Paid Members Supremo Posted July 22, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted July 22, 2021 I think it’s easy to think of Daniel Bryan as the embodiment of anti-WWE, Vince-won’t-push-our-guy sentiment because that’s how they’ve positioned him so many times. But the reason that became a thing in the first place was because people fucking love Daniel Bryan. Whether he’s main eventing Wrestlemania or dicking about wrestling Drew Gulak. He’s the nicest, most honest, intelligent, flat-out charming man in the business, all of which shines through in everything he does. It just so happens that he’s fantastic at the wrestling and promo side of things, too. The last thing they should do if he comes in is reference his WWE run or have him play the anti-Vince angle. Just let him have the time of his life wrestling all these young lads and watch gold form naturally. I’d never even considered CM Punk turning heel shortly after arriving. That excites me a million times more. Punk taking the piss out of the fans for chanting his name for nearly a decade? Lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB6937 Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 The only thing I hope is that Bryan doesn't get dragged into the anti-WWE stuff. It'd suit Punk and it'd be believable but Bryan? That guy achieved more than anyone ever thought he would there. It just wouldn't seem genuine coming from him. We know he wants to wrestle different guys and that's fair enough. Doesn't need to turn into the typical anti-Vince stuff though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted July 22, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted July 22, 2021 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Supremo said: The last thing they should do if he comes in is reference his WWE run or have him play the anti-Vince angle. Just let him have the time of his life wrestling all these young lads and watch gold form naturally. I have absolute faith that, aside from maybe a passing reference to being free to do what he likes, that's all it'll be. The anti-Vince stuff tends to come from people with an axe to grind, rather than from AEW management, I believe. Bryan did everything there was to do in WWE, has never been afraid of saying his piece in interviews, so doesn't seem likely to have anything to get off his chest. I think an eventual CM Punk heel turn would be almost inevitable, if he is to sign. For one, he's a better heel, but also I think there's enough plausible reason for it - if he's not working a full schedule, and if it's fairly common knowledge that he's coming back because the money's right, then he's becoming everything he complained about the likes of The Rock and Brock Lesnar doing during his time in WWE. CM Punk as an entitled sell-out would be fantastic, because it's rooted in reality, and it's a version of his character that we haven't seen before. It would be the perfect heel foil for a roster of indie stand-outs that followed in his wake, too. If the rumours of Kenny Omega working hurt are true, and he's going to end up having to take some serious time off, then my fantasy booking would be to have the pressure catch up with him, lose the AEW title to Hangman Page, the AAA title to Andrade, and the Impact title to whoever, all in short order, and if there's anything brewing between him and Jay White in Impact, let that play into it too. Hell, involve Kazarian as The Elite Hunter, just make it clear that Omega is fighting on all fronts and can't cope any more. Omega does a promo on Dynamite, calling out Hangman Page for a rematch, but it's answered by the debuting Bryan Danielson. Bryan says that he heard Kenny Omega likes to call himself the best in the world, and wants to put him to the test. Omega ducks the challenge, leaving that match open for months down the line. Instead, Omega backs down, admitting that he's hurt, and gets the Young Bucks to attack Bryan. Bryan has to find a tag partner, and that ends up being CM Punk. We get a big tag match of Bryan & Punk against the Young Bucks but, one way or another, Punk ends up turning on Bryan after the match. In Kenny Omega's absence, Punk becomes leader of The Elite. You have the Straight-Edge CM Punk in a position to feud with hard drinking Hangman Page, as well as with Bryan Danielson, and Omega can return and have a respectful babyface match with Danielson before taking on Punk. Hell, have Omega and Page settle their differences and reunite to take on The Elite under CM Punk. EDIT: Scrap Bryan debuting first, I've just realised All Out is in Chicago, so swap them around. Punk debuts in Chicago, Bryan at the big New York show in September. Boom. Edited July 22, 2021 by BomberPat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyattSheepMask Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 Punk as a heel crying “WWE held me down” when he’s fucking loaded and had the longest run with the belt for 20something years would be the best use of him, but as someone mentioned a page or so back, a run of a few months is all that could be of use of him. Daniel Bryan has got far more upside to him just being the best wrestler in the world than anything Punk has to offer as either a heel or a face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted July 22, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted July 22, 2021 (edited) What a mad situation it is though. WWE spend a decade positioning themselves as the heel, and then the two guys they used to spearhead the movement end up jumping to a rival company at the same time. Similarly, it’ll never not be bonkers that they bottled it with Edge earlier this year, shoehorned Bryan into