Locked AEW CXIV: Punk is still the biggest draw

[The Clinch]

I can't comment as I didn't watch it, but wasn't his whole "American Nightmare" persona birthed over there? I can't see it being all that bad, considering he re-invented himself to the point where Vince opened up the bank vault to get friggin' Stardust back.

The booking is clearly an issue, but it seems like those two had the name value to keep people at least interested. Now that they're gone, it seems like they have nobody that gives them any sort of identity or credibility. Even if creative is shit, you can at least build around big relevant stars like that, and lean on them like a crutch. They got no crutch now.

Cody did reinvent himself, but it was over the course of his whole time away from WWE. People were tired of his shtick by the time he left AEW. His self fellating, rambling promos and his stupid matches were setting himself up for a heel turn that never came.

Second part: Bryan Danielson.

He’a slowing his in-ring down and hopefully takes over backstage.

 

[Ozymandias]

I can't comment as I didn't watch it, but wasn't his whole "American Nightmare" persona birthed over there? I can't see it being all that bad, considering he re-invented himself to the point where Vince opened up the bank vault to get friggin' Stardust back.

The booking is clearly an issue, but it seems like those two had the name value to keep people at least interested. Now that they're gone, it seems like they have nobody that gives them any sort of identity or credibility. Even if creative is shit, you can at least build around big relevant stars like that, and lean on them like a crutch. They got no crutch now.

American Nightmare started once he left WWE I believe.

 

[The Clinch]

That goes without saying. But there's other things like Sammy/Andrade, Sammy/Kingston, The midget married to Jordynne Grace throwing a tantrum, and shit like that may have been avoided.

Nah. All that’s nothing.

And no one gave a shit about Grace’s dude.

 

[Ozymandias]

Cody did reinvent himself, but it was over the course of his whole time away from WWE. People were tired of his shtick by the time he left AEW. His self fellating, rambling promos and his stupid matches were setting himself up for a heel turn that never came.

Second part: Bryan Danielson.

He’a slowing his in-ring down and hopefully takes over backstage.

Danielson should be booker when he retires. He understands the business.

 

[Smigg]

Nah. All that’s nothing.

And no one gave a shit about Grace’s dude.

I've forgotten the dude's name, but I love that you called him by his wife's name.

 

[Ozymandias]

That goes without saying. But there's other things like Sammy/Andrade, Sammy/Kingston, The midget married to Jordynne Grace throwing a tantrum, and shit like that may have been avoided.

Sammy Guevara is just an immature child. No one would care if he never came back. Andrade is gone. Jonathan Gresham? Who cares. He doesn't draw dimes.

Punk already had a history of not playing well with others. His first year in AEW is fine. Then Brawl Out happens. He's gone. Comes back gets injured. All In happens. Everyone decided to cut their losses. They had to make a separate show for him. It was ridiculous.

 

[The Clinch]

I've forgotten the dude's name, but I love that you called him by his wife's name.

Jonathan Gresham?

Haha, was drawing a blank.

Dude isn’t as good as he thinks he is. Has a cool mask, Vader had a cool mask, but when he took that off that’s when the fun stopped and then someone got destroyed.

Gresham takes his mask off and that’s all folks.

 

[HereticBD]

Cody did reinvent himself, but it was over the course of his whole time away from WWE. People were tired of his shtick by the time he left AEW. His self fellating, rambling promos and his stupid matches were setting himself up for a heel turn that never came.

I'll take your word for it, but if that's the case, it seems odd that his WWE return as that character was such a big deal, that had him receive the red carpet treatment and was met with incredibly positive fan reaction.

Anyways, I guess my general point is that they have no big stars now, combined with awful booking.

 

[Smigg]

Jonathan Gresham?

Haha, was drawing a blank.

Dude isn’t as good as he thinks he is. Has a cool mask, Vader had a cool mask, but when he took that off that’s when the fun stopped and then someone got destroyed.

Gresham takes his mask off and that’s all folks.

Didn't he tout his PWI rank as the reason why he should be booked better?

 

[The Clinch]

I'll take your word for it, but if that's the case, it seems odd that his WWE return as that character was such a big deal, that had him receive the red carpet treatment and was met with incredibly positive fan reaction.

