Hey Guys. Has anyone been keeping up with the craziness going on at AEW these last few weeks? Does anyone else suspect this might be some kind of elaborate work?
Actually, I've been meaning to post something up myself - this is all absolutely wild. I can see how some people might have thought this is a work, but wow, if you've actually watched the press conference, no way. In fact, if you haven't actually watched it, if you've just been reading about it, you need to go watch it right away. It's so, so much worse than you think. Phil Brooks has often seemed to me to be just a terrible dude, but he's always been positioned against guys like Vince, guys who are almost infinitely worse. This time, though, we watched him torch three of the top-drawing acts in the company, completely bury MJF's return, and spend something like 20 minutes attacking Colt Cabana, who, let's be clear here, has absolutely no recourse against this guy, regardless of who is in the right on their conflict. Punk is arguable the most important guy in pro wrestling, and Colt is a nobody. There's nothing Colt could do here - attacking Punk is like trying to grab the sun for him, but Punk effectively comes in and goes, "hang on, I know you have questions, but I need to take some time to ruin this guy."
I honestly can't believe that Khan just sat there the whole time and didn't take him out of the conference, especially after he mentioned the EVPs the first time. I think that's a big reason why people thought this was a work. But I think it's just bad management. If you watch the thing, Tony is just in shock the whole time, while the people in the room are getting audibly more and more shook up. Punk even comments on it at one point, that they're getting scared of him. That's not a work - you would dial that back if you were performing.
I guess I'm just surprised it took Punk this long to pull a stunt like this.
There's 21,140 ways to psychoanalyze CM Punk, one of my top faves of all time, but as much as it seems like his personal life and health was being prioritized over the last few years, it took a year of being in a wrestling locker room again to bring out all his flaws.
Gossipy Twitter gossip thinks he planned to do this all along, but why? Why not just talk to Page et al backstage weeks ago? (the answer is: wrestlers!) I get that everything involving the lawsuit & Colt is a touchy subject but c'mon!
Originally posted by Tenken347I honestly can't believe that Khan just sat there the whole time and didn't take him out of the conference, especially after he mentioned the EVPs the first time. I think that's a big reason why people thought this was a work. But I think it's just bad management. If you watch the thing, Tony is just in shock the whole time, while the people in the room are getting audibly more and more shook up. Punk even comments on it at one point, that they're getting scared of him. That's not a work - you would dial that back if you were performing.
That's the thing that's been hitting me over the past day or two... TK just sat there and didn't cut him off or stop him or anything.
The only one who can answer all our questions is... Larry the dog.
Im not 100% convinced its a shoot, or even a work that became a shoot, but if it is it doesn't look good on Tony Kahn. Say what you want about the man, but Vince would have dropped the hammer hard on one or all of those guys.
When a coked-up Shawn Michaels cut his "Sunny Days" promo, leading Bret Hart to attack him backstage and rip out his hair, and Shawn subsequently went to Vince to complain about an unsafe working environment and demand his release so he could go to WCW, no hammers were dropped. Brock Lesnar and Ric Flair weren't disciplined for the Plane Ride from Hell. Jericho and Goldberg exchanged blows backstage with nothing coming of it. Saying Vince would drop the hammer just doesn't hold up to past history.
The difference with Vince would be that he wouldn't have let Punk go on like he did if he was sitting right there. He would have cut it off, taken him away from the cameras, and said "This is how we're going to make money off of this", then it would've been a headlining story on TV for a while.
Originally posted by ChumpstainWhen a coked-up Shawn Michaels cut his "Sunny Days" promo, leading Bret Hart to attack him backstage and rip out his hair, and Shawn subsequently went to Vince to complain about an unsafe working environment and demand his release so he could go to WCW, no hammers were dropped. Brock Lesnar and Ric Flair weren't disciplined for the Plane Ride from Hell. Jericho and Goldberg exchanged blows backstage with nothing coming of it. Saying Vince would drop the hammer just doesn't hold up to past history.
I'd say those situations are all different, though, because it's not like those were things where guys were set up to go out in front of a bunch of cameras to stir the pot (and even the "Sunny Days" crack was inside baseball enough that I think most of the people watching didn't get it. But Bret did). I think one of the big differences between Khan and, really, any experienced promoter is that only he was willing to put an always volatile element like Punk in that situation to start. But...
Originally posted by ChumpstainThe difference with Vince would be that he wouldn't have let Punk go on like he did if he was sitting right there. He would have cut it off, taken him away from the cameras, and said "This is how we're going to make money off of this", then it would've been a headlining story on TV for a while.
Here's where I agree with you completely. And the fact that, apparently, some or all of these guys are being big enough babies that they can't make money off this is absurd. Matt Hardy and Edge had a match! These issues are not bigger than what happened with those two!
A work? Come on, we've all been watching CM Punk long enough to know his worked promo persona from his shoot promo persona. The possible way it's a work is if Tony Khan said "fuck it, we're not creating enough buzz, hey Punk feel free to just say what you think I won't stop you."
Now, whether Tony can make money off of this is the real question. I don't know if this is mainstream enough that he can #1. I don't know if he has the personality or savvy to #2. But the storyline writes itself.
Punk is so hilarious. I watched the promo that apparently got him mad three months ago and was like "this is what you're going on about?" It's an utterly standard "worked shoot" promo that would be home in any main event angle since 1998.
Nidia phuckin rules ! That Elaine Bennes dance and her huffing for wind was hilarious ! I think Tough Enough is utter crap , but at least something good has come from it . Of course , her character wouldn't be nearly as potent without Jamie F'N Noble !
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