AEW - All Elite Wrestling (*Spoilers for Latest Show*)

CastorTroy

Would a suspension lead to another interim champion?

Have they ever established the timeframe a title needs to be defended in?

Lord TSC

God knows.

Punk feels the type who’d walk if he was suspended tbh.

Clegg

If Punk is suspended he'll probably never return to AEW. Which might just be what the company needs. It's clear he has massive issues with the Bucks, Omega and Hangman. And if Khan is forced to choose between the two sides he surely has to go with the latter.

Khan also needs to rein in his wrestlers and tell them to stop acting like dickheads. Punk is at the centre of the controversy, but I don't think AEWs issues began with him. There have been issues with Big Swole and Sammy Guevara in the past and they had nothing to do with Punk. Same with Eddie Kingston. AEW seems to have a structure wherein there isn't much in the way if hierarchy. But you really need someone to patrol the wrestlers to ensure backstabbing doesn't occur end egos don't run rampant.

Also, the Elite don't come out of this looking good either. Punk has been totally unprofessional, but he clearly thinks that someone or some people have been spreading stories about him in the media. It's obvious that he thinks it's the Elite.

Neil3030

I'm around 60-40 it's a work.

If it's a work: You can get the belt off Punk and onto MJF and he has a programme lined up to move onto. Not great timing starting another work/shoot angle when the guy from another work/shoot angle just returned, but AEW does like to throw multiple things at the wall at once.

If it's a shoot: Punk definitely not looking good. Hangman's comments were ambiguous enough to go over most (if not everyone's?) head, and it seems to have sent Punk into a tailspin, threatening to cancel their match, going into business for himself on his return promo, tirade at the press conference, and throwing digs backstage? That reeks of a guilty conscience to me. Looks to all the world that he did indeed look to get Cabana fired and doesn't like this being insinuated publicly.

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119575426#Comment_119575426

Alternatively... maybe Danhausen's boots cursed him??

hynesie08

Apparently Ace steel bit Kenny Omega and I would pay good money for the footage of that.

Agent Coulson

The Acclaimed to win the titles at Arthur Ashe

The tag and Trios matches last night were top class wrestling.

I want more of Toni Storm and Jamie Hayter going at it 1on 1

Nearly everyone took Thunder Rosa’s side about a year ago when Ivelisse was released for her misunderstanding with Rosa.

Look like Rosa since then has had misunderstandings with a number of female talent.

ThePott

Jesus, talk of the PPV being overshadowed is right.

People can say it's a work, people say everything is a work cause smarks don't want to be 'fooled'.

I'm going to repeat what has been said by many, if it's a work it's incredibly stupid. It made AEW look like the rumours of strife up till now were true. Punk isn't going to be feuding with the Young Bucks or Page (certainly not since they just set-up MJF) so who does it benefit? That's to say nothing about the fact that Tony just stood there while his champion (a guy that's been there a year) tore into people who have been there since the beginning, EVPs who helped establish the company. It made him look incompetent and incapable of controlling the backstage drama.

If it's a shoot, which I would assume it is unless it is a dumb AF work then it's incredibly unprofessional from Punk (whether there's truth to what he says or not) and the above point about Tony staying silent still stands.

I like Punk as a performer, I've given him more chances than most have even though he is often a toxic egomaniac but this has helped no one and if there's any truth to him throwing a punch, he needs to be suspended at the very least. Tony is going to have to show some leadership here and take some meaningful action and I think if he sides with Punk over the Elite then it will be catastrophic. Might be a real defining point for the company either way.

Agent Coulson

Interesting comments from Tony

Both sides drive Revenue and help create jobs

https://twitter.com/_denisesalcedo/status/1566827041147834370?s=46&t=HWXFmu055t4xTdo_DhNCdQ

https://twitter.com/_denisesalcedo/status/1566829699233419265?s=46&t=HWXFmu055t4xTdo_DhNCdQ

Headshot

I would choose the Elite over Punk any day of the week tbh. The Elite can hold AEW on their backs all day long and are the best in the world tbh.

The stuff on Colt Cabana is uncalled for and is a disgrace tbh. You may not like someone but ever hear the old saying if you have nothing good to say don't say it?

I love Punk as the performer but my god the guy is the wrestling version of Jose Mourinho where over time it all falls to **** and nobody can take him any longer and he's fired.

TK will have to do something here tbh and it's such a kick in the teeth with the MJF return and going for the title against Punk

J. Marston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119576734#Comment_119576734

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119577060#Comment_119577060

...

