tag Team Titles
* Britt Baker vs. Jade Cargill for the Women’s Title
* Wardlow vs. Miro vs. Samoa Joe for the TNT Title
* Ricky Starks vs. Will Hobbs for the FTW Title
* Darby Allin & Sting vs. The Gunn Club

That wasn’t that fucking hard.

I want to try!

Mox vs Claudio in a title unification match because they need to get rid of a lot of titles
Kenny Omega & Young Bucks vs Adam Cole & Red Dragon for control of BTE
FTR vs Swerve within Glory title unification match, because again too many titles
Hook vs Wardlow vs Samoa Joe vs Wheelie Utah vs Pac title Unification match
Jade vs Mercedes Martinez vs I guess Toni Storm in place of Thunder Sandbag or whoever women's title unification
Will Asspray and Aussie Open vs Dalton Castle and his boys (not the assboys) 3 man title unification
Miro vs House of Black, not a match but random 45 second backstage promos
Daniel Bryan Danielson vs Sting in a spinal stenosis vs concussion match
Eddie Kingston vs a poster of JAS in his locker room that he swears at and calls pardnah a bunch
CM Punk vs Britt Baker because he REALLY needs to be matched up with a dentist
Adam Page vs cursed by Danhausen bottles of Jack Daniels

Print $

:lol:

They do need to get rid of so many belts.

Can’t a company just have a singles, tag and women’s? What happened to actually being the champion of a division?

Very happy with that. Wrestlings biggest problem is predictability and mundanity so doing something unexpected is very welcome, and Mox is much better than Punk. He’s been great since coming back so I’m glad he’s a two time champ now. I thought AEW was going to go through a pattern of just one new champ after another.

Yeah they’ve got a PPV with no main event, but I honestly don’t care so long as it’s interesting. I think they’ll do Mox v Punk again somehow unless Punk has run off crying or something. MJF appearance at the end has to happen surely otherwise I’d assume he’s not coming back at all.

I’d say they can’t have Punk come back for a rematch so soon but isn’t the PPV in Chicago? Seems insane not to have him wrestle there if he’s able.

Ppv card looks so much better than the last one though. More streamlined with singles grudge matches. Yeah, could’ve done without the trios match with jay perhaps team, especially when there’s a trios tournament being finalised on the same ppv. But still a lot more singles matches which is good.

Think it’ll just be Miro vs Black personally with Darby in the casino ladder match. Or maybe all of them in the casino ladder match and Miro v Black will happen on a Dynamite episode. They do like to save some big matches for the dynamites after a PPV usually so let’s see.

Could see the final of the trios match being Best friends vs Osprey and Aussie Open. Best friends are 100% winning the trios titles lol. If they don’t I’ll be very surprised.

But I guess that would likely mean Adam Cole and friends costing Omega and Bucks the match, but then I guess that would mean another trios match between them needed for the PPV then

Hmm, I guess in that case it makes more sense to go with Elite vs Dark Order with Cole costing Elite the final.

Kinda not sure where Hangman fits into that feud though. Triple trios feud?

I want to see Omega vs Pac vs Osprey

Unpredictable Tiny would care as much about the women as the men!

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Yeah, caving to the derps and giving Thunder Rosa as much TV time as CM Punk would have been the mark of a true genius.

Unpredictability is not wrestling’s biggest problem. At all. Predictability itself isn’t a bad thing. And AEW is as mundane as it gets. Mox sucks. PPV isn’t interesting. They’ve even somehow killed interest in Christian Cage vs. Jungle Boy, which should have been a slam dunk.

The AEW Women’s Division is a joke. They definitely lied about presenting a decent division, but there’s nothing wrong with giving Punk more time. The concept of interim champions itself is wonky though.

What would make sense is bringing Omega back to finish his business and holding off on doing a trios tournament until you’ve established all your teams and the timing is right.

popping in to say mox squashing the shit out of punk was fucking great but goddamn was it stupid if that makes sense

Undisputed Elite, BCC and Miro & The Painters weren’t even in the tournament. FTR we’re aligned with Punk. Now with Wardlow. Where is their spot? You’ve broken up three potiential contenders between the last PPV and the tournament. Why?

Oh ok my mistake.

Really been enjoying turtleneck Christian talking shit on Jungle Boy if I haven't said that already.