Anyways, I guess my general point is that they have no big stars now, combined with awful booking.

Not going to lie, was fairly surprised at how WWE fans reacted to Cody when he returned and how he’s stayed red hot there. Turns out, all that work Cody did while he was away paid off and seems to be better suited for WWE. WWE has had some great booking as of late, now we’ll see if Cody can maintain it after getting to the top of the mountain.

AEW has a lot of great talent, and the fans seem to be reacting to Ospreay quite well. Omega is greatly missed. Samoa Joe is doing great work and Swerve is red hot despite coming off the heels of being quite the villain with Hangman. Toni Storm is doing gangbusters, women’s division as a whole has more direction than it has since AEW started.

The talent is there and almost always perform; but yeah, the booking is an absolute mess and it’s almost exclusively Tony Khan’s fault. Whoever his circle is have a hand in that blame too as they appear to do nothing as these shit ideas become reality.. oh, Khan doesn’t know what to do? Title eliminator match! AEW’s in Texas? Texas death match! ROH champions? Have then on AEW!.. except Athena, she’s gotta keep ROH on her back. New titles? New titles! Want one!?

 

[The Clinch]

Didn't he tout his PWI rank as the reason why he should be booked better?

Probably. Don’t remember, don’t care. Haha

 

[Based God]

View attachment 1038773

Forbidden Door in Long Island. WrestleDream staying in WA and Full Gear returns to NJ.

So it appears New Japan crying about Arthur Ashe stadium is true and Rocky Romero telling SRS it wasn't true was full of shit.

Arthur Ashe apparently costs more to run production than a normal arena and New Japan apparently didn't want to share their part of the bill on that building. When SRS reported that, Rocky Romero said that wasn't true, yet here we are with it switched from Arthur Ashe to Long Island lol

 

[The Clinch]

So it appears New Japan crying about Arthur Ashe stadium is true and Rocky Romero telling SRS it wasn't true was full of shit.

Arthur Ashe apparently costs more to run production than a normal arena and New Japan apparently didn't want to share their part of the bill on that building. When SRS reported that, Rocky Romero said that wasn't true, yet here we are with it switched from Arthur Ashe to Long Island lol

SRS wrong again.

“WhO bOuGhT tHe PlAnE tIcKeT?”

 

[Based God]

SRS wrong again.

“WhO bOuGhT tHe PlAnE tIcKeT?”

SRS appears to have actually been right this time.

 

[The Clinch]

SRS appears to have actually been right this time.

Crap!

He sucks!

 

[Based God]

Apparently Jack Perry has become a massive merch draw in New Japan. The House of Torture shirt with him in the middle is the #1 seller in New Japan and his other shirt that's just the word "Scapegoat" is sold out on the New Japan store.

 

[The Clinch]

Apparently Jack Perry has become a massive merch draw in New Japan. The House of Torture shirt with him in the middle is the #1 seller in New Japan and his other shirt that's just the word "Scapegoat" is sold out on the New Japan store.

Watch his contract run out with AEW and he signs with NJPW. (Anna Jay may prevent Japan fulltime unless she goes to Stardom, which could help her in the long run.)

Eat shit Tony!

 

[Based God]

The AEW reddit has always been an "AEW can do no wrong" circle jerk, but good lord it's been fucking wild since last night

The mental gymnastics of people trying to convince themselves that airing that footage was a good idea is hilarious and it's hundreds of people joining in. There's also a narrative running through that reddit claiming that WWE fans and CM Punk fans are the "MAGA equivalent" to pro wrestling

 

[Batjester]

Wait, are they actually going after people for posting the footage? LOL

I think Tony Khan might just be a man child.

Might be???

 

[TKing]

The AEW reddit has always been an "AEW can do no wrong" circle jerk, but good lord it's been fucking wild since last night

The mental gymnastics of people trying to convince themselves that airing that footage was a good idea is hilarious and it's hundreds of people joining in. There's also a narrative running through that reddit claiming that WWE fans and CM Punk fans are the "MAGA equivalent" to pro wrestling

I remember seeing a discussion there about how the booking being bad was apart of a long term storyline lol. So I can only imagine now with this.