~Rebel~

It all feels like it fits way too neatly into what a lot of people expected to happen after MJF's own pipe-bomb/nuke... just feels too neat a build to the next chapter of the story to be a coincidence, especially in the moment.

People expected it to be the overpaid-WWE-blow-in 'new company man' heel Punk VS the homegrown MJF, which obviously all Punks comments fuel very well. Like, after MJF was leaving after his big monologue a few months back, it wasn't security that came out to chase him away, it was Punk. He was the new storyline 'company man' considering himself the big man protecting what he saw as his company now. It feels like they pressed pause on that story, and pressed play again last night.

As for the thing of it overshadowing MJF - it only overshadows him for five minutes, until he gets his rebuttal on Dynamite and points out what a disgrace it is that this blow-in is getting the backing of the company, while MJF himself was being sidelined and underpaid. You have to build the arrogant petty bad guy (Punk) up first, to let the saviour (MJF) come in and call him out.

Also interesting that amidst Punk's tirade, he bigged up Adam Cole, who (in this sort of story) one would expect to maybe be on his side.

(Also just giving him the benefit of the doubt)

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119576709#Comment_119576709

Not only that but he knocked out Nick Jackson by throwing a chair at him allegedly. The memes online are absolute quality 😂

https://twitter.com/WrestleClips/status/1566924177847754755?t=yVMc6E6YotINk3ZG8m4cQA&s=19

Agent Coulson

There has been a lot of blurring the lines between work and shoot in AEW over the last couple of months.

It will be interesting to see does all this give Dynamite a ratings boost on Wednesday.

Agent Coulson

Danny “Magic” is great on Dark commentary.

Loughc

The Wrestling Observer has the details regarding the fight between CM Punk, Ace Steel, Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks following the explosive Punk AEW All Out post-event press conference.

According to multiple sources that lined up with some of Fightful's reporting, there was a fight backstage afterward with Punk allegedly starting things by swinging fists at the Bucks' Matt Jackson. 

Punk trainer/friend and AEW producer Steel (part of the storyline that got Punk into Sunday's Jon Moxley match) threw a chair that hit the Bucks' Nick Jackson in the eye. Steel (Chris Guy) allegedly bit Omega and grabbed his hair.

riffmongous

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119577394#Comment_119577394

But if Punk's going to be the heel why was he acting more face in the actual title match than Mox? (And bleed and win clean)

And it's not often you have a valiant Babyface sending his goons down to steal the contract and deliver it to him..

Got to love the lads who don't believe the dirt sheets now lapping everything they are posting now.

That was a great week of wrestling to be there live for the only part that didn't click live at the PPV was the Stokely taking the poker chip espically after the others had put on such a great match right up till the run in.

But everyone guessed figured out pretty quickly it would be MJF.

Every single person there wanted The Acclaimed to win the atmosphere throughout that match was as good as I have felt at a wrestling event.

On Punk I have never seen a live crowd anywhere be so electric for a hometown guy, He came out before the PPV started with his dog and that just go the crowd going.

No doubt Punk it a total prick in real life but Punk the wrestler just has something very few have or will ever have he has a connection with a live crowd.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119577590#Comment_119577590

Because it’s a far more interesting story… Lovely baby face Punk winning the title, and then turning into a bit of an arrogant tosser who considers himself the heart and soul of the company (one of his quotes was literally “I’m trying to run a business here!’), while despicable heel makes really good points, and you find yourself getting on his side.

MJF, immediately after Punks last title win comes out to the ring to massive boo’s and abuse, and within 5 minutes of impassioned speech has his name chanted - same as it was last night.

i mean, I want it to be a work, cause if it is, it’s great, and really interesting and well thought out (and very classic-Punk)!

TonySniff

Yeah because a good work is to make your company look stupid and second rate. Totally.

titan18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119577611#Comment_119577611

I mean, how does any of using Colt Cabana's real name, insulting him for having a bank account with his mother, insulting The Elite like he did and making Tony Khan look like he's got no spine feed into his feud with MJF. I'd think what Swerve did was a work, or likes of Roman and Jay White's antics in these. Punk just came off like an ass.

Even if it is, it's just as bad as it makes AEW look like they've got no control of their roster and overshadows the whole PPV, so instead of everyone talking about MJFs return, the trios title match, the Acclaimed or any other storylines going, all the talk is Punk being a dick.

CastorTroy

Real or not, if he isn't punished it'll look worse.