the Wrestlemania main event, only for Bryan to publicly state he wasn’t even fussed about being in that position, and then jump ship. Edited July 22, 2021 by Supremo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members garynysmon Posted July 22, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted July 22, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, BomberPat said: EDIT: Scrap Bryan debuting first, I've just realised All Out is in Chicago, so swap them around. Punk debuts in Chicago, Bryan at the big New York show in September. Boom. I didn't realise they had a Chicago show in the pipeline. Imagine if Punk isn't signing, yet the live crowd expecting it to be the case with a surprise appearance in the offing. That's going to be underwhelming... Edited July 22, 2021 by garynysmon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 13 hours ago, Shane O' Mac Version 2 said: It's not like Punk was ever a super-athlete though. He had the indy cred, but never really the athleticism/explosiveness of someone like Bryan. I can't think of anything in his act that age would compromise, save for maybe the springboard clothesline, which I don't think he did a ton of towards the end of his run anyway. Oh yeah, I didnt mean in terms of him being a 'speedy' athlete, he never was. I just meant that he would look EVEN slower after so much time off. Again, I could be way off and I'm sure hes quicker than me, I just don't see a Punk comeback looking good in the ring, but again I'd be bang up for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Nick James Posted July 22, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted July 22, 2021 The cynic in me is thinking Punk is ready to come out and play and what better way to get a hefty payout from Vince without going directly to them cap in hand, than it 'leak' that you could be signing for the competition. On the flip side, I wonder whether Vince in panic mode offers Punk, Brock level money to come back to them rather than AEW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCW Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 I don't think Bryan would go down the bashing/anti WWE route in promos anyway, even if AEW let him do/say whatever he wants. He's not a bitter person and he surpassed all expectations in WWE anyway. 2 Mania main events, multiple time world champion and he met his missus there. I don't think Punk could resist the urge to have a pop, and in fairness as much as I found him bland as feck in ring, he is a cracking promo. Heel, money grabbing bastard character Punk would be fantastic. I'm happy if we get either, but again like many here I'd lean slightly towards Bryan if I had to choose just for the line up of matches possible. Great times to be a wrestling fan anyway, cheers Tony! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love-Wilcox Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 CM Punk vs newly crowned, beer-swigging champion Adam Page, surely?!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted July 22, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted July 22, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, garynysmon said: I didn't realise they had a Chicago show in the pipeline. Imagine if Punk isn't signing, yet the live crowd expecting it to be the case with a surprise appearance in the offing. That's going to be underwhelming... They could sort of head it off by doing the "Shawn Michaels playing Bret's music in Canada" troll - that was genuinely one of the last truly great things WWE ever did. I'm sure they've got any heel who could do it - have them stand in the ring, bad-mouth Punk, then have the whole stadium erupt with the Chicago flag on the video wall and Cult Of Personality playing for ages, then the heel doing the "GOTCHA". Jericho would probably be best for this as he's got history with him, but I daresay someone like MJF would be good. EDIT: In fact, AEW could even work the smarks and dirtsheets by letting it slip they've paid for the rights to Cult, then, when the angle happens, have the heel say something like "You idiots - who the hell do you think bought the rights to play it?" Edited July 22, 2021 by Carbomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamaras-Tash Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 (edited) If Punk were to come in and as a heel it would have to be pushing the straight edge thing since MJF has nicked the whole '' I'm better than you gimmick '' Punk used to do. Him coming in would be big but I'm not sure if that ship has sailed for the buzz he would have created previously. Edited July 22, 2021 by Kamaras-Tash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted July 22, 2021 Awards Moderator Share Posted July 22, 2021 I enjoyed this week’s show. Nothing revelatory but a solid, good episode of wrestling with plenty to enjoy. I liked Jericho-Spears more than I expected to; OC and Sting doing their thing was great fun; Death Triangle’s promo was intriguing; the main event was suitably brutal. Next week’s looks to be good too. AEW is just generally good, isn’t it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members PJ Power Posted July 22, 2021 Paid Members Share Posted July 22, 2021 Thunder Rosa's now officially signed with AEW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegeta Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 Just watched this weeks episode and was gonna say how good I thought it was, but wow Bryan and punk?! I'll wait to see, but if that's true and they are used right, thats a game changer for aew surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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