AEW TV 8/17 - 8/23 House of the Dragon

[Timbo Slice]

The other answer to the questions that people keep asking regarding Punk is that this has always been his idea of pro wrestling, and just like other aspects of it, there’s a good way to do it and the bad. And right now, it’s leaning bad because Punk isn’t seen as an underdog, which was his whole thing for the entirety of his WWE run. Now he’s establishment, and he can’t paint himself as an underdog anymore. That’s what makes me think of this more as a work than anything; there’s too much of this at play to make me think anything else

[sek69]

To be honest, in the moment I just thought he said what he did about Page to cement to the crowd that he's back to being asshole heel Punk and not lovable rascal babyface Punk. 

[Embrodak]

Punk was killing it last night, I don’t really care why he said it. I don’t think he’ll go as evil as he was with Taker, that shit with Bearer’s ashes was truly special, but Punk free to be a petty, smug asshole? That’s a change I can get behind.

[strobogo]

What the fuck could Punk possibly be pissed enough about to make multiple threats of quitting 

[sek69]

I did see it pointed out that Punk being the veteran who doesn't think the young kids give the proper respect dovetails nicely into the promo MJF did during their feud where he told Punk that he became everything he hates. 

[C.S.]

1 hour ago, sek69 said:

Interesting that literally no one seems to think this is all just some storyline to work Hangman back into the title picture

I do, and I cannot believe everyone else on PWO is actually falling for it. 

Punk mentioned both Hangman and Eddie Kingston in his promo - people he's feuded with in the past - with both rivalries still having plenty of juice left for them to pick right back up where they left off.

Plus, the Punk heel turn has been building for months now, with none of the top babyfaces trusting his sincerity.

This all part of the longform storytelling AEW really excels at.

[sek69]

Also the only reason having Mox-Punk on TV instead of on PPV is to do an angle. Whether that's getting Hangman involved for MJF making a return, all of AEW's booking history to this point suggests something major is going to go down. 

[KawadaSmile]

CM Punk as 95 Hogan but the Dungeon of Doom is now comprised of younger talent since he has no friends to help with a main event paycheck

[strobogo]

The idea that Punk is pissed enough to threaten no shows or quitting because younger guys aren't taking his advice is incredible 

[SirEdger]

Some people in Stamford are seemingly rejoicing.

[KawadaSmile]

8 minutes ago, strobogo said:

The idea that Punk is pissed enough to threaten no shows or quitting because younger guys aren't taking his advice is incredible 

It kinda rules that he's become that much of a bitter man. It also rules that he's been able to show who he truly is - an unpleasant prick - on TV. It's this type of personality we end up talking about for years to come.

Sure, we all love them good, wholesome people, but sharing stories about how a dude ended up isolating himself for no fucking reason owns.

[PeteF3]

So...no one here learned their lesson from the Cody saga? I guess he's going to show back up as a heel any day now, right?

Honestly, I'm stunned that a community as intelligent as PWO is immediately thinking "LOL work."

[PeteF3]

And I'm sure I'm going to be told that the Cody thing "was different" even though the extent that it was different should have made it more likely to be a work, not less. 

[Ricky Jackson]

I mean it's Punk, who cut the most famous worked shoot promo ever, and AEW has been known to blur the lines, so I don't think speculating it was a work means PWO loses street cred or whatever 

[Jmare007]

50 minutes ago, PeteF3 said:

So...no one here learned their lesson from the Cody saga? I guess he's going to show back up as a heel any day now, right?

Honestly, I'm stunned that a community as intelligent as PWO is immediately thinking "LOL work."

Da hell? most people in here don't think it's a work as of right now. I guess it can be made one eventually for the sake of business but right now, Occam's razor points to Punk being Punk and some people caping for him.

[C.S.]

1 hour ago, SirEdger said:

Some people in Stamford are seemingly rejoicing.

Those quotes are a year old and are being regurgitated as new now. 

[Jesse Ewiak]

I mean, is it actually a shock that a guy who has been touchy his entire wrestling career continues to be so?

Like, he stumbled into actually being correct w/ his treatment in the WWE when it comes to his injuries and such, but he also wanted to be the Top Guy, without none of the extra responsibilities that being a Top Guy for WWE has and got salty about that. 

 

[PeteF3]

51 minutes ago, Ricky Jackson said:

I mean it's Punk, who cut the most famous worked shoot promo ever, and AEW has been known to blur the lines, so I don't think speculating it was a work means PWO loses street cred or whatever 

Speculating is fine. The last few posts seemed pretty sure it was a work. And...I dunno, the pipe bomb was a great promo but it sure came off as a work to me at the time. 

[sek69]

14 minutes ago, PeteF3 said:

Speculating is fine. The last few posts seemed pretty sure it was a work. And...I dunno, the pipe bomb was a great promo but it sure came off as a work to me at the time. 

The pipe bomb was clearly Punk letting off some real steam in the context of a worked promo that advanced his character.

I think he may be doing this again. I don't doubt a crusty asshole like him is legit bothered at Page not listening to advice, and is using it in a way to potentially do business. 

I just don't see him, even as grumpy as he can be, flushing away a situation where he's a top draw and most popular person on the roster. 

[PeteF3]

What exactly is a "top draw" as far as AEW goes? What does that tangibly mean for Punk, specifically? Are there gate and PPV bonuses in their contracts or just a flat fee?

[sek69]

4 minutes ago, PeteF3 said:

What exactly is a "top draw" as far as AEW goes? What does that tangibly mean for Punk, specifically? Are there gate and PPV bonuses in their contracts or just a flat fee?

I don't know if he gets any bonus out of it, but (ironically enough) he's AEW's John Cena in terms of being the #1 person to move the  needle when it comes to TV ratings and PPV buyrates. Pretty sure he is the top merch seller as well. 

[Dav'oh]

It's not PPV bonuses that CM Punk would be throwing out, if he breached his contract and went into business for his self. He can make that money back with an autograph-signing or becoming a caffeine-dealer ().

It's the spotlight. That's what he craves. He's not cutting off his nose to spite his face.

(And wasn't Punk the recipient of "doesn't listen to the veterans" back in the Fed? Or was the Tony Atlas "don't tape your fists" just a one-off?)

[Johnny Sorrow]

5 hours ago, Ricky Jackson said:

I mean it's Punk, who cut the most famous worked shoot promo ever, and AEW has been known to blur the lines, so I don't think speculating it was a work means PWO loses street cred or whatever 

That's my take. He's clearly turning heel,( he also slagged Mox and Eddie non kayfabe), and the best way for Punk to do that kind of promo is to let him fire live rounds. So yeah, it's not totally a work, but it isn't totally a shoot. What it is, is something people are buzzing about. Which is the point. All of this to me feels like the AEW recreation of The Summer Of Punk that had to be postponed to be the Late Summer/ Early Autumn Of Punk that I've been expecting for awhile.

[Embrodak]

I mean Punk has been doing tributes to Bret Hart, someone who took wrestling deathly seriously. It could just be that AEW’s free form “let everyone do basically what they want to do within the purview of Tony Khan’s preferences” booking style is not in fact what he wants, and he’s frustrated that the promotion is not tacking toward what he’s doing when he’s on-screen.

[Dale Wolfe]

Regardless of the background, grumpy old bastard CM Punk is a much better character than sincere Stella Gets Her Groove Back CM Punk