Lord TSC

It's 100% not a work. It might eventually become one, in the way pro-wrestling does to these things (*eyeballs MJF*). But there's zero chance they bring MJF back so dramatically and then, an hour latter, utterly destroy all hype about it and focus on the fact the world champ and the Elite literally got into a brwl backstage. Wrestling fans have a weird desire to believe everything is a work. Like there's such a cynicism about being worked, they default (usually correctly) to everything being a work.

Anyway, I think it's hilarious the week Ace Steel has had. From "Who the **** is Ace Steel?" to "Ace Steel is the guy who bites in a fight!"

kksaints

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119578727#Comment_119578727

I assume Ace Steels next move will be to the job center. Can't keep him if he bit a coworker.

titan18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119578761#Comment_119578761

Think is does Tony Khan have the balls to do that as Punk will see that as an attack on him.

Pentecost

He apparently bit an EVP and knocked another one out, or almost did so, by throwing a chair. He can't keep his job. He'll be the sacrificial lamb because they won't fire Punk. If Punk quits over that then so be it. Good luck to him and thanks for the year.

hynesie08

If Ace steel isn't fired and the bucks file a lawsuit, Tony would lose his bollix. Even if Ace steel is fired, the bucks are probably getting a nice contract renewal.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119578663#Comment_119578663

The Colt Cabana stuff is the really worrying bit alright. Everything else feeds into existing stories that have already been planted - except for that. How did it even come up? The AEW media scrum link starts up with the subject already raised, and Punk already annoyed by it. Do we have any context on the bits before the coverage starts?

(for the Khan looking spineless thing, I mean, that's all part of MJF's story anyway - MJF's reveal was literally a voice message of Tony completely caving and bending over backwards for him).

Wrestling is inherently completely ridiculous, so for sure, when a new ridiculous thing happens (especially something so dramatic, overt and up front), my first instinct will always be that whatever it is is part of wrestling. The Colt Cabana bit is the bit that feels a step apart from everything else though. Ah well, intentional or not, it's fairly captivating!

savemejebus

my 2cents: it's a work, a silly bad work that is aimed at specifically at what punk referred to as the 'niche' audience typified by wreddit. I'm sure it started off as a shoot months ago but gradually simmered down to this badly thought out damaging work.....of course they might think it's wonderful and their goal was just to get people talking about this drama rather than the current lack of compelling storylines. Late stage WCW stuff but Tony does love his wcw.

Also, the Colt Cabana's mother thing would have been about Colt hiding assets rather than being a mama's boy.

Shiminay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119578761#Comment_119578761

Tell that to Luis Suarez :D

It's a mess. For whatever it's worth, I don't think Punk was working, I do think he was blowing off a lot of steam that seems to be par for the course to a point. Based on comments he made later on in the same press conference (about wanting to be of service to people etc), TK doesn't have the sort of personality who can step in and put a stop in the moment no matter how he wanted to - that's not a fault, that's just the type of person he is.

Adrenaline is a powerful chemical and after a big PPV and with a home town crowd, I can see why fisticuffs might happen. But wrestling or not, you can't start a physical fight with your company's senior management and expect it to go unchecked - even the USA's barbaric employment laws cover such eventualities. I think TK will try to be the peacemaker (see above) but he has his work cut out for him and I can see it all turning sour the longer it goes on and Punk could just walk away again.

I think AEW probably needs a CEO/COO above the EVP Talent in the pecking order who can impose some order and squash problems. I don't think I've ever heard of the sorts of interpersonal problems amongst talent making itself so well known in the public in the modern era - I'm sure it's happened all the time over the years, and we've heard all sorts of shady stories from the territories days.

Anyway, with all that said, I thought this was a mostly very good PPV. I think Stokley and his bunch was a little too goofy, but I commend the effort. There's a lot of lower-mid-card talent that's about to get a big boost by association with MJF and I think that's a good thing.

The Trios title match was great, we're probably going back to Sad Hangman now after taking out John Silver and preventing Reynolds from getting stuck in too hard on one of the Jacksons early on.

I had a feeling Jade was gonna come out as She-Hulk, my girlfriend was here watching it with me and whilst she has zero interest in wrestling, she was impressed :D Wasn't an amazing match, but I don't know if anyone really thought Athena was going over. I think when Statlander returns, she might be the one?

Women's 4 way was good, I didn't realise how over Jamie Hayter is (not that she doesn't deserve it, I think she's great), but I kinda expected Toni Storm to take it and I think she'll be facing a heel Thunder Rosa when she's back. We do get to play out Britt and Jamie now at last I think/hope!

I also thought the Acclaimed and Swerve in our Glory was a very good match and didn't think SIOG were going to retain. Media Scrum/Arthur Ash thing was more a "Tony just had an idea" rather than a specific plan.