Love Christian. Match should be v good

I agree this is painfully bad booking. Especially for Wardlow and FTR. I hate it.

All Out is going to draw about 100k ppv buys regardless of the last match, I actually think the booking for Mox and Punk is really good and will create a strong buzz going into the show.

I agree, Christian is fantastic since turning, we all agree. Jungle Boy and he should have a really cool match tbh, personally I don't think Jungle Boy has it on the mic yet but he is t terrible and does show some potential.

With jungle Boy and Darby I feel like they are hitting a ceiling because I don't see them really selling a ppv on a big scale.

In a vacuum, the shocking squash isn't bad. See Cena/Brock as SummerSlam

I agree but there are so many things that don't make any sense.

if they would have done it at the PPV i would be less confused. but doing it on tv two weeks before the ppv? i can't find the sense in that.

Can you imagine if they had booked THAT match as the main event at their biggest PPV in CHICAGO though?

I mean, maybe the insane reaction after and the unpredictability would have been memorable enough to make up for the pissed off crowd but… I don’t know. That’s a tough trigger to pull.

Maybe punishment for punk for going into business for himself?

It was a shoot fight, that is why Phil lost in 3 minutes :rofl:

If they do run Punk v Moxley back, I’d think is going to go heel and cheat to win the belt back. Otherwise I can’t see the sense in what happened last night. If they do run heel champ Punk, it’s gotta be MJF that beats him. No other choice.

The Thunder Rosa thing is interesting as well, I dont buy the shes not injured hiding in the bathroom bit. Feels like an oversell of whatever real heat there is.

But her reigns been disapointing despite her chase being pretty good. I dont remember the specifics but I feel like they left the win a week or two too late to get the hometown pop from memory and its just kind of lurched from place to place since then.

I really hope they give Hayter a go with the belt, slowly turn her face as Britt gets more and more jealous. I dont want the belt back on Britt yet, that too had run its course for me.

I really wish Stat hadnt got hurt and could get the win tbh.

Hayter would be a bad choice for the fact that she’s been a perennial loser in the majority of matches that have mattered. Toni should get the belt, and Hayter and and Britt should break off into their own feud.

Idk what’s going on with Rosa but her run has been the shits. Partly because it exposed her as being awful on the mic with the time she’s had, and partly because she’s had zero stories.

I’m ready for Jade to get the belt after whoever takes it off Rosa when they clear up the interim bullshit.

Bingo. It wasn't even the main event.

Cena/Brock at Summerslam was a surprise squash. If it happens there it at least makes it look intentional and like they know what they're doing.

I think Hayter has the in ring chops to make it work but tbh I'm just not high on Toni Storm. So really just a personal preference for me.

Either way please for the love of god pull the trigger on the Hayter vs. Britt feud and Hayter needs to go over.

Going heel in Chicago? Does that land with the crowd?

The CHI crowd will erupt for Punk regardless of his alignment.

I feel like Noid was complaining about Punk selling the wrong foot, even though--if you've ever played a single sport in your life--you'd know that you're likelier to hurt the foot you plant on.

Vintage keyboard warrior Noid.

maybe there's a reason he didn't know????






hmmm

Yeah I thought it was clear he was selling that he’d re-injured the standing leg.

i would boo him if i were going :(

As a story it makes no fucking sense. You can’t take the “management is against Punk” angle, because Punk was willing to hand in the belt but Tony Khan wanted to keep it in him. If Punk is so valuable, you wouldn’t compromise him like that. It’s got to be Punk coming back early himself, which again makes no sense as a story. It hasn’t made his match with Moxley more interesting, but less interesting. And if he’s cleared enough to work (evidently), then he’s sitting out the next PPV because…reasons? He can’t come back from the re-aggravated injury this soon.

It’s a mess as fiction. That’s why the logical conclusion to draw is that Punk is fed up, went out there to do something resembling business with Mox, and is then getting the fuck out. Even so they could have saved it for the PPV.

This company is fucking stupid.

its gonna lead to punk vs rock on Rampage!!!!


New Year's Revolution! (..... wait, that's the next dubya dubya eeeee stable)


NEVERMIND!

:wtf:

So they’re showing “exclusive footage” of Punk on Rampage. This is just the worst fucking storyline of the year.

Noid. Sometimes it's okay to shut the fuck up.

Take your own advice, big